Uprise BooksBooks are powerful. When books are banned or challenged in America (which happens more often than you might think), they end up feeling even more powerful. And interesting. And tempting to read.

The Uprise Books Project, fellow Innovations in Reading Prize winners, takes advantage of this, and they use banned books to draw teens into reading. We’re pleased to announce that Uprise has donated an outstanding mini-collection of banned and challenged books to the Uni pop-up reading room. They’ve also included a reference text to help our librarians answer questions from New Yorkers about banned books.

Thanks Uprise, Uprise founder Justin Stanley, and the National Book Foundation for introducing us to each other. This collaboration reminds me why I love this work—I can’t think of a better monument for New York City public space than a tower of banned books. I’ll be proud to put these books into the hands of New York kids for years to come.

Keep banning folks. New York will keep reading.

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Uni Banned Books

Uni Banned Books