Celebrating National Library Week 2021

Join us in this year’s National Library Week April 4-10 at the Waco Mclennan County Library

where we will celebrate “Welcome to Your Library”, focusing on the impact that libraries have

in our communities, not only in the building.

Each day is dedicated to honoring different aspects of libraries. To kick the week off, Monday

the State of America’s Libraries report will be released. Following, Tuesday will be a celebration

which honors library workers, Wednesday is National Library Outreach day, where those who

are working within their communities on behalf of libraries will be honored. Closing the week,

Thursday is Take Action for Libraries Day, which is a celebration for all the great things libraries

do for their communities.

This year, the honorary host of National Library Week will be Natalie Portman, an award

winning actress, producer, author, activist and director. As an author of children’s books,

Portman is an advocate for the importance that libraries have in our lives.

“Libraries are open, inclusive places that foster a sense of belonging and community,” Portman

said. “They show us anything is possible by encouraging a love of learning, discovery and
exploration. I hope people will take time during the week to visit their library online or in

person.”

Not only is National Library Week about appreciating the librarians and what libraries offer, but

it’s also a time to celebrate all those who utilize them. Mandy Reading, the library president

speaks out to the Waco community for their role in the Waco Mclennan County Library.

“We love our patrons and we know they love all the library offers, so it has been difficult for us

the past year with the restrictions. We are excited to be moving into Phase III of our reopening

plan, and we know we'll be able to serve more patrons now,” Reading said. “We still want to

encourage all Wacoans to stay plugged in to what the library is offering, especially during

National Library Week. Because reading is essential for all walks of life, and we want to

celebrate it.”

Programs and organizations who advocate for National Library Week are also suggesting various

ways to celebrate, whether that be in person or in one’s home. Heather Cho from

programinglibrarian.org suggests celebrating the themed days and even getting connected with

others online to celebrate.

The Waco library has begun their process of phase III reopening beginning the 10th, which will

provide more opportunities for citizens to utilize the library services. Accommodations such as

curbside pickup, limited desktop computer use, as well as grab and go will be available to

continue keeping the Waco community safe.

The Waco McLennan County Library strives to be a service that fosters a sense of safety and

provides the Waco community with diverse and quality resources that assist them in their

educational lives.
Distribution List:

I would send this news source out via email to various news sources around Waco and

McLennan county. Specifically, I would include Baylor outlets such as the Lariat so that the

diverse group of students in this area would be included in the opportunity to show their college

town appreciation.

I would also be sure to send notification of this event to local news sources such as the Waco

Tribune, the Wacoan Monthly magazine, and the McGregor Mirror. These news outlets are

sources that the Waco community gets information from, which would be helpful in spreading

awareness. Considering many locals have children in this school district, and can be involved in

the library year round, this is an important group of people to notify.

The last sources that I would notify are the local news stations such as KWTX and KXXV. This

may reach the largest audience, as the majority of people tend to get their news from television

now.
Additional Social Media and PR:

Along with notifying local news sources, I would advocate for physical methods of notifications

as well. This includes flyers in restaurants and grocery stores, as well as decorations or banners

outside of the Waco McLennan library. I would also try to find a way to become involved in the

local schools-potentially sending home a flyer with the kids, or putting up a sign at their pickup

lines.