Today is Earth Day, but did you know that libraries around the country celebrate it on a daily basis? Libraries play an important and unique role in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change, and a sustainable future. In acknowledgement of this, the American Library Association (ALA) adopted sustainability as a core value of the […]
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On April 4, the American Library Association (ALA) released the State of America’s Libraries Special Report: Pandemic Year Two, a snapshot of the library community’s resilience, determination, and innovation in unprecedented circumstances. The report, which comes out annually during National Library Week, highlights how US libraries navigated the second year of the pandemic, an upswing
A Snapshot of America’s Libraries in 2021 Read More »
Art Spiegelman is speaking out after his graphic novel Maus was banned by a Tennessee school board last week. Maus chronicles Spiegelman’s family’s history during the Holocaust, with Jewish characters rendered as mice and Nazis as cats. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1992—the first graphic novel to win the award. The 10-member board in McMinn County chose to remove the two-volume book
January 18 is the National Day of Racial Healing. In its sixth year of observance, it is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for how we heal from the effects of racism. Libraries, librarians, and book lovers across the country are participating in the National Day of Racial Healing
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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
This Is What 2020 Was Like at America’s Libraries Read More »
A new decade means a new U.S. census—and libraries are doing their part to ensure that everyone gets counted. The nation depends on a fair, accurate, and inclusive census to make sure billions of dollars in federal resources (from education funding to transportation infrastructure) are allocated appropriately. But counting millions of Americans is no small
How Libraries Are Supporting the 2020 Census Read More »
With people everywhere staying home to curb the spread of COVID-19, individuals of all ages are turning to screens for entertainment, information, and socialization. While digital media has been a lifeline during these unprecedented times, parents and caregivers may be wondering what online videos, apps, and games are best for their families. Fortunately, your local
How Your Family Can Make the Most of Screen Time During the Pandemic Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the U.S. economy, and our nation’s libraries are no exception. Libraries across the country are reporting drastic budget cuts, making it harder to serve their communities when Americans need them most. That’s why library advocates are calling on legislators to sign the Library Stabilization Fund Act, which would provide crucial
Last Chance for Federal COVID-19 Funding—Here’s How You Can Help America’s Libraries Read More »
As Congress works to draft additional COVID-19 stimulus legislation, library advocates across the country are calling for libraries to be included in the funding package. Last week, Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI), Don Young (R-AK), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) circulated a letter in the House calling for $2 billion in emergency funding for libraries through the
Urge the Senate to Provide Stimulus Funding to Libraries Read More »
With many schools, universities, and businesses closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, students and workers are finding themselves needing to take classes or do their jobs from home—putting the millions of Americans who lack in-home internet access in a challenging position. Thankfully, many libraries have found ways to provide web access to their communities, even after
These Closed Libraries Are Still Providing Free Wi-Fi Read More »
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