If you’re reading this right there’s a good chance the Kansas City Public Library, and libraries in general, are an important part of your life. Congratulations. You’ve made a very good decision. What better time to celebrate than now? It’s National Library Week from April 8 – 14, 2018.

National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of the nation’s libraries and library workers. It’s also an opportunity for communities to promote library use and support policies and programs the support libraries in general.

There are several ways to support and celebrate KCPL, and they’re all easy. Take a look:

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Central Library on May 17, 2017.

1. Get Your Library Card. It’s free! Your library card gives you access to books, streaming services, DVDs, CDs, library computers, professional development websites such as Lynda.com, and much more. There are two options: a physical card or an ecard. Click here for details.
2. Visit us. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to your local branch, National Library Week is the perfect time to get reacquainted. There are 10 locations across the city. You won’t be alone, either. Over the past year, nearly 1.2 million people visited those locations, and another 1.5 million used our digital branch (kclibrary.org/digital).
3. Attend a Signature Event. The Library hosts more than 200 speaker events each year, bringing in award winning authors, politicians, historians, and actors. They’ve included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, author George Saunders, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, actor and author John Lithgow, and journalist David Von Drehle to name a few. The Library also hosts community forums focusing on important issues in the greater Kansas City area, offering patrons a place to voice their concerns where they might otherwise not be heard.
4. Become a Friend of the Library. The Friends of the Kansas City Public Library is a non-profit group dedicated to supporting, advocating for, and sharing in the experience that make the Kansas City Public Library unique. As a Friend you also get special access to library events and book sales, and more importantly your membership helps sustain library programs.
5. Donate. If you don’t want to be a Friend, you can also support the Library by donating money or time directly to KCPL. All donations are tax deductible.
6. Be a Loud and Proud Library Lover. Tell you friends and family why you love the library and why you use your local library. Encourage them to visit their local branch, or even better, invite them to come with you the next time you pop in for a book, an author event, or a story time with the kiddos. Share pictures on social media tagging the Kansas City Public Library (@KCLibrary on Twitter, and Kansas City Public Library on Facebook).

These are only a few ways you can show your support for the Library during #NationalLibraryWeek. We’re proud to serve this community.