News and Updates

Episode eight of the “How I Library” podcast features actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery. Howery has appeared in films such as “Get Out,” “Free Guy,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah,” and in the TV shows “The Carmichael Show,” Rel,” and “Eureka!” And now he’s back on the big screen in the film version of Crockett Johnson's beloved children’s book, “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” starring as both the animated and life-action versions of Harold’s friend Moose. He joined us to discuss bringing Johnson's book to the screen, the power of imagination, the intricacies of playing a moose, growing up in Chicago, and of course, his love of libraries.

Have questions about the I Love My Librarian Award? We have answers! Check out some of the most common ones here.

Our latest report on book bans happening in the U.S. and efforts to combat them includes news from Utah, which recently banned 13 books from school libraries across the state.

The classic children's book "Harold and the Purple Crayon" is coming to the big screen! And star and library lover Lil Rel Howery is encouraging everyone to visit their library to discover exciting new worlds, both real and imaginary, in books, comics, games, and more.

Want to get involved in your library at a higher level? Consider becoming a library trustee. Library trustees are powerful advocates for libraries. Through the coordination, hard work, and determination of trustees, new libraries have been built, budgets have been restored and increased, and new respect has been generated for the powerful role libraries play in communities and on campuses.

In episode seven of the “How I Library” podcast, I Love Libraries editor and show host Phil Morehart speaks with artists and disability awareness advocates John and Anni Furniss, authors of the memoir, "The Blind Woodsman."

The Library of Congress has awarded the 2024 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction to James McBride. One of the Library’s most prestigious awards, the annual prize honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished not only for its mastery of the art but also for its originality of thought and imagination. The award commends strong, unique, enduring voices that tell us something essential about the American experience.

The school district of Indian River County, Florida, voted in May to remove Alan Gratz’s 2017 novel, presciently titled "Ban This Book," from its shelves, overruling its own review committee which had recommended that the district retain the book. "Ban This Book" follows a fictional fourth grader who tries to check out her favorite book from her school library only to find it's been removed due to a ban. She rebels by starting a secret banned-book library.