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Fresh Librarian-approved Kids’ Reads for Summer 2021

Lindsey Simon on August 2, 2021

Looking for great summer reads for the young readers (and pre-readers) in your life? This list of librarian-recommended books for babies through fifth graders is a great place to start. Compiled annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, this list is meant for parents and caregivers and can be used to explore titles that may match or spark their child’s interest. Check these out at your local library!

Babies – Preschoolers

Antiracist Baby
by Ibram X. Kendi, illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
Racial consciousness develops younger than many people realize, and this picture book will give parents and caregivers a launchpad for having these important conversations with their little ones.

Families Belong
by Dan Saks, illustrated by Brooke Smart
A celebration of families loving, singing, and belonging together.

Future Doctor
by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Allison Black
A board book teaching the basics of being a doctor and encouraging Baby that they can be anything.

The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish
by Lil Miss Hot Mess, illustrated by Olga de Dios
Written by one of the first Drag Queen Story Hour performers, this picture book will get kids moving and proudly flaunting their most glamorous selves.

Hurry Up! A Book about Slowing Down
by Kate Dopirak, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
With repeating refrains, this picture book follows a busy morning and afternoon of a young girl. After school, she learns to slow things down and enjoy what is around her.

I Love My Tutu Too!
by Ross Burach
Every animal loves their tutu and wants to find more animal friends who love their tutus as well. Clever rhymes and a vibrant color palette make this a highly re-readable board book.

I Love You, Baby Burrito
by Angela Dominguez
With a mix of both English and Spanish languages, this book takes you through the act of swaddling a newborn.

Me & Mama
by Cozbi A. Cabrera
A young child enjoys a day with her mama, splashing in the rain and being cozy at home.

A New Green Day
by Antoinette Portis
Poetic riddles create a guessing game as readers explore nature during a summer day.

Raven Squawk, Orca Squeak
by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd, illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers
The sounds of the Pacific Coast are shared in this board book with simple text accompanied by colorful illustrations from an Indigenous artist.

Sing with Me / Canta conmigo
by José-Luis Orozco, illustrated by Sara Palacios
Enjoy six classic children’s songs in both English and Spanish, with charming illustrations.

The Solar System with Ellen / El sistema solar con Ellen
by Patty Rodríguez and Ariana Stein, illustrated by Citlali Reyes
Text in English and Spanish brings our youngest bookworms on a trip through outer space with Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut.

This Is a Book of Shapes
by Kenneth Kraegel
This board book begins as a simple introduction to shapes and gets sillier and more complex as other shapes that might not be so simple get added!

Two Many Birds
by Cindy Derby
A monitor shouts rules as birds line up to sit in a tree, but when the tree reaches capacity and two more birds hatch, things start to get a little wild.

We All Play
by Julie Flett
With a simple text in English and Cree and soft, beautiful illustrations, this book explores how both animals and humans play.

We Are Little Feminists: On-the-Go
by Brook Sitgraves and Archaa Shrivastav
A board book celebration of how we move, featuring colorful photographs of a variety of people moving in many different ways, highlighting the diversity of people and abilities in our community.

What Sound Is Morning?
by Grant Snider
This simple and beautiful book encourages its readers to consider their morning routines, paying special attention to the sounds and silences that accompany them.

Whose Bones? An Animal Guessing Game
by Gabrielle Balkan, illustrated by Sam Brewster
An informative board book about animal bones and anatomy in the form of a fun guessing game.

You Matter
by Christian Robinson
An uplifting and inspiring book encourages readers to explore the many different people we encounter in our world and our connection to them, highlighting the important mantra of the title, “You matter.”

Kindergarteners – Second Graders

Baloney and Friends
by Greg Pizzoli
This funny graphic novel for beginning readers stars Baloney the pig alongside his friends Bizz (a bee), Peanut (a horse), and Krabbit (a very cranky rabbit).

Black Is a Rainbow Color
by Angela Joy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
There’s no black in rainbows, but Black is more than a color. It’s a culture. This picture book celebrates African American history and identity.

Carpenter’s Helper
by Sybil Rosen, illustrated by Camille Garoche
A sweet story about a girl and her family bonding while building a birdhouse in their home.

The Electric Slide and Kai
by Kelly J. Baptist, illustrated by Darnell Johnson
Kai’s family is excited for his aunt’s upcoming wedding, but since every family celebration means dancing, Kai’s worried he will make a fool of himself on the dance floor again. A picture-book celebration of family, love, and overcoming one’s fears.

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners
by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho
A picture book filled with wonderful illustrations that encourage children to be proud of who they are and how they look.

A Hatful of Dragons: And More than 13.8 Billion Other Funny Poems
by Vikram Madan
A silly collection of interactive poems and rhymes in a variety of formats with fun illustrations about mummies, dragons, and more!

I Am a Bird
by Hope Lim, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
A little girl, riding on the back of her father’s bike, is wary of the mysterious woman with a bag they pass. One day, she finds out what the bag is for, and her wariness grows into kinship.

Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend
by Dawn Quigley, illustrated by Tara Audibert
This early chapter book follows Jo Jo, a young Ojibwe girl, as she navigates the troubles and tribulations of being in elementary school. This story also includes snippets of the Ojibwe language with more information in the back matter.

Lift
by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat
Frustrated with her little brother taking over her job of pushing the elevator button, a girl takes a discarded button to transform her closet door into a magical elevator. In the process, she discovers that adventures are more fun when you share them.

Milo Imagines the World
by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
While on the subway, Milo imagines different stories for the people he sees, but he soon realizes you can’t tell who people really are just by their appearance.

A Place inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart
by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Noa Denmon
A Black boy, shown all over his neighborhood, experiences a range of emotions: fear, pride, sorrow, and joy.

Sadiq and the Green Thumbs
by Siman Nuurali, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar
Sadiq, a Somali American third-grader, starts a gardening club focused on helping neighbors. Part of a series.

Sharuko: El arqueólogo peruano Julio C. Tello / Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello
by Monica Brown, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
In this Spanish-English picture-book biography, readers find out about this Indigenous scientist who found skulls and artifacts in the mountains of Peru as a child and went on to become the founder of modern Peruvian archaeology.

Story Boat
by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh
Join a little girl and her younger brother as they leave behind the place they know as home and, along the way, make the best of times with what they find. A wonderful refugee story.

We Laugh Alike / Juntos nos reímos: A Story That’s Part Spanish, Part English, and a Whole Lot of Fun
by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez
Two groups of friends meet in the park, but one group only speaks English, and the other only speaks Spanish. Watch how they play together and discover all sorts of similarities!

What about Worms!?
by Ryan T. Higgins
Tiger is big and brave-except when it comes to worms! When faced with a worm-themed book and then a big group of worms, he must try to overcome his fear.

Your Mama
by NoNieqa Ramos, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara
This super fun book is a spin on the “yo mama” jokes. The twist with this book is that everything included here is pleasant, comforting, and warm, with more than just a hint of humor.

Your Place in the Universe
by Jason Chin
An introduction to size, scale, and distance that goes from comparing an eight-year-old’s height with a stack of books to examining the vastness of the universe.

Zonia’s Rain Forest
by Juana Martinez-Neal
Explore Zonia’s home, the Amazon rain forest, and learn as Zonia respects and protects the Peruvian wildlife and her heritage.

Third Graders – Fifth Graders

Any Day with You
by Mae Respicio
Kaia enters a filmmaking contest, drawing inspiration from the many Filipino tales her great-grandfather tells. When Tatang decides to return to the Philippines, Kaia will do whatever it takes to keep him in California.

Bear
by Ben Queen, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
This graphic novel follows a seeing-eye dog, Bear, as he loses his vision and embarks on an exciting adventure to return home after getting lost.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch
by Julie Abe
Eva has only a pinch of magic, which makes passing the test to become a novice witch difficult. When she lands in a small coastal town, she sets up a magical repair shop to prove her worth.

The How and Wow of the Human Body: From Your Tongue to Your Toes and All the Guts in Between
by Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz, illustrated by Jack Teagle
A fully illustrated comical tour of the human body focusing on disgusting, incredible, and hilarious facts about our very own, ever-oozing piece of machinery.

Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero
by Kelly J. Baptist
Now the man of the house, a boy finds passion in poetry after discovering his late father’s journal while struggling to hold his house together.

The Last Bear
by Hannah Gold
April’s father has always told her that there are no more polar bears left on Bear Island. When April sees something that looks like a polar bear across the horizon, she is determined to save it.

Pepper Page Saves the Universe!
by Landry Q. Walker, illustrated by Eric Jones
Twenty-fifth-century Pepper Page is obsessed with old comics, but when a high-school science experiment goes wrong and Pepper lands in the middle of a cosmic adventure of her own, Pepper’s reading may not be enough to save her.

Shaking Up the House
by Yamile Saied Méndez
Two sets of First Daughters shake up the White House with hysterical pranks on each other that escalate into an international affair!

Skunk and Badger
by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen
No one wants a skunk as a roommate, but Badger doesn’t have a choice. His quiet, solitary life is turned upside down by cheery Skunk in this odd-couple tale of friendship.

A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games
by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Allan Drummond
Jewish neurologist Ludwig Guttmann, who escaped Hitler’s Germany, had a revolutionary idea-sports might help patients labeled as “incurables.” Discover how his work evolved into the international Paralympic Games in this biography that includes photos and other illustrations.

Stella Díaz Dreams Big
by Angela Dominguez
Stella learns how to navigate fourth grade, participate in several clubs, and have fun with her family and friends. Third book in a series.

Super Detectives: Simon and Chester Book #1
by Cale Atkinson
A hilarious first volume in a new graphic novel series centered around ghost Simon and human Chester solving the case of a mysterious dog who shows up in their house one day.

Three Keys: A Front Desk Novel
by Kelly Yang
The sequel to Front Desk finds Mia, now part owner of a motel, working to keep the motel afloat while facing anti-immigration sentiment and helping her best friend Lupe when her father is detained as an illegal immigrant.

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez
by Adrianna Cuevas
Nestor wants to keep his ability to talk to animals a secret, but that’s a challenge when animals go missing in Nestor’s new town and rumors fly about a creature who lives in the forest.

Truman the Dog
by Debbi Michiko Florence, illustrated by Melanie Demmer
First in the My Furry Foster Family series of illustrated chapter books about eight-year-old Kaita, whose family fosters pets until they can find new homes for the animals.

We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac
A creatively organized picture book gives both Native and non-Native readers an overview of important topics including forced assimilation, sovereignty, and language.

We Got Game! 35 Female Athletes Who Changed the World
by Aileen Weintraub, illustrated by Sarah Green
With amazing facts and detailed information, this nonfiction book shines a spotlight on amazing female athletes at the top of their game. New players and retired competitors alike are showcased for the mark they have made on the world.

When You Trap a Tiger
by Tae Keller
Lily makes a deal with a magical tiger in an attempt to heal her sick halmoni in this tale celebrating Korean folklore, strong women, and the power of the imagination.

The Year I Flew Away
by Marie Arnold
When 10-year-old Gabrielle moves from Haiti to Brooklyn, she finds that America isn’t quite what she expected. With the help of a magical friend, Marie transforms into the perfect American girl but makes sacrifices in the process.

For more top resources, visit the ALSC Book and Media Awards Shelf.Photo by Marta Wave from Pexels

Librarian with Early-stage Dementia Wins National Award for Facing Adversity with Integrity

Lindsey Simon on July 20, 2021

As director of the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Janet Eldred has overseen major projects like building renovation and smaller daily tasks like working tirelessly with her team, lugging books, and sitting cheerfully at library booths through rainy festivals.

But the challenge she now faces with remarkable dignity and grace is a medical one.

In 2012, Eldred was diagnosed with early-stage dementia. Since then, she has not only experienced increasingly impaired cognitive function, but she has also developed neurological complications, including occasional seizures and bouts of syncope (loss of consciousness).

In 2019, in a speech for which she received a standing ovation (but does not recall giving), she observed: “You’ve often heard it said: No one is promised tomorrow. Life is fragile. I have learned that applies to the past as well. No one is promised yesterday, either. The one thing you can grasp is the moment. This is the moment you can choose what to do and who to be. The future and the past will take care of themselves.”

Her colleagues and patrons recognize her for her tireless work in the Hollidaysburg Public Library and community at large and celebrate her energy, zeal, cheerful kindness, inspiring selfless directorship, and for her determination to continue serving her community despite the immense complications of her medical condition.

Her goal – a “moonshot” – is to raise $1 million for her library, and the $10,000 prize associated with the Lemony Snicket Prize for Nobel Librarians Faced With Adversity, which she was awarded in April 2021, will go toward that.

In accepting the prize in June, Eldred said, “Early-stage dementia was a bad beginning, but my husband and I saw room, no, a wide window to turn a miserable decline into a kind of elevator. With the help of a village, my staff and board of directors and, with sticky notes, I remain grimly determined to serve my library as long as I can. Sometimes I think I’ve reached my ultimate day, so it’s thrilling to receive this award before the end.”

Read more stories about amazing librarians.

Urgent Action is Needed to Support Libraries this Infrastructure Week

Lindsey Simon on May 11, 2021

There’s been a lot of debate on the Hill and in the media about what constitutes infrastructure. As the Biden Administration begins its push to pass a $2 trillion package designed to reshape and rebuild the economy – and the country – library supporters like Eric Klinenberg are asking: why aren’t libraries a part of this bill? Writing in the New York Times in April, Dr. Klinenberg said:

Mr. Biden’s proposal makes disappointingly clear, adequate investments in civic and social infrastructure are less common… Our gathering places are overrun and dilapidated. Parks and playgrounds need updating. Athletic fields need new surfaces. Public libraries have an estimated $26 billion in capital needs, according to the American Library Association, and the costs of safely operating them at full capacity are likely to exceed what states and local governments can afford. None of this, sadly, is explicitly addressed in Mr. Biden’s proposal.

We know that libraries are fundamental to our communities. But as Dr. Klinenberg notes, the physical spaces they inhabit are not up to 21st century standards.

Change is necessary  – and urgently needed. At current levels of funding, it would take decades to meet the assessed needs. Based on the average capital expenditures from the five most recent years for which data is available, ALA says it would take more than 20 years at current funding levels to meet the estimated national facilities’ needs – not accounting for the future needs that would occur during those lengths of time.

Congress is going to make key decisions about the scope of an infrastructure package, including whether libraries will be in it or left out.

Now is the time to get involved. May 10 -14 is United for Infrastructure Week, an opportunity for libraries and their supporters to position themselves as critical infrastructure. The Build America’s Libraries Act (BALA) does just that – including funding upgrades to the nation’s library infrastructure to address challenges such as natural disasters, COVID-19, broadband capacity, environmental hazards, and accessibility barriers. This groundbreaking legislation would pave the way for new and improved library facilities in underserved communities across the country.

As United for Infrastructure Week commences, join us in the effort to support this bill and #BuildLibraries. Here’s how you can help.

Contact President Biden and Congress to ask that crucial funding for libraries is included in the upcoming infrastructure package. ALA’s Action Center makes it easy.

 

TAKE ACTION NOW!

 

Want to do more? Take a moment to tell your community how important it is that we pass this legislation and #BuildLibraries. Use our social media graphics (Facebook graphic / Twitter graphic) and sample posts to spread the word or craft your own message and tag your legislators. Don’t forget to follow @LibraryPolicy and #BuildLibraries on Twitter for more updates

  • Every community deserves a fully-funded, modern library. The Build America’s Libraries Act would help us get there, with $5B for library construction and modernization in underserved communities! Urge your Senators to #BuildLibraries: bit.ly/BuildLibraries | TWEET
  • Libraries across [your state] need funding for construction and modernization – @[your Senators] please support this legislation and #BuildLibraries! Join me and ask your Senators to co-sponsor: bit.ly/BuildLibraries  | TWEET
  • Library access is a critical lifeline for so many – it’s time to expand that access. It’s time to #BuildLibraries! Urge your Senators to support $5B for library construction & modernization in underserved and low-income communities: bit.ly/BuildLibraries | TWEET

As advocates across the country utilize this week to communicate the importance of infrastructure in our communities, library advocates can share their personal stories to amplify the need for library facilities to be fairly recognized as a critical part of our nation’s infrastructure. The example Tweet below from Blue Island Library in Illinois shows one impactful way to illustrate the need for this designated funding for infrastructure upgrades in your library.

 Ready for United for Infrastructure Week! Blue Island Public Library free broadband access keeps us connected (even though our roof leaks) @DickDurbin @SenDuckworth @RepBobbyRush, Blue Island Public Library is critical infrastructure. #Rebuildbetter

Check out the Build America’s Libraries homepage for more special templates and resources to help spread the word, including an informative template on how to craft compelling social media posts during United for Infrastructure Week.

May the Fourth Be with You – and with Libraries

Lindsey Simon on May 3, 2021

Star Wars and libraries go together like R2D2 and C3PO, like Luke and Leia, like Mando and Grogu. After all, when you can’t explore a galaxy far, far away…why not explore your library?

Check out these literary Star Wars tributes and explore a universe of reading and adventure.

Baby Yoda Poster

He has many names: Baby Yoda, The Child, Grogu. But the newest title of this little green guy is: Star of a READ® Poster. After slurping up frogs and riding shotgun across the universe with his bud the Mandolorian, he loves to kick back with a good book. Baby Yoda, he’s just like us! (Also, check out Master Yoda, too!)

Droid Poster

Before there was Grogu, droids ruled the Star Wars Universe. Join the OG crew – including C3PO, R2D2, and BB-8 – and explore the galaxy through your library.

Dark Side Posters

Even bad guys need a break. And when you spend your days wearing heavy helmets, audiobooks are probably the way to go. What do you think this Clone Trooper is listening to? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Servants of the Galactic Republic? Maybe Darth Vader needs to check out something on anger management.

And if you are still not sure what to wear to your May the Fourth party, visit Out of Print for tons of Star Wars and READ® inspired clothes. And this week only, they are running a special: Buy one Star Wars tee, get one Star Wars tee free from May 4 – 8.

Check out the full selection of READ® products at the ALA Store.

Library Advocates Share Their Favorite Pump Up Songs

Lindsey Simon on April 23, 2021

The American Library Association’s advocacy team has been thinking about ways to keep library advocates energized and can help to keep us moving. We asked several of our members advocates to suggest a “pump up” song that they listen to before they make calls to your Congressional office or their favorite political track that makes them want to fight for their right to access information.

We compiled their recommendations and we are sharing today as a Spotify playlist to keep spirits up and our community lifted—and to ask you: what’s your library advocacy anthem?

Nikki Scarpitti

Director, Strategic Initiatives & Advocacy, Columbus Metropolitan Library

Library Advocacy Song: Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen)

“Dancing in the Dark always pumped me up before my college basketball games, and right now, it’s a good quarantine song because with so many unknown circumstances, it feels like we are making our way through the darkness. We’re all trying to spark something positive as best we can, in our own ways, but it feels like everyone is just dancing in the dark until these uncertain times pass.”

Rob Banks

Chair, ALA Committee on Legislation

Library Advocacy Songs: Fanfare for the Common Man (Aaron Copland) Pines of Rome (Ottorino Respighi) and Symphony No. 9 (Ludwig van Beethoven)

“First, Copland’s piece is uplifting/primal – just brass and drums! Then, in Respighi, I especially enjoy that last part where he depicts the Roman Legions marching over the hill on the Appian Way and the sun flashes off of their armor—it makes me feel invincible. Finally, in Beethoven’s Ninth, the last movement just makes the world a better place.” (Editor’s Note: Rob is an accomplished harp player!)

Briana McNamee

Director of Government Relations & Advocacy New York Library Association

Library Advocacy Song: Paperback Writer (The Beatles)

“There are several lyrics that reflect or describe what being a public advocate is like. “Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look?” and “It’s a thousand pages, give or take a few. I’ll be writing more in a week or two.” For many of us in the field, it wasn’t a chosen career, but rather this undeniable draw towards a story, to information and to action for the betterment of someone or something greater than ourselves. The cause may change as years go on, but that just adds to our story.

Joe Thompson

Director of Public Services at Carroll County Public Library
Library Advocacy Song: Blue Monday (New Order)

My go-to energy song is a silly one, and it doesn’t have anything remotely to do with library advocacy. It’s the Tiësto Remix of “He’s a Pirate.” There are some excellent breaks. For an library advocacy pump up playlist I’d pick New Order’s Blue Monday. “And I still find it so hard to say what I need to say…” but if I speak from the heart and use the talking points provided by ALA, all will be okay.

Ann Ewbank

Associate Professor, Montana State University-Bozeman

Library Advocacy Song: Roar (Katy Perry)
Roar is my pump-up advocacy song. Before I meet with an elected official or staffer, I imagine that I am riding a big lion into the office just like Katy did in her Super Bowl halftime show.

Loida Garcia Febo

ALA Past President, 2018-2019

Library Advocacy Song: Fight the Power (Public Enemy)
Why? Because the power that threatens libraries must be fought all the time!

Sara Kelly Johns

AASL Liaison, ALA Committee on Library Advocacy

Library Advocacy Song: We Are the Champions (Queen)

For advocacy wins, this is my favorite song for obvious reasons. 

Ray Pun

Member, ALA Policy Corps 

Library Advocacy Song: Happy (Pharrell Williams)

This is a great song to hear and to feel optimistic during this challenge. I recommend it because it’s uplifting and positive and it can also shift one’s mood when preparing to do something difficult or celebrating one’s accomplishment.

Cynthia Robinson

Deputy Director, Illinois Library Association

Library Advocacy Song: Move on Up (Curtis Mayfield)

“It’s a perfect anthem for perseverance in trying times. When I listen to it, I feel like I can do anything.”

Kathy Lester

AASL Region 3 Director, School Librarian/Technology Integrationist

Library Advocacy Song: You’ve Got a Friend (Carol King)

Carol King’s album Tapestry is my favorite album. This song reminds me about the importance of kindness and relationships whether it is when working with students and colleagues, advocating for libraries/librarians, or just reaching out to others while sheltering in place. “All you got to do is call and I’ll be there.”

An initiative of the American Library Association

Meet the Athlete-Turned-Archivist Preserving Olympic and Paralympic Stories

Lindsey Simon on April 14, 2021

After more than a decade on Team USA, wheelchair racer Amanda McGrory is starting a new chapter with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). As the organization’s staff archivist, she’s drawing on personal experience as well her professional expertise to preserve and share the nation’s athletic history.

McGrory has been competing at the highest level of her sport for fifteen years. Representing the United States, she’s earned seven Paralympic and 13 World Championship medals; she’s also a fixture on the international marathon scene, taking first in high-profile races like the London, Paris, and New York Marathons. In 2018, she added a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Illinois to her roster of accomplishments.

McGrory fit her graduate studies in between training and competitions to ensure a smooth career transition after eventually retiring from athletics. “You cannot be a professional athlete forever. That is a career that has a pretty strict expiration date,” she told I Love Libraries. “My biggest fear was getting caught in a position where I hadn’t planned for the future.”

When she first started library school, McGrory had no idea she would end up as an archivist for the team she’d dedicated so much of her life to. She considered specializing in public and academic libraries before falling in love with special collections-and when she found an internship posting for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Archives in Colorado, everything started to click.

“It’s absolutely amazing how perfectly everything came together,” she shared. The internship was magical: one day, she was sifting through boxes of artifacts and pulled out Serena Williams’ signed tennis shoe from the 2008 Beijing Games. “That is the moment that it hit me: these are amazing pieces of history from some of the most incredible athletes in the world, and I’m just holding it. It was like, ‘this is what I want to do.'”

After her internship ended, McGrory returned to Illinois to train for the 2019 World Championships and 2020 Paralympic Games, her final competitions before retirement. Just as she was looking for a post-athletics job, the USOPC archivist announced her retirement, creating a unique career opening for McGrory’s skills and interests. When COVID-19 postponed the Tokyo Games and upended McGrory’s racing plans, she packed up her life and moved back to Colorado to lead the archives.

Being the only full-time staffer at a world-class archive like this one is no small feat, but after years of intense competition, McGrory feels at home in daunting situations. “A lot of being an archivist is about being self-driven, with collection development and accepting artifacts,” she said. “In my experience working as an athlete, I rely a lot on my independence. I’m very confident in my instincts.”

Working for USOPC while maintaining a spot on the Team USA roster has been a singular experience for McGrory: “I have the fun distinction of being the only current athlete ever to be on staff at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. It’s been really interesting to be able to see things from both sides.”

McGrory’s plans for the rescheduled Tokyo Games are still up in the air-the Paralympic trials for track and field take place this June, and she’s making peace with the possibility of not qualifying. “I feel fortunate that I’ve already had the experience of going to the Games and winning medals. I was lucky enough to take six years to just be a professional athlete and get paid to travel around the world. I have no regrets there,” she explained. “If it’s time to walk away and to be finished, I’m OK with that. I’m ready to pursue some other passions.”

Either way, McGrory will use her role in the archives to champion better representation for the hundreds of Paralympians on Team USA. Her work fits into the USOPC’s broader push for inclusivity (including adding “Paralympic” to its official name in 2018), and McGrory has both personal experience and academic expertise to contribute-her master’s coursework focused on the history of adaptive athletics and wheelchair sports.

“It’s been great to be in a position where I’m able to help elevate those voices and add information about Paralympians into everything we do as an organization, whether it’s physical displays, artifacts, or stories that are being told,” she shared.

“There’s a great opportunity with the Paralympic Games to showcase the skills of these athletes as athletes first, beyond being individuals with disabilities. There’s been a big change within the past couple of years-the Paralympics aren’t just for people with disabilities to watch,” she continued. “These are incredible athletes that have mastered amazing skills, competing at the absolute highest level.”

Subscribe to the I Love Libraries newsletter for more amazing stories about libraries and librarians.

Photos courtesy of Joe Kusumoto and The News-Gazette.

Lights, Camera, Library: Behind the Scenes at the Motion Picture Academy Archives

Lindsey Simon on April 13, 2021

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may be best known for its annual Oscars ceremony, but the organization’s work continues year-round. Its efforts to uplift the medium of cinema are aided by a team of expert librarians and archivists, tasked with preserving and sharing the history of film.

About 70 staff work at the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library, named for the groundbreaking librarian who went on to spend two decades as the organization’s executive director. The library’s collection includes millions of archival items, including everything from books and scripts to photographs and posters.

The library is (usually) open to the public; while it’s currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff are still providing research and reference services through email. Many of their visitors are cinema studios scholars, but they also often work with filmmakers doing research for upcoming projects-for example, someone making a Hitchcock-inspired movie might turn to the library’s Hitchcock materials for inspiration.

While you may not see library staff onstage at the Oscars, they do play behind-the-scenes roles in the star-studded ceremony. Reference librarians research the historical fun facts you hear while a winner is walking up to receive their award, and photograph archivists provide the images for the annual “In Memoriam” tribute segment.

One of those archivists is Megan Harinski, whose work in the photograph department brings together her passion for cinema and her professional expertise. “I’m a lifelong film lover, so I really enjoy being surrounded by history,” she told I Love Libraries. “My dream when attending library school was to eventually be in a collection like we have at the Margaret Herrick Library, so I consider myself very lucky to be able to go to work every day.”

For cinephiles, the library’s archives are a treasure trove. “One of my favorite photographs in our collection is from the film North by Northwest. It features Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint filming the famous scene at Mount Rushmore, but in the top corner you can see where the backdrop ends,” Harinski shared. “Off-camera photographs give us a peek at the magic that goes into filmmaking and, in my opinion, are usually more interesting than the scene stills.”

Safeguarding these pieces of movie magic is a major part of the library’s-and the Academy’s-mission. “I would watch old Cary Grant and Fred Astaire movies with my mom when I was a kid, and that was only possible because someone somewhere thought it was important to preserve the reels for the future,” Harinski explained. “Being part of an institution that works to preserve the history of film making so future generations can see how it has evolved over time is really special.”

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Photo courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, Margaret Herrick Library.

10 People Share What Their Libraries Mean to Them

Lindsey Simon on April 9, 2021

All throughout National Library Week, readers, learners, and educators have been reflecting on the countless ways libraries support their communities.

The American Library Association’s #MyLibraryIs campaign invited social media users to share why they love their libraries. Here are a few of our favorite responses:

“My library is the core of our city! The amenities available help citizens get jobs, pay taxes, build bonds of community, share knowledge and ideas, invent, build, create, plant, feed, understand, learn, grow, and more! Our city wouldn’t be the same without our library!”-@AlysonGerwe

“Some of my best memories as a kid took place at the Meade County Public Library. I was just telling my hubby today about Summer Reading Pizza Parties. I hope that my toddler grows up to love libraries too! I’m taking him to the library tomorrow!”-@TheGreatKaysby

“My library is the heart of the school. Our librarian’s passion for reading is evident in every corner of our library.”-@SCastillo_DWS

“Sacramento Public Library is my source for new and favorite old books, movies for my kids, great online learning resources, and an all-around great community center. Support your local library!”-@Choonghagen

“My library is a great place to find new book releases! I have so much fun browsing and our librarians are the best!”-@TonyaDEllis

“My library is currently my adventure, my meeting place, and my solace. At my high-school library, it was my refuge where I could sort of unwind, and also casually talk to the librarian who became one of my close friends.”-@PenPartlow

“My library is a place of safety. A place where I can be myself, and read for pleasure. My library is vital, a place that inspires me; a place that pushes me to be better. My library is necessary, a place where the community gathers and shares ideas.”-@JSalinas_DWS

“My library is making a difference by allowing my 9-year-old son a way to still enjoy reading while he is away from school by making audiobooks available for him.”-@TonyaAtki

“My library is the most beautiful building in my area. Looking forward to getting back in soon. Rooftop is fantastic! I studied there for months to get my Project Management Professional certification in 2018 and have been picking up books there at the front desk during the pandemic. The staff is awesome!”-@judycohall

“My library is a place where we come together to learn, access information and knowledge. My library is my safe haven!”-@DW_K8S

Subscribe to the I Love Libraries newsletter for more great stories about why libraries matter.

Dan Rather Explains Why Libraries Are Cornerstones of Democracy

Lindsey Simon on April 8, 2021

Venerated journalist Dan Rather is a longtime supporter of libraries. His recent book, What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, includes a powerful chapter about libraries as “temples of learning,” where people of all backgrounds can come together to access information.

On Thursday, April 8-in honor of National Library Week and Take Action for Libraries Day-Rather will join the American Library Association, United for Libraries, and Booklist for a live conversation about What Unites Us and the value of libraries. In advance of the event, he spoke with I Love Libraries about his favorite library memories, what’s next on his reading list, and more.

How did you use the library growing up?

During my youth, growing up in Houston Heights, I had the great fortune to know a wonderful librarian, Jimmie May Hicks, at the Heights branch library. Through her guidance, I learned of the value and knowledge that the library held. My use of the library-seeking out information, checking out books, broadening my world view-was established and enriched because of her. I can only imagine the countless other stewards of information who have changed lives across our nation.

How do you use the library now?

Technology has given us great advances over the years. As we receive wonderful tools like laptops and smartphones, that means “screen time” has skyrocketed. When I want to give my eyes a break and read things “the old fashioned way,” the library has never let me down. There’s nothing quite like setting down and letting the outside world melt away-no pings or electronic beeps, just the sounds of the flip of a page between your fingers and the story unfolding. However, for those more digitally-inclined, it is important to note that libraries are also great technological centers. Libraries truly provide the best of both worlds: access to equipment when gadgets are needed, and a space away from the noise when quiet study is wanted.

Do you have a favorite library memory?

I have many fond memories of the library but my favorite would have to be the day I got my library card. As a young boy, the card was my prized possession. To think that the son of an oil field worker could hold a key to unlock the endless stacks of knowledge that lived within the most spectacular building I had ever seen, was an amazement. It was a special moment that helped define my path in life.

What’s next on your reading list?

The Fake News Panic of a Century Ago: Reflections on Globalization, Democracy, and the Media by Lee W Huebner; Children Under Fire: An American Crisis by John Woodrow Cox; This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism by Don Lemon; The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson; and A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib.

Why are libraries so important in today’s society?

Libraries have a transformative effect on lives of all ages, the communities in which they reside, and the country as a whole. They were, and still are, civic institutions that welcome anyone who wishes to become a more informed and independent citizen. There is no other public resource that so well encapsulates this aspirational notion of democracy. Through the library, through books, through knowledge, through access to technology, we all can improve to become better, more learned, versions of ourselves and, in turn, be better neighbors to those around us.

How do you support libraries in your life and work?

For whatever, if any, platform that I have, I use it to sing the praises of libraries (and, in addition, local bookshops). You’ll sooner see a centaur driving a hybrid down the freeway than hear a negative word about libraries from my mouth.

Subscribe to the I Love Libraries newsletter for more inspiring stories about the power of libraries.

This Is What 2020 Was Like at America’s Libraries

Lindsey Simon on April 8, 2021

2020 was a year like no other—and libraries were no exception. Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, libraries had to act fast, transforming their resources and services to meet the rapidly changing needs of their communities.

The American Library Association’s State of America’s Libraries Special Report: COVID-19 sheds new light on the challenges libraries faced in 2020. The picture it paints is clear: libraries never wavered in their commitment to literacy and digital access, even while battling public health threats and major budget cuts.

“Libraries also extended necessary lifelines to community members facing job losses, healthcare crises, and remote work and learning during an unprecedented and uncertain time,” ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. wrote in the report’s introduction. “Library professionals answered the call to serve amid multiple emergencies and again proved to be essential ‘first restorers’ or ‘second responders.’”

Here are some of the report’s key highlights:

  • Readers went digital during the pandemic. Libraries using the digital lending service OverDrive loaned out 289 million ebooks in 2020, a 40% increase from 2020.
  • Public, school, and academic libraries developed innovative services to keep their communities engaged and entertaining while social distancing, from online scavenger hunts to a book club hosted on kayaks. They also addressed the digital divide by loaning out internet hotspots and leaving their Wi-Fi on for people to use in their parking lots.
  • With the nation reeling from COVID-19, police violence against Black Americans, and a high-stakes presidential election, libraries developing resources and programs to support and inform their communities.
  • Voters showed up for libraries at the polls. Of more the 100 library-related referenda on local ballots last year, 90% passed, providing much needed support to libraries and their staff.
  • On top of the pandemic, many libraries and schools found themselves fighting censorship, with community members attempting to ban books relating to racial justice or LGBTQIA+ stories. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 156 book challenges in 2020; these are the ten most targeted books.

To learn more, check out the full State of America’s Libraries Report.

Lead photo courtesy of Delray Beach Public Library.

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