David Giles, research director at the Center for an Urban Future and the author of the report, "Branches of Opportunity", argues that New York City's public libraries deserve even more support in the digital age.

E-books have not spelled the demise of the local library in New York. In fact, according to a new report from the Center for an Urban Future, 40.5 million people visited the city’s public libraries, more than all of the city’s professional sports teams and major cultural institutions combined.

One of the largest book publishers will allow the Brooklyn and New York Public Libraries to begin lending its e-books under a pilot program this August.

Digital books are the fastest growing area of publishing, and now libraries are seeing a surge in demand for e-book titles. But finding an e-book can be tough.

Representatives from the city’s three library systems will testify before the City Council Monday about how the mayor’s proposed $100 million in cuts would impact patrons.

In February, we aired a piece by Rick Karr about a boycott of the academic publisher Elsevier, for practices that academics and academic librarians said were prohibitively expensive. Of particular concern is a practice called "bundling," which requires libraries to subscribe to numerous periodicals they had no interest in so they might get a few that they wanted. A new memorandum by Harvard Library's Faculty Advisory Council makes their concerns about academic periodicals explicit, by saying the existing pricing model is untenable:

New York Public Library President Anthony Marx talks about the library's plan for its 42nd Street building, and will address the criticism and controversy over those plans. that Scott Sherman and Caleb Crain raised on our show on March 12th

Over the last few years, even as cutbacks have been made in the system’s 87 branches, the New York Public Library has renovated the 42^nd Street main library and officials are now looking to construct a new state-of-the-art computer-based library. Scott Sherman, a contributing writer for The Nation and Caleb Crain, a former Fellow at the NYPL and author of American Sympathy, talk about the proposed changes, staffing cuts and construction plans – and the controversy they’ve created. Sherman’s article, "Upheaval at the New York Public Library," appeared in the December 19 edition of The Nation.

The "New Chapter" initiative lifts overdue fines for patrons under 18 at New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Library branches through October 31.

The Queens Public Library is buying books again after budget cuts in 2010 forced the library to stop adding to its collections.

Libraries around the country are falling victim to the weak economy. Suffering from budget cuts, many are in danger of closing. But in Louisville, Kentucky, the public library system is growing. 

Thousands of city workers rallied outside City Hall on Tuesday, following a march across the Brooklyn Bridge to protest Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed budget cuts to teachers, childcare, parks and library workers.

Forty years ago, E.B. White – the author of "Charlotte’s Web," "Stuart Little", and many other beloved children’s books – wrote a letter to the children of Troy, Michigan, at the request of a librarian in Troy’s new public library. "A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered." White was just one of the famous authors and public figures who responded to librarian Marguerite Hart’s request for letters to urge the children of Troy to read.

The school year isn't over yet, and technically it isn't even summer. But as temps soared into the 90s Thursday, the New York Public Library launched its annual summer reading program. And for the first time, the library will let students count Internet reading along with books in their summer diaries.

The New York Public Library's flagship building on 5th Avenue is celebrating its centennial this weekend. Paul LeClerc, president of the NYPL, talks about the role of the library.

This week we celebrate National Library Week, an event close to the hearts of Annotations’ archivists. Since we're both graduates of library school and avid readers, delving into the collection for some library-related audio was a no-brainer for us. The only difficulty came in choosing which instance of library radio to select. From a World War II-era discussion of book burning in Germany to public library dedications through all five boroughs, libraries play a notable role in the historic WNYC collection.

As e-books grow more and more popular, it’s not surprising that demand has grown, at online stores and libraries. But last week, it became more difficult for readers to get their e-books at the library. In the past publishers allowed libraries to lend out an e-book an unlimited number of times, but last week Harper Collins began enforcing a new set of rules. Under their new restrictions libraries may allow an e-book to be checked out only 26 times before it expires. What does this mean for e-books at libraries? And how are libraries around the country reacting?