It’s National Library Week (4/19-4/25) – a time to celebrate the libraries in your life. Libraries serve the needs of their communities, whether it’s a busy undergrad university, a small charter school, a research institution, an inner-city neighborhood, or a graduate school. Libraries can offer so much more than just books: they have movies and audiobooks, they have classes and information sessions, they serve as community meeting spaces, they may have employment information and job-seeking assistance, and children’s storytimes, among other things.
If you attend a traditional, in-person graduate program, you’re probably familiar with the university’s library (or libraries) and hopefully have become well-acquainted with it. But even if you attend an online graduate program, your local library can be a wealth of information and a quiet place to study or do work.
Want to celebrate National Library Week? Here are some ideas:
Visit your local library! Go to your local library. If you don’t have one already, get a library card. Get your kids their own library cards. Talk with the librarians about all of the classes and programs the library has to offer. (Maybe even bring the librarians a treat!).
Discover library social media. Follow your local or school libraries on social media and check out the American Library Association (ALA) account on Instagram at @americanlibraryassociation. Search different hashtags to learn about other libraries far and near. Go to I Love Libraries and learn about how you can support libraries.
If you have kids, go to the local library storytime. It will get everyone out of the house, the kids will hear a story, and best of all, it’s free! They might even meet a new friend or two.
Spread the word. Libraries are great places and community hubs – and too many people have an outdated idea of libraries as places that only house books and nothing else. Spread the word about your local library and what libraries have done for you. At a time when public and national funding of libraries is in a precarious state, working to ensure that libraries remain accessible is key.
Here at Thesis Editor, we’re big fans of libraries – we loved them as graduate students and we use them now, for both ourselves and our families! We’re also here to help you achieve your goals, both academic and professional. We offer a range of services and would be happy to speak with you about them to see how we can help you get to where you want to be. Contact us today to learn more!
