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People may check out fewer books from libraries than they used to, but libraries have continued to grow as their role as community hubs deepens. Here at NPQ , we have profiled libraries that have become maker spaces, supported gardening, and rented out musical instruments . In some cities, librarians have been trained to administer Narcan to interrupt opioid overdoses. In Ferguson and in Baltimore, as those cities were in a state of unrest after the killings of Michael Brown and Freddie...

The research is all but irrefutable: Parents of very young children who talk to, read and engage with them as often as possible help them build literacy skills at an early age – an educational foundation that can give kids a jump-start on future academic success. Also certain: Parents of very young children usually have to do a lot of laundry. And low-income families tend to bring their kids with them to public laundromats. Those truths converge once a week at select neighborhood laundromats...

Google is piloting a laptop and wifi hotspot lending program with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. People often use the library’s computers to apply for jobs, apartments or government benefits, keep up with friends and family, or for school and work. But not everyone has a schedule that allows them to do these things during library hours. “ Giving people the opportunities to take this stuff home ... work at a schedule that really meets their needs is important ,” said Toby Greenwalt, the...

When Rosalie Abbott began working as a Young Adult Services Librarian at the Sebastopol Regional Library in 2017, she learned something new. “High school students, who knew me from my previous work at our local high schools, felt comfortable asking for menstrual supplies when they were in an emergency situation at the library... which turned out to be fairly often,” Abbott said. “Immediately, I had the idea of creating a space where teens could access these supplies when needed — but the...

Because who doesn't want to visit gorgeous libraries everywhere they go? Back in June, I wrote about why you should become a library tourist . Visiting libraries wherever you go is a wonderful way to get to know a city. They're also a convenient place to take a break from walking and sightseeing, to let kids recoup and use the bathroom, and to chat with locals about their recommendations for things to do. But not all libraries are created equal. They can be big, small, public, private,...

Checkout this terrific use of material to promote Be The One at the Stephens - Davis Branch Library for kindness month. Attached is an amazing Kindness Calendar and pamphlet.

On a recent wintry night outside west Denver's Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library, green-card holder Ricardo Flores proved that he knows more about how the United States government works than many people who were born here. Flores, who emigrated from Mexico six years ago, studied for weeks for a 100-question civics test that will accompany his December 5th interview to become a naturalized American citizen. At the library, he aced a mock exam conducted by English instructor Joanne...

In the aftermath of recent hurricanes and wildfires, the Sesame Street in Communities team wanted to reach out to provide information on our available resources to help families cope in the aftermath of natural disasters, and other traumatic experiences. Bilingual videos, articles, printables and more, are all available for free on our website at www.sesamestreetincommunities.org . Here are the links to a few topic pages that may be most useful to you as you work with families in the...

Every public library and YMCA in the U.S. may soon be equipped with Narcan, in an effort to combat drug-related deaths by expanding access to the opioid-overdose-reversing naloxone nasal spray. Emergent BioSolutions, which this month completed its acquisition of Narcan maker Adapt Pharma, will provide a free kit including two doses of the nasal spray, as well as educational materials, to each of the 16,568 public libraries and 2,700 YMCAs in the U.S., according to an announcement released...

One day, when I was in fourth grade, I received a book in my classroom "mailbox." In fact, every kid in our class received the very same book , a book that we were not required to read for school but that, rather, we were allowed to take home and keep. We were all flabbergasted. Had there been a mistake? What was this unthinkable treasure, this gift from school that required no labor in return? I vaguely recall a teacher informing us that it was a book "about math" or "geometry" or some such...

As fault lines in the US deepen every day around class, race, political party, gender, and education, libraries are quietly p roviding the social glue that society seems to lack. Most have reading programs and career resources. Some have media production studios and maker spaces. Millions use libraries for internet access, and to work. They are a first stop for immigrants, a place for parents to introduce their kids to reading—an essential gateway to learning—and where the the socially...

On a recent weekday morning, librarian Annabelle Blackman stood in front of a room full of young children at the Cesar Chavez Public Library in Oakland, Calif., singing a children’s rhyme and swaying from side-to-side. Her performance was more than mere entertainment; it was part of her weekly summer storytime that is designed to promote early literacy for infants and toddlers. At a time when youth are increasingly tethered to electronic devices, Blackman and other librarians continue to...