In Memoriam: "Olivia" Author Ian Falconer
Ian Falconer, best known as the illustrator and author of the beloved Olivia children’s book series about a spry and smart young pig, died on Tuesday in Rowayton, Conn. The author, illustrator,…
News
Deadline to Apply for the Amanda Green Scholarship Fund Extended
Due to the recent ice storm which affected Kalamazoo County and left many individuals without electricity for several days, the KZCF Scholarship team has extended the application deadline to Monday,…
Kalamazoo Native Volunteers to Teach in Ukraine
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Bob Wood, a Kalamazoo native, and retired high school teacher is raising awareness of people living in Ukraine during the war. Wood just last week returned from a…
Best of 2022
Check out the Best of 2022 books, movies, and music as chosen by KPL staff!
Apply for the Amanda Green Scholarship Fund for People of Color Interested in Library Science
Released Monday, December 19, 2022. January 1, with a deadline of March 1, 2023. The scholarship will be awarded to a student expected to attend a graduate-level library science program…
Kalamazoo Public Library is Seeking a Library Director
The award-winning, successful Kalamazoo (MI) Public Library seeks a leader who will serve both the library and the Kalamazoo community as an engaged, active participant and contributor. Learn more and/or apply…
Congratulations and Welcome new KPL Board Members!
Kalamazoo Public Library extends a warm welcome and congratulations to our just-elected board members! Linda S. Mah (top left) Denise Miller (top right) Kori Jock (bottom left, will serve a…
Coming Soon...Oshtemo Branch Library Parking Lot Construction Project
Construction on the Oshtemo Branch Library parking lot will begin soon. The updates include: Improved ADA parking spaces and curb ramps New drive-up material dropbox Sidewalk repairs New bike racks…
2022 Election: Kalamazoo Public Library District Trustee Candidates
The role of a public library board is to set policies and delegate responsibility for implementing those policies to the library’s director and staff. The board provides for, establishes, and…
October Encore Magazine: After 150 years, the Kalamazoo Public Library isn't going just by the book
Kalamazoo Public Library is the featured story for the October issue of Encore Magazine! Kalamazoo Public Library is celebrating 150 years of service to Kalamazoo. This October issue of Encore…
MI Library is Now
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries have been an essential lifeline to communities coping with the unprecedented challenges we’ve all faced. With the expansion of technology and e-Content provided by the…
Kick Off Your Summer Fun with KPL on Saturday, June 4th!
This summer is going to be HOT at KPL! Beginning June 1st, you can dive into Oceans of Possibilities with our 2022 Summer Reading Challenge! We invite Kalamazoo youth ages…
KPL Congratulates Local Poet Diane Seuss on winning the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry!
KPL extends our heartfelt congratulations to local poet Diane Seuss for winning the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her work “frank: sonnets.” Seuss was previously a finalist for the 2016…
2022 Summer Reading Challenge Kicks Off June 1!
Did you know that reading for just 20 minutes a day can open up a world of adventure and earn you fabulous prizes? We invite youth from birth up to 12th grade, to…
Idea Lab Reopens Monday, May 9!
Great news! KPL’s maker space and creative studio, Idea Lab (located at the Central Library) is reopening to the public on Monday, May 9! Hours: Monday: 12–5 pm Wednesday: 12–5 pm Friday:…
It's Children's Book Week!
Children’s Book Week is the twice-annual celebration of children’s books and reading. Established in 1919, it is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country, now celebrating its 102nd anniversary…
Jackie Robinson Broke the Color Barrier in Baseball 75 Years Ago
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. He would later become the first African American named a…
KPL is Hiring a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Kalamazoo Public Library is currently searching for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Responses to our RFP are due on May 16, 2022, by 12 p.m. Click here for the…
Let's TALK
Parents of children aged five and under can sign up and receive 8-10 messages per month with fun activities you can do at home to prepare little ones for school…
It's National Library Week!
National Library Week (April 3 – 9, 2022) is a time to celebrate our nation’s libraries, library workers’ contributions and promote library use and support. First sponsored in 1958, National Library…
From Book Banning to Broadband, What’s New in 2022?
Issues relating to intellectual freedom continue to dominate news stories, including debates on critical race theory, LGTBQ materials, academic freedom, and broadband access. In the past several months various state…
Kalamazoo Has Been Reading Together For 20 Years, But Why Did it Start?
As part of our 20th-anniversary celebration, we have gone back and revisited the beginning of the Reading Together program. Enjoy this little trip down memory lane with two of its…
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary Reading Together Proclamation
The following Proclamation was read at a Kalamazoo City Commission meeting on Monday, February 21, 2022: WHEREAS, Kalamazoo Public Library’s signature “one book one…
All KPL Locations Will Resume In-Person Service Beginning Monday, February 14
Beginning Monday, February 14, all KPL locations will resume in-person services during regular business hours. Central: M–Th | 9 am–8 pm, Fri | 9 am–6 pm, Sat | 10 am–5…
Update on the 2022 Reading Together Program
Please note the Meet the Author event originally scheduled at Chenery Auditorium on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 pm will now be held virtually on KPL Live, KPL’s live-streaming…
Congratulations Local Author and Speaker Larry B. Massie
The Library of Michigan and the Michigan Center for the Book announced Larry Massie as the 2021 Michigan Author Award Winner on January 24, 2022. As both a writer and…
ALA Youth Media Awards
On January 24, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video and audiobooks for children and young adults–including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz…
Get Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Through USPS.com
Did you know you can receive four free, at-home COVID-19 tests through USPS.com? It’s as simple as clicking this link and placing your order! About the At-Home COVID-19 Tests…
Ronnie Spector Collection
Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the Ronettes, the 1960s vocal trio that gave a passionate, bad-girl edge to pop’s girl-group sound with hits like “Be My Baby” and “Baby,…
Remembering Award-winning Children’s Author and Illustrator Steve Jenkins
Award-winning children’s author and illustrator Steve Jenkins, widely praised for his distinctive and detailed cut- and torn-paper collages depicting animals and the natural world, has died at age 69. The…
