In the corner broods a striking, enigmatic figure—tall, fastidiously groomed, and drawing the attention of everyone nearby. But that’s not the Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton, and this isn’t 19th-century London. It’s the 21st century, these guests are gathered at Collier County (Fla.) Public Library (CCPL), and the figure in the corner is a life-sized … Continue reading Sip, Sip, Hooray
When school lets out, children gravitate to public libraries. Meanwhile, libraries strive to help those children maintain or improve their reading and critical-thinking skills throughout those school-free months, often by way of summer reading programs. At Montgomery County (Md.) Public Libraries (MCPL), we have redesigned our summer reading challenge in hopes of inspiring our young … Continue reading A Greener Way to Read
The American Library Association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held June 27–July 2 in San Diego. 4 Number of crown-shaped chandeliers designed by author L. Frank Baum for the Hotel del Coronado, located on San Diego Bay. The hotel, where Baum frequently stayed as a guest, is said to have inspired the Emerald … Continue reading By the Numbers: Literary San Diego
“Staff will come down and say, ‘What’s going on? Everything smells so good,’” says Sally Thurston, MPL’s adult programming coordinator and circulation assistant. Since January 2022, Thurston has run the library’s spice club, which offers patrons kits filled with a featured spice, recipes, and other information based on the selection. Patrons then prepare a dish … Continue reading The Spice of Life
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
During the pandemic, Christian County (Mo.) Library was looking to launch an ongoing service series that would bring staffers and patrons together outdoors. So it turned to some of the rural area’s oldest and most scenic spaces: cemeteries. In 2021, the library started its Uncovering History: Gravestone Cleaning program series. Participants meet monthly from May … Continue reading A Monumental Task
May is National Inventors Month 135,850 Number of items in the Edison Sheet Music Collection, housed at University of Michigan Library in Ann Arbor. Thomas Edison, who invented the phonograph in 1877, spearheaded this collection as a way for his phonograph company to select vocal and instrumental scores to record. 44 Number of agricultural bulletins … Continue reading By the Numbers: Inventors
“Libraries work when they reflect what’s going on in the community, so of course we started getting people coming to us with information needs about cannabis,” says Lyman, who now runs SPL’s Library to Business program, which provides information to entrepreneurs and helps them develop necessary skills. At the time, Washington was only the second … Continue reading Considering Cannabis
“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
To fill in service gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL) opened four satellite libraries. These one-room, full-service satellites, housed by community partners, are meant to support populations that would otherwise struggle to visit a full-size branch because of socioeconomic, transportation, or other barriers. Last year, WCPL debuted a satellite … Continue reading Meeting Neurodiverse Needs
75% Percentage of recycled material required for each item featured in Mattapoisett (Mass.) Free Public Library’s RE-ART show, held in September 2023. Among the pieces local artists submitted: a robe constructed with upcycled quilts and a purse made from a vintage book. 1,000 Number of volunteers who support the annual book sale hosted by Friends … Continue reading By the Numbers: Recycling
In response, several public libraries around the country are now providing adults-only, sober-curious programming to educate attendees on making alcohol-free mixed drinks, often called mocktails or sober cocktails. “Coming out of COVID, there were a lot of people [who said], ‘I want to get healthier, I want to feel better,’ and they tried a sober … Continue reading Spirit-Free Spaces
