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Books have played a vital role in our democracy—not only by spreading the notion of democracy itself but also by disseminating ideas that inspire people to drive change. For example, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin sparked outrage over slavery, helping to end the institution in the 1860s. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed the perils of the pesticide industry in the 1960s, prompting the American public to demand reform. And Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma has people thinking about the ethical and nutritional issues connected with factory farming and buying more locally raised meats and vegetables. Books have enabled people to freely share ideas, discuss those ideas’ merits and flaws, and make informed choices—all key elements in any democracy. Indeed, the ability to write whatever one wants has its very roots in our founding documents: Amendment I of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of the press.

Though books have long played this crucial role and will continue to do so, they face several challenges that threaten to dilute their impact. These challenges include the persistence of censorship, a decline in reading, and the loss of old books to physical deterioration.