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If you’re thinking about getting healthier this summer, skip the fitness fads and start with a Library card. 

Johnson County Library is a powerful ally in building better habits. Across 14 branches, and through an always-open eLibrary, you’ll find cookbooks that make healthy eating approachable, practical and even fun. From colorful Mediterranean dishes to quick vegetarian dinners and low-sugar baking that actually tastes good, there’s inspiration all around. 

And it turns out summer may be a better time for change than January. While only about 6% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions, the slower pace of summer can offer a more realistic space to start new habits.

Why summer works: 

• There’s less all-or-nothing pressure.
• Social calendars are lighter.
• Longer days encourage outdoor meals and time with loved ones.
• There’s no post-holiday guilt driving unrealistic goals. 

The goal isn’t to become a gourmet chef overnight. It’s about small, sustainable shifts. Gradual changes are the ones that tend to stick because they allow you to adapt to new habits and routines at a comfortable pace.

Try this: 

• Cook one more meal at home each week.
• Replace one takeout night with something fresh and homemade.
• Flip through a cookbook or browse our Staff Picks at jocolibrary.org for motivation.
• Ask a librarian at your local branch what they recommend. 

This is where the Library shines. No pressure. Just helpful books and digital health and wellness resources like My Resource Connection, which connects people with local assistance programs and the Health Reference Center, which offers information on body systems, health issues, diseases, conditions and treatments. 

Visit a local branch or explore the digital collection at jocolibrary.org. Your healthier summer could start with your next book.

Since 2015, Johnson County Library’s Black & Veatch MakerSpace has provided the latest technology, equipment and training for community members to make an incredible array of arts, crafts and other creative products to enrich their lives, all at no additional cost to patrons. 

Between 1,400 and 1,900 patrons visit every month. To meet growing demand, the MakerSpace is now entering a new phase, with new staff and expanded programming to enhance its impact, increased hours of operation, and new equipment. Thanks to the addition of staff, hours were restored to 54 hours per week in June (they had been cut to 35 hours during the pandemic), with an additional goal of providing more activities at other branch locations. The MakerSpace is open six days a week with hours that now match those of Central Resource Library, and is closed on Wednesday to allow for equipment maintenance.  

“I’m excited for the opportunity to grow and try new things,” said Kate McNair, Maker Services Operations Manager. “We are trying to do more outreach, to take our programs outside the building.” 

MakerSpace Coordinator Brian Oertel, a 20-year Johnson County Library employee who joined the Maker staff eight years ago, is inspired by patrons’ innovative spirit. He is eager to see them take advantage of the improvements. 

“We are always looking at new tools,” Oertel said. “We want to be on the cutting edge and listen to our community to see what they want access to, and how to extend our resources beyond the Central Resource Library.” 

Equipment includes laser and vinyl cutters, 3D printers, a CNC router, sewing machines, soldering and electronics tools, and computer software for design. The MakerSpace added an embroidery machine this summer, with a Risograph—a specialized printer that uses a stencil to create multi-layered prints—set to debut this fall.  

Another recent innovation is the Maker Kits that can be checked out, including coding kits like the Circuit Playground Express and micro:bit, sound-recording equipment, soldering kits, and home energy audit tools. The newest addition is the Film to Digital Converter kit, which lets patrons digitize 35mm slides and negatives from the comfort of home. 

The MakerSpace has been a hub for so many wonderful projects. Two women laser cut and etch beautiful custom game tiles. A luthier uses the CNC to make forms for the guitars he builds. Another patron learned 3D printing to build scale models for her business. A high school cheerleader used the vinyl cutter to fashion customized bows for her teammates. 

Perhaps the most dramatic example is two sisters who used the MakerSpace equipment for video production, which helped them launch the now-thriving company, Stellar Image Studios, with several dozen employees.  

Oertel gets special joy watching kids use computer software to design model airplane parts, which they then create with the 3D printer.  

He also values a partnership with BikeWalkKC for its Craft and Ride workshops, with participants cycling to branch locations where they fashion tool bags and other products.    

Mickey Willard, a long-time Library employee with a graphic design background, was named a MakerSpace specialist last summer.  

“It’s a really cohesive team and I love how comfortable everyone is working together and sharing knowledge,” she said. “My favorite thing is getting the kids excited about engineering and the arts, getting them acquainted with the equipment and seeing how inspired they get.” 

MakerSpace patron Lucy Roberts has seen that enthusiasm in her eldest son, 9-year-old Quinn. She watched him make an Egyptian Sphinx artifact using the 3D printer, and they were both thrilled. 

“I just thought it was magical,” she said. 

Roberts also uses MakerSpace scanners to create online images of her art prints for her small business. She tried other scanners around town but none was as precise as the MakerSpace equipment. 

“I needed help making my art look more professional,” she said. “The staff is awesome.” 

McNair appreciates how the MakerSpace adds a special dimension to the Library’s free resources. 

“I think ultimately the MakerSpace fulfills the Library’s vision of being a place where people can come and explore new things and express themselves,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing that the Library can provide access these tools that are too expensive or too large to have in your own home, and also provide the experts to help you navigate using them.” 

To learn more about the Black & Veatch MakerSpace and the equipment available, visit jocolibrary.org/makerspace. When you’re ready to get started, be sure to make a reservation as space fills up quickly. 

Architectural design work for renovations at the DeSoto and Spring Hill Libraries began in October 2024. The Library is working with bc DESIGN GROUP to develop designs for these two locations that will incorporate input heard from community members during initial public forums, making the spaces more functional and modernizing building infrastructure. This includes creating and improving gathering spaces, updating technology, and enhancing kids’ areas, in addition to updating building finishes (new carpeting, paint, furniture) and more intuitive collection layouts. The Spring Hill Library is expected to receive an expansion outward to provide a brighter, more spacious setting for Library services. 

Construction work at both locations is expected to begin later in 2025. The Library will continue to be active in these communities during construction. Stay tuned for updates on this page or @jocolibrary on social media.

Spring Hill Library: Spring Hill Library is receiving a 1,000-square-foot expansion that will house the kids collection and a 6 by 6, Ready to Read early literacy play space. Large floor-to-ceiling windows will look onto a new patio off the relocated front entrance. The current Library footprint will house the adult and nonfiction collections, public computers, copy and printing stations, as well as a new meeting room and study room. Curbside pickup will remain at the location for convenience.

Spring Hill will also be the location of a new pilot program that will grant community members secure access to the facility outside of the branch’s current operating hours to pick up holds, browse the collection and use computers and printers. Though details are still in development, we’ll announce program specifics and registration information closer to the Library’s reopening.

Anywhere you go these days, it seems someone or something is watching: tracking your location, monitoring your purchases, or recording your information searches. But there is one place where there are no prying eyes: Libraries offer a sanctuary of privacy in today’s interconnected world.

Outlined in such official documents as the Library Bill of Rights and the Confidentiality of Records, Johnson County Library is committed to providing free access to information with as few barriers as possible.

“There are many good reasons people want privacy,” said Adam Wathen, associate director of Branch Services for Johnson County Library. “We don’t want to judge why someone wants information or how they will use it.”

Wathen said the strong emphasis on patron privacy has its roots in the so-called McCarthy Era of post-World War II when many Americans were pursued for what were considered their un-American ideologies. In response to this, the American Library Association in 1953 issued its Freedom to Read statement:

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack … We trust the people of this nation to make their own decision about what to read and believe.

The statement, of course, was not the end to the threat to library freedom. Wathen said after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon, some government officials tried to use the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act to access citizens’ library records.

“The libraries said ‘No’ and we put up even stronger barriers to protect our patrons’ records,” he said. “If people fear for their privacy, it will endanger their access to information, and we need to protect that.”

One result of these practices is that the Library does not have record of what patrons have checked out and returned. While the item is checked out, there is an electronic record that ties that particular item to the patron’s account. But the minute it is returned, the record is erased.

“You can see what items you have currently checked out, but once you return it, that record is gone,” Wathen said.

Thanks to technology, Library staff doesn’t need to take any actions to make that happen, removing even further the staff from connecting materials to a particular patron. In most cases, while material rolls along the returned-items conveyor belt, the RFID chip attached to it communicates with the computer databases and wipes the check-out record from the patron’s account before library staff even touches the returned item.

While patron privacy is protected, there are some potential inconveniences that can arise from the system. One is that if a library user wants a list of all items they have checked out, they need to keep one themselves … the Library has no such record. Another complication is that people often leave personal items inside books or other material cases when they are returned. When the staff finds such items – family pictures, money, sentimental bookmarks – they have no way of knowing who had the book most recently. The staff does sometimes try to reunite patrons with their materials through social media posts and by keeping a lost-and-found collection.

Not all items are returned, however. According to an episode of the Johnson County Library podcast “Did You Hear” from December 2019, Library staff found what appeared to be a bag of marijuana inside a returned item. A couple of days later, a patron called and asked if they had found some “oregano” he had left behind. Staff told the person the green leafy material had been turned over to the Overland Park police department for disposal … but the patron’s identity had not been divulged because staff did not know who left behind the “oregano.”

Privacy extends beyond materials that are checked out, Wathen explained. He said Library computers are programmed to automatically delete search and history information whenever a user logs off.

The Library does retain some information about books and other materials circulation, as well as the demographics of Library users. This information is used for planning purposes and to help Library staff know what materials are popular, and what kinds of and how much information it needs to have available. The information it keeps, however, is de-identified and not connected to any particular patron.

A patron’s library use data is exempt from state public record laws.

The Johnson County Library Bill of Rights makes the privacy mission clear:

All people, regardless of origin, age, background and views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data … 

“We do not want to have barriers to people accessing the information they want,” Wathen said. “If people don’t have privacy, then the information is no longer free.

“If a fear of privacy is a barrier, we need to remove that.”

Johnson County Library is committed to protecting patron privacy, ensuring that everyone can access information freely and without barriers. To learn more about the mission, vision and values of the Library, visit jocolibrary.org/about.

We’re upgrading our library system software to bring you a more reliable, flexible and user-friendly experience. This update will support new features, improve performance and enhance the display of special characters. 
 
To make this switch, access to some services may be temporarily interrupted between May 19–23:

• Some Library services will be completely unavailable during portions of the upgrade, including placing holds and receiving account notices;
• Other services, such as account maintenance and access to some eResources, may be unavailable more intermittently;
• Libby users may consider downloading titles prior to May 19 to minimize interruptions.

We apologize for any inconvenience the outages may cause, and thank you for your patience while we make these critical behind-the-scenes improvements. Updates will be shared here and @jocolibrary on social media.

Are you having a hard time finding a critique partner who’s brave enough to give you solid, honest, constructive feedback on your stories, essays, query letters, and other writing? Brainfuse might be a solution! The library provides free, on-line writing feedback, usually within one business day. All you need is a library card, a computer or tablet with internet access, and an uploadable and editable file!

You'll find Brainfuse HelpNow in the eLearning section of our eLibrary.

Spring into collection suggestions and recommendations! Guest Librarians Piepie and Charles join host Dave to talk about the best titles, genres, and sub-genres to put a little spring in your Spring!

Check out the recommendations mentioned in this episode »

Learn how the recent executive order may affect Johnson County Library.

On March 14, an executive order was issued calling for reduction in function and personnel of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the only federal agency for America’s libraries, to the fullest extent allowable by law. While other recent executive orders may have had ripples in our community, this is the first that broadly touches many library users and has an impact on Johnson County Library's budget. 

IMLS is responsible for distributing federal money to state libraries and administering grant funding. It designates funding to Kansas public libraries via the State Library of Kansas for a range of library services across the state. The State Library has already distributed 2025 funding, so the executive order may not impact libraries until 2026. Johnson County Library received about $165,000 in funding this year, which goes directly toward purchasing physical books. As an organization, we receive no other federal grant money. 

The current Kansas State Aid funding is based on the IMLS funding level authorized in 2018 with bipartisan congressional support. This was an extension of the Library Services and Technology Act, first enacted in 1996. 

IMLS funds account for 30 percent of the State Library’s budget; the remainder of the budget for the State Library of Kansas is determined annually by the Kansas legislature. In addition to providing funds for purchasing materials, the State Library of Kansas also provides a range of library resources to Kansans. The below services may be impacted beginning in 2026:

• Kansas Library eCard: Many Johnson County residents use this card to access eLearning resources, databases and digital materials (including eBooks and eAudiobooks) provided by the State Library of Kansas.   
• Online information databases: Many of our research resources are provided by or funded through the State Library of Kansas, including:  
  • Mango Languages: Language learning with practical situations and conversations.  
  • Universal Class: Over 500 convenient online classes covering a wide range of topics.  
  • Britannica: Encyclopedic resource for students, Spanish speakers and general audiences.  
  • LearningExpress Library: Practice tests and tutorials for students of all ages.  
  • NoveList: Reading recommendations and book lists for all readers.  
  • BookFlix: Read-along books for grades Pre-K to 3.  
  • Auto Repair Source: DIY auto repair guides for thousands of vehicles.  
  • HeritageQuest Online: Census records and other genealogy research tools.  
  • Job & Career Accelerator: Resume and cover letter builders and career guidance.  
  • World Almanac for Kids: One stop reference resource for student reports and research.  
  • U.S. Newsstream: Full-text articles from Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.  
• Summer reading: The State Library of Kansas helps coordinate the national summer reading program in Kansas libraries.
• Interlibrary Loan is another popular Library service that may see changes in 2026. Federal funding supports state courier services that move materials throughout the region. Should those services lose funding, interlibrary loan would need to rely more heavily on the U.S. Postal Service, potentially leading to increased expense and longer wait times for materials.   

If you would like to learn more about this topic, here are some resources:

• Read the full text of the executive order;
• Read the full text of the Library Services and Technology Act;
• Read more about how this order would affect libraries more broadly in a statement released by EveryLibrary, a nonpartisan national organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries;
• Contact the Friends of Johnson County Library, who provides advocacy support for Johnson County Library, or the Johnson County Library Foundation. 
• Reach out to your elected officials at the local, state, and national levels for more information. You can find contact information for your elected officials by entering your address into lookup forms through Usa.gov and the League of Women Voters.

We will continue to share updates as we learn additional details about the effect on our budget and ripples to our services. Johnson County Library’s mission is to provide access to ideas, information, experiences and materials that support and enrich people's lives. We are so grateful for the continued support of our community, and would love to see you again soon at your local branch.