Through one-on-one interactions, equitable tech access, and programming, the Kansas City Public Library has a long-standing commitment to helping patrons identify trustworthy sources of information and thinking critically about what they find.

As part of that commitment, the Library also participates in United States Media Literacy Week. From Oct. 23-27, 2023, local and national programs celebrate one of the five components of the definition of media literacy: Access, Analyze, Evaluate, Create, and Act.

Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Plaza Branch, Kevin Lerner discusses his new book Provoking the Press: (MORE) Magazine and the Crisis of Confidence in American Journalism, which looks at the journalists who wrote about how others in their field covered big events of the day – from the Watergate scandal to the “seven dirty words” obscenity trial and debate over a reporter’s constitutional privilege.

The Lerner event is one in a line of many signature events featuring journalists or focusing on the media. For instance, last year, Ari Fleischer discussed his book, Can We Trust Mainstream Media? with David Von Drehle, a Kansas City-based columnist with The Washington Post.

The Dateline: Washington series (2013-2016) examined political coverage from the point of view of prominent journalists including: Justin Gillis from The New York Times, David Von Drehle, Time magazine’s editor-at-large, and Politico chief political correspondent Mike Allen. And an event in 2010 highlighted Gerald Boyd’s memoir My Times in Black and White, and his rise to become the first Black managing editor of The New York Times.

2023 Media Literacy Week Programs

Provoking the Press
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023
Reception: 5:30 pm
Program: 6:00 pm
Plaza Branch | 4801 Main St.
Room: Truman Auditorium
In Person Event
Online Event

Productive Conversations Without Confrontation
Thursday, Oct. 26
Program: 5:30 -7:30 p.m.
Waldo Branch | 201 E. 75th St.
Room: A
In Person Event

Online Programming

Monday, Oct. 23: Access
Tuesday, Oct. 24: Analyze
Tuesday, Oct. 24 and Thursday, Nov. 16: Productive Conversations Without Confrontation
Wednesday, Oct. 25: Evaluate
Wednesday, Oct. 25: Intro to Audio Storytelling: Soundscape Building Blocks
Thursday, Oct. 26: Create
Thursday, Oct. 26: Next Level Audio Storytelling: Engaging Student Voice
Friday, Oct. 27: Act

Resources

Navigate the News with PressReader   

Looking for more ways to stay informed about what’s happening in your community, nation, and the world? PressReader is a digital service that gives you one place to view the news – whether it’s from local, national, or international sources. Your Kansas City Public Library card gets you unlimited access to over 6,000 newspapers and magazines from around the world, in 60-plus languages – no subscription required.  
 

• Read  well-known publications such as the Los Angeles Times,  Chicago Tribune,  Newsweek,  Rolling Stone, Vogue, Popular Science, Esquire, Variety, and  Highlights. 
• Conveniently read publications from other countries, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Thailand, France, Germany, and the Republic of Korea. 
• Search by subject. Explore news on topics such as music, design, sports, and food and drink. 
• Create your own home feed with selected publications and view top stories from across the U.S. or other countries. Save articles to your own customized collections. 
• Use the mobile app to enjoy access on the go: Apple App Store | Google Play | Microsoft Store 
• Engage kids with PressReader’s offerings of youth-friendly content and publications. 

The New York Times Digital Pass   

You can enjoy FREE digital access to The New York Times, courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library. Your library card lets you sign up for a renewable 72-hour complete access pass to NYTimes.com – no paywalls.  
 

• Access from any Library location, from your home, or from other sites. 
• No cost. No limit on the number of articles you can click and read. 
• Read the latest news on your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. 
• Works with existing NYTimes.com accounts and new registrations.  

More News Resources From Your Library   

The Library offers several news databases and access to the digital collections of many local and national newspapers and magazines.  

Browse these publications’ digital archives for past issues: 

Kansas City Star:  

• Image Edition (archives available back to 2013) 
• Text Edition (archives available back to 1991) 

Kansas City Business Journal 

Kansas City Hispanic News 

New York Times - Digital Microfilm (Full-image newspaper scans from 2008 – present) 

Wall Street Journal - Digital Microfilm (Full-image newspaper scans from 2008 – present) 

NewsBank provides a comprehensive collection of reliable news sources covering a wide array of topics and issues. Browse publications’ archives, explore trending topics, and even find classroom lesson plans based on daily headlines.   

Explore More News Resources 

Media Literacy Week 2021 playlist 
National News Literacy Week 2022 playlist
Media Literacy Week 2022 
National News Literacy Week 2023

Misinformation Games