Book banning has been around since the beginning of literature, but it became more prevalent in 2022, when The American Library Association reported more book challenges that year than any prior in the 21st century.
That same year, the Brooklyn Public Library launched the Books Unbanned initiative. San Diego joined in 2024. Misty Jones, director of the San Diego Public Library, said the program is a valuable resource for young readers.
“The Books Unbanned project really provides access to e‑books throughout the nation for books that are being pulled off the shelves that people cannot access anymore,” Jones said.
The program now includes five public library systems: Seattle, Los Angeles County, Boston, Long Beach and San Diego.
Patrick Stewart, CEO of the Library Foundation San Diego, said the Books Unbanned is about protecting one of our most basic freedoms.
“The idea of banning books is a direct affront to one of our most sacred civil liberties and that is the First Amendment Freedom of Speech,” Stewart said. “It’s an affront to our intellectual freedom and an ability for us to make personal decisions on what we or our children have access to.”
