Seattle Public Joins "Books Unbanned"

RF thanks Seattle Public Library for joining the Books Unbanned initiative.

Their webpage beings thusly: “Teens and young adults ages 13 to 26 living anywhere in the U.S. can access our entire collection of e-books and audiobooks. We believe in your right to read what you want, discover yourself and form your own opinions. Fill out the simple form at the bottom of this page to get a Books Unbanned card.”

The page goes on with encouragement to readers to read what they want, to form their own opinions and get involved, and with FAQ’s

Readers may join both Brooklyn and Seattle programs, if they wish, to get the greatest variety of titles to choose from.

Neither will ever tell anyone who is in the program or what each person is reading.

Digital books are a censor’s dream. Imagine being able to shut down access to thousands of titles at once. Yikes! But they are also a powerful arrow in the quiver of those fighting for the right to read. Censors may ban in libraries locally, but anyone with internet access cannot be stopped from reading what they like—paid for by libraries for the good of readers.

We cannot cease from effort while banners challenge fundamental democratic rights. The digital divide guarantees that many will not have access to Books Unbanned, even through their local library many not be able to offer print versions of titles. Start by telling Congress to support the Right to Read Act. Fighting for the right to read is democratic. Censorship is authoritarian. Fighting to teach the truth of our history is brave and even patriotic. Fighting to enforce narrow-minded and small-hearted ideologies is cowardly and undermines the Constitution. The battle is that clear and that important. We cannot afford to lose.