Long Beach Opens E-Book Library For Teens From Other States That Can’t Read Banned Books

The Long Beach Public Library is partnering with the Brooklyn Public Library to offer free digital library cards to teens nationwide as a countermeasure to growing book bans. The initiative expands the Books Unbanned program, originally launched in 2022 by the Brooklyn Public Library to combat censorship. “We really did it in response to all the stories we were hearing about books being banned across the country,” said Brooklyn Public Library spokesperson Fritzi Bodenheimer. “We just didn’t feel like, as a public library, we could just sit back and watch this happen.”

The Long Beach City Council approved the city’s participation on July 22, allowing digital cards to be made available to teens aged 13 to 19, and possibly up to age 24 depending on library capacity. These cards will grant access to Long Beach’s e-books and audiobooks via the Libby app. The program is expected to launch in September or October 2025, coinciding with Banned Books Week in October, which Susan Jones, the library’s automated services manager, called “a natural fit.”

While Long Beach has rarely faced book challenges—its last one occurred in 2016—the national climate tells a different story. The American Library Association documented 2,452 book challenges in 2024, largely driven by organized campaigns targeting books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content. The expansion of Books Unbanned is a direct response to this trend, aiming to provide young people in restrictive areas with access to censored material. “It’s incredibly exciting and heartwarming, and it’s also incredibly heartbreaking because it means there’s a need,” Bodenheimer said, noting the program has already reached nearly 10,000 teens across all 50 states.

To prepare for the anticipated 150 to 200 new users, Long Beach will bolster its collection with censored titles and popular works. Funding will come from a $100,000 campaign run by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation. Executive Director Veronica Garcia Dávalos confirmed that a donor has pledged to match up to $10,000 in donations. Jones said the rollout won’t depend on fundraising success, ensuring access regardless of donations.

Link: LBPost