National Library Week

Every April, libraries across America celebrate the invaluable impact libraries and librarians have in their communities.

National Library Week has been celebrated since 1958. Research at the time showed Americans were spending more time listening to the radio or watching television and less time reading. This concerned the American Library Association, so they created a committee with ambitious goals that ranged from encouraging people to read more books to developing stronger communities through literacy. The committee designed a motivational campaign encouraging the public to read more while raising awareness of library services. The campaign sprung from the idea that if the public was reading more books, then people would use public libraries more.

Libraries and librarians have come a long way since the 1950s. As your library, we are always looking to implement the best practices to serve our community; not just for today, but for tomorrow and beyond. We connect the Canton community by providing relevant resources such as current collections in both print and digital formats, by offering free access to computers and Wi-Fi, and developing year-round programming for all ages and abilities. 

How can we connect with you? Perhaps one of the following will spark your interest. 

• Come visit us. Don’t have a library card? Check out the Card & Account page on our website.
• We’re a safe space for our diverse community. All ages and abilities are welcome. 
• Attend a program. Check out all of our events on our Programs page and stay informed about upcoming programs by signing up for our newsletter.
• We’re a community partner. During regular school sessions, we've partnered with the National Honor Society to provide tutoring to students in grades 3-12. We also work with the Plymouth-Canton Community Literacy Council to provide English Language Learner programs at the library.
• We offer services for patrons with special needs. We loan magnifiers for low vision readers and offer inclusive programming. 
• We offer access to computers with free Wi-Fi. Our Self Service Center is also available for your scanning, copying and faxing needs. In addition, our building has lots of outlets to recharge your device.
• Need space to meet for work or school? The library has meeting rooms and study spaces.
• Want to get involved? Head to our Jobs and Volunteering page to learn about opportunities for volunteers and current job postings. 
• Download a digital resource to your device. Your Canton Public Library card gives you access to e-media from our online and streaming partners. We offer digital movies, books, magazines, audiobooks and music. If you’re looking to research, explore our online databases.
• Join a book club. Our library has several book groups for a variety of reading interests. To find a book group, visit our Programs page. 
• Looking for storytimes or other programs for kids? Visit the Programs page for more information.

Must-Read Books about Libraries and Bookstores

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora Seed finds herself faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, or realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist. She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean
The author chronicles the Los Angeles Public Library fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives as she delves into the evolution of libraries, brings each department of the library to vivid life, studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself. She reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than 30 years ago.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Inspired by the real life blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself. But the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs. Her most cherished relationships are put to the test as Paris is plunged deeper into the Depression and many expatriate friends return to America. As she faces painful personal and financial crises, Sylvia—a woman who has made it her mission to honor the life-changing impact of books—must decide what Shakespeare and Company truly means to her.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist—books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. 

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have the perfect life with her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has—books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. But after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than its name. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything―instead, they "check out" large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele's behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends. But when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend far beyond its walls.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets—an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.