Libraries Have It

Black text with filigree detail and a blue graphic exclamation point on a yellow background with  

During the 1970s and 1980s, public libraries across the United States adopted bright, memorable slogans to promote reading and civic engagement. Many of these outreach efforts were tied to National Library Week, a nationwide initiative established by the American Library Association (ALA) in 1958 to encourage library use and emphasize the social value of reading. Phrases such as “Libraries Have It” echoed the marketing tone of contemporaneous campaigns like “Reading Is Fundamental” and “Join the Library - It’s Yours!”, reflecting a period when libraries were reframing themselves as dynamic community centers rather than just repositories of books.

Buttons bearing this slogan may have been distributed by public or school libraries during local reading drives, open houses, or ALA-affiliated promotional events. The optimistic design, bold typography, and cheerful color scheme align with the graphic sensibilities of mid-century public-service messaging. The imprint of Art Guild Inc., a well-known producer of educational and civic advertising materials, suggests that these buttons were professionally manufactured for widespread promotional use during the library advocacy boom of the 1970s.