Books Unbanned!

Heads up! In April of 2022, the Brooklyn Public Library initiated a program called Books Unbanned:

"Brooklyn Public Library joins those fighting for the rights of teens nationwide to read what they like, discover themselves, and form their own opinions. Inspired by the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Statement, BPL's Books Unbanned initiative is a response to an increasingly coordinated and effective effort to remove books tackling a wide range of topics from library shelves.

"The American Library Association documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The tally is nearly double that of the 729 book challenges reported in 2021. Most targeted books were for a teen audience and were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons.

"Across the country, teens continue to face rising attempts at book bans, censorship, and political challenges in their local school and public libraries. Here are just some of the ways young adults can get support from BPL...."

In April of 2023, the Seattle Public Library also began participating in the Books Unbanned initiative.