This year, a record number of libraries were awarded the Quality Library Award. This prestigious award is presented to Utah libraries that exhibit exemplary standards in multiple facets of library service, including a commitment to serving patrons and enhancing the quality of life in their communities. Congratulations to the 28 Utah libraries awarded the Quality Library Award for outstanding service

The Utah State Library offers a variety of tools and training for Utah libraries and their staff. We offer so many great library services, some of them have been overlooked. Read on to discover our services that will help your library career, patrons, and community.  Here are six Utah State Library services Utah’s librarians need to know about:  Up your

The library in Bicknell, the Tri-County Bookmobile headquarters, offers free wi-fi, computers, and about 20,000 items to check out for the 300 residents of Bicknell, Utah. It’s also home to The Flower Puff Girls and their queen, Bumbelina. Amber Fullerton, the Tri-County bookmobile headquarters librarian, finds unique opportunities to enrich her patron’s lives. She sees the bookmobile headquarters as a

Thanks to your local library, monitoring your heart health is much easier.  Telehealth is an efficient and practical solution for many people. Online doctor appointments are a great time saver – especially if you have mobility or transportation issues, or live in a rural area. Unfortunately, not everyone has the tools to share blood pressure numbers or their temperature with

When planning a summer reading event for blind children, you think outside the box. Or in this case, the planet.  The Utah State Library’s Blind & Disabled Program staff worked hard to make this year’s summer reading event memorable and educational for 25 blind students. The theme was outer space. “The intention was to provide a multi-sensory experience,” explains Program

The LSTA 2025 competitive grant round, provided with IMLS funds, is open! This annual grant round is intended for project-based grants that respond to community needs. Please note that applications are due May 31, 2024. $250,000 is available in the grant round and projects typically range from $5,000 to $30,000. Projects outside of that range are still welcome to apply. The application is

How do you bring a graphic novel to life for blind and visually impaired library patrons? It’s easy when you have great partners, talented staff members, and a state-of-the-art recording studio. “Thunderous,” a graphic novel for grades 3-6, is about Aiyana, who is more interested in her social media presence than her Lakota heritage. Pursued by the trickster Raven in

Did you know the Utah State Library Division has its own awards event? Every year, we host a three-day event for library directors to network, learn, and collaborate. One of the highlights of the Directors Summit is presenting the Quality Library awards. There’s no red carpet or paparazzi, but receiving the Quality Library Award speaks volumes for the recipients. The Quality

In rural Utah, where the distances between towns can be vast and the population sparse, the bookmobile is not just a vehicle; it’s a symbol of access to knowledge. The Utah State Library Bookmobile Program offers rural Utahns access to books, computers, and a plethora of online learning resources. Not only do the bookmobiles serve rural citizens, they also visit

by Faye D. Fischer “One who believes that he has mastered the art of horsemanship has not yet begun to understand the horse.” Author Unknown Horses. A strange but accurate place to start a history of the Utah State Library. The library’s beginnings can be traced back to a renovated livery/coach house behind the Kearns Mansion. Early histories of the

by Faye D. Fischer You may have heard that the Utah State Library for the Blind offers a variety of specialized services to blind and print disabled patrons in several states. We provide braille material and talking book library services to patrons from the east to west coast at no charge. But do you know that we also record our

by Katie Larsen The Utah State library has accepted an invitation to join the Utah Health Literacy Coalition (UHLC). UHLC is an interagency coalition that includes representatives from the University of Utah, Network of the National Library of Medicine, Salt Lake County Library, local public health centers, and others. This group of individuals are teaming up to work toward one BIG goal, to improve the health