Anythink's Freedom to Read Collection
Anythink Libraries
Innovation Synopsis
Anythink Libraries launched the Freedom to Read Collection during National Banned Books Week, Oct. 5-11, 2025. The collection expands access to banned, challenged and restricted titles, along with foundational documents like the U.S. Constitution, all of which underscores Anythink Libraries’ commitment to shared access for all.
The Freedom to Read Collection is available to all Colorado residents aged 13+ for free through the Palace app, and no library card is required. Users create an account with a name and email address, and location services confirm eligibility.
The collection embodies Anythink’s vision of a library as a vibrant, participatory public space and affirms its mission to “open doors for curious minds” by ensuring that community members can freely explore ideas, stories, and identities in a time of unprecedented censorship pressures.
Challenge/Opportunity
In Colorado, public libraries have seen an increase in attempts to ban or restrict access to books, programs or displays, typically targeting those with LGBTQ or race-related themes. In Colorado, there were 43 book challenges in 2025, and 60 in 2024.
Against this dire backdrop, Anythink saw an opportunity to serve the Colorado community in a bold new way. Anythink created a clearly branded, intentionally curated Freedom to Read Collection that brings awareness and access to works by and about LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and other historically marginalized communities, as well as frequently challenged books and titles that expand civic and democratic understanding.
Key Elements of Innovation
The key elements innovations related to the Freedom to Read Collection include:
1) It is the first of its kind in Colorado and in the United States.
2) It removes barriers for individuals aged 13+ from accessing eBooks and eAudiobooks by only requiring a valid Colorado email address to borrow items.
3) It treats challenged and marginalized materials as essential infrastructure for a democratic, learning-oriented community.
4) Staff collaborated across departments—collection development, public services, marketing, and administration—to develop the scope of the collection, talking points, and marketing materials for promotion.
5) It provides access to challenged and banned books in fiction, nonfiction, young adult fiction, young adult nonfiction, and children and middle grade content.
6) This model is replicable, scalable, and economically sustainable for libraries in other states.
Achieved Outcomes
Outcomes include:
1) Statistics:
**Titles borrowed: 1,281
**Titles in the collection: 1,029
**Registered users: 178
2) Recommendations from teens and young adults have been included in the collection. This offers affirmation and representation at a time when many of their identities and experiences are being contested in public discourse.
3) For parents and educators, it provides vetted, contextualized resources for discussing difficult topics such as race, gender identity, and civic engagement with youth.
4) For engaged residents across the political spectrum, it signals that Anythink is a place where complex issues can be explored thoughtfully and without fear.
5) The Freedom to Read Collection was recognized by local and national media outlets, including Colorado Public Radio, Medium, EveryLibrary, Literary Hub, ULC, the Denver Post.
Supporting Materials:
- Instagram Reel: "These aren’t just “banned books”… they’re must-reads 📚🔥 Hear what local teens are loving from Anythink’s Freedom to Read Collection, free for every Coloradan on the Palace Project app - available to download from the link in our bio."
