and through the books, I learned
about the things I loved, I learned
how you live in a place like the
U.S., I learned what I wanted to
do with my life.”
I didn’t realize until very recently
what I was missing by only bor-
rowing books—and how libraries
have evolved with the times and
adapted to their communities.
“If the traditional function of
the library was providing a quiet
space to read, it has already
changed,” says Eric Klinenberg,
a sociologist and the author of
Palaces for the People. “They are
centers of knowledge, but also
community hubs and resilience
centers. They are open to every-
one and free for all in a world
where nearly everything else has
a price tag and a security gate.”
So yes, chances are your local
library is doing so much more
than lending books. Read on for
innovative programs across the
country, plus the unexpected roles
libraries play in their communi-
ties. Use this list as inspiration
to dust off your library card, visit
your branch, and find out what
it’s up to in your own backyard.5Supporting the LGBTQ communityFrom labeling book spines with rainbow stickers to throwing events just
for teens, libraries are finding creative ways to make LGBTQ patrons
feel welcome. Of course, there’s rich programming in large cities, like
New York and San Francisco, especially during Pride Month in June.
But plenty of important work is happening in smaller communities too.
Katherine Cutshall, collections manager at the Pack Memorial Library
in Asheville, North Carolina, has curated exhibitions for pride events
and gathered oral histories, photos, and papers from her city’s civil rights
organizations. She points out that libraries help preserve local LGBTQ
history. “The most inspiring thing about the materials in our collection
is to see the progress that’s been made,” Cutshall says. “Our community
is resilient, and that’s reflected in all the material we collect.”4Bringing in the dogsStop by children’s reading rooms
across the country and you might
be greeted by a surprising sight:
kids reading to four-legged
friends. Through programs like
Read with Me, Reading with
Rover, and Happy Readers Library
Dogs, registered therapy dogs
“listen” to reluctant young readers
as they practice their fluency.2Helping you find your rootsAs genealogy tests and websites like 23andMe and Ancestry have
exploded in popularity, libraries are ramping up their family-tree-
building services. We can’t all live near the world’s largest genealogical
library—that honor goes to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints’ Family History Library in Salt Lake City, which has 600,000
books, serials, and maps; 45 librarians; and 550 volunteers—but your
local branch likely has some resources to get you started. Ask the service
desk about Finding Your Roots events, and whether someone on staff
can help you investigate.1Streaming moviesSee if your library is one of
the thousands nationwide that
offer Kanopy, a movie-streaming
service for adults and kids.
On most devices, it works just
like Netflix—except it’s free.3Teaching languagesLooking to learn Spanish or brush
up on your French? Your library
might host in-person classes
or provide access to Mango, an
online program and app with
courses in more than 70 languages.82 REAL SIMPLE APRIL 2020RELATING0420LIB.V1.indd 82 FINAL 2/21/20 3:11 PM