The Read Freely Project

The Read Freely Project is a book giveaway partnership between Rediscovered Books and The Cabin.

Rediscovered Books started the Read Freely Project in 2021 to highlight and distribute recent books that are diverse, well-written, and yet vulnerable to censorship in the current social climate. The project is designed to connect readers with authors and stories that are different from our own and often unheard.

How does it work?

Rediscovered Books selects a handful of books for children and adults that engage with social justice and diverse viewpoints.

Your donation will go directly toward purchasing copies of the selected books.

Volunteers sign up to hand out copies of the books to members of our community. More people reading more books, and talking about them with each other, opens the path for more connections between people.

With your help, we can bring more stories to more people

With your help, our goal is to raise $10,000 to fund 1,000 books, to be given away by 100 Read Freely volunteers!

To sponsor a bag of 10 books of your choosing from the 2025 Read Freely book selection, donate $100. You or your organization will be credited with the donation. Simply note the book choice and name when you donate.

100% of all donations are used to purchase books.

2025 Read Freely Books

Statement from The Cabin

The freedom to read remains under threat in Idaho. Over the past few years, books by BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors have been pulled from public and school library shelves, while the educators and librarians who share these stories face mounting pressure and hostility.

At The Cabin, we believe that access to books — especially those that reflect diverse experiences — is essential for a healthy, informed, and empathetic society. Parents have every right to guide their children’s reading at home. But when books are removed from public spaces, those personal choices become restrictions on an entire community.

That’s why we continue to partner with Rediscovered Books for the Read Freely Project — a grassroots effort to put challenged books into the hands of readers across Idaho. Whether you distribute books as a volunteer or donate to help purchase books, you’re helping defend the right to read freely and fully.

Join us. The stories we share today will shape the world we build tomorrow.

- Kurt Zwolfer, Executive Director of The Cabin

FAQs

Why is Read Freely important to The Cabin?

The Cabin's mission is to forge community through the voices of all readers, writers, and learners by creating human connections through words. To reach our mission, we want everyone to have access to voices and stories of every kind.

How is Read Freely related to book bans?

This project breaks down barriers and provides access to books reflecting issues and stories that are relevant and that matter. Our right to read, widely and without constraint or censorship - from authors outside our experience, to the unknown and unexpected - is no freedom to be taken lightly. This project is a proactive movement against censorship.

More ways you can take a stand against censorship

Purchase a Read Freely sticker or “Read Freely” t-shirts for yourself, family, and friends. Proceeds will support the purchase of books for the project. (See below)

Contact your legislator and tell them what you think about proposed legislation that would result in censorship.

Sign up to be a Read Freely Volunteer to give away 10 copies of your chosen book.

Take a stand against book bans. Check out the UABB action toolkit and defend the right to read in your community: Unite Against Book Bans.

Write your local school and community librarians and share your support for them.

Stand up for freedom of expression in all forms in your community using resources from the NCAC!: National Coalition Against Censorship.

Write a letter to your school principal, superintendent, and school board, emphasizing the importance of protecting the freedom to read.

Learn how book bans may violate the First Amendment and what to do if that happens.

With every donation, you help connect more people with more stories.

Show the world that you Read Freely

All proceeds will support the purchase of books for the project. Click any item see more colors and styles for apparel.