Public Library News Roundup: 28 Stories From 16 States and 2 Provinces

Here’s a selection of recent public library news reports from around the U.S. and Canada since we shared our last roundup two weeks ago.

Alabama

Gardendale library seeks funding for new books, additional employees (via AL.com)

Alberta

Edmonton Public Library Extends Outreach Workers Project

British Columbia

Vernon: Possibly library cuts a concern (via The Morning Star)

California

Statewide: Brown’s Library Web Plan May Not Work, California Analyst Says (via Bloomberg Businessweek/Bloomberg News)
Merced: Four library branches to close in Merced County (via McClatchy)
Monterey County library foundation gets $100,000 grant (via KION)
Santa Clara Library District Begins to Provide Access to Episodic Fiction From JukePop’s Self-Published Authors
South Lake Tahoe: Library tax measure on June ballot

Connecticut

Pequot Library officials lobby for $350K in town funding (via Fairfield Citizen)

Florida

3 hurt as hawks dive-bomb Port Orange library patrons (via Daytona Beach News Journal)

Idaho

City of Boise Looks to Fund Options for Main Library Redesign (via Boise Weekly)
Bonners Ferry: $8 million library bond, $100K levy on May ballot (via Bonners Ferry Herald)

Illinois

Chicago Public Library Increases Broadband Access Through its Innovative “Hotspot at Home” Program; lending service will also include laptops and digital skills training (via Librarian by Day)
Naperville: Idea Lab opens at 95th Street Library (via Naperville Sun)

Indiana

Budget trumps preservation in library renovation (via ABC Chicago/WLS)

Kansas

Lawrence Public Library slated to move to new location in July (via Journal-World)

Massachusetts

Plainville Library offering email printing service (via WickedLocal.com)
Springfield library officials hope for increased state aid, but pleased to have $204,233 this year (via MassLive/The Republican)

Michigan

Ann Arbor: Downtown library patrons brush off safety concerns after director raises drug worries (via MLive.com)
Funding cuts force Wayne library to reduce hours of operation (via HometownLife.com)

Missouri

Kansas City Public Library Will Launch a Mobile Digital Lab Next Month

Nebraska

Eight Public Libraries Receive Grants from Nebraska Community Foundation (via Republican Valley Library System Blog)

New Jersey

Red Bank library, officials fail to reach agreement on budget (via Asbury Park Press)

New York

Buffalo: Riding the Library Funding Wave (via Buffalo News)
Queens library head Thomas Galante put in nearly 30 hours a week for $114K moonlighting gig (via NY Post)

Pennsylvania

City library plans $8.5 million campaign to renovate, expand facility (via Lancaster Online)

Wisconsin

Appleton Library Unveils Future Site Plans (via WBAY)
La Crosse students hold ‘sit-in read-a-thon’ to save library (via WKBT)
Many thanks to Matt Weaver for his help in preparing this news roundup.

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Preservation, Public Libraries, Reports, Roundup