When writer and illustrator Yuyi Morales first moved to the United States, she and her infant son discovered their local library, which soon became a cherished haven and helped inspire her passion for children’s literature. Decades later, she shares a moving gratitude letter to a librarian who touched her life in a podcast and animated […]
Author Yuyi Morales Shares a Thank-You Letter to Librarians Read More »
When locals head to the former Merchants’ Square supermarket in Carmel, Indiana, they’re not stocking up on groceries. Instead, they’re there to check out books from the temporarily relocated Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL), which has ingeniously repurposed the vacant store space to house their collection while their main branch is under renovation. When they
Books Fill the Aisles at this Supermarket-Turned-Library Read More »
This summer, a promotional video for Texas’s Harris County Public Library (HCPL) took the internet by storm, thanks to an instantly legendary character named Curbside Larry. In the clip, Larry dons a cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses to sing the praises of HCPL’s new curbside pick-up services, all with the energy and bravado of a
Viral Sensation Curbside Larry Talks Libraries and Informercials Read More »
Looking for some great young adult literature? Ask the experts: teenage readers. Each fall, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) brings together adolescents from across the country to choose the Teens’ Top Ten, a list of the very best YA reads from the previous year. Their picks range across genres and come from diverse authors,
The Best YA Books, According to Teens Read More »
Halloween might look a little different this year due to the pandemic, but that needn’t stop you from having the coolest get-up at your Zoom costume party. Need some outfit inspiration? The Library of Congress’s extensive online archives offer countless historical photos you can draw from. Here are a few of our favorite reference images, plus some
9 Historical Halloween Costume Ideas from the Library of Congress Read More »
Each year, library professionals and booksellers come together to select the winners of the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. This week, they announced the 46 books on their longlist for the 2021 award, which includes some of the most talked about books of the past year. “This was unquestionably a challenging year
Librarians and Booksellers Name Their Top Books of 2020 Read More »
Each year, millions of Americans are released from prisons and jails. Libraries work hard to help these formerly incarcerated populations transition back into their communities, providing free access to education and job training in a welcoming setting. “Libraries & Reentry,” a recent report from the American Library Association, details the many ways that libraries support individuals
For Formerly Incarcerated People, Libraries are a Lifeline Read More »
Thirty years ago, beloved rock band R.E.M. posed for the American Library Association (ALA)’s READ campaign to promote the joy of literacy, and the resulting poster became an instant collector’s item. Now, book lovers and music fans can enjoy this iconic image as a jigsaw puzzle, with all sales supporting literacy efforts. On the poster, musicians
Get This R.E.M. Puzzle for the Shiny Happy People in Your Life Read More »
Librarians work all over the world, from big cities and suburbs to the furthest reaches of the planet. Case in point: Edgardo Civallero is a librarian stationed in the Galápagos, an archipelago off the coast of Ecuador known for influencing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Civallero is part of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF), a
What It’s Like to Be a Librarian in the Galápagos Read More »
During the pandemic, libraries have gotten creative to continue serving their communities while maintaining social distancing. Indoor group activities like book clubs are no longer feasible, so many libraries have switched to online or phone-based conversations. Connecticut’s Russell Library has taken a different approach, bringing literary discussions into the great outdoors with their Book Yak
For a One-of-a-Kind Book Club Experience, Hop on a Kayak Read More »
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