This April marks the 60th anniversary of National Library Week! First sponsored in 1958 by the American Library Association (ALA), National Library week 2018 runs from April 8th – April 14th.
But where did National Library week originate from? The ALA and the American Book Publishers were concerned in the mid-1950s after some research showed that Americans were spending less money on books. In an effort to combat this, they created an organization called the National Book Committee in 1954.
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!” American Library Association
Courtesy of the American Library Association
“Where did the Library Lead You?”
The 2018 theme for National Library week is “Libraries Lead” and the ALA has a promotion for library lovers. By telling the world “Where did the library lead you?” you might win a prize.
Library lovers can post to Twitter, Instagram, or on the I Love Libraries Facebook page during National Library Week for a chance to win. Entries can be a picture, video, or text. Creativity is encouraged. Just be sure they include the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #LibrariesLead on their social media post for a chance to win.
Join in the fun. The promotion begins Sunday, April 8 at noon CT and ends Saturday, April 14 at noon CT.
For more information on the “Where did the library lead you?” promotion, visit the ALA website.
National Library Week Daily Celebrations
There are a number of activities planned for National Library Week. These events include:
Monday, April 9: State of America’s Libraries Report released, including Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2017.
Tuesday, April 10: National Library Workers Day, a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. #nlwd18
Wednesday, April 11: National Bookmobile Day, a day to recognize the contributions of our nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities. #bookmobileday2018
Thursday, April 12: Take Action for Libraries Day, a national library advocacy effort observed for the first time in 2017 in response to proposed cuts to federal funds for libraries.#fundlibraries
Find out more information about National Library Week at the American Library Association’s website.