National Library Workers Day

Librarians can be a vital help for all of the visitors to the library who need to do research or check out books. For those who enjoy education and learning new things, then a librarian can be like a very best friend!

Because of their ability to maintain and accumulate information, organize it and then share it with others, librarians deserve a huge amount of appreciation and respect. Most librarians spend a great deal of time in college, often spending four years for a bachelor of science degree and then two more years for a master’s degree in library science.

Even though they are so highly educated, not many people realize how important the work of a librarian truly is. Not only do they help maintain history that has been kept for hundreds of years, they also play a critical role in educating today’s youth as they are preparing for the future.

National Library Workers Day aims to show appreciation for the work that librarians (and all library employees) do for the people in their communities. The day is also an important one in advocating for better pay wages for librarians and library staff everywhere.

History of National Library Workers Day

Libraries have been in existence since at least 2600 BC! They were found in the temples of Sumer, where the earliest forms of writing were discovered on clay tablets–the predecessors to scrolls, and then books. Since that time, libraries have developed as a hotbed of cultural significance, helping to shape the classical Greek and Roman empires up to the modern age.

Even though libraries have been around for many centuries, getting access to books has not always been easy. It has been less than 200 years since the opening of the first public library in the United States in 1833. Prior to that time, libraries were privately owned. This meant that books were usually only accessible to the very rich and literacy was a very low priority for the average person.

Today, publicly funded libraries have great importance because they allow complete access to education for the common person. They hold books that give voice to the ideas, observations, and opinions of people from literally all over the world on basically every topic imaginable.

And librarians help to maintain this catalog of history. They are the masters of research, keeping their archives, and fostering creativity in the minds of today’s youth. However, due to the global economy, the budgets and salaries used to keep these traditions alive have continued to shrink.

Founded by the American Library Association, National Library Workers Day aims to recognize the hard work of library support staff and librarians. Coinciding with National Library Week, this holiday allows people to show their appreciation to library workers, as well as providing an opportunity for librarians to advocate for better compensation for the work that they do.

On National Library Workers Day, librarians often take the time to teach children and students the importance of their job, the history of librarians, and how libraries have been vital in shaping human history.

Now, on this important day, visitors who recognize the privilege it is to have public libraries are encouraged to go out of their way to thank their librarians for their services in educating the adults and children in their communities!

How to Celebrate National Library Workers Day

Getting involved in celebrating National Library Workers Day can be great fun and is for a great cause! Try these ideas to celebrate:

Volunteer at the Library

Libraries are notoriously underfunded, and that often means they are understaffed. As a vital part of the community that brings in very little revenue of its own, libraries count on local volunteers to help them keep everything running smoothly. Volunteer workers at the library might do tasks such as helping with community events and special projects. They act as representatives of the library and interact as people.

Advocate for Librarians and Library Staff

National Library Workers Day aims to show appreciation for the expertise, hard work and dedication of librarians everywhere, while also advocating for better pay wages. It’s a time to be thankful for everything related to libraries and books, especially the library workers!

Make an impact on the world and celebrate National Library Workers Day by heading over to local government offices to petition for better pay and benefits for librarians in the community. Take time to create flyers about the day and post them at a community center or on other bulletin boards to celebrate. Encourage friends and family members to also join in on advocating for equal pay that will help to support their local librarians.

Read a Book!

Library workers are all about the books–so the best way to honor them is to pick up one and read! Take the time to read some books and enjoy what the libraries have to offer, including these genres of fiction:

• Action and Adventure. For those who love to be on the edge of their seats, this is the perfect kind of book to read. Get involved in risky, dangerous situations without even leaving your chair!
• Classics. Sometimes stories that were groundbreaking when they were published have even more to say decades later than they did originally.
• Mystery and Detective Novels. Featuring the solving of crimes, this genre often includes an investigator who is dedicated to solving a mystery.
• Fantasy. Typically set in an imaginary world, this type of book allows a complete escape from reality where characters often have magical powers and even animals can come to life.