Can’t delete books from archive. They merely move back to my active library

Hi leven226,

To delete audiobooks, make sure you're following the steps outlined here: Delete book and audiobook downloads from your device. That resource also has information and steps to take if you're unable to delete an item.

How to delete books, audiobooks, or PDFs from your iPhone or iPad

1. Open the Books app.

2. On your iPhone, tap Library, then find the item that you want to delete. On your iPad, look under Library in the sidebar and find the item that you want to delete. If the item is part of a series, first open the series.

3. Tap Edit in the upper-right corner.

4. Tap the item, then tap the Trash icon .

5. To remove the item from your device, choose Remove Download. (If the item is a PDF or didn't come from the Book Store, you can also tap Delete Everywhere to delete it from your Library.)

If you can't delete an item

• Hide a purchased book or audiobook: If the iCloud icon  appears next to an item, it's stored in iCloud and not downloaded on your device. Hiding the item removes it from your device. To access your hidden items, tap the Sign In button  or your photo at the top of the screen, tap Manage Hidden Purchases, then sign in with your Apple ID. Learn how to hide and unhide purchased books and audiobooks on your Mac.

• Turn off synced books from a computer: If you used your computer and a USB cable to manually sync books and audiobooks to your iPhone or iPad, you can turn off syncing to remove those items.

Regards.