Libraries will be beacons of hope and light in 2022, according to the Washington Post.

The newspaper’s Editorial Board ushered in the new year with praise for public libraries, touting the abundance of new libraries that have opened around the world in recent years, their architectural beauty, and the variety of services they offer to communities. In particular, they were impressed with Fayetteville Public Library in Arkansas, with its art and movement room, event center, and a teaching kitchen; the renovated Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, which provides not only ample places to read but also a business center, a podcasting studio, a floor dedicated to children and teens, and a rooftop terrace; Washington D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, with its a large auditorium, conference center, rooftop terrace, café, and music production facilities.

Libraries abroad that caught the editorial board’s eye include the Wormhole Library in Haikou, China. Overlooking a river, its stunning mix of windows and concrete resembles a wormhole or cloud; the Stanley A. Milner Library in Edmonton, Alberta, which features 3-D printers, a sewing center, recording studios, and vinyl and laser cutters for special projects; and the award-winningDeichman Bjørvika in Oslo, with its cinema, 200-seat auditorium, cafes, recording studios, rehearsal spaces, and game rooms.

We are experiencing a “golden era for public libraries worldwide,” the Editorial Board wrote. And we wholeheartedly agree: The libraries featured annually in American Libraries’ Library Design Showcase and discussed in Call Number with American Libraries’ recent architecture and design episode all address community needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways, from the super high-tech Cybrarium in Homestead, Florida, to the small business-focused unBound branch of Meridian Library District in Idaho.

The newspaper’s Editorial Board concluded its story by stressing the value of public libraries. “Communities that invest in libraries are well prepared for whatever the next chapter brings,” they wrote. It’s absolutely true: In a world of uncertainties related to the pandemic, politics, economics, and much more, we can always count on libraries to help lead the way towards the light.

Don’t miss this new library renaissance-visit your local public library today!

The saying goes that there is more to a book than its cover. But is there more to a snake than its skin? That’s what Maddie, a deadly but beautiful Taipan, wants to prove in the new Netflix movie Back to the Outback.

Maddie leads a crew of zoo animals that are often derided as ugly and dangerous on a journey to the Outback where they can be who they are inside. Along the way, they learn what it means to be a family, and, like books themselves, that they each have fantastic stories to tell and rich lives within.

Isla Fisher, who voices Maddie, recently sat down to promote the value of libraries. You don’t need to go on a cross-country adventure to explore new places; libraries take us on fantastic adventures every day.

Librarians and library lovers, please help spread the word by sharing Isla’s message. More information and link to download the video are available on the ALA website.

With the holiday season in full swing, many of us may have extra time on our hands. In between shopping excursions, family gatherings, cooking, or simply resting during some much-deserved time off from work, there’s no better way to spend one’s free time than with a movie. But what to watch? The Library of Congress (LC) has a plethora of recommendations.

This week, LC announced the films being added to the National Film Registry this year. The registry selects 25 films annually that showcase the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. Described as “eclectic” by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the 2021 selections span the entirety of cinema history, from Ringing Brothers Parade Film, a recently restored silent short from 1902 that provides a rare glimpse of a prosperous northern Black community at a time when African Americans rarely appeared on film, to modern PIXAR favorite WALL-E (2008). Other notable selections include Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Strangers on a Train (1959); The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971), an essential documentary on the killing of the Black Panther leader; John Waters’ independent groundbreaker Pink Flamingos (1972); the final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi; and Selena (1997), a biopic on the late Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.

Here’s the full list of films inducted into the National Film Registry this year, in chronological order. Happy viewing.

1. Ringling Brothers Parade Film (1902)
2. Jubilo (1919)
3. The Flying Ace (1926)
4. Hellbound Train (1930)
5. Flowers and Trees (1932)
6. Strangers on a Train (1951)
7. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
8. Evergreen (1965)
9. Requiem-29 (1970)
10. The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)
11. Pink Flamingos (1972)
12. Sounder (1972)
13. The Long Goodbye (1973)
14. Cooley High (1975)
15. Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
16. Chicana (1979)
17. The Wobblies (1979)
18. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
19. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
20. Stop Making Sense (1984)
21. Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987)
22. The Watermelon Woman (1996)
23. Selena (1997)
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
25. WALL-E (2008)

Your local library is the first place to check for the availability of films on this list. We found quite a few of the later releases and some of the classics at our library in both DVD format and via the library’s connected video streaming service.

The Ringling Brothers Parade Film is available on YouTube with an introduction from David Kiehn detailing how he identified the film when it was brought to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum by an elderly couple. The 1971 documentary, The Murder of Fred Hampton is available online at the Chicago Film Archives. And the Library of Congress also has selections from the National Film Registry available online.

Do you know a film that should be included? Nominations for next year’s additions to the National Film Registry will be accepted through Aug. 15, 2022.

Jason Reynolds, YA author and the Library of Congress’s National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on December 2 to discuss his new book, Stuntboy, in the Meantime, as well as the detrimental effects of banning books in libraries and schools across the US.

When asked by Colbert about his books being on the American Library Association’s Top 10 Most Challenged Books List, Reynolds stressed the importance of access to books for young readers.

“For those of us on that list, it’s not a badge of honor,” Reynolds told Colbert. “People always say, ‘Congratulations. You’re doing something right.’ It’s like, yeah, but at the same time, there’s been access cut for all the young people who might need these books and where they might only get them in schools. You can’t take for granted that there might not be a library or bookstore in everybody’s community or that there may not be a $20 bill to go buy that book that they no longer have access to because of these bannings.”

Watch the full interview:

School and public libraries across the U.S. are currently experiencing an unprecedented increase in book censorship attempts. And many of the books being challenged and removed focus on LGBTQIA+ issues; document the Black and BIPOC experience; or are written by Black authors.

As Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom told NBC News on November 12, “I’ve worked at ALA for two decades now, and I’ve never seen this volume of challenges come in. The impact will fall to those students who desperately want and need books that reflect their lives, that answer questions about their identity, about their experiences that they always desperately need and often feel that they can’t talk to adults about.”

Are you frustrated by these attempts to censor books? Here are three steps you can take now to stand with libraries and protect the freedom to read.

1. Follow news and social media in your community and state to keep apprised of organizations working to censor library or school materials.

2. Show up for library colleagues at school or library board meetings and speak as a library advocate and community stakeholder who supports a parent’s right to restrict reading materials for their own child but not for all readers.

3. Educate friends, neighbors, and family members about censorship and how it harms communities. Share information from Banned Books Week 2021.

ALA offers resources to assist library workers and library advocates in responding to and supporting others facing such challenges. If you’re experiencing a book challenge, please report it to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and let them know if you need assistance.

And since it’s Giving Tuesday, please consider a donation to the American Library Association. ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom-the rights of library users like you to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Banned Books Week, (September 26 – October 2) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read! Libraries and schools create incredible displays, programs, and materials to raise awareness about the right to read.

With your support, we can continue to draw attention to censorship attempts and highlight the benefits of unrestricted reading.

Below are four actions that you can take to support Banned Books Week!

#1 Share on social media

This year’s theme is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” Check out the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom’s infographics, GIFs, and cover photos to raise awareness during the week!

Example social media post:

Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. This #BannedBooksWeek, we’re drawing attention to the power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship. Learn more at ala.org/bbooks. #BooksUniteUs

#2 Share events and resources

Use the sample social media post above or create your own message to share! Check out these additional resources for ideas:

•     Frequently Challenged Books
•     Free Downloads Page
•     Schedule of Events

#3 Attend an event

We hope you can join us at some of the amazing events happening throughout the week – including Facebook Lives, Twitter Chats, and author discussions. Featured authors include Jason Reynolds, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Alex Gino, and Laurie Halse Anderson.

#4 Tweet to a banned author

Dear Banned Author is a letter-writing program that encourages readers to write (or tweet!) to their favorite banned authors. Shareable postcards, Twitter handles, and author addresses can be found on the ALA website. Make sure to use the hashtags #BannedBooksWeek and #DearBannedAuthor.

 

Follow the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom on Facebook and Twitter as they promote events and continue to highlight the incredible work of libraries throughout the week!

It’s back-to-school season, and if your students are coming home with books in their backpacks that channel their interests and enthusiasm into learning and literacy, there’s likely a school librarian to thank. There’s no better time to stop and celebrate school libraries and librarians. Here are just five reasons they’re the heroes we need now more than ever.

Information literate students are better prepared for college, career, and life

Post-secondary institutions, employers, and civic life demand the ability to find, evaluate, use, and create information in multiple formats. School librarians prepare students for their next life stages by teaching information, digital, and media literacies, as well as digital citizenship.

Students value the school library as a safe space

Students who feel safe and well-supported are more engaged in school and perform better academically. School librarians provide judgment-free learning spaces, curate resources that nurture student health and well-being, and promote reading for pleasure.

New technology introduced by school librarians elevate student learning and enhance teaching methods

When librarians vet and introduce new educational technologies, students learn to safely and constructively navigate tools and resources that deepen inquiry, collaboration, and creation. In turn, teachers can enhance classroom teaching with resources provided by the school librarian

Students find resources appropriate to their needs in a school library

School librarians curate diverse collections that provide mirrors, windows, and doors so that all students better understand themselves and the world around them. In so doing, school librarians empower students to embrace curiosity and learn independently.

Students achieve more in schools with libraries and librarians

Students with professionally staffed school libraries have higher reading, writing, and information literacy scores, as well as higher graduation rates. Studies show that Title I students and English language learners recognize even greater academic gains with a certified school librarian.

Schools with a strong school library program and a certified school librarian ensure their students have the best chance to succeed. If your children’s school doesn’t have a school library or school librarian-or the school library budget has been slashed-become an advocate! 

For more news like this, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Adapted from “Students reach greater heights with school librarians (PDF)” by the ALA Committee on Library Advocacy