Celebrate Banned Books Week with a Read-In and Programs Highlighting the Future of Libraries and the Impact of Censorship
release date: October 1, 2025
Celebrate the freedom to read with The Seattle Public Library during Banned Books Week (Oct. 5 through Oct. 11) and beyond with a read-in, programs, displays, stickers and more.
Launched in 1982 by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to seek out, access and express ideas. This year’s theme is “Censorship Is So 1984 – Read for Your Rights.”
In recent years, there has been an unprecedented rise in efforts to challenge and ban books in school and public libraries. A new PEN America report, released today, finds “disturbing normalization” of book bans in public schools, with nearly 23,000 cases of book bans across 45 states and 451 school districts since 2021.
All Library events are free and open to the public. Unless noted, registration is not required.
Library programs celebrating Banned Books Week
- Banned Books Week Read-In. Sunday, October 5, From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Green Lake Branch. Join us at the beautiful and historic Green Lake Branch, which reopened in October 2024 after a lengthy renovation, to read banned and challenged books in community with fellow readers. Bring your own book to read or share with others, or select a book provided by librarians and learn about how to fight censorship.
- The Future of Libraries with Lillian Dabney, Tom Fay and Dr. Audrey Whitty. Sunday, October 12, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Library, Level 1 – Microsoft Auditorium. In a post-digital era, libraries face the dual challenge of expanding access through emerging technologies while safeguarding censorship. Join Folio librarian Lillian Dabney, Executive Director Chief Librarian of the Seattle Public Library Tom Fay, and Director of the National Library of Ireland Dr. Audrey Twitty, for a conversation on the future of libraries in a rapidly changing world. Registration is required.
- Book Banning: What's the Story? Sunday, October 19, From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Central Library, Level 4 - Room 1. Join us for a panel discussion about this year’s Banned Books Week theme with panelists Rena Priest, an enrolled member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation and former Washington State Poet Laureate; American Book Award-winning novelist Nancy Rawles ("My Jim"), and Anna Bálint, editor of the anthology "Take a Stand: Art Against Hate."
Find a list of all Banned Books Week programs at www.spl.org/BannedBooksWeek. Many Library locations will also host displays related to Banned Books Week and the freedom to read, and you can also pick up colorful “Read What You Want” stickers to show your support for the freedom to read.
Books Unbanned
To fight censorship and expand access to reading, The Seattle Public Library’s Books Unbanned program (www.spl.org/BooksUnbanned) allows young people across the U.S. ages 13 to 26 to access the Library’s collection of e-books and e-audiobooks. It was the second library in the nation to create a Books Unbanned program, after Brooklyn Public Library. Six libraries are now part of the Books Unbanned network.
During Banned Books Week, the Library will release an update on Books Unbanned and how the program has grown since its launch.
The Library’s Books Unbanned program is funded by private support through The Seattle Public Library Foundation. People interested in supporting the Books Unbanned initiative can contribute through the Foundation’s Equity & Access Fund.
Connect with the Library
Located in one of just two UNESCO Cities of Literature in the U.S., The Seattle Public Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people's lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and empower community.
Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information. Find out more about our future plans at www.spl.org/StrategicPlan.