Celebrating National Library Outreach Day

Libraries already provide a wide array of programs within the walls of their facilities, but their services expand far beyond the confines of a building. Outreach programs aim to meet the needs of underserved community members who may not always have access to libraries. National Library Outreach Day honors these programs and the librarians who lead them.

What Is National Library Outreach Day?

Formerly called National Bookmobile Day, National Library Outreach Day (NLOD) celebrates off-site library programs designed to address community needs and the professionals that lead them. NLOD is observed annually on the Wednesday of National Library Week. This year, NLOD will land on April 9, 2025.

What exactly are outreach programs? These are events or services cultivated by librarians to address community needs that may be inaccessible within library facilities. Popular examples include bookmobiles, corrections support, and neighborhood gatherings. National Library Outreach Day allows community members and advocates to give back to their local librarians.

Take action today to support libraries!

Library Outreach Programs

Bookmobiles

Bookmobiles, sometimes called mobile libraries, are a library tradition that has existed for over a hundred years. For example, during the Great Depression, the Pack Horse Library initiative reached the residents of Appalachia when librarians delivered books by horseback. Bookmobiles transport libraries to neighborhoods, providing opportunities for underserved communities or people with difficulty accessing their local libraries.

One form of bookmobile gaining popularity is book bikes. As the name implies, this consists of librarians riding bikes into their neighborhoods and distributing books. The Oakland Public Library system in Oakland, California, is a fantastic trendsetter. What started in 2013 as two shelves designed by a local builder named Kick Trailer became two more bikemobiles that benefit their communities.

Civic and Community Engagement

Alongside bringing library materials to their local neighborhoods, librarians also engage in civic and community events as a form of outreach. For example, librarians may attend a monthly civic group meeting to represent their programs and advocate for their facilities. Community participation is another essential component of library outreach.

The reasons for this go far beyond community outreach; it also benefits the library. When librarians connect with their communities, they give people another perception of their services, thus increasing advocates. For example, the Pima County Public Library in Arizona became the first library in the country to have a public health nurse on site. Their nurse listens to the public’s health concerns and redirects them to other resources for free.

Sign the pledge to vote for libraries!

Senior Services

Senior citizens may not have the same resources to visit a local library in person, especially if their health needs require them to remain at a certain location. Thus, libraries frequently include senior programming as part of their outreach to ensure older adults always have access to library materials.

For example, the Hennepin County Library system in Minnesota provides deposit collections to senior housing sites within its county. Librarians deliver these collections to assisted living facilities, memory care sites, care centers, and rehabilitation programs. Senior outreach programs like this increase morale and engage vulnerable individuals, such as people with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Corrections and Rehabilitation Connections

People who are incarcerated can experience a lot of isolation from common resources like libraries, making it difficult for them to access materials. Thus, some libraries create outreach programs that support corrections and rehabilitation facilities to meet their needs. Librarians visit local corrections to deliver books and fulfill material requests.

Since 2008, the Boston Public Library of Massachusetts has partnered with the Department of Youth Services to deliver books and library resources to justice-impacted teens. Two young adult librarians visit their facilities and discuss books and a new selection of paperback materials. The librarians also take requests for new books to bring next time and offer other services such as author talks, music production, and recording workshops.

Your donations help support libraries across the country. 

Get Involved with National Library Week

While National Library Outreach Day is essential, it’s only one part of a week devoted to celebrating libraries. National Library Week, which runs from April 6–12, 2025, has the theme “Drawn to the Library.” National Library Week is an annual honoring of libraries, librarians, and library team members who advocate for community members and accessible reading.

Every NLW has a theme, and this year, it highlights the creative elements of library programs, particularly those aimed at artistic patrons. The ALA’s official statement for NLW 2025 states, “Libraries of all kinds help us connect the dots from one part of our journey to the next.” NLW 2025 encourages community members to step outside the box and let their imaginations run wild with the opportunities libraries and books can provide.

National Library Outreach Day and National Library Week are ways to give back to our local librarians and thank them for all their hard work. Find ways to celebrate by visiting your local library, thanking a librarian, and finding out how to help with your library’s next outreach program.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries.

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0