D.E.A.R. Day stands for "Drop Everything and Read," and it's celebrated annually on April 12th, which is the birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary. The day encourages people of all ages to set aside distractions and dedicate time to reading.

National Library Outreach Day celebrates library services that go beyond the physical building, like bookmobiles, pop-up libraries, and home delivery, meeting patrons where they are, and falls on the Wednesday of National Library Week. It was formerly National Bookmobile Day but expanded to encompass all off-site programs, highlighting efforts to increase access, literacy, and community engagement.

National Library Week in 2026 will be celebrated from April 19 to April . The theme for 2026 is "Find Your Joy," encouraging people to discover what brings them joy at their library, from books to tech to community spaces.

Celebrate National Library Workers Day!

Join us in honoring the unsung heroes of our community—our dedicated library workers!

Contact your state and federal Congress members to advocate for funding and share what your library means to you. Support ALA's efforts to protect open access and digital infrastructure. You can also directly support your local library through donations or by joining your library's Friends group.

From preservationweek.org:

“We believe that 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.”