Find the latest news and updates from the library. If you are a reporter working on a news story, please contact the library's public information officer, George Williams via email at George.Williams2@dc.gov or by phone at (202) 727-1184.
Memory Lab Transfer Guides
The Memory Lab provides equipment for personal archiving of documents, home movies and photographs. It's a do-it-yourself (DIY) model, meaning we provide step-by-step instructions, but you control the process from start to finish. Please review transfer instructions for the format you are digitizing.
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2024 Know Your Power Teen Arts Contest
Art is a powerful tool to share social messages and inspire change. Meet the winners of this year's Know Your Power teen arts contest and view their inspiring works.
(Mis)Information Lab | Cell Phones and Cancer
Because cell phones give off radiation and certain types of radiation are known to cause cancer, some people are concerned that cell phones may cause cancer. There have also been a few studies that show that it is possible that cell phones may cause cancer, but there have been problems with those studies. Most studies, organizations and government agencies agree that there is no current evidence that suggests that cell phones cause cancer.
(Mis)Information Lab | Vaccines
Vaccines help keep everyone safe from diseases, both individually and on a community level, and have been used in some form since the 18th century. But in the last few decades, misinformation about the safety and efficacy of vaccines has been spreading, leading to lower vaccination rates.
(Mis)Information Lab | Critical Race Theory and Book Bans
In 2023 the number of books banned in the United States rose to 4,250 unique book titles (as reported by the American Library Association), a national record. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is one umbrella term by which multiple, and sometimes over a hundred books are banned at once. Learn the history of CRT, how it is conflated with other topics, and why CRT is the target of book bans nationwide.
National Library Card Sign-Up Month
There's more than meets the eye at DC Public Library! Sign up for a library card or renew your card today.
Five Great Children’s Books for Labor Day
Labor Day is Sept. 2 this year. We don’t have the literally explosive labor movement that existed when the federal holiday began 130 years ago, but we hear echoes of many of the same social tensions. Below I mention some classics in the DCPL collection that honor America’s workers and spotlight five great books about work for children.