Digital Public Library of America

07/26/2026

Today we celebrate National Disability Independence Day to commemorate the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Pictured here: Activist Connie Panzarino. Born with spinal muscular atrophy, she was forced to choose between holding a job or receiving governmental aid. In 1977, Panzarino petitioned Congress to allow people with disabilities to both work and collect Medicaid benefits.

She subsequently fought for the rights of veterans with disabilities, and successfully protested to add “Section 504” to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prevented hiring discrimination.

Our thanks to the Institute and the Portrait Gallery for this moving contribution.

07/14/2026

We co-hosted a convening with the at the Obama Presidential Center, bringing national library leaders together with civic leaders from Chicago to discuss the role of civic institutions in the age of artificial intelligence. A recap of the event is available here: https://dp.la/news/libraries-and-ai-in-public-life-a-recap-from-the-obama-presidential-center

07/08/2026

Huge congratulations to our partner the Plains to Peaks Collective, a service of the Colorado State Library and Wyoming State Library, on launching their new discovery portal. The platform provides free public access to a wealth of photographs, manuscripts, books, audio recordings, artifacts, and videos from numerous cultural heritage institutions throughout Wyoming and Colorado.

Go exploring:

07/04/2026

We're wishing you a safe, joyous Fourth of July. Here's some trivia for you: Ever wondered where the name "America" came from? From Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer who first believed that the lands Christopher Columbus sailed to in 1492 were part of a separate continent. Later, in 1705, a cartographer depicted the name “America” on a map, a Latinized version of “Amerigo.”

Long before the term was coined, these continents were known by an array of Indigenous titles.

Learn more in this 2016 post from Library of Congress: https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2016/07/how-did-america-get-its-name/Congress:

06/28/2026

As we celebrate Pride Month, we’d like to highlight this historic date. On this day in 1969, as part of a crackdown on gay bars, New York City police conducted a routine raid on Stonewall Inn. The violent response of Stonewall Inn’s patrons, as well as the subsequent riots and protests, marked a shift that rippled through the decades following and impacted the gay rights and gay liberation movements in the United States.

We invite you to read more about the Stonewall Riot in this primary source set gathered from our partners: https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/stonewall-and-its-impact-on-the-gay-liberation-movement

Photo courtesy of The New York Public Library.

06/23/2026

We’re excited to attend the American Library Association (ALA) Conference week. Say hello! And come see our program manager Tania Ríos Marrero, who is speaking on a panel on ensuring diverse stories remain accessible for generations to come. Details below.

Archives at Risk, Communities at Stake: Preserving Immigrant and Underrepresented Community Stories in a Polarized Era

•Sunday, June 28
•2:30 PM - 3:30 p.m.
•McCormick Place, W180

Archives are not only about safeguarding the past—they are essential tools for protecting the voices of today’s communities and ensuring they remain visible in the future. In a polarized political era marked by censorship pressures, shrinking cultural funding, and contested narratives of history, the preservation of immigrant and community histories that have too often been underrepresented is both urgent and necessary.

Other panelists include:

•Chris Brown, Chicago Public Library
•Lisa Peet, Library Journal
•Jennie Garner, Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL)
•Mariella Colon, Chicago Public Library
•Chianta Dorsey, Chicago Public Library

06/19/2026

Juneteenth was named an official federal holiday in 2021, but it has long been celebrated in honor of Black resilience and freedom. Here is a flyer we found in our archive from 1949, advertising a 17th annual celebration in Colorado.

Our thanks to the Plains to Peaks Collective and Denver Public Library for this contribution.

06/11/2026

There's still time to register for our digital accessibility webinar today!

Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, we're hosting a virtual coffee chat on digital accessibility in libraries. Whether you’re deep in the work of making your digital resources more accessible or just beginning to develop a road map for your institution, this is a space for open conversation and peer learning. Join us!

Register here: https://dpla.zoom.us/meeting/register/t0Cc9nd1SR2aGrxwsv-yLQ?mc_cid=d8ed8ed21a&mc_eid=UNIQID #/registration

06/10/2026

Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, we're hosting a virtual coffee chat on digital accessibility in libraries. Whether you’re deep in the work of making your digital resources more accessible or just beginning to develop a road map for your institution, this is a space for open conversation and peer learning. Join us!

Register here: https://dpla.zoom.us/meeting/register/t0Cc9nd1SR2aGrxwsv-yLQ?mc_cid=d8ed8ed21a&mc_eid=UNIQID #/registration

05/21/2026

Have you ever wondered about fair use? When does copyright law allow use of copyrighted material without permission? The PA Digital Rights team is hosting a free Zoom workshop on Wednesday, May 27 at 11 a.m. EST.

You'll learn about U.S. copyright law’s fair use doctrine and how it applies. Danielle Steinhart from the Penn State University Libraries Office of Scholarly Communications and Copyright will teach the workshop.

Register in advance on Zoom here:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: PA Digital Rights - Fair Use Workshop. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.