April showers bring May flowers, or so everyone says! Here in Wyoming, it’s likely to be snow showers, but along with the moisture of the spring comes a cavalcade of library-related holidays and observances. Check out April’s reasons to celebrate:
National Poetry Month–Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month each April 1-30 is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives.
School Library Month School Library Month is the American Association of School Librarians’ celebration of school librarians and school libraries and runs April 1-30.
Citizen Science Month–ANYONE, anytime, from anywhere, can be involved in One Million Acts of Science each April 1-30 during Citizen Science Month. Individual acts add up to an important collective impact that accelerates scientific research, discoveries, and local actions that make a difference. https://scistarter.org/citizensciencemonth
National D.E.A.R Day– Drop Everything and Read –National D.E.A.R. Day celebrated every year on April 12th, which is the birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary. The concept of “Drop Everything and Read” is referenced in the second chapter of the book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, and Ramona, one of Beverly Cleary’s most cherished characters, is the campaign spokesperson. On this day, adults and children are encouraged to take at least 30 minutes to put aside all distractions and enjoy a great book! What will you be reading?
National Library Week-National Library Week is April 6-12 this year, and is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. Visit the link above for more detailed information regarding each day’s celebration focus.
National Volunteer Week–Many of our Wyoming libraries benefit from the hard work and dedication of volunteers. Since 1974, National Volunteer Week has been an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world. It takes place every April during Global Volunteer Month. Each year, this celebrations shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve, recognizing and thanking volunteers who lend their time, talent and voice to make a difference in their communities.
Children’s Day/Book Day El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages, and cultures.
Preservation Week–Preservation Week inspires action to preserve your collections. Memories and treasures should last a lifetime and beyond, and that these physical and digital materials support both community and cultural identities. Focusing on preservation for a designated week every year raises awareness of the role libraries and other cultural institutions play in preservation, by sharing information to help make informed decisions that help your collections last for the future. The 2025 Preservation Week theme is Preserve the Past, Shape the Future: Inspiring the Next Generation. Connect your community through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections.