National Library Week: Take Action for Libraries

Image courtesy of American Library Association

Take Action for Libraries Day
Join with libraries and communities to safeguard funding for the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which serves as a critical funding resource for libraries and museums in every state. IMLS funding supports literacy programs for youth, small business service centers, services for veterans, and much more.

During Take Action for Libraries Day, the American Library Association (ALA) encourages communities, library employees, and library patrons to advocate for full funding of IMLS to safeguard federal funding for our nation’s libraries. Please fight for libraries by making at least five calls to your federal legislators to ask for full support of IMLS funding.

“We must stand-up and voice our support for libraries to legislators and local, state and federal leaders,” said ALA President Julie Todaro. “Librarians and library workers transform lives every day though educational resources and expert guidance. While many value the contributions of libraries, libraries can’t live on love alone. The loss of crucial federal funding will have a profound impact on library service and the more than 1. 5 billion who rely on them.

In Philadelphia, IMLS and other federal funding is used to support print and digital collections, databases and business resources. Cuts at the federal level will negatively impact library job training. Literacy services that are available to the city’s most vulnerable and marginalized members will be reduced or eliminated. Philadelphia’s unemployed, low literacy, and immigrant populations will have fewer resources to choose from, and the thousands of citizens that rely on the library for internet access will experience a deeper digital divide.

Shippensburg-area federal legislators include:
Senator Toomey, Senator Casey
Representative Perry (4th District), Representative Shuster (9th District), Representative Marino (10th District), Representative Barletta (11th district)
Map of PA Congressional Districts

National Library Week: Top 10 Banned books

Courtesy of ALA OIF

Top Ten Challenged Books of 2016

Out of 323 challenges reported to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2016 are

1. This One Summer written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
   This young adult graphic novel, winner of both a Printz and a Caldecott Honor Award, was restricted, relocated, and banned because it includes LGBT characters, drug use, and profanity, and it was considered sexually explicit with mature themes.


2. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
   Parents, librarians, and administrators banned this Stonewall Honor Award-winning graphic novel for young adults because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit, and was considered to have an offensive political viewpoint.


3. George written by Alex Gino
   Despite winning a Stonewall Award and a Lambda Literary Award, administrators removed this children’s novel because it includes a transgender child, and the “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels.”


4. I Am Jazz written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
   This children’s picture book memoir was challenged and removed because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education, and offensive viewpoints.


5. Two Boys Kissing written by David Levithan
   Included on the National Book Award longlist and designated a Stonewall Honor Book, this young adult novel was challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit LGBT content.


6. Looking for Alaska written by John Green
   This 2006 Printz Award winner is a young adult novel that was challenged and restricted for a sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to “sexual experimentation.”


7. Big Hard Sex Criminals written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky
   Considered to be sexually explicit by library staff and administrators, this compilation of adult comic books by two prolific award-winning artists was banned and challenged.


8. Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread written by Chuck Palahniuk
   This collection of adult short stories, which received positive reviews from Newsweek and the New York Times, was challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness, and being “disgusting and all around offensive.”


9. Little Bill (series) written by Bill Cosby and illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
   This children’s book series was challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the author.


10. Eleanor & Park written by Rainbow Rowell
    One of seven New York Times Notable Children’s Books and a Printz Honor recipient, this young adult novel was challenged for offensive language.

National Library Week: April 9-15, 2017

#NLW17 image courtesy of American library Association

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic, and special libraries - participate.
National Library Week celebrations include the release of the American Library Association’s 2017 “State of America’s Libraries Report” on Monday, April 10; National Library Workers Day, April 11; and National Bookmobile Day on Wednesday, April 12.
April is also School Library Month, which is sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians.

During the 2017 National Library Week, April 9 – 15, The American Library Association (ALA) will launch Take Action for Libraries Day, a national library advocacy effort which will be observed for the first time on Thursday of National Library Week, April 13.

During Take Action for Libraries Day ALA encourages everyone who uses libraries to advocate for full funding of IMLS to safeguard federal funding for our nation’s libraries. Please fight for libraries by making at least five calls to your legislators to ask for full support of IMLS funding.Take Action for Libraries Day will highlight the library community’s efforts to safeguard funding for the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) which serves as a critical funding resource for libraries and museums in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories.

Libraries of all types are part of a delicate ecosystem that supports the transformation of communities and lives through education and lifelong learning. From the cradle to the grave, libraries provide invaluable resources that serve as a lifeline for billions of users for access to technology, early and digital literacy instruction, job-seeking resources, social services and small business tools.

National Bookmobile Day, 4.15.2015

#NBD2015: Why We Love Our Bookmobile Video Celebration

National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday, April 15, 2015) celebrates our nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated library professionals who provide this valuable and essential service to their communities every day.

The "Why We Love Our Bookmobile" online celebration offers bookmobilers and libraries across America the opportunity to share what makes their bookmobile special by posting videos on the National Bookmobile Day YouTube channel.

Share your video today for a chance to win a ALA Graphics gift certificate in our random drawing on #NBD2015!
To be included in the drawing, please submit your video by 4:30pm CT on April 15, 2015!

National Library Workers Day, 4.14.2015

What is National Library Workers Day?

NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

Did you know you can Submit a Star to honor a great library student worker, staff member, administrator, librarian, team, or department? Go ahead, it won't hurt a bit :)

#LibraryMade @ Your Library, April 13-17, 2015

Unlimited Possibilities @ Your Library

Help us demonstrate the unlimited possibilities available @ your library by sharing what the library has helped you to create.

Did you research or write a book, article, paper, speech, video, whatever? Maybe the Research Help Desk or Instant answers service made a difference in your grades?

#LibraryMade

Join the fun: the national #LibraryMade promotion begins Monday April 13 at noon (Central Time) and ends Friday, April 17 at noon  (Central Time)

Share a photo or link to your creation on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #librarymade for the chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Maker Shed or Amazon. Photos can also be added to our Unlimited possibilities Flickr group. If 140 characters isn't enough, add your story to the collection here on the I Love Libraries website.

National Library Week, April 12-18, 2015

Unlimited Possibilities @ Your Library

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.

National Library Week History

In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee's goals were ambitious. They ranged from "encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time" to "improving incomes and health" and "developing strong and happy family life."

In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries. With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme "Wake Up and Read!"

National Library Week was observed again annually and when the National Book Committee disbanded in 1974 the American Library Association assumed full sponsorship.