Yesterday, I wandered into the West End Public Library in Washington, DC, for what looked like a regular library afternoon visit — but it wasn’t. Penguin Random House’s Banned Book Tour had come to town, transforming the library into an act of resistance. The pop-up was simple: pick up a banned or challenged book free of charge. Then scan a QR code, and you’d donate a banned book (for free) — to a reader or library that needs it. I left with one of those titles in hand and a deeper sense of why this matters.
Since this week is Banned Books Week (October 5 – 11), the timing could not be more urgent. The campaign, which began in 1982 in response to a spike in book challenges in libraries and schools, exists to champion the freedom to read and push back against censorship.
A Brief (and Troubling) History of Book Banning in the U.S.
To fully appreciate what Penguin Random House is doing, it’s worth remembering how the fight over banned books began. The idea for Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 when schools and libraries across the country saw a surge in challenges. That same year, the Supreme Court decided Island Trees School District v. Pico, ruling that public school officials cannot remove books simply because they disagree with the ideas inside. That decision was a turning point, but it didn’t end the problem.
Even earlier in American history, censorship was a recurring theme. In the colonial era, texts were often suppressed on political or religious grounds. Today, the reasoning behind bans looks different but is no less concerning. According to PEN America, there have been thousands of challenges in just the past few years, with more than 6,800 instances of bans or restrictions across 23 states and nearly 90 districts. What is especially striking is the subject matter of the targeted books: many focus on race, LGBTQ+ identities, gender, and other marginalized voices. The intent may be packaged as “protecting children,” but the result is silencing the perspectives that help us understand one another.
What Penguin Random House Is Doing in Response
Against this backdrop, Penguin Random House has emerged as one of the loudest voices resisting censorship. Their Banned Book Tour is the most visible part of this effort, bringing free books directly into communities and encouraging attendees to not only take a book home but also send one out into the world. By making the donation process as simple as scanning a QR code, PRH bridges awareness with tangible action.
But the tour is just one dimension of their broader strategy. The publisher has rolled out educational hubs such as their “Let Kids Read” resources site, which provides parents, teachers, and students with the tools to push back against bans. They also use their platform to highlight curated lists of the most frequently challenged books, reminding readers which voices are currently under threat. On the cultural side, PRH The literary powerhouse has even collaborated on initiatives like a “Reading Is a Right” clothing collection, channeling proceeds into advocacy work for libraries and communities.
Their resistance is also legal. Penguin Random House has joined lawsuits against states that have enacted restrictive book laws, including challenges to legislation in Idaho that sharply limits what minors can access in libraries. These cases are framed not only as publishing battles but as First Amendment issues that strike at the heart of democracy. In the words of the publisher, censorship is not a neutral act of selection but a direct threat to freedom.
Why This Matters — Especially in 2025
The theme of this year’s Banned Books Week is “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” The nod to George Orwell’s 1984 is intentional, reminding readers what happens when governments or institutions control information. The escalation of bans in recent years underscores the urgency of this warning. This is not just about which books sit on a library shelf. It is about whose stories are allowed to be told, and whose perspectives are erased.
Representation is often at the heart of these bans. Books by Black, brown, queer, and trans authors are disproportionately targeted, along with stories that tackle uncomfortable truths about American history. For students like me, the ability to pick up one of these books for free at a local library event feels both empowering and sobering. It’s a reminder that the right to read is never something to take for granted.
A Call to Action (Because It Doesn’t End Here)
Leaving the event, I realized that taking home a banned book is more than just an act of reading — it is an act of defiance. The stories that are challenged are often the ones that help us grow, question, and see the world differently. Supporting efforts like PRH’s pop-up tour, donating to libraries, or simply sharing a challenged book with a friend are all small ways to resist a culture of silence.
As students, we have a particularly strong role to play. On campuses and in classrooms, conversations about intellectual freedom matter more than ever. Banned Books Week is not just a yearly campaign but a constant reminder that our ability to think critically and freely is worth protecting.
If you’re curious to learn more, explore Penguin Random House’s resources and lists at prh.com/banned-books, or dive deeper into the movement at bannedbooksweek.org. The freedom to read, after all, is the freedom to imagine — and that is something worth defending.