Michigan Library Appreciation Month 2026 #Library2k26: Take me to your library!

Michigan Library Appreciation Month – October 2026
MI Right to Read Week – October 4-10, 2026

Get ready to celebrate Michigan Library Appreciation Month and MI Right to Read week! This October, we're throwing it back Y2K style with the theme #LibrarY2K26: Take Me to Your Library!

The turn of the millennium was a time of rapid technological change, and more than a little uncertainty about what was coming next. Sound familiar? As artificial intelligence accelerates how we create, find, and share information, libraries continue to help people navigate change, discover new ideas, and find information they can trust.

This October, we're celebrating how much libraries have changed—and how much they’ve stayed the same. From card catalogs to Google, VHS to streaming, CD-ROMs to AI, libraries have adapted to every new era. Through it all, libraries have remained places for people to discover, learn, connect, and think for themselves.

Join us in celebrating Michigan Library Appreciation Month and highlighting the impact libraries, librarians, and library workers have on the lives of Michiganders. October 5–11 is also MI Right to Read Week, making October a perfect time to celebrate the freedom to read and your library’s role in helping people explore a wide range of ideas and information.

Get ready to go LibraryY2K and celebrate Michigan libraries all October long! Take me to your library!

Help us Celebrate!

This year’s campaign is a chance to have some fun with Y2K nostalgia while celebrating what makes libraries timeless: books, curiosity, human connection, knowledgeable library workers, and access to information that has been curated and organized by people.

Share the News With Your Community!

We encourage you to share information in your patron newsletter and submit a local press release to share how you are celebrating and encourage your community to get involved. Use our draft press release and patron newsletter copy or write your own.

Ask for a Local Proclamation or Resolution

We need your help to get every public body, every board, mayor, city council, church, club and community organization in Michigan to show their support of libraries and library workers. Submit the Michigan Library Appreciation Month proclamation as soon as possible to give library supporters time to issue their proclamation (or resolution). If you have not done so already, it's not too late!

Download the draft below and ask your city/county/township officials to issue a proclamation at their next meeting. Contact information can be found on your local city, county or township website. It is simple to do – but you need to request one quickly or October will be gone before you know it.

Download the proclamation

Celebrate on Social Media!

Show your community what makes your library interesting, unexpected, welcoming, and worth a visit. Get creative and go full Y2K or keep it subtle. Need an easy content idea? Just brag about your library! Remind people how awesome libraries are, make them think, "wow, take me to YOUR library!"

Make sure you use these hashtags so we can find and share your posts:

#LibrarY2K26 #MILibraryMonth #LoveMILibrary #TakeMeToYourLibrary

Need more content ideas? Try one of these:

Show Off Your Library

Answer one of these prompts with a photo, video, or carousel:

The best thing about our library is...
You might not know that our library...
One thing we're especially proud of is...
Did you know you can ______ at the library?
Our community loves our library because...
We're more than books. We also have...

Show something that makes your library unique—a makerspace, podcast studio, technology lab, garden, mural, local history collection, special collection, children's area, community space, or something unexpected.

Take Us on a Tour

Create a 15–60 second video showing three things visitors should see. Ideas:

Beautiful architecture or reading spaces
Gardens or outdoor areas
Murals or artwork
Makerspaces or technology labs
Podcast/recording studios
Unique collections
Children's or teen spaces
Something visitors might not expect

Show, don't just tell.

Then & Now

Perfect for #LibrarY2K26! Pair an old photo with a current one:

Building
Children's area
Computers or technology
Card catalog
Collections
Library cards
Staff
Programs

Add a few sentences about what changed—and what hasn't.

What's Happening at Your Library?

Show your library in action. Capture:

Storytime
Book clubs
Teen programs
Makerspace activities
Technology classes
Community events
Author visits
Exhibits
Gaming
Community meetings
Partnerships

People make great library content. With appropriate permission, show staff, patrons, families, volunteers, and community partners enjoying the library.