Library News

The Kansas City Public Library’s director of branch operations has received national recognition. Cindy Hohl, who has overseen the Library system’s branch operations for nearly three years, took office July 1, 2020, as president of the American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the America...

The Kansas City Public Library now offers computer access by appointment at four of its locations. This is part of the continued effort to give patrons access to Library resources after being closed for four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrons can sign up online, over the phone, or at their preferred Library l...

Even as the Kansas City Public Library’s 10 physical locations were closing back in March, just ahead of a city stay-at-home order forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Library’s leadership team was plotting a path to reopening – gradually restoring services as health and safety guidelines and concerns permitted....

All things being equal, John Herron says he’d prefer to assume leadership of the Kansas City Public Library in more conventional times. Instead, he’s wearing a mask and preparing to steer the 147-year-old institution through the epochal challenge of a pandemic. “So much is unknown,” Herron says. “But b...

John Herron, who drove innovation and growth in leading the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s College of Arts and Sciences, has been named the new director of the Kansas City Public Library. The Library’s board of trustees approved his appointment Tuesday, June 2, 2020, following a nearly four-month...

Our city and nation are hurting in the wake of the senseless, horrifying death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. The Kansas City Public Library stands in full support of the many across our country — including our staff and their families and others in our community — who have marched in protest and in profound, insiste...

As our community and our country lean into the conversations and responsive actions arising from the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, libraries are in a position to both serve and lead through their services, resources, and programs. The Kansas City Public Library looks to facilitate open-mindedness and receptive...

For most people, the closing of the Kansas City Public Library’s 10 brick-and-mortar locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic meant a loss of access to a vast physical collection of books and movies. For others, the stakes were higher. The closing marked the first major disruption...

The Library’s Pop In / Pick Up holds service began Tuesday. May 19, 2020. Patrons were able to begin retrieving holds that were placed prior to March 15, when the Library’s physical locations closed. See how things went and learn what’s next.  

Beginning Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the Library initiates a phased-in reintroduction of some services and operations.  We begin with a new Pop In/Pick Up contact-free holds service, allowing patrons to pick up holds at five locations during designated hours, expan...