September is Library Card Sign-up Month!
“ Siempre imaginé que el Paraíso sería algún tipo de biblioteca.”
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
Libraries are essential hubs of our communities, supporting literacy and education, preserving cultural heritage, and providing rich opportunities for exploration and the cultivation of imagination. In celebration of Library Card Sign-up Month this week’s books focus on the impact that libraries and librarians have on individuals and communities.
A Library
by Nikki Giovanni; illustrated by Erin K. Robinson
In a simple, lyrical poem, world-renowned poet Nikki Giovanni honors the power of the library in the life of a young girl. Ms. Giovanni’s richly textured narrative beautifully contrasts the girl’s day-to-day activities around the house – helping her grandmother hang the sheets out to dry and peeling vegetables -- with the world of imagination she finds in the books she borrows from the library. Erin K. Brown’s vibrant digital illustrations capture the joy and wonder of this powerful story. Nikki Giovanni provides an author note in which she discusses the role that the library and a special librarian played during her childhood.
Library of Congress interview with Nikki Giovanni and Erin K. Brown about how A Library was written and illustrated, in addition to a wide range of musings by its author.
Nikki Giovanni’s Washington Post Live interview (10/5/22) on how libraries shaped her experience and the vital role they play in the lives of children of color.
Dreamers/Soñadores
Written and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales
2019 Pura Belpré Medal1 for Illustration
This richly illustrated book tells the story of a young mother and her infant son as they become immigrants in a new country. Overwhelmed by their new, unfamiliar surroundings, there is much they do not understand. Finding refuge in the library, books become their, “language . . . home . . . and lives.” Reading liberates mother and child, empowering them to “speak, to write, and to make (their) voices heard.” The deeply saturated mixed media illustrations are sure to provide hours of discovery and discussion. In a “My Story” afterward, Ms. Morales shares her personal experience as an immigrant to the U.S. with her infant son and acknowledges the impact that various libraries and librarians had on them. She also provides a list of the books that inspired her and discusses how the illustrations were made. Available in both English and Spanish.
Beyond the Books
Today’s libraries are far more than just a place to borrow a book. To learn more about the rich and varied offerings of today’s public libraries, check out a Love Letter to Libraries from the New York Times and visit I Love Libraries.
If you do not have a library card, September is a great time to get one! This is an excellent time get to know your local library, or to reengage if you have been away. During Library Card Sign-up Month, many libraries sponsor special events to introduce new patrons to their programs and offerings. You can locate the public library closest to you, and link directly to the library’s website through libraries.org, which includes links to all 16,887 public libraries in the United States!
Unlock a world of possibilities for the children in your life by getting them their own library cards.
The Pura Belpré Award, recognizes “outstanding works of literature for children and young adults that best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.”