For The People Newsletter Vol. XXXIV
For everyone working to strengthen and expand public libraries
📥 Submit to FTP!: Photo & 100 words Project
Show off your love for your local public library! For The People is inviting folks to send us a photo of your local public library branch and 100 words to describe what your library means to you and your community.
We will feature a piece every month in our newsletter, starting January 2026. We are so excited to hear from you!
Our steering committee member, Kruttika, is starting us off this month:
Library: The Salt Lake City Public Library (Main branch). Library Website
Having recently moved to a new city, events at my local library have been a great way to meet people and be in community with folks who share similar interests. My library organizes the Alt Press Fest every year. This was my first year participating and I got the chance to get to know other artists in the city and trade zines with them. Aside from the amazing graphic novel and movie collections (where I’ve discovered some great movies), they recently brought in one of my favorite rebab players, Qais Essar, for a FREE concert at the library!
🔔 Reminder!: Library Board Candidate Cohort + Open House
FTP’s open house for our next library board candidate cohort is on December 4th! Register for the open house here.
Our candidate cohort begins in February of 2026. This is a FREE 12-week course. Meetings will be held virtually on Mondays 12 – 1:30 EST / 9 – 10:30 PST.
Deadline: December 18th 2025
Find out if your board is elected or appointed using our new tool: data.librariesforthepeople.org
FTP loves to hear from folks around the country about their experiences with their public library systems. Please reach out to us at forthepeoplelibraries@gmail.com if you would like to share a reflection in our newsletter.
📃 Favorite Library Quotes
FTP asked folks to send in their favorite library quotes…and you did! We will feature them throughout the year.
“I always knew from that moment, from the time I found myself at home in that little segregated library in the South, all the way up until I walked up the steps of the New York City library, I always felt, in any town, if I can get to a library, I’ll be okay.”
- Maya Angelou
Here’s a roundup of interesting reading and listening material that we think you’ll appreciate. Sometimes articles may be paywalled. In other news, sometimes it’s nice to use tools like Archive.today or the Wayback Machine.
Libraries Scramble for Books After Giant Distributor Shuts Down by Claire Woodcock for 404 Media
How Seattle, King County libraries get books into your hands by Sara Jean Green for The Seattle Times
Randolph County Commissioner confirms effort to ‘reorganize’ library board of trustees by Amy Diaz for WFDD
Tennessee Secretary of State Orders ‘Age-Appropriateness Review’ of Library Books by Hamilton Matthew Masters for Nashville Scene
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge by Jason Koebler for 404 Media
The People Want To Read: On Massive Budget Cuts Proposed in Chicago by Kelly Jensen
14 part-time employees laid off from the Baltimore County Public Library system by Rushaad Hayward for WMAR
LA County Library will end laptop borrowing by Destiny Torres for LAist
New standards would require all Maine libraries to pay directors, expand hours of operation by Judith Meyer for The Maine Monitor
Ohio voters approve 18 of 20 public library levies amid state funding cuts by Mary Frances McGowan for Cleveland.com
Arkansas Library Board approves regular funding for public libraries by Sonny Albarado for Arkansas Advocate
In Kentucky, libraries open new doors to family stability - Youth Villages
Assembly Member Carroll presents Brooklyn Public Library with $180K for decodable books by Gabriele Holtermann for Brooklyn Paper
Spokane Public Library seeks funding increase to avoid program and resource cuts | News via kxly.com
Extralibrary Loan: Making the Civic Infrastructure We Need by Shannon Mattern for Places Journal
Opinion | The Librarian’s Call: Documenting Is Resistance by Rodney Freeman Jr. for Common Dreams
In Praise of Librarians in Dangerous Times by Sarah Weinman for Literary Hub
Georgia Public Libraries generate $3.75 return for every dollar invested, new study finds via 11alive
Workers at one of Ohio’s largest library systems set to unionize by Susan Tebben for Ohio Capital Journal
San Francisco Public Library’s main ebook service is suddenly shutting down by Aidin Vaziri for San Francisco Chronicle
Baltimore County library CEO faces backlash after abrupt librarian layoffs and rehiring by Céilí Doyle for The Baltimore Banner
Toledo library union rejects contract, votes to strike by Faith Zochowski for WTOL
Future of Boulder library union remains in question by James Burky for Daily Camera
A First Look at a New Public Library Complex in the Bronx by Clio Chang for Curbed
Tennessee public libraries close for Trump-inspired book purge by Rebecca Crosby and Noel Sims for Popular Information
📢 Take Action
Sign NYC Public Library Action Network’s letter to the NYC City Council to increase library funding.
No Quiet Layoffs or Cuts to Chicago Public Library! via Chicago Public Library Employees Union. Talking points: Members & Patrons: Tell your alders to fully fund CPL!
Deadline: Dec 13 | 2025 Public Library Services for Strong Communities Survey. Tell PLA how your library supports its community.
🎟️ Upcoming Events of Interest
💬 Dec 4 | Virtual | For The People 2026 Library Board Candidate Cohort Open house! Register here
📚 Dec 6 | Newark, NJ | 11 am – 4 pm Newark Zine Fest 2025 at The Newark Museum of Art
📚 Dec 13 | Orlando, FL | 7 pm – 4 pm Orlando Zine Fest 2025 at Blackbird Comics & Coffeehouse
📚 Dec 13 – 14 | New York City, NY | 12 pm – 6 pm Press Play 2025 organized by Pioneer Works
🗓️ Deadline: Dec 15 | Nominate your favorite librarian for the 2026 I Love My Librarian Award
🗓️ Deadline: Dec 18 | Apply to For The People’s 2026 Library Board Candidate Cohort
📚 Dec 20 | Chicago, IL | 1 pm TCA Zinefest 2025: The Power of Prints at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Get tickets here
🗓️ Deadline:Dec 31 | Apply to table at the 2026 Seattle Art Book Fair
Hello! I am a library student and organizer, and am wondering if you know of a LibGuide or other library research guide about advocacy/activism/organizing?