Author Archive: Rosie Newmark

A young presenter shares slides about the history of basketball at Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Library’s summer 2024 PowerPoint Party.

Slide into the Library

June 2, 2025

PowerPoint is finding new life among young people as a tool to share humorous, creative, and niche slideshows with friends on TikTok and other social media platforms. Now libraries across the country are hosting their own PowerPoint Parties, using the events to engage a younger crowd. Eighth graders at Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Library’s (VHL) summer … Continue reading Slide into the Library


Two images: On the right, a library staffer empties a big rubber bucket of barley; on the left, the finished product: a glass of golden beer next to a can whose dark green label reads, "Celebrating the 1895,"

Brewing Connections

May 1, 2025

The pre-Prohibition-style lager they crafted together was called 1895, a nod to the founding year of Johnson City Public Library (JCPL), located just a few blocks from the brewery’s downtown taproom. Inspired by beers of the late 19th century, it features three flavors: coffee (for its connection to books), black currant (for a vintage flare), … Continue reading Brewing Connections


Altadena Library District staffers wearing matching t-shirts gather to greet patrons at the Main Library's entrance.

Return to Normalcy

April 22, 2025

It would be 24 days before the Eaton Fire was fully contained. In that time, the fire destroyed more than 9,000 Altadena homes and businesses and killed 18 people, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. While many of the buildings and houses surrounding the library were destroyed, ALD’s Main Library was … Continue reading Return to Normalcy


Firefighters in Pacific Palisades, California.

During Wildfires, Los Angeles Libraries Offer Community Lifelines

January 22, 2025

Amid the disaster, library systems, including Altadena (Calif.) Library District (ALD), Los Angeles County Library (LACL), and LAPL, are spearheading efforts to help community members as well as library staffers through fundraising and onsite support. The American Library Association (ALA) has also set up a relief effort through its ALA Disaster Relief Fund. In addition … Continue reading During Wildfires, Los Angeles Libraries Offer Community Lifelines


Two teens wearing aprons work side-by-side at a metal counter, arranging an array of cheese, meat, fruit, vegetables, and crackers on their boards.

Crafting Charcuterie

January 2, 2025

Inspired by the library’s popular how-to charcuterie events for adults, staffers Amanda Krumrine and Nancy Farace have hosted two teen snack-board classes to engage young patrons. In these classes, teens learn how to make the boards by laser-cutting wood in the maker­space at CCPL’s Exploration Commons location and later assembling the meats, cheeses, and other … Continue reading Crafting Charcuterie


An older woman and a child look at a photo of a Ferris wheel.

For the Ages

November 1, 2024

“There’s so much that we share / That it’s time we’re aware / It’s a small world after all,” several older adults sang along with students, who were visiting from nearby Totoket Valley Elementary School (TVES) as part of an intergenerational book club. The song was part of the club’s discussion of the picture book Mr. … Continue reading For the Ages


Sister Stella, a resident of Queen of Peace, a retirement community for nuns, plays with Henry. The robotic dog belongs to Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Librarian’s Pet

May 1, 2024

Kristan, outreach services coordinator at Ela Area Public Library (EAPL) in Lake Zurich, Illinois, knew that the presence of pets has been associated with health benefits like reductions in stress and blood pressure. In 2022, she introduced robotic pets to the library’s collection, taking them on visits to assisted living and memory care facilities to … Continue reading Librarian’s Pet


Photo of two people demonstrating sword fighting

Talking Points

March 1, 2024

“I’m always looking to do programs that are a little bit off the beaten path,” says Waters, youth services manager at Missouri River Regional Library (MRRL) in Jefferson City, Missouri. Enter centuries-old combat and training techniques, which have seen a boom in recent years, thanks in part to the emergence of historical European martial arts … Continue reading Talking Points


Patrons at Mt. Lebanon Public Library (MLPL) in Pittsburgh play with a tongue drum, rain stick, and singing bowls—instruments used during MLPL’s sound bath sessions.

Tranquil Tones

November 1, 2023

Donahoe, teen librarian at Mt. Lebanon Public Library (MLPL) in Pittsburgh, says that many elementary, middle, and high school students who visited the library would express that they were dealing with stress and anxiety issues. She wanted a different way of introducing “mindfulness or stress relief for this age group that’s not something you can … Continue reading Tranquil Tones


A photo of the Community Cabinet that Billings Public Library in Montana installed in its lobby in January. The cabinet contains hygiene products that patrons can take freely and discreetly. Photo by Billings Public Library.

Personal Care

June 1, 2023

During one of his routes, Arnold stopped at a downtown skate park and noticed that many of the people who approached him weren’t skaters and had atypical requests. “I had multiple interactions with folks who were like, ‘Do you have any period products? Do you have soap?’” Arnold remembers. “That’s what motivated me to start … Continue reading Personal Care