Discover the World
at Your Local Library this Summer

Libraries across the nation are sponsoring a treasure trove of events this summer for people of all ages. From art and history exhibitions to job hunting workshops, from pajama time storytelling hour to language classes, you are bound to discover a class or event--or even a book--to spark the imagination of all members of your family this summer!

Read below for a sample of library happenings across the country. For ideas about how to make the most out of a library visit with your family, check out the NCBLA's article, "An Affordable Family Night Out: Visit Your Neighborhood Public Library."

Boston

At the Boston Public Library through August 30 is the exhibition The Imaginative Worlds of Danie Defoe: Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders, and the Early Novel, which features the riches of the Boston Public Library’s William P. Trent Collection of Defoe and Defoeana. One the most comprehensive rare book collections of Defoe’s works, the Trent Collection also features works that represent the early print culture of his time. This exhibition displays Defoe’s novels, positioning them within the larger context of his other writing. The exhibition provides insight into Defoe’s novels, his life as a writer, and the lively British culture that helped to give birth to this new art form.

Chicago

The Chicago Public Library is offering the Full STEAM Ahead Summer Learning Challenge through August 10. Get on board with other readers and travel Full STEAM Ahead, bringing the best of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math to the Chicago Public Library! Challenge yourself this summer with a redesigned Summer Learning Challenge, where you will Read, Learn, Discover and Create. Read at least 300 minutes: Fiction books, informational books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers and ebooks are great ways to experience the world and are all available at the Chicago Public Library. Read 20 minutes a day every day. A great way to do this is by reading aloud as a family.

Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Public Library is sponsoring King, the Kennedys', & Los Angeles through September 30. This exhibit presents images of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy during visits to Los Angeles for various events, including political rallies, campaign banquets, and civil rights gatherings, and explores the impact they had on the city - both in life and death. Featuring photos exclusively from the Los Angeles Public Library’s Photo Collection, “King, the Kennedys, & Los Angeles” presents a view of the 1960s and its legacy through the lenses of photographers from the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and Valley Times newspapers, along with images from local photographers William Reagh and Rolland Curtis. In some cases, the images have not been seen since they first ran in the local newspapers more than 40 years ago.

What's happening at YOUR local library?!