150th Anniversary

The Library celebrates the wide-ranging talents of its staff in this 150th anniversary capstone, a multimedia exhibition of staff artwork and an exchange of creative gifts. Grab a drink or a bite to eat, listen to music from pianist Alex Li, and mingle at the public reception with staff members who submitted humorous t...

The Library started with a single bookcase in 1873. Since then, it’s grown into a cultural institution that bolsters people’s welfare, inspires lifelong learning, and provides citizens with knowledge. Jason Roe, the Library’s digital history specialist, discusses his new book Kansas City’s Public Library: Empowering th...

Margaret Atwood’s writing spans more than five decades and includes poetry, essays, nonfiction, short stories, children’s books, and other genres. In recent years, Atwood’s iconic 1985 dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, was adapted as an award-winning television series. The Library’s Kaite Stover talks to Atwood abo...

In a special presentation as part of the Library’s yearlong sesquicentennial celebration, NPR’s Ari Shapiro – host of the award-winning news magazine All Things Considered – discusses the power of stories and storytelling to foster connectedness in our society. He weighs the essentialness of not only journalism but als...

Carrie Westlake Whitney was a remarkable exception to the patriarchal times in which she lived, a 27-year-old woman who became the first full-time director of the Kansas City Public Library in 1881. Historian Jason Roe looks back at her impact on not only the Library but also the city; she grew and shaped a fledgling i...

As part of the Library’s sesquicentennial celebration, decorated author Jacqueline Woodson joins in a public conversation about her life and career, the importance of reading, and the essential role of libraries on each of those fronts. The author of more than three dozen books, she has earned a raft of honors includin...

**Join us starting at 6 p.m. for a reception hour with food by Dutzel's Catering, music by The Phantastics, and two special drinks. The Kansas City Public Library launches a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of its founding with a special presentation by Finnish-born scholar, urbanist, and innovative civ...