In Louisville’s Jefferson County Public Schools, a recent ban on student cellphone use has sparked an unexpected cultural shift—students are turning to books in droves. Since the ban took effect, library checkouts have surged dramatically. At Ballard High School alone, August saw 891 books checked out—up 67% from 533 the year before. Meanwhile, at Pleasure Ridge Park High School, which had just 2,104 checkouts in all of 2024–25, more than 1,000 books have already been borrowed in the first 17 days of the new semester.

Librarians say students are rediscovering reading, moving from “screens to pages.” Some are borrowing mysteries and thrillers simply as a way to stay engaged during downtime when phones are off-limits. Library media officials are calling it a “culture shift,” saying these new patterns may last beyond the experiment. The push isn’t limited to high schools; middle schools across the district are seeing dramatic increases in library activity too.

Kentucky’s new law bans device use during class and lunch periods and tasks districts with rolling out enforcement plans. Officials say one unexpected upside is this revival of reading and student attention—one local district described the change as reclaiming focus, connection, and curiosity.