Five Ways to Support Your Local Library
Show some library love
Most weeks in my What Caught My Eye Online posts, I share at least one article about book bans happening across the United States. This issue matters to me as a reader, citizen, and library worker. The rise in book bans and challenges is cause for alarm. Check out these statistics from the American Library Association:
The ALA also stated that 47% of challenged books “represent the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals.” Book bans hurt readers by denying them access to information, but they also make it clear that certain stories do not matter. I work in high school libraries, and my primary goal is for each student I encounter to know they are loved. I want kids to know that their lives and stories are important and valuable.
The library should be a safe space where everyone has a seat at the table. With so much division in the world, I want libraries to be places of refuge and solace, where knowledge is celebrated and freedom is sacred. If you want that, too, making your voice heard is more important than ever. Here are five simple ways you can support your local library and its staff.
Use the library.
This one might seem too obvious to share, but it's essential. If you value your local library, borrow their books, whether in person or online. Attend their programs. Take your kids to their storytimes. Many libraries receive funding based on their statistics, so your borrowing and attendance can make a big difference.
If you're an educator, regularly bring your classes to the school library. Partner with the librarian for a project. If you're a student, visit your campus library and check out what they have to offer. Using the library and its resources is one of the easiest ways to show your support. Library staff can take circulation and visitor statistics and use those numbers to show their value. When I check out a stack of books and then forget about them and return them unread, I’m not a slacker but a hero. Every checkout helps!
Express your gratitude.
I worked at a public library for over a decade. In the circulation area, we had a bulletin board on which we'd hang thank you notes that came in the mail or drawings kids had made for us. I still remember times when patrons would stop me to say thanks for a particular service the library offered, like free tax prep or programs for homeschooling families.
Thanking library staff can make more of a difference than you know. People might think library staffers get to enjoy the quiet and read all day, but most library jobs are customer service positions. We're there to help you find what you need, whether that's a book, a copy machine, or a specific type of form. Saying thanks encourages library staff to continue when they've just been yelled at or threatened. Gratitude keeps us going when circulation stats are down and we wonder if our work matters.
If you're a parent who appreciates your child's school library, send a thank you note or a quick email letting the librarian know you value and support their role in the school. Appreciation gives all of us fuel to keep going, even when certain people or groups try to stand in the way.
Go to the top.
Thanking library staffers is a wonderful thing to do, but other people to contact are those in charge. If you're impressed by a collection or service your local library offers, contact the library director and let them know what you find valuable. If your nine-year-old kid keeps coming home from school with books they're excited to read, email the principal and tell her how important the school library is for your child. Be vocal about what you appreciate, and kindly make suggestions if you see room for improvement. The people who decide policies need to hear from the people those policies are affecting.
Know what’s happening.
Patron support is essential for libraries to keep doing what they're doing, but it's hard to give your full support if you don't know what's happening. I follow a lot of library news because it's my job, but I understand that the average person probably isn't following many library accounts. If you want to keep up with book challenges and bans and other hot topics affecting libraries, here are some sources to consider following:
Get involved locally.
According to the ALA, "Groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove the 2023 surge." Groups like Moms for Liberty have been responsible for much of the recent damage to intellectual freedom. Their work shows that people can gather together to make a difference. If they can fight for censorship, we can fight against it. That could look like attending a school board meeting or voting when libraries or school board members are on the ballot. It could look like sharing ALA statistics with your friends. If you live where libraries are under attack, speak out and ask how you can help. All of us have a role to play to keep libraries and books accessible to all.
If you’d like to support my work, comment, share, upgrade to a paid subscription, buy me a coffee, or shop my bookshop or affiliate links. I love doing this work, and I’m thankful to have you in this community!
What are your thoughts on libraries? What other ways can you offer your support? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Staff and students are so fortunate to have you at their schools! You inspire me!😍