“unbelievable response to book banning”
“tech that enables social justice”
“Protecting the first amendment”
“making sure books don’t disappear”
“putting books back where they belong”
unbanning every book
in america in real time
Intellectual freedom is under attack. more books than ever are being forced off the library shelves of america.
Image Source: Washington Post
idea
using the PEN america index of book bans, the dpla made the most up-to-date database of banned books in the United states
the dpla Geo-fenced the exact footprint of every library with banned books
Any person who walks into those libraries gains instant access to read the banned books* a message lawmakers couldn’t ignore
*Since launch, access has expanded to all of America, regardless of location
the dpla owns and operates the palace project as its primary way of sharing ebooks across america. click video for app walkthrough
Launched with the world's biggest banned book advocate
–
Launched with the world's biggest banned book advocate –
With so many books being banned across the country, @DPLA has launched The Banned Book Club to give readers access to e-books that have been banned. Learn more at https://t.co/ET5jreRQI4. pic.twitter.com/daWmibHujK
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2023
“Our entire system of government depends on our ability to share and access ideas, including those we disagree with. ”
“The Banned book club Couldn’t be more important: impacting children today, tomorrow & the next day”
– Anne Stava-Murray, Lead House Sponsor of Bill HB2789
impact
-
Across the U.S. but most prevalent in Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina.
-
This illuminates how censorship impacts a wide array of books, many of which include stories by and for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
-
Overwhelmingly, book banners target stories about race and racism, or stories that feature characters of color. And many of these same books are written by Black or Brown authors.
-
Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, California
-
Following a launch supported by President Obama, The Banned Book Club has been recognized by numerous publications, authors, libraries and social media influencers, reaching a broad audience to help spread the message.
-
The Palace Project App has seen a 72% rise in popularity and ebook downloads since the launch of The Banned Book Club.
additional information