We’re ready to celebrate and we want you to join us. It’s time for National Library Week, a week to applaud our nation’s libraries and the many contributions of your library workers. It’s also a great time to promote library use and support, so be sure to mark your calendar and join in the fun!
Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country, this year’s celebration is set for April 3 to April 9 and the 2022 theme is “Connect with Your Library.” What a great idea! The theme promotes the many resources available at your library that help you get connected, from computers and technology, to programs and classes - and books, of course. Don’t forget libraries connect communities to each other, too! “Overall, the theme is an explicit call to action,” according to the ALA website, “an invitation for communities to join, visit, or advocate for their local libraries.”
This year, the National Library Week honorary chair is Molly Shannon, a multiple Emmy-nominated and Spirit Award-winning actress, comedian and legendary Saturday Night Live cast member. In April, she will release Hello, Molly! A Memoir, described on the ALA website as “a candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption filled with behind-the-scenes stories...” As the National Library Week honorary chair, the actress will highlight the many ways libraries connect communities during the week long celebration.
Monday, April 4 – The State of America’s Libraries Report, including the Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2021, is released.
Tuesday, April 5 - National Library Workers Day will honor the critical role library workers play in keeping our libraries running.
Wednesday, April 6 – National Library Outreach Day, (formerly National Bookmobile Day), will celebrate library outreach the dedicated library professional who meet customers where they are in the community.
Thursday, April 7 – Take Action for Libraries Day will encourage advocates to take action to support their libraries.
National Library Week was first sponsored in 1958 after research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. The theme of the first National Library Week celebration was “Wake Up and Read!”
