A Part of Our Lives: A People’s History of the American Library

Weigand, W. A. (2015). Part of our lives: A people’s history of the american public library. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

            This short 270-page book about the history of American libraries. After reading this I felt invigorated and proud to be part of the library system. It covers the origins of the library from Benjamin Franklin to Harry Potter. The transformation and evolution of the library system in the United States is impressive and agile. It will fill anyone with hope for the library’s future relevance and perseverance.

            I was taken by surprise to learn about the exclusion of women in libraries and the viewpoints on literature in the early days of the library. Many topics covered professionally and academically are included in this history from icons like Pura Belpre, the first Puerto Rican librarian to the principles of the American Library Association (ALA) like the Library Bill of Rights.

            I recommend this book to all library students and library supporters.

Tags: library, American Library Association, public library, history, Library Bill of Rights