The world can be a stressful place, with constant demands from work, caregiving, and electronic notifications taking their toll on our mental health. Burnout is increasingly common, and finding time to rest and heal can be difficult in our fast-paced world. However, research from the ReLit Foundation has shown that something as simple as reading a book can help.

What Is Burnout?

Burnout is a feeling of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged or repeated stress. While it’s often associated with workplace pressures, burnout can also stem from stress in other areas of life, such as school, parenting, caregiving, or romantic relationships.

It’s also surprisingly common, with two-thirds of employees reporting symptoms linked to work and other life stressors. It doesn’t help that, even outside of work, when people should be resting, frequent electronic notifications and the constant connectivity created by phones and other devices can lead to digital burnout, where the mind is never allowed to rest and therefore can never recover.

Some common signs of burnout include:

• Constant exhaustion that doesn’t go away even with sleep
• Dreading responsibilities or activities you once enjoyed
• Feeling detached from things or lacking motivation
• Struggling to focus on tasks, often leading to making more mistakes
• Frequently feeling irritated, anxious, or overwhelmed
• Recurrent headaches, digestive issues, or muscle tension

Working long hours or juggling too many tasks can contribute to burnout, but other factors also play a role. A lack of control over how tasks are carried out or being asked to take on responsibilities that conflict with your sense of self can also lead to burnout. Other contributors could include working toward a goal at home or at work that doesn’t resonate with you, or lacking the support you need to handle your responsibilities.

Neurodivergent people are especially prone to burnout because they often face additional stressors beyond the typical work and home stressors. Sensory overload, social demands and masking, unexpected changes to routines, and a lack of proper accommodations can all contribute to burnout for those with neurodivergence.

What Is Bibliotherapy and How Can It Help?

Bibliotherapy, also known as book therapy, is a gentle therapy method that uses reading to support better mental health and well-being. Research has shown that reading books can help people sort through complex emotions and mental states they may be experiencing during difficult times in their lives. Bibliotherapy can help ease stress and burnout as well as support people suffering from anxiety, depression, eating disorders, existential concerns, and much more.

Clinical bibliotherapy is a form of book therapy practiced by professional therapists and is often used alongside other treatments. However, not everyone can afford to go to a therapist. Self-guided bibliotherapy offers an alternative for anyone seeking the benefits of therapeutic reading at home without the formal guidance of a trained professional. It can be useful for mild mental health concerns, but for anything more serious, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.

Reading is a wonderful, restorative practice anyone can do, making it a supportive form of self-help with many benefits. It can decrease stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm, while helping readers feel less alone and comforting them during times of grief, loss, or confusion. Reading also helps improve self-awareness, challenge negative thought patterns, and build one’s emotional vocabulary.

Which books people find helpful for bibliotherapy will vary from person to person. In clinical bibliotherapy, therapists typically select books featuring characters or topics related to the issues the patient is experiencing. For instance, someone dealing with trauma may be given a book featuring a character navigating a similar experience. In self-guided bibliotherapy, people can choose their own books, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or self-help titles.

Libraries and Bibliotherapy

When people look for books on specific topics or featuring specific types of characters, they often turn to librarians for help, which can make librarians into “accidental bibliotherapists.” Librarians and libraries are well positioned to assist people who want to try bibliotherapy. Librarians are trained to provide book recommendations, and libraries offer free books, quiet reading spaces, readers’ advisory lists, digital materials accessible from home, and much more.

Libraries are also acutely aware of community mental health needs. Many offer mental health and wellness services, including reading lists on topics related to emotional health, which can be helpful for anyone exploring bibliotherapy. For people seeking help with burnout, the library can be a great place to start their self-care journey.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, bibliotherapy may help ease stress, and the library is a great place to start. Find the calm, focus, and emotional grounding you seek by visiting your local library today. Sign up for a library card if you don’t already have one, and explore whether bibliotherapy might be a useful tool to support your well-being.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Can a Library Card Support You Through Burnout? The Case for Bibliotherapy was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For many, it’s hard to imagine living in a home without reliable internet, running water, or a laundromat within a few minutes’ drive. Yet for families in rural America, this can be a stark and long-standing reality.

Now, imagine those same families visiting their nearest library to charge cell phones and wash a few loads of laundry. While their fresh clothes take a tumble in the dryer, they might take care of some business online: applying for jobs, catching up on the news, or paying bills. And yes, of course, they might check out reading materials or useful equipment they can utilize once they’ve headed home. Because when your community lacks basic infrastructure, a library can’t be “just a library” as we’ve understood it for generations. It must be more.

Introducing the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative

“New Mexico’s rural libraries are state treasures,” asserts the online home of the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative (NMRLI). Inspired by the Rio Arriba Independent Libraries (RAIL), a coalition of five libraries that seek combined funding, share program resources, and provide services one might not expect in a library (for example, those of a notary public), NMRLI’s advocacy work includes collecting and publishing stories that elevate the remarkable, innovative ways libraries are “showing up” for their communities. And increasingly, these stories demonstrate essential work being done in often-overlooked places.

Real Impact: Vallecitos Community Center and Library

The small, unincorporated community of Vallecitos, nestled in juniper-covered hills with a seemingly endless horizon, is located about sixty miles north of Santa Fe. The scenery is breathtaking, but like many rural areas, Vallecitos faces real challenges accessing broadband internet or even basic appliances to connect to its unreliable water supply. And when the Vallecitos Community Center and Library began forming more than ten years ago in a dilapidated mercantile building from the late 1800s, it was no exception.

But visionaries and their supporters provided volunteer labor to shore up the structure, connect it to a water supply, and install electricity. Eventually, the center boasted reliable wifi, as well as computers and other devices that helped forge connections between Vallecitos and the outside world.

Then came COVID-19. When schools pivoted to online instruction, many local students lacked the resources to engage in distance learning, so the Vallecitos Community Center and Library became a makeshift classroom. Community members visited to conduct telehealth appointments with physicians and other professionals. When organizations and companies around the world were shuttering their doors, the center did the opposite — it became the community’s digital hub, more essential than ever at a time when many people elsewhere struggled with isolation. The connection it provided, both within and outside its community, became more essential than ever.

Today, the center’s reputation as a technological resource remains. But beyond crisis communications and emergency connections, people who enter Vallecitos Community Center and Library might find someone using the washer and dryer — because every household deserves to do laundry with dignity. They might find a family using the kitchen to prepare food (even an entire meal), or a group of neighbors gathered in the meeting space for a local event. And while they’re there, they might even check out a set of fishing poles, because the library has those too.

Fishing poles, a landline phone for local calls, and impromptu porch concerts by local musicians aren’t “extras.” They are meaningful responses to practical, emotional, and social needs — and they reflect a library staff and volunteer base that is paying close attention to their neighbors.

Vallecitos Is Not an Outlier

At first, the Vallecitos Community Center and Library might seem like a heartwarming exception; a unique gem in a singular community. But the truth is that its work represents a “newer kind” of library work, urgently needed in New Mexico and equally important in remote areas throughout the US.

Rural libraries establish and maintain social safety nets, provide reliable digital connections, and create and deliver programming to meet the unique needs of their patrons — often with a budget that would confound their urban library counterparts. The work of rural libraries is extraordinary. Their financial resources are not.

Libraries Evolve, and That Matters

The story of the Vallecitos Community Center and Library is one of compassion, community, and collaboration in service of rural populations. And it is a story also being written every day, with unique and productive outcomes, in communities across this country. NMRLI exists to share these stories — and more importantly, to make sure the libraries living them have the support they need to keep going.

The advocacy work of NMRLI is rooted in a deep respect for what these libraries must do to remain viable, so they can continue to serve their patrons in ways that nurture their curiosity, help them forge relationships, and conduct themselves with a greater sense of dignity.

Stay Informed; Spread the Word

The best way to support rural libraries is to know them. Subscribe to the NMRLI newsletter today, and use your knowledge to help people everywhere (especially those who influence funding priorities) understand the impact of these vital institutions.

Rural Libraries as Lifelines: Books, Broadband, and Other Basics was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Drug abuse. Mental health issues. The two are often linked, and it is hard to know which comes first. Does heavy drug use fray a person’s mental condition? Or are those struggling with their mental health more likely to use drugs, seeking in them an escape from their torment?

Perhaps this question will never be answered. One thing is certain, however: Such individuals frequently run afoul of the criminal justice system.

Historically, that system has been ill-equipped to handle such people. “Without specialized attention,” writes Paul Newby, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, “that population poses a higher risk for criminal recidivism and is also less likely to complete a court-ordered probation or child welfare case plan.”

To address this problem, many states have introduced specialized “treatment courts” for substance abuse and mental illness. The courts focus on recovery rather than punishment. According to the National Treatment Court Resource Center, more than four thousand such courts operate in all fifty states, plus the District of Columbia and several US territories. They are funded by a mixture of state and federal appropriations.

Though treatment courts operate in different ways, all of them administer what is often called “therapeutic” or “restorative” justice. In North Carolina, for example, the courts consist of a specially trained, community-based team, often including a judge, a defense attorney, a prosecutor, a probation officer, treatment providers, and a dedicated treatment court coordinator. In the civil context, that team may also include a county services attorney or a child welfare worker. The team’s goal is to pool community resources to offer support while also holding the participant accountable.

Some areas are blessed with another partner in restorative justice: libraries.

One such area is Spokane, Washington, which in 2013 began hosting the city’s community court. Developed in the 1990s, community courts focus on nonviolent cases. As Kirsti MacPherson puts it in American Libraries, “Crimes like murder or arson require a traditional court of justice. Crimes like graffiti or shoplifting don’t have to.”

Nor, the thinking goes, do infractions committed by people who suffer from drug addiction or mental illness.

The State of Washington has several types of therapeutic courts:

• Drug courts
• Mental health courts
• DUI courts
• Veterans therapeutic courts
• Tribal healing to wellness courts
• Juvenile therapeutic courts
• Family therapeutic courts
• Early childhood courts/safe babies courts
• Human trafficking courts

And, of course, community courts.

These courts typically consist of two rooms: one in which a judge handles cases, and one that acts as a community resource center, in which social service providers help defendants and members of the public with counseling, housing, and other needs. It’s a perfect setup for a public library. “When you walk into a courthouse,” explains Andrew Chanse, executive director of the Spokane Public Library, “there isn’t necessarily a sense of hope or opportunity. The library helps provide that. It’s open to everyone, and there isn’t the stigma that a courthouse might have. It’s a welcoming place.”

Spokane moved its community court out of the libraries in 2019, ending a six-year run. More than one thousand participants a year accessed a variety of services during that tenure, including behavioral health, housing, crime victim assistance, health insurance, education/job training, and more.

It didn’t stay away long. In 2022, the court was moved back. “Community Court relies on community partnerships to successfully manage each participant’s case,” says Judge Mary Logan, who helped create the court and served as its presiding judge. “The support of Central Library signifies the effectiveness of this multi-disciplinary team approach. The collaborative efforts of the community partnerships will result in improved outcomes, lower recidivism, and provide a safe, more secure, and healthier community.”

Nowadays, the court handles about one hundred people each week. Funding comes not from the city or county, but via the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts. The AOC funds the state’s other therapeutic courts, and due to budget cuts, it has been forced to reduce that funding by nearly 40 percent since July 2023. In fact, there is talk of combining all the therapeutic courts into one to save money.

The court that would be spared? Community Court. This implies that the court’s work is universally celebrated. Yet not everyone is thrilled with the court’s performance. In 2025, Lynden Smithson, former Spokane city attorney, ran against Judge Logan for her seat on the court. On his campaign website, he acknowledged that Community Court was “designed to provide compassionate accountability and get defendants out of the cycle of crime.” However, he said, the court “is failing, it is not holding defendants accountable, and therefore they swirl in a continuing cycle of crime, drug use, and homelessness.”

Smithson promised to operate the court “transparently,” though he concluded that promise with a threat: “When the evidence shows recidivism rates are unacceptable, we will reassess our procedures and correct them to be more effective.” Fortunately, Judge Logan won reelection, continuing her oversight of the court.

The American prison system was created to do many things, including punishment, deterrence, and rehabilitation. This last goal tends to get lost amid the constant and dispiriting news coverage of terrorists, school shooters, child molesters, and other violent criminals. They may be unable to change, but that isn’t true of the lesser offenders who churn through therapeutic courts. Such courts play a vital role, and libraries are their natural allies.

Here’s hoping for more community court/library partnerships.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

What’s Happening with Spokane’s Community Court/Library Partnership? was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I was excited to interview two library school students for this article.

The first student is Vaughn Fazio, who is in his last semester at the University of Alabama. He has a bachelor’s degree in history and works as a desk assistant at the Allentown Public Library, part of the Monmouth County Library System in New Jersey. He’s pursuing the archival concentration in his program, though he’s open to working in other areas of librarianship.

The second student is Aaron Wells, the customer services department head at Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Stafford, Virginia. He’s pursuing a concentration in leadership and emerging technologies at San José State University and is entering his final semester of the program. He studied sociology and human services as an undergraduate.

Finally, I included my own insights in this article as well! I recently earned my MLIS from San José State University. I have a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and archaeology and another master’s degree in anthropology. I currently work as a principal library assistant at the R. Barbara Gitenstein Library at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, New Jersey. I’m interested in digital repository asset management, accessibility, and public services.

Accredited Programs Only!

For the most part, potential employers don’t care where you obtained your degree as long as you completed your coursework at an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program. The ALA maintains a directory of schools that hold ALA accreditation status. Be sure to check this list before you commit to the school of your choice. It is unlikely that you’ll find employment as a librarian if you attend a nonaccredited program.

Consider Costs

Graduate school programs are expensive, but many online programs do not charge out-of-state tuition fees. Some programs even offer scholarships to current and incoming students.

Fazio says about choosing the right school, “In the end, I did what was better for my pocket.”

Wells says, “I think when considering specifically what school to apply to, you should consider [the] return on investment for sure. Especially if you’re planning to work at a smaller public library or a smaller academic institution, you will not make a lot of money. That’s just the reality of the field. And some library degrees are very affordable.”

Based on my personal experience, I suggest working part-time while you go to school so you can pay as you go, minimizing the number of student loans you might take out. This strategy will take longer to finish a program, but it feels like less of a financial burden when you spread the expenses over several years rather than trying to complete everything in two years.

Networking

Wells advises that prospective MLIS students reach out to professionals in the field. He says, “I would encourage students to actually reach out to consider what libraries and institutions they might want to work at, and reach out and say, ‘I’m considering going to this school. Do you have any advice? Do you know anyone else who has gone to that school?’ I did this.”

Wells reached out to a librarian via an online chat tool. He says, “I told them what my plan was. And I asked them for feedback and opinions. And they, a librarian, actually reached back out to me and gave me really great feedback. So I think that communicating with other professionals in the field too, when you’re considering what school to go to and how to start, is really helpful too.”

It also helps that three of us already work in a library since we can always ask our librarian colleagues questions about the industry. It’s good to know about emerging technologies and trends in best practices so you can stay current in your area of interest.

Update That CV/Résumé!

Be sure to have your CV/résumé up to date so that when you see a job posting that appeals to you, you’ll be ready to apply. Things to include: education, recent work history, and relevant extracurricular experience.

Specializations

There are several areas of specialization in library science, each with its own requirements to become a librarian. You should ask yourself, “Do I want to work in a public, academic, or school library? Or do I want to pursue archival studies?” You don’t need to have these questions answered before you apply, but it will make it easier for you to select classes that align with your interests.

Furthermore, school librarians have specific criteria they must meet in their coursework — as do archivists. Some states, like New Jersey, require that school librarians also hold a library media specialist certificate. If you want to enter the public or academic sectors, there’s a bit more fluidity between those areas.

Starting Salary

Salary ranges vary for librarians. Academic librarians typically make more than other librarians. Public and school librarian salaries often depend on the funding their institutions receive. Many archival positions pay well, though many are temporary contracted positions. Be sure to pay close attention to salary details, which are usually included in the job posting (though not always).

Work Experience

Fazio advises prospective librarians to first try to get their foot in the door at a library. He says, “I think working in a library in any capacity helps. I started here fifteen hours a week while I had a different job.” He says that working in a library while working toward his degree allows him to put into practice the things he’s learning in his classes.

Parting Advice

Fazio says, “Have passion, honestly. . . . Don’t do it just because you like to read. Do it because you like libraries, you like information. If you like to read, that’s great . . . just enjoy facilitating information by not teaching.”

Wells says, “I think one should definitely consider their goals for their career in library science. So if you want to be an academic or a public librarian, really, you can do anything for your undergrad.”

As for me, I recommend getting your foot in the library door early so you can gain work experience while you go to school. Check civil service websites and library sites for current job postings and see what’s out there. Gaining experience and building your network will help you in the long run.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Things to Know Before Applying to Library School was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Starting a garden is one of those goals people tuck in the back of their mind as the weather warms. Some imagine growing their own fresh food, while others just want a reason to get outside and work with plants.

But for many beginners, the idea of gardening can feel expensive and overwhelming. Between choosing the right seeds, buying soil and containers, and figuring out what tools you actually need, the cost and complexity can make the hobby seem out of reach. What many don’t realize is that the local library offers a quiet, friendly path into gardening — one that lowers those barriers and invites people to start small.

With a simple library card, you can pick up free seeds, learn how to grow them, and do it all in a relaxed community space.

What Are Seed Libraries?

Seed libraries are simple: They offer free packets of seeds you can take home, plant, and eventually help restock. Most libraries provide a mix of flower, herb, and vegetable varieties, so you can choose what fits your space, whether that’s a yard, a balcony, or a few pots on a windowsill.

As your plants grow, they’ll eventually produce new seeds you can collect at the end of the season. Returning a portion of those seeds helps replenish the library so others can plant them next year.

Visiting a seed library is a perfect spring activity. It gives you a great reason to get outdoors, try planting something new, and connect with neighbors who also enjoy gardening.

Bringing Communities Together

Seed libraries thrive because public libraries are built for community connection. They provide the space to store and organize seeds, and librarians often coordinate volunteers who help sort and package them for the public. But the real strength of seed libraries comes from the partnerships libraries cultivate. They connect residents with local gardening experts and bring together garden clubs, nonprofits, and educators to share their knowledge.

These partnerships turn seed libraries into community hubs each spring. Libraries host workshops, seed-starting events, and hands-on activities that encourage neighbors to learn and grow together. Families and school groups often join in, giving children a chance to discover where their food comes from and how to care for the environment.

When people garden side by side — sharing tips, saving seeds, and celebrating what they’ve grown — they build resilience and local pride. Seed libraries make that possible by giving everyone a fair chance to participate, regardless of experience or resources.

Seed Library Partnerships in Action

Across the country, libraries partner with local groups to make gardening more accessible and community-centered.

In Virginia, the Prince William County Seed Library Coalition works with master gardeners to distribute seeds and teach free classes. Their workshops help beginners understand when and how to plant different varieties, giving new gardeners the confidence to get started.

At the Highland Park Public Library in New Jersey, the seed library focuses on plants that thrive in the local climate. By offering region-appropriate seeds, the library helps residents grow healthier, more resilient gardens right at home.

And in Jefferson County, Florida, the R. J. Bailar Public Library takes the idea even further. Their combined community garden and seed library offers shared garden space where neighbors can grow food together. It’s a powerful example of how a simple seed-sharing program can grow into a larger community project rooted in collaboration and local pride.

Your Spring Garden Starts at the Library

You don’t need to be an expert to grow your own food or flowers. Your local library is a steady partner for anyone hoping to build gardening skills or try something new this spring.

Stop by your public library and ask whether they offer a seed library or have upcoming garden programs. Your next spring project might be waiting on a shelf.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

How Seed Libraries Bring Communities Together Each Spring was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Utah has become the state with the highest total number of banned books in public school libraries as of February 2026. While the national discussion regarding book bans often centers on the South, one of the most concerning surges in censorship is occurring in a state north of the Mason-Dixon line and west of the Rocky Mountains.

Stephen King’s Bag of Bones was recently removed from Utah’s public school libraries, making it the twenty-third book removed under a “sensitive materials” law enacted in 2024. This addition to the state code allows students, parents, staff, and even board members to request the removal of any book from a collection. While the local education agency (LEA) can initially reject such a request through a formal review process, the individuals who submitted the challenge may appeal that rejection to the board of directors.

This type of legislation has become all too common over the past decade, but Utah has taken further measures to normalize and institutionalize the practice. Under the current law, if a book is banned in three public school districts — or two districts and five charter schools — it is subsequently banned across the entire state. Additionally, the law’s implementation immediately triggered the statewide removal of thirteen books labeled as “objective sensitive material,” a decision made without input from library staff. Notably, the majority of authors affected by these bans are women.

The primary purpose of these policies — at least according to those who support them — is to prevent children from encountering sexual content. While there is reason to be cautious about the materials accessible to children in public spaces, the uninformed, blanket approach seen here is flawed at best and bigoted at worst.

Librarians are trained specifically in collection development; one of the most common topics is sensitive materials and how to assess them. This fact is apparently lost on most lawmakers, who appear to fear a hidden swarm of sexually charged books that has miraculously gone unnoticed by professional staff.

Furthermore, it is worth considering how older children could be given a respectful, light introduction to romance and physical intimacy through literature and other educational materials. Many are experiencing these feelings for the first time and will likely rely on the content around them for guidance, as they often do with other life transitions.

Finally, it can not be denied how marginalized communities are all too often targeted by the very language used in this law. Establishing a narrow morality through purposefully vague phrasing has been a tool of oppression for centuries, and this is its latest incarnation.

This change to the Utah State Code has already had a drastic impact on every public school library in the state and will continue until there is sufficient political pressure to reverse it. Similar legislation continues to be proposed and even enacted across the entire country. EveryLibrary maintains lists of concerning bills and pro-library legislation to help individuals track what is happening in their own communities.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

State-Sanctioned Book Banning Continues in Utah was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Libraries often face acquisition challenges, but recent events have created especially dire circumstances for many across the United States. In October of last year, the print wholesaler Baker & Taylor announced it would be shutting down all operations. This company had long been a crucial part of many libraries’ collection development, supplying a wide range of materials in large quantities. In the months leading up to the collapse, many of these same institutions apparently reported ongoing issues with software, shipments, and customer service.

This company served thousands of libraries nationwide, and its dissolution has created a notable vacuum for other vendors to fill. Unsurprisingly, Amazon is attempting to step in, given its history as a distributor and its ability to enter nearly any market it chooses. Ingram has also moved quickly to fill the gap left by B&T’s absence. While libraries appreciate the immediate support, many have raised concerns about becoming dependent on a single, potentially monopolistic vendor.

Libraries benefit greatly from having options among publishers and distributors. A variety of materials, policies, and operating systems gives them far more flexibility than they would have under a single vendor.

When one company is responsible for large portions of materials, services, and infrastructure libraries rely on, a single issue can quickly cascade. For example, when Amazon Web Services shut down temporarily, countless students lost access to their course materials on Canvas. These situations aren’t ideal even for the companies absorbing the extra business, as they must process a surge of new clients while still keeping up with the demand of their existing customer base.

For some libraries, the challenges go beyond technical problems and the scramble to find new distributors. According to Connecticut Public Radio, the Bristol Public Library is down nearly $40,000 in leasing and preorder fees that were never refunded, despite a complete lack of service from B&T leading to and during its dissolution.

Compounding the issue, there has been no response from any former Baker & Taylor executives or legal representatives, leaving it unclear whether a refund will ever be granted — or even attempted.

Given the scale and complexity of the problem, there is no single decision, action, or policy change that can resolve it immediately. At its core, the challenge is that libraries often struggle to keep up with new releases due to funding constraints and vendor failures. One meaningful way community members can help is by donating newly released materials when they’re able.

For those with the capacity to advocate, contacting elected representatives about the need for stronger oversight of monopolized practices can also make a difference. Ensuring a healthier, more competitive marketplace ultimately benefits libraries and the communities they serve.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Libraries Struggle Following Baker & Taylor Collapse was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

May is Get Caught Reading Month, a time to celebrate books and encourage bibliophiles to show off their love of literature. Although the campaign highlights May, Get Caught Reading is a year-long celebration, so the fun is just beginning!

Get Caught Reading Month

Launched in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers, the Get Caught Reading campaign promotes the enjoyment of books. Now managed by Every Child a Reader, the initiative equips literary professionals like librarians, teachers, and booksellers with resources that support reading.

In an increasingly digital age, the act of reading can sometimes feel radical. However, like smartphones — which now dominate much of our free time — reading is an activity that can be enjoyed anywhere, at any time. Get Caught Reading uses promotional materials that showcase public figures getting “caught” reading, a helpful reminder as technology continues to advance.

1. The Digital Catch

Anyone can join in on the fun of reading, even if they don’t prefer physical books. E-books and audiobooks are valid forms of literature, especially when they make reading more accessible. Fans of digital formats can use apps like Libby or Hoopla to check out books and audiobooks for free with a library card.

The question remains: How does one go about getting “caught” reading when listening to a book? Audiobook listeners can get caught simply by being asked what they’re listening to during everyday activities like walking their dog, jogging, or doing chores. Books, in any form, are always great conversation starters!

2. Reading in the Wild

One benefit of reading physical books is how easy it can be to get caught reading, especially when the cover is on full display. A great place to start is carrying a book at all times so it can be used during transitions or daily breaks. For example, you could get caught reading on public transportation, in waiting rooms, or at your local park.

As mentioned previously, books can be wonderful icebreakers. You may even make a few new friends, especially if they share a love of reading. Even if they don’t, it can be fun to talk about the book’s plot and share what you think of the story.

3. The Workplace Reading Break

In today’s world, it can feel like screens are everywhere. Screen time can add up quickly if you work in a job that requires a lot of technology. One great way to get caught reading is to replace a few minutes otherwise spent on a screen with a book. Instead of spending your fifteen-minute work break on your phone, try reading.

Science shows that overconsumption of technology can have negative effects on our daily lives. For example, social media use has been linked to worsened mental health, and excessive screen time can lead to poor sleep and fewer face-to-face social connections. Reading, on the other hand, has been reported to enhance empathy and reduce stress.

4. Making it Visual

If you’re looking for a creative way to get caught reading, consider trying trends like “shelfies” and “bookfaces.” Shelfies, as their name suggests, are selfies that highlight personal decor and interests, sometimes featuring readers’ personal libraries or bookshelves. Bookfaces challenge photo takers to pose in a way that aligns with a book cover, creating an artsy effect.

The benefit of social media is its ability to influence others. If you’re an active user, consider taking a moment to showcase the importance of reading. Trends like shelfies or bookfaces make it fun to talk about literature, and platforms like BookTok offer additional ways to engage with communities and get the word out.

5. Get the Kids Involved

It’s always best to lead by example, especially when it comes to reading. Children look up to adults, so reading habits tend to improve when everyone is involved. Simply put, if adults get excited about reading, children often will too — especially as they grow up surrounded by rapidly advancing technology.

To help children learn to enjoy reading, consider adjusting everyday routines. For example, families can take collective screen breaks and replace that time with reading. Instead of spending time on the phone before bed, try reading to your children. Making visits to your local library a weekly family outing can further instill reading as a regular activity for everyone.

Books will always be a source of endless entertainment for everyone. As our world becomes more digital, there’s no better time to show off our appreciation for literature and the joy it provides. When one person reads, it often inspires others to read as well. In celebration of Get Caught Reading Month, visit your local library and start a conversation about books!

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

5 Fun Ways to “Get Caught Reading” was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

May is Older Americans Month. It’s a time to celebrate and honor the older adults in our lives and the contributions they have and continue to make. But it’s also time to examine what challenges this group faces. The 2026 Older Americans Month theme is Champion Your Health. One of the major health impacts for older adults may come as a surprise to readers: social isolation, which leads to loneliness.

What Is Social Isolation?

Social isolation occurs when people lack strong relationships, contact, or support from others. This can happen at any age, but it’s especially noticeable in older adults, who may be coping with the loss of loved ones, disabilities that restrict their ability to go out in public or host people in their homes, unemployment, or lack of access to transportation.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that when neglected, social isolation can lead to significant mental and physical health issues. Those issues include increased risk of depression and anxiety, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. And it’s not a small portion of the older adult population that faces this; JAMA points to a 2023 national poll that found 37 percent of US adults aged fifty to eighty experienced feelings of loneliness, with 34 percent saying they felt socially isolated.

Addressing Social Isolation

With over a third of the older adult population struggling with social isolation and loneliness, finding people and organizations to help them is clearly vital. Once again, libraries are aware of the crisis and are creating a myriad of solutions in their communities.

Libraries are uniquely positioned to address social isolation for many reasons, including being open and fee-free to members of their communities and through their wide range of partnerships with community-led groups and other organizations, including legal and health groups.

What’s more, working within the community often means the programming is low-cost, community-driven, and able to support seniors without needing to run every program internally. Given the work libraries do to support memory care and brain health, addressing social isolation is a natural extension of that mission.

The ways libraries do that are so varied that they can’t all be listed here. But a few examples of initiatives designed specifically for older adults include:

• Senior social clubs
• Intergenerational story times
• Lifelong learning events
• Health and wellness programs
• Book clubs
• Memory cafes
• Technology training and workshops

Note that many of these involve partnerships with other people and organizations in their communities.

Geezers in Sneakers Getting Coffee

One program that’s had a huge impact on its community is Orono Public Library’s (OPL) Geezers in Sneakers Getting Coffee partnership. The initiative may have a tongue-in-cheek name, but its mission is serious.

It began in February 2024, when an Orono Town Council member asked retired resident Harlan Onsrud to create a walking and social group for older men who felt isolated. OPL became the group’s gathering spot, opening early on walking days and providing meeting space and staff support. The group eventually opened to women, too, and now meets twice a week for a thirty-minute walk followed by coffee hour in the library’s multipurpose room.

Geezers in Sneakers has bloomed into something larger than its thirty-minute walking plan. The group has the support community members, who frequently wave and chat with the walkers. A new annual event, the “Kids vs. Geezers Race-Walk,” cheerfully pits kids under twelve against the geezers, with the kids earning “Orono Super Kid” stickers. The time spent in the coffee hour is social, but it’s also productive; the group makes donations and organizes events such as talks, potlucks, and community service projects.

The program won a 2025 I Partner With My Public Library Award from the UNC-Greensboro School of Education, which celebrates community collaborators. The award citation notes, “The partnership turns the Orono Public Library into both a health hub and a social commons. It combats isolation through joy, movement, humor, and shared responsibility — demonstrating how libraries can anchor community well-being in even the smallest towns.”

While the walks are promoted to the older adult community, no one of any age or background is turned away. Members point to the social aspect that makes it attractive to join in, gaining a sense of camaraderie and belonging that doesn’t happen when they’re alone or working out solo at a gym. Group members have formed friendships that extend beyond the twice-weekly events — and to date, regardless of weather, no walk has been canceled.

In fact, Geezers in Sneakers brings more people to the library each week than any other organization, which solidifies the library’s reputation as a community hub. Attendees often check out and return materials during their visits, increasing the library’s circulation. Group members have even been known to wash coffee cups and clean the floors after meetings, wanting to do their part to keep the library in good condition, which in turn makes the group even more welcome.

It sounds simple — just inviting people to walk together a couple of times a week and give them a space to sit down after to chat and drink coffee. But underneath that simple surface is a program that helps older adults age in place, feel a sense of community and belonging, and honor their strengths. What better way to celebrate Older Americans Month than with something as positive as this?

Want to help seniors in your community overcome social isolation and loneliness? Check out your local library to see what resources they have for older adults, and share this story with the seniors in your life.

How Library Partnerships Help Reduce Senior Social Isolation was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

BY CONNIE WILLIAMS AND LAURIE PROTHRO

There is no doubt in our minds that one of the best jobs around is being a school librarian.

Instructing, collaborating, sharing, and creating all seamlessly converge in this often uncelebrated but wonderful profession — even as outdated yet ingrained stereotypes persist despite the many remarkable, even heroic, role models today. What makes this generally unheralded profession so rewarding?

With national standards as guides but few state-mandated library curricula, school librarians have a great deal of autonomy in what and how they teach their students. They get to work not just with one grade, but with a school’s entire student body. They get to teach students how to navigate the digital world in a meaningful way; collaborate, teach, or coteach with other faculty members; help administrators solve research questions; and provide programming with real-life people and events that entertain, engage, and inform students — all the while connecting classroom learning to the larger world.

They do this as they fill their library shelves with amazing works of fiction and information, full of those essential “windows and mirrors” that help students see how they fit in that world.

Depending on a school’s or district’s ability (and desire) to create robust learning centers focused on student academics as well as personal growth, there are several possible positions available in a school library, and many permutations of these positions.

Plenty of schools operate with only one full-time teacher staffing the library, or one part-time staff member, or no staff at all. But plenty of others across the country understand that the library is their biggest classroom and needs staff to run it. A strong and supported school library team — consisting of a full-time, credentialed school librarian and a full-time clerk — can make for a dream career.

What, then, does it take to become a school librarian?

We took very different paths to arrive at our jobs.

Laurie received a BA in English from a small liberal arts college, then launched her first career as a journalist. Years later, she returned to school to earn an MLS (master of library science) with an emphasis on children’s librarianship, and began her second career as a librarian — first in public libraries, then in a public TK–8 school, and ultimately in an independent school.

Connie worked in public and university libraries while earning a BA in geography from California State University, followed by an MLS from Emporia State University in Kansas. Upon her return to California, she pursued teaching credentials in history, English, and elementary education, teaching in both junior and senior high schools before settling into a teacher-librarian position at a public high school.

All of our school librarian colleagues came to their positions through their own unique journeys, many from classroom teaching first, and others from vastly different careers that somehow led them to education, instruction, and libraries.

The “rules” for staffing vary by state and by type of library. Where we live, in the state of California, one needs both a teaching credential and a library services credential to be hired in a public school as a school librarian (called “teacher-librarian” here). Because the emphasis is on teaching, an MLS or MLIS (master of library and information science) degree is not required; the requirement centers on obtaining the teacher-librarian credential.

This library services credential is a separate credential — similar to those for social science or elementary education — and allows the holder to teach that subject in the classroom. But since the position of school librarian or teacher-librarian is not mandated in California, few schools in the state today are run by credentialed school librarians.

Most private, or independent, schools don’t require credentials at all. The school librarian is part of the teaching faculty and — like a teacher-librarian — teaches students at all levels while also running the library. In this setting, having an MLS can provide a huge competitive advantage when seeking a job in the private school sector.

States have their own rules regarding the scope of the school librarian role and the education required for it, and each state also has its own education code that lays out whether the position is required, recommended, or nonexistent. EveryLibrary offers a fabulous state-by-state map of school librarian requirements across the United States, along with additional data on school librarians, school libraries, and student achievement, including the names and contact information for personnel in each state.

Most states, like California, require a teaching credential and either an MLS or a specific score on the Praxis II Library Media Content Test, but only a handful enforce those requirements. And in some states, you can be hired as a teacher-librarian while still completing your coursework. This is one avenue for getting a job while still learning the ropes.

It sounds like a lot of education is required to become a teacher-librarian. Obtaining a BA or equivalent degree plus teaching credentials (depending on state requirements) does take time, but the rewards are high. Engaging every day with different groups of students, constantly evolving technology, and changing resources means the work is always stimulating. You can come to the field from a multitude of backgrounds and educational experiences, rather than having to follow a rigid path.

School librarians often emerge as leaders within their schools and communities. You get to run the biggest classroom in the school, and everyone loves to come there — what could be better?

Note: Because we cowrite most of our stories for Medium, but only one author can be attached to each article, please follow both of us on Medium — Connie Williams@chwms and Laurie Prothro @laurieprothro — so as not to miss any of our monthly School Library Musings.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

School Library Musings: Why Become a School Librarian? was originally published in EveryLibrary on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.