2025
The Real Reason People Stopped Reading Books What if the problem wasn’t attention, but obligation? mattlillywhite.substack.com/p/the-rea…
Tour of Obama Presidential Center showcases playgrounds, gardens, among other attractions www.cbsnews.com/chicago/n…
"I saw a boy at the library ask if he could print homework without a card."
“I saw a boy at the library ask if he could print homework without a card.
The librarian said he’d need an account first.
He looked down. “My mom said we have to move again. We don’t have an address.”
The librarian opened a drawer and pulled out a small form. “Then we’ll set you up as a guest. You still get full access.”
Some systems tie opportunity to stability.
Libraries give kids a chance even when life won’t” – Matt Lilywhite
New Report From US GAO: Public Libraries: Many Buildings are Reported to Be in Poor Condition, with Increasing Deferred Maintenance
“About 6,000 libraries nationwide (nearly 40%) say that part of their building is in poor condition, and about 7,000 report having a physical barrier to access for people with disabilities.”
via InfoDocket www.infodocket.com/2025/12/1…
Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Announces 2025 Innovations Award Winners
myemail.constantcontact.com/Now-Annou…
Ten Stories That Shaped 2025 lisnews.org/ten-stori…
Funding Research Services: How Libraries are Exploring Cost Recovery Models scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025/12/0…
“If I want something functionally similar to a recommendation algorithm but adds an element of curiosity and discovery, I go to the library. "
EveryLibrary Institute Announces a Special Issue of The Political Librarian, “Weaponized Politics and Dismantled Policies: Defending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in America's Libraries and Cultural Institutions.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org/everylibr…
A new special issue of the EveryLibrary Institute’s open-access academic journal, The Political Librarian, aims to help the sector understand how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in libraries are facing coordinated political attacks at every level of government.
Homeschool Support with Library Programs www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2025…
The Last Video Rental Store Is Your Public Library www.404media.co/the-last-…
Extralibrary Loan.
“At the Library Newsroom, neighbors ask, what are we curious about? Then, how can we learn more?” placesjournal.kinsta.cloud/article/e…
From Library to Launchpad.
How Memphis’ Innovator-in-Residence program is evolving public libraries into creative hubs medium.com/reimagini…
At the Newark Public Library, Shopping Bags Carry Local History.
The New Jersey institution is home to a collection of more than 2,000 of these often overlooked items.
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/…
If you are in the Toronto area, visit the Toronto Reference Library for their exhibit, on until January 11th.
Invitation to Participate: Service Point Staffing in Arts Libraries librarianship.ca/news/serv… “Service Point Staffing in Arts Libraries is a research study on current staffing models of service points in arts libraries in the United States and Canada, including branch characteristics, staffing levels, and services provided, for which we are gathering data. Our purpose is to examine the prevalence of arts-specific service points in libraries and their commonalities and differences in organizational practices, features, and services.” – from Librarianship.ca
Podcast: A Massive Archiving Effort at National Parks (with Jenny McBurney and Lynda Kellam) This week we have a conversation between Sam and two of the leaders of the independent volunteer archiving project Save Our Signs, an effort to archive national park signs and monument placards. www.404media.co/podcast-a…
Reading Round-Up 11.21.2026 – Supervisors, Neuroinclusivity, Queer Safe Spaces, Psychological Safety, and Feedback
Especially powerful is Trevor Dawes' When the Support Isn’t There: Navigating the Silent Supervisor trevordawes.wordpress.com/2025/11/1…
“Some call libraries charity.
But they’re often the epitome of a functioning society.”
“…nor can the experience of library life be re-created online. It’s not just a matter of free books. A library is a different kind of social reality (of the three-dimensional kind), which by its very existence teaches a system of values beyond the fiscal.”
– Zadie Smith (Feel Free, pg. 14)