libraries

A proposed 20% cut in a state program that lets library patrons check out books from public libraries beyond their own town or city has been restored by the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, an official of the Connecticut State Library said Monday.

Connecticut’s public libraries are thriving, according to two new state reports showing increases in audiobook downloads, community meetings and free WiFi use.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York has begun dispersing surprise $10,000 gifts to every Carnegie library still operating in the U.S., with no strings attached.

Restoration workers are removing about 100,000 handbound books from their shelves and carefully placing them in crates, the start of a disinfection process that aims to kill the tiny beetles.

In May, former President Donald Trump announced the end of the Digital Equity Act, cutting over $20 million in planned federal funding to Connecticut that would have supported digital skills training, internet access, and tech resources for underserved communities; funds that many local programs were counting on.

The Connecticut State Library's $2.1 million federal grant was unexpectedly reinstated after the Institute of Museum and Library Services abruptly cut it mid-year. State Librarian Deborah Schander said she’s working to ensure such disruptions don’t happen again, as vital library services remain at risk.

By examining the value of libraries in the distant and recent past, this PBS film makes a compelling case for the importance of the American public library system today.

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the elimination of seven federal agencies he labeled “unnecessary.” Among these was the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

A new bill in Connecticut proposes developing policies for public and school libraries if community members challenge books.

Marie Helene Bertino’s Beautyland was selected as the town’s book for the year — a tradition from the Fairfield Public Library that has lasted almost two decades.