Free Access to Banned Books: Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection

With the rise of book bans in recent years, libraries have been working hard to stop censorship and protect intellectual freedom. Librarians know that most people do not support book bans and that their community members strongly value their libraries. Yet, they still face constant threats from a small minority of people demanding these bans.

In response, libraries and local governments across the country have made great strides in protecting challenged books and libraries. Colorado recently offered a strong example by passing a new law and expanding free access to banned books through Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection.

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The Freedom to Read Act

In 2025, Colorado's governor signed the Freedom to Read Act into law, creating safeguards against book bans in public school libraries. The law requires local school boards to establish a standard policy for the acquisition, use, and removal of library resources, ensuring that any removal or restriction follows a clear, fair, and consistent process. It also prevents discriminatory policies and protects librarians from retaliation.

By making the review process more transparent, the law makes it harder for school boards to remove books unfairly. Any challenge must undergo an unbiased evaluation to determine whether it has merit. Since many calls to ban books are based on misunderstandings of a book’s content or from discriminatory views about the topics represented, this policy helps protect against biased attempts to restrict access.

State Senator Lisa Cutter, one of the bill’s sponsors, said, “Free societies don’t ban books,” a sentiment that has been proven time and again. People are only free when they can read freely. Reading exposes individuals to diverse perspectives and helps them recognize and respect others’ experiences. This is why the freedom to read is so important, and why maintaining access to banned and challenged books is essential to maintaining a free society.

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Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection

Anythink Libraries is the public library system serving Adams County, Colorado. In a very timely move, the system has launched the Freedom to Read Collection, a digital library of frequently banned books. The collection is available through the Palace Project app, which hosts similar collections in other states. After downloading the app, users can search for Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection and borrow available e-books and audiobooks for free.

The collection is available to all Colorado residents age thirteen and up. No library card is needed, and users can access about three hundred banned and challenged titles. The collection contains a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles, all of which have been challenged in either Colorado or elsewhere in the United States. It also includes certain foundational documents, such as the Constitution, that are important for everyone to read and understand.

The Palace Project, developed in partnership with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), is a suite of content, services, and tools for delivering e-books, audiobooks, and other digital media to public libraries and their patrons. The creators of the project believe that public libraries are the digital centers of knowledge and creativity for their communities. They share the same mission as public libraries: increasing equitable access to information.

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Why the Collection Matters

Colorado’s Freedom to Read coalition, made up of community members, educators, parents, librarians, elected leaders, and advocacy organizations, is dedicated to protecting the right to read. They believe every child should be able to explore a diverse range of literature in both school and public libraries, and to learn from and engage with a variety of ideas without censorship or discrimination.

Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection operates on similar principles, offering access to works that might otherwise be censored or restricted. As more and more books are challenged across the country, maintaining access to them is essential. Digital availability ensures that Colorado residents—including those who can’t easily visit a library in person, such as people with disabilities or those living in rural areas—can still use this valuable resource.

Many people can benefit from the Freedom to Read Collection. Both children and adults can access and engage with information they might not otherwise encounter in everyday life. Students, especially, need access to diverse ideas as they learn about the world around them.

This collection is particularly important for marginalized groups. Many banned or challenged books feature topics related to marginalized people, such as the LGBTQ+ community or people of color. Providing free access to these works is critical, not only because they can be useful and affirming for marginalized readers, but also because they help foster greater awareness and acceptance.

The silencing of diverse voices is often at the root of the book bans that have become so frequent. Exposure to diverse voices can expand people’s worldviews, while restriction limits knowledge and critical thinking skills, contributing to stunted intellectual growth and discrimination against anyone perceived as different. It’s vital to fight back against this narrowing of accepted experience and perspectives.

Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection is a meaningful step in the right direction. It is a wonderful resource and tool for anyone seeking knowledge and diverse perspectives. If you live in Colorado, download the Palace Project app on your Android or iOS device and explore the Freedom to Read Collection. If you live outside Colorado, you can still download the app to see what collections are available in your area. You can also support intellectual freedom efforts in your community by looking into similar projects and advocating for legislation that protects the freedom to read.