Consumers already expect delays this year when ordering holiday gifts, books or otherwise; the Library may also be impacted by the same supply chain challenges. If you can't get that hot new title as quickly as you'd hoped, we're here to offer alternatives and other options to feed your reading habit.  

Banned Books Week (September 26 - October 2) was established in September 1982 to highlight current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. We’ve put together a list of some of the most challenged titles since 2000, plus other resources to further your appreciation of the free...

The Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) with a collection of book recommendations, film offerings, and other resources that explore a rich array of the experiences and perspectives of Latino Americans.  

Two hundred years ago, on August 10, 1821, Missouri officially became the 24th state. From this year’s Homegrown Stories Summer Reading Program and our Missouri Valley Special Collections to recommended reading and online events, the Kansas City Public Library has many ways to celebrate th...

Established as a general holiday in 2021, Juneteenth marks the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans on June 19, 1865, following the end of the Civil War. Celebrate this milestone in America's history by exploring book recommendations, films, and other resources that highlight the history of Black...

Pride Month in June commemorates the Stonewall riots in New York's Greenwich Village, which ignited the gay rights movement in the United States in 1969. The Library offers a collection of book recommendations, events, films, and other resources that celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices and experiences. &n...

Dig into this year's Summer Reading Program with a bounty of HOMEGROWN STORIES that celebrate regional roots and cultivate the seeds of learning. We're commemorating Missouri’s Bicentennial with a crop of book picks that highlight Show-Me State storytelling in many for...

The Library's Director of Branch Operations Cindy Hohl joined U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo in an online conversation April 27, 2021, as part of PBS Books’ Trailblazing American Women Writers series. Harjo is serving her second term as the first Native American poet to...

Passionate about pentameter? Really into rhyme and rhythm? Are you a stanza stan?  The Library can help you get well-versed during National Poetry Month with a collection of reading recommendations, special online events, book discussions, and more!  

What makes a good book, one worth checking out? Many of you count on our librarians for guidance.  Rest assured. They know, firsthand.  During a recent intra-Library reading challenge highlighting children’s and young-adult titles, staff read nearly a quarter of a million pages – 242,218 – in January...