Celebrate April 23 – 29, 2023! National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

The theme for National Library Week 2023, “There’s More to the Story,” illustrates the fact that in addition to the books in library collections, available in a variety of formats, libraries offer so much more. Many libraries now lend items like museum passes, games, musical instruments, and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, storytimes, movie nights, crafting classes, and lectures. And library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs.

Events

Friday, April 21 – Sunday, April 30, 2023:

Semi-Annual MEGA Book Sale

Help build up your personal library in a sustainable way!

The Library will host a used book sale from April 21 – April 30 inside the ICN Room. Books, movies, magazines, audiobooks, and more for all ages will be available for sale for $1.00.

Book sale items can be purchased at the main Service Desk. Cash, personal checks, and credit cards* will be accepted. (*Credit card payments incur an additional fee of 3.95%.)

Please note: No holds and no returns on sale items.

Saturday, April 22 – Sunday, April 30, 2023:

Food for Fines

During this week-long event, bring in non-perishable food or new, full-sized personal care items to clear overdue fines from your library account!

• 1 non-perishable food or 1 personal care item= $1.00
• Donations apply to overdue fines/ late fees only. (Not processing, collection, ILL, replacement fees, book sale, printing, etc.)
• Each item can only be applied to one account. (You cannot have $1.00 split between accounts.)
• No limit to the number of items you can donate. (If you have $15.00 in fines, you can bring in 15+ items!)
• No credit will be issued on accounts.
• No items with expired labels will be accepted.
• Donated items must be brand new, never used.

All item donations will benefit the Urbandale Food Pantry.

Help us celebrate!

Follow the Urbandale Public Library, American Library Association (ALA), and I Love Libraries on social media and join us on social media by using the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek

• Urbandale Public Library accounts: Twitter: @UrbandaleLib | Facebook: @UrbandaleLibrary | Instagram: @urbandalelibrary
• American Library Association accounts: Twitter: @ALALibrary | Facebook: @AmericanLibraryAssociation | Instagram: @americanlibraryassociation
• I Love Libraries accounts: Twitter: @IloveLibraries | Facebook @ILoveLibraries

About National Library Week

In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned by these implications, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee’s goals ranged from “encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time” to “improving incomes and health” and “developing strong and happy family life.” 

In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries. With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme “Wake Up and Read!”