Two adults sit on a stage, reading from illustrated children's books. Children are sitting in the audience with the backs of their heads visible. Posters on stage feature text "National Day of Reading"

National Day of Reading 2026: One Story Can Make a Difference

This blog post is by Bella DeShayes (she/her), Welcoming Schools Manager at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a Unite Against Book Bans partner. To show support and affirm transgender and non-binary youth, you can pledge to read—on your own, with your loved ones, or in your community—on February 27, the 2026 National Day of Reading.

National Day of Reading 2026: One Story Can Make a Difference Read More »

Graphic reading Partner Resource Spotlight with Unite Against Book Bans logo and the cover image from HRC Foundation’s ‘School Boards Matter: A Guide to Effectively Advocating at the School Board Level’

Partner Resource Spotlight: HRC Foundation’s ‘School Boards Matter’

Local library and school boards have a profound impact on our communities. As national elections heat up, it remains vitally important to stay active at the local level. The HRC Foundation’s guide provides helpful information about board basics, building alliances with other advocates, and engaging directly to protect the freedom to read.

Partner Resource Spotlight: HRC Foundation’s ‘School Boards Matter’ Read More »

Graphic reading Partner Resource Spotlight with Unite Against Book Bans logo and the cover image from "The ABA Right to Read Toolkit"

Partner Resource Spotlight: American Booksellers for Free Expression 

Independent bookstores are powerful community allies in the fight against book bans! The American Booksellers Association’s free “Right to Read Toolkit” equips booksellers with checklists, safety tips, and creative ideas for banned book displays and read‑ins, turning local shops into gathering places to celebrate free expression.

Partner Resource Spotlight: American Booksellers for Free Expression  Read More »

Photo of fifty people seated in pews, facing the front of a church.

‘Faith for Libraries’ Initiative Will Mobilize Religious Communities to Protect Sacred Stories and Their Keepers 

Faith for Libraries, a new effort to unite faith communities and librarians to defend the sacred right to read, kicked off with a virtual gathering on November 5. From a rural librarian’s work confronting legislation that disproportionately impacts small libraries, to an academic librarian’s work rallying her faith community against
bans that target Black history and stories, the event highlighted how religious conviction can inform the fight for intellectual freedom. 

‘Faith for Libraries’ Initiative Will Mobilize Religious Communities to Protect Sacred Stories and Their Keepers  Read More »

Image of the Benton School District K-12 Building (exterior) in Arkansas.

National and Local Advocates Unite to Warn Central Arkansas School District Against Book Removals 

In response to library book removals in the Benton School District (AR), the National Coalition Against Censorship and other state and local groups sent a cautionary letter to school board members in defense of the freedom to read.

National and Local Advocates Unite to Warn Central Arkansas School District Against Book Removals  Read More »