Seattle library’s program challenging banned books tops 1 million teen e-book checkouts; KOMO, October 1, 2026

KOMO News Staff , KOMO; Seattle library’s program challenging banned books tops 1 million teen e-book checkouts

"With Banned Books Week 2026 (Oct. 4-10) approaching, the Seattle Public Library’s Books Unbanned program has passed a major milestone: more than 1 million e-book checkouts by teens and young adults.

The library said young people from all 50 states have checked out 1.1 million e-books and e-audiobooks since the program launched in 2023. 

The Books Unbanned e-card is available to anyone ages 13 to 26 anywhere in the United States outside of the library’s service area, and the program is funded entirely by donors to The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

Donors have invested nearly $900,000 since 2023 to sustain and grow the program, according to the library and foundation. The funding comes as public libraries across the country face rising book challenges and, in some places, reduced support."

Long Beach will open up its e-book library so teens from other states can read banned books; Long Beach Post, July 31, 2025

Natalie Canalis, Long Beach Post ; Long Beach will open up its e-book library so teens from other states can read banned books

"Free digital Long Beach Public Library cards will soon be available to teens across the nation in an effort to offset bookbanning in other parts of the country, thanks to a new partnership between Long Beach and the Brooklyn Public Library.

While book-banning attempts are rare in Long Beach, with the most recent challenge at the library failing in 2016, the practice is not uncommon. In 2024, the American Library Association recorded challenges to 2,452 different books across the country. The association said the majority of those challenges came from organized movements, many targeting sexual or LGBTQ+ content.

Books Unbanned, a program started by the Brooklyn Public Library in 2022, provides access to that library’s — as well as the Boston, LA County, San Diego and Seattle Public Libraries’ — online catalog to United States teens and young adults aged 13 to 21."