Time has unveiled its Next Generation Leaders list for 2024, and librarian Mychal Threets, who was also a recipient of a 2024 I Love My Librarian Award, is amongst the honorees. Threets has taken the U.S. by storm with his TikToks that celebrate reading and spreading “library joy.”
Medar de la Cruz, an artist who works as a jail-and-prison-services assistant for Brooklyn Public Library, received the Pulitzer Prize in the illustrated-reporting-and-commentary category for “The Diary of a Rikers Island Library Worker.”
Is it hard for you to make time to read? Is getting into the proper headspace to enjoy a book a daunting task? In an age when digital distractions are omnipresent, getting lost in literature can be difficult for many readers. How can you get back into the habit? The Guardian asked librarians to share the best ways to rediscover reading and make it a regular habit—and their tips for the “most unputdownable” books.
Yesterday, the Carnegie Corporation unveiled The Secret Life of Librarians, a new online series that explores the unexpected stories of librarians across the country and their contributions as civic heroes who are improving lives and bringing communities together. And the 10 recipients of the 2024 I Love My Librarian Award are at the series’ heart.
2023 was a tumultuous year for libraries. Book bans dominated headlines as well as city council and school board meetings, threatening the access of information to readers of all ages and the livelihoods and safety of library workers across the country. Despite these upheavals, libraries soldiered on to provide critical services to their communities—and developed truly innovative programs along the way. This National Library Outreach Day, we survey some standouts.
Celebrated each year on the Tuesday of National Library Week, National Library Workers Day is an opportunity to recognize the hard-working, dedicated, and often-underpaid library professionals who keep our libraries thriving, especially during these challenging times. Please take a moment to appreciate the library worker in your life today!
It’s the first day of spring: What better time to clean, declutter, and refresh one’s home, workplace, and life. Libraries are no exception. Did you know that librarians regularly remove books from libraries every year? It’s called “weeding,” and it’s an essential task for a successful, thriving library. Laura Mendez, principal librarian at Carlsbad (Calif.) City Library, explains.
A librarian in Massachusetts is using library books to help domestic violence victims. Molly Riportella, head of adult services librarian at Westwood (Mass.) Public Library, started BiblioUnderground in 2020 to get burner phones and other resources to people struggling to get out of violent relationships.
The I Love My Librarian Award ceremony will take place during the LibLearnX welcome reception at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, January 19. If you can’t join us in person for the ceremony, you can stream it live on ALA’s Youtube channel! The red-carpet ceremony is a joyous, happy, and often emotional affair, featuring speeches from all of the award winners, library and ALA leaders, and more. Dubbed “The Oscars for the Library World,” it’s one of our favorite events of the year.
Schools with a strong school library program—and a certified school librarian—ensure their students have the best chance to succeed. But in too many schools, school library budgets and school librarian positions are being cut. This puts our children’s education and workforce readiness at peril.
