Running a restaurant is no easy task. And while libraries do a lot of things amazingly well, being a restaurant operator on top of all that is a tricky proposition. But when has a challenge ever stopped a library? This is certainly the case for Toled...

Library staff are known for their resourcefulness and commitment to adapting to help community members in need. But as the scope of library services has expanded to address complex social needs that aren’t being met elsewhere, it can feel overwhelmin...

Libraries are central to our communities, as places where anyone is welcome to gather, connect, and learn, but for some members of our community, they represent much more than that. For many people experiencing homelessness, the library might be the ...

Veterans, military service members, and their families are among users of virtually every library across the country. Indeed, libraries play a significant role in supporting veterans and military-affiliated patrons by welcoming them to the community,...

Libraries have always been trusted spaces in our communities, and the events of the past several years have brought more attention to the important work they’re doing. News stories highlighted the creative ways libraries mobilized to offer vital reso...

The reference desk of a library is truly one of the most interesting of places. Through an initial poll in 2015, we asked WebJunction members to share the most interesting patron questions they had received, and the response was amazing. We recently ...

The best part of my job at OCLC is getting to hear about the impactful programs and activities that libraries create to solve community problems and help transform lives. I recently got the chance to talk to Nancy Pacheco and Elizabeth Gray from the ...

It’s no secret that a lot of really wonderful people work in libraries. I learn so much from having regular access to motivated, smart people who are so passionate about helping others. The best librarians possess a unique blend of conviction, commit...

Like many libraries across the nation, the Free Library of Philadelphia is undergoing a paradigm shift. Increasingly, our focus is not only on extensive collections but on how we are engaging with our communities. To address this shift, the Free Libr...

With a determined stride and a big smile, Ida Abolins walks over to the writing desk at the window of the library in San Francisco and asks a young man bending over a pile of paper, "How are you doing?"

Overlooking the lavish City ...