After a tweet from Ferguson (Mo.) Municipal Public Library Municipal Public Library Director Scott Bonner on Tuesday, public libraries found they were suddenly trending on Twitter. Using the hashtag #becauseofapubliclibrary, Bonner tweeted “I was able to help our community.” The Twitterverse responded with tweets on how public libraries encouraged a love of reading, learning, and community.
It’s not the first time Bonner and the Ferguson library have trended on Twitter. After the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police on Aug. 9, 2014, the library made national headlines for offering a steady, safe place for community residents to gather. And, thanks to Twitter, praise poured in—as did hundreds of thousands in donations, nearly equal to the library's $400,000 annual operating budget.
The Ferguson Municipal Library’s good work landed it in the #4 spot on PW’s list of the top 10 Library stories of 2014.
Bonner, meanwhile, the sole full-time librarian in Ferguson, will be in Chicago, at the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting on Monday, Feb. 2, at McCormick Place, from 1 – 2:30 p.m. During his talk, titled “Leading in Times of Crisis,” Bonner will share the experiences, strategies and lessons he's learned since Ferguson entered the national spotlight.
