Overdue Magazine Returns Home to Library After 132 Years
A long-overdue magazine was recently returned to Concord (N.H.) Public Library after the library eliminated late fees—132 years late!
Look at These Beautiful Libraries
Each year, American Libraries releases the Library Design Showcase, its annual celebration of new and renovated libraries across the U.S. and Canada. The featured libraries represent some of the most exciting and innovative design examples from the past year.
Librarians Hit the Road
Roadtrip Nation, the PBS documentary series that sends three people across the United States in an RV to explore what it means to build a career—and more importantly, a life—around the things you love, has dropped its new season, and libraries are at the forefront.
A Library Card for Every Child
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a national campaign to emphasize the importance of library cards to a child’s education and to combat illiteracy. The campaign first started in 1987 as a response to then Secretary of Education, William Bennett, who stated: “Let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it.”
Libraries as the Connective Tissue in Addressing the Digital Divide
Thirty rural public libraries received Wi-Fi hotspots and $2,000 in funding to support increased patron access to the internet and digital tools as part of ALA’s Community Connect: Fostering Digital Access program. We look at two of the program’s success stories.
Libraries Embrace Pokémon Clubs
Libraries across the country are hosting Pokémon Clubs, with patrons of all ages embracing the game for its engaging play and educational components.
An Odyssey in the Stacks
Christopher Nolan’s cinematic adaptation of “The Odyssey” has taken the world by storm. The Library of Congress currently holds a plethora of materials—some centuries old—related to Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old epic poem.
Pop Star Dua Lipa Opens Library for Banned and Censored Books
Singer Dua Lipa has partnered with Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, to open a physical library for banned and censored books. The Manifesto Library is dedicated to books “that challenge power, censorship, exclusion, and dominant narratives.”
Historic ALA READ® Posters Up for Auction
Have you ever wanted to own an iconic American Library Association (ALA) READ® poster? Now’s your chance. ALA has partnered with the world’s largest collections auctioneer to auction a selection of rare READ® posters, offering supporters, collectors, and library fans a chance to own a piece of library history.
Montana Library Builds a More Accessible, Welcoming Community
Polson (pop. 5,100) in the northwestern part of Montana is enveloped by a serene, natural environment which includes Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Not surprisingly, Polson is a popular place for retirees looking to settle down and escape into a calm, rural life. North Lake County Public Library in Polson recognizes its obligation to that community, and it is doing so with help from the American Library Association.