Art in public spaces can serve as a means of shared identity, of connecting residents and visitors to the community, and creating a sense of ownership and respect in a shared space; to spark imagination, conversation, dialogue, and reflection; and to provide beautification and aesthetics.

You may know Monica Shannon as the author of the 1935 Newbery Award-winning book Dobry, but have you read her fairy tales set in California? They are remarkably descriptive and among the strangest books, I’ve read in a long time.

Today is National Bookmobile Day, a day to celebrate the contributions bookmobiles make to their communities. From 1949 to 2004, Los Angeles Public Library’s bookmobiles made a significant impact in the community by visiting lots of neighborhood schools, parks, and housing developments around the city.