Seattle library’s program challenging banned books tops 1 million teen e-book checkouts; KOMO, October 1, 2026

 KOMO News Staff , KOMO; Seattle library’s program challenging banned books tops 1 million teen e-book checkouts

"With Banned Books Week 2026 (Oct. 4-10) approaching, the Seattle Public Library’s Books Unbanned program has passed a major milestone: more than 1 million e-book checkouts by teens and young adults.

The library said young people from all 50 states have checked out 1.1 million e-books and e-audiobooks since the program launched in 2023. 

The Books Unbanned e-card is available to anyone ages 13 to 26 anywhere in the United States outside of the library’s service area, and the program is funded entirely by donors to The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

Donors have invested nearly $900,000 since 2023 to sustain and grow the program, according to the library and foundation. The funding comes as public libraries across the country face rising book challenges and, in some places, reduced support."

Airmen criticize Air Force’s use of AI in suicide prevention training as ‘uncomfortable and odd’; Task & Purpose, September 30, 2026

 AUSTIN CAMPBELL, Task & Purpose; Airmen criticize Air Force’s use of AI in suicide prevention training as ‘uncomfortable and odd’

"The materials that make up the 2026 Suicide Prevention Total Force Awareness Training use several video segments with AI-generated characters, scenarios and presenters to deliver portions of the annual instruction required across the force. The Air Force did not specify which portions of the video presentations were AI-generated.

The videos, which are used in training for all Air Force and Space Force members, depict airmen showing signs of stress and distress in fictional scenarios. The videos are intended, an official told Task & Purpose, to lead to facilitator-led discussions as groups watch them. Training notes distributed online with videos even go so far as to note in all caps that “watching the video alone does not meet the training requirement.”

Since the videos began being used across the Air Force this year, they have drawn sharp criticism from rank-and-file service members.

“I think to take such a human subject and to take the humanity from it is insensitive and feels as if the Air Force doesn’t recognize the impact of this training,” one Air Force member told Task & Purpose. The airman, a senior leader who works in Air Force mental health and who has dealt directly with patient suicides by Air Force members, spoke on the condition that their name not be used.

“Does it meet the intent? Yes. Does it do it well? That would depend on the individual airman. For me it felt cold and unnatural,” they said. “Allowing AI to teach like this with little to no emotion and no human experience makes it feel uncomfortable and odd.”