Thanks to a municipal bond and strong local support, however, in 2017 the library had the opportunity to construct a new building that was not only modern but also environmentally friendly. At the heart of the design is a rooftop with 700 solar panels, which elevated the project to net-zero energy status. That means the … Continue reading The Net-Zero Revolution
That’s when Garmon, then a civic engagement specialist at Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library, first thought, “We need a space to talk about the feelings related to climate change.” Garmon researched ways patrons in her own community could share their emotions about the environment and discovered the work being done by Sami Aaron, founder of … Continue reading Climate Connection
Most people would be fired for bringing a box of bees to work. But not coauthor Taren Urquhart, West Vancouver (B.C.) Memorial Library’s (WVML) arts and special events programmer and resident insect enthusiast. Urquhart has been caring for bees in her backyard for more than 25 years and maintains a colony of Blue Orchard mason … Continue reading Generating Buzz
2013 Year that Clemson (S.C.) University’s Cooper Library introduced FitDesks to one of its study rooms. The desks are attached to stationary bikes, helping students to release endorphins and reduce stress while doing their schoolwork. Several other academic libraries across the US have since added FitDesks. 3 Number of months patrons at St. Louis County … Continue reading By the Numbers: Health and Wellness
Then, without checking out these titles, these patrons leave. They may mark up the books they take. They won’t return the materials. And, according to Doreen Horstin, manager of San Francisco Public Library’s (SFPL) Park branch, this is just fine. These patrons are participants in Read to Recovery, an SFPL program that has been providing … Continue reading No Questions Asked
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
In recent years, libraries of all sizes have begun adding color-corrective glasses to their Library of Things collections. Made possible primarily through partnerships with manufacturers, patrons can test these glasses out before committing to purchasing their own pair. Removing barriers Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, affects about 350 million people worldwide, primarily … Continue reading In Living Color
American Library Association’s LibLearnX Conference in Phoenix will take place Jan. 24–27. 28,000 Number of Indigenous artists represented in the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives (BJBLA), located within the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Like the museum, BJBLA’s holdings include traditional and contemporary American Indian artists’ art, written works, and biographical information. $500 Amount that … Continue reading By the Numbers: Literary Phoenix
“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
For nearly half of US families with young children, the answer is: all of the above and more. A National Diaper Bank Network study found that in 2023, an unprecedented 47% of families with young children nationwide struggled to afford diapers—a drastic increase from 2010, when 33% of families reported diaper need. In response, libraries … Continue reading The Bottom Line
Noting the public’s eroding faith in the election process and its growing mistrust of many information sources, staffers at Vernon Area Public Library District (VAPLD) in Lincolnshire, Illinois, realized the library could help. The Pew Research Center has found that eight in 10 Americans trust libraries to help them find reliable facts, and that a … Continue reading The Political Scientist Is In
“As soon as they get their card, they immediately place a hold on a ghost-hunting kit,” Knisley says. Like many libraries, CCPL has begun loaning out collections of specialized electronic items said to help seekers of the supernatural track down spirits. These kits usually consist of a backpack or carrying case filled with items such … Continue reading Spirit in the Stacks
