Prince William Public Libraries (VA), Dayton Metro Library (OH), Gwinnett County Public Library (GA), Pasadena Public Library (CA), DC Public Library, and the Pioneer Library System (OK) recognized for their exemplary programs Washington, DC – The Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leadi...

From Publisher's Weekly:On December 3, the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced on its website that it “has reinstated all federal grants.” This action is the result of a permanent injunction ordered on November 21 by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in State of Rhode Is...

From Publisher's Weekly: "The Urban Libraries Council, a North American advocacy organization of nearly 200 public library systems, has released its 2025 Library Insights report. For four years, the ULC has been collecting data from public libraries across the U.S. and Canada that participate in its...

Third-annual Library Insights Survey sees eBook usage, room reservations, and visits continue to rise WASHINGTON, D.C. - Visits to urban libraries grew by nearly 10% from 2023 to 2024, continuing a three-year trend, and demand for in-person meeting spaces also grew by 25%, finds a new analysis from...

This WVTF RadioIQ article highlights ULC's Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity Shamichael Hallman and his book, Meet Me at the Library: “Libraries have traditionally been a place that have been very trusted,” said Shamichael Hallman, director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity at...

Publisher's Weekly interviewed ULC's Director of Research & Data, Femi Adelakun, about the recent ULC data analysis piece, "Downtown Libraries Are the Anchors Cities Need." The analysis focused on 5 metropolitan flagship libraries to find out how downtown locations can revitalize city centers. "...

"The importance of designing and maintaining public spaces that cultivate social connectedness and civic engagement cannot be overstated." — Brooks RainwaterA new Bloomberg article explores how cities seeking to revive their downtowns are increasingly turning to public libraries as anchors of vitali...

ULC President and CEO Brooks Rainwater authored this article for the Education Trust, entitled "Libraries Are at the Heart of the Reading Ecosystem." The article celebrates the indispensable role of public libraries in advancing literacy—from phonics-focused collections in Toledo Lucas County Public...

Urban Libraries Council's president & CEO Brooks Rainwater was featured in a Nonprofit Quarterly article entitled, "How Getting a Library Card is a Salute to Democracy." He spoke on how libraries expand on civic engagement and are pillars of democracy—particularly by offering free resources with...

A recent article from the San Francisco Examiner features research and data from ULC's latest data analysis, focusing on the successes of San Francisco Public Library's Main Library as a driver for economic activity downtown:"Brooks Rainwater, the president and CEO of the ULC, said in a statement th...