Main Blog Category
“What’s Your KCQ?” — a partnership between The Star and the Kansas City Public Library — is focusing on downtown curiosities this week. Reader Eric Haar got the ball rolling by asking us to explain the odd-looking bit of exposed bedrock that runs along Grand Boulevard between Seventh and Eighth streets. He works in the Western Union Telegraph Building near the site and always notices how much it stands out from its surroundings.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Kansas City Public Library has earned a 5-star designation from Library Journal. Only 85 public libraries nationwide – less than than 1 percent of the total of 9,245 – attained that top-tier standing.
With the beginning of a new year comes the renewed commitment to shake up our usual routines. We tell ourselves we’re going to learn a new skill, take a class or two, strive to get exposed to diverse and different ideas, make healthier choices, take risks in personal and professional lives… an ambitious list of life-changing activities. Luckily, the Library is an ideal starting point to help you turn your New Year’s resolutions into real results.
In the spirit of service embodied by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the Library’s AmeriCorps VISTA Project is collecting donations of travel-size personal care items for a Hygiene Kit Drive. Between January 2–15, 2020, visit any Kansas City Public Library location and bring supplies to drop off in dedicated boxes. Donated materials will be assembled into kits that will be given to individuals experiencing homelessness.
What books were winners with Library staff in 2019? From pop culture potboilers to heavy-hitting history reads, check out the favorites that lined our staff's personal shelves this past year.
The Library’s North-East Branch has TEMPORARILY RELOCATED as it begins a complete renovation and redesign. A temporary space directly across the street at 5930 Wilson Rd. in the Northeast Plaza Shopping Center houses many of the location’s materials during the process, which is expected to last through late 2020. Plan your visit and learn more about the North-East Branch's exciting future.
How far has Kansas City come in connecting residents to increasingly essential high-speed internet services? It’s a key area of concern for the Library, which has taken a leadership role in efforts to expand digital access and literacy across the metro area. New analysis indicates progress, with the proportion of households using broadband rising from seven in 10 to more than eight over a four-year period. But it also shows KC lagging behind a number of similar-sized “competitor” cities. And it points to continued concerns for lower-income residents.
Books make great holiday gifts, but choosing the right one can be daunting. The Library can toss you a gift-giving lifeline with our Gift Shelf Help reading recommendation service. Tell us a bit about the special reader in your life (or yourself!), and our experts will prepare a customized list of taste-tailored titles.
The Library and Legal Aid of Western Missouri will offer a property tax workshop on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at the Library's Westport Branch. Get one-on-one help from Legal Aid attorneys.
Has the holiday season got you down? Feeling stressed? Need a break? Check out 12 days of fun wellness activities happening at every Kansas City Public Library location from December 9 -21. Activities include mindfulness and meditation, arts and crafts, nutrition, workshops on beating the holiday blues, and more.
One year ago, voters overwhelmingly approved an 8-cent increase in the Library’s property tax-based operating levy – the first adjustment to the rate in 22 years. Thanks to that support and funding, the Library has been doing even more for the people we serve. As we broaden our services and respond to growing community needs, we want to keep you informed about our progress in what we call the Library’s Next Chapter. Learn what's happening at your neighborhood Library location, discover new or expanded services, and see how we’re working to improve patron experiences.
The Library's series of signature events brings nationally known authors, local historians, civic voices, political leaders, and others to Kansas City audiences. Now you have another way to access the ideas and topics covered in the Library's programs: We're creating a larger collection of archived online event videos available to the public. Miss a presentation? Watch anywhere, on your own time, for free.
Kody Willnauer was looking at Google Maps one day and noticed that roads that run north and south on the Missouri side of the Kansas City area slant to the east. That’s not the case on the Kansas side, where the roads appear to run straight up and down the screen, the elementary school teacher and Tonganoxie resident observed. The roads on the Missouri side are not parallel with those on the Kansas side.
Digital Inclusion Week is underway at the Kansas City Public Library, and to celebrate, our Tech Access program is hosting events at the Plaza Branch that are fun, informative, and help bridge the digital divide. Check out what we’ve got planned, and learn more about ways you can connect with technology assistance and resources at the Library.
Kansas City and haunted houses have a long history. At one time, we were considered the haunted house capital of the world. We still have what is billed as the oldest commercial haunted attraction in the country.