Libraries in Pop Culture

Jigsaw puzzle featuring REM's celebrity READ poster

Get This R.E.M. Puzzle for the Shiny Happy People in Your Life

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 […]

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Stills from the show Hilda featuring the Librarian

A Mysterious Librarian is the Breakout Star of Netflix’s “Hilda”

Two years ago, the animated series Hilda premiered on Netflix, and a minor character called “The Librarian” (voiced by Kaisa Hammurlund) quickly became a fan sensation. Although she only appears in about three minutes of the show’s first season, this feisty librarian has been mentioned in 20 fanfiction stories on Archive of Our Own and

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Still from a Census-themed read-along video featuring Auli'i Cravalho

“Moana” Star Auli’i Cravalho Encourages Everyone to Get Counted in the 2020 Census

In a new read-along video from the American Library Association, Moana star Auli’i Cravalho shares why it’s so important for all of us to get counted in the 2020 United States Census. In the video, she reads from WE COUNT! A Census Counting Book for Kids, (and the Grownups That Love Them), an interactive counting book with illustrations

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Book covers: The Babysitter from Another Planet, Out There, I Hope You Get This Message, The Strangers, We're Not From Here, The Pioneer

Librarians’ Favorite Sci-Fi Books for Kids and Teens

Members of the Library and Information Technology Association (a division of the American Library Association) have put together an out-of-this-world list of recent science fiction books for young readers. Their picks include options for kids of all ages, with titles aimed at readers from pre-school through 12th grade. Here are there 30+ picks: Books for

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Still from a She-Ra and the Princesses of Power scene set in a library

These Animated Shows Defy Library Stereotypes

When people think about librarians and libraries, they may point to films, live-action TV shows, or even novels. However, one area is often missed: animation. In Hollywood, stereotypes are plentiful, as librarians are used as “shortcuts to propel the plot forward,” in the words of Jennifer Snoek-Brown, author of the Reel Librarians blog. While this generally applies to animation as

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Screenshot: Malia Baker speaking in public service announcement

The Baby-Sitters Club Cast Wants You to Visit Your Library (Online)

Stars from Netflix’s hit reboot of the Baby-Sitters Club have come together to record a video message highlighting all the amazing resources you can find for free on your library’s website. “The BSC is great at entertaining kids, and so is your local library,” Malia Baker shares. Momona Tamada adds: “Libraries provide access to eBooks

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Still from It's a Wonderful Life featuting Mary as a librarian

What Hollywood Gets Wrong (and Right!) About Librarians

by Jennifer Snoek-Brown, the real librarian behind Reel Librarians Jennifer Snoek-Brown is an academic librarian in Washington state. She wrote an undergraduate honors thesis in 2001 called “A Glimpse Through the Glasses: Portrayals of Librarians in Film” and has continued analyzing the image of librarians in movies ever since. In 2011, Jennifer launched the website

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A screenshot from the video game Animal Crossing featuring a crafting table and sign reading BPJI Creative Studio

Visit this Library’s Virtual Branch in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

With coronavirus continuing to spread, in-person gatherings are off the table—but one librarian in South Carolina is using video games to bring her community together virtually. Tina Chenoweth, Young Adult Services Manager at the Baxter-Patrick James Island branch of Charleston County Public Library, has been recreating her library in the popular new video game Animal

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A black steam train coming around a bend.

Experience Hogwarts with This Virtual Library Escape Room

Libraries across the country are closing their doors to slow the spread of COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped serving their communities. One library in McMurray, Pennsylvania created an online Harry Potter escape room to keep local teens entertained at home. Peters Township Public Library’s digital escape room includes a variety of magic-themed puzzles,

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