National Library Week
This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy”
Photo courtesy of Valentin Ivantsov/Pexels
This week, Apr. 19-25, 2026, is National Library Week in the United States. National Library Week has been a yearly observance in April since 1958, established by the American Library Association (ALA). According to the ALA’s official website, National Library Week “is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.” The goal is to remind people how important libraries are and highlight many services they provide aside from loaning books.
The 2026 theme is “Find Your Joy,” which the ALA says “is an invitation for people of all backgrounds to explore and discover what sparks joy in them at the library.” This theme stems from the message of Mychal Threets, the Honorary Chair of this year’s National Library Week. Aside from being a TikTok personality, Threets is also an “award-winning librarian, author, and new host of the children’s program ‘Reading Rainbow,” as per the ALA.
Libraries are an important staple in communities throughout the country—whether it be a local public library, a college library, or a teacher’s personal library. Most communities in the United States have a library in some way, shape, or form. Many people, when they think of libraries, will simply think of borrowing books, but that is just a fraction of what public libraries offer. According to Literary Merit, public libraries offer a myriad of services including, but not limited to, citizen support for immigrants, English-Learner programs, voting information, maker spaces, research help, community meeting spaces, and more. Libraries are not only important for readers, they are also important for maintaining community spaces.
Here in Geneseo, there are several libraries accessible to students. Milne Library on campus is well-known to students for research and studying purposes, however students may forget that there are events held in Milne Library and a publication corner both free to students. Additionally, Wadsworth Library on Center Street is just a short walk from campus, and also holds many events, as documented on the “Library News & Events” section of their website. Students living in Geneseo can get a free library card from Wadsworth Library while they live on campus, which can be used at the library, on online services that use library cards, and other resources. For students with a reliable form of transportation, the Rochester Public Library hosts several events a week, with options for all types of people, as also documented on their online “Events Calendar.”
National Library Week is even celebrated by the Library of Congress. In celebration of National Library Week, the Library of Congress announced that they have “brought 56 card catalog cases out of retirement, transforming them into Library of Congress information kiosks that have been distributed to each state and territory.” The goal of this initiative is to remind those in the U.S. that “The Library of Congress research centers are open to anyone 16 years or older possessing a valid government issued photo identification (e.g. driver's license, state-issued ID, or passport),” according to the Library of Congress. Additionally, the Library of Congress says “The Library’s card catalog kiosk project is designed to facilitate exploration of its resources, as well as connect people to local library or library adjacent organizations.”
Libraries provide important community spaces with something for everyone. This National Library Week, people are encouraged to check out the resources offered by their local public library and get a free library card if they do not already have one.