Opinion

In covering achievements in the library world, it’s natural to focus on outcomes, reporting and raising up the endpoint of success. This story represents a win, for sure. But as Colleen Kilbreath, director of the Stanton County (KS) Public Library recalls, it stemmed from failure.

With COVID abating, the mood is palpably lighter. Not so for Asian Americans, who fear a return to school and work—just 18 percent of Asian eighth graders returned to in-person classrooms this spring. Schools and employers must take specific action to protect AAPIs from hate, say advocates, with alternatives to more policing.

On learning, being—and reading—in community.

Reading has the power to open eyes, minds, and hearts, and together, we can help #StopAsianHate, says Cicely Lewis.

K.C. Boyd describes how her positive mindset in the face of adversity is rooted in ongoing work, including advocacy for school libraries at the national level.

Nearly 3,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate have been reported since the start of the pandemic. Activists want to shift attention from news coverage of incidents to education measures to counter bigotry.

A librarian and intellectual freedom advocate on Dr. Seuss, library policies, and cancel culture.

Questions about the ethics of fines, a public library crowded with kids during the pandemic, and a librarian who doesn't want kindergarteners to borrow books.

Faltering federal investment in after-school, coupled with the high cost of participation, puts millions of children at risk. Nonprofit partners offer advice to libraries looking to serve their communities.