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Image for event:  The Right to Read

Registration now closed

The Right to Read

The greatest civil rights issue of our time

2025-01-14 17:30:00 2025-01-14 19:30:00 America/New_York The Right to Read Join us for a special viewing and panel discussion of this inspiring documentary promoting literacy and produced by LeVar Burton. Arrive early for light refreshments, resources, and networking. Main Library - Auditorium

Tuesday, January 14
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Add to Calendar 2025-01-14 17:30:00 2025-01-14 19:30:00 America/New_York The Right to Read Join us for a special viewing and panel discussion of this inspiring documentary promoting literacy and produced by LeVar Burton. Arrive early for light refreshments, resources, and networking. Main Library - Auditorium

Main Library

Auditorium

Join us for a special viewing and panel discussion of this inspiring documentary promoting literacy and produced by LeVar Burton. Arrive early for light refreshments, resources, and networking.

This event is brought to you in partnership with the Summit Education Initiative. Refreshments begin at 5:30 pm followed by the movie viewing, which will start at 6 pm and conclude with a panel discussion.

Our panel includes:

LaMonica Davis, Principal Helen Arnold CLC

Judi Hill, President Akron NAACP

Dr Shelley Houser, Director Center for Literacy University of Akron

Dr David James, Executive Director Summit Educational Initiative

Pam Kennedy, Early Literacy Specialist State Support Team Region 8 

Moderator:

Pamela Hickson Stevenson, Executive Director Akron-Summit County Public Library

When a child can’t read, their chances of incarceration, homelessness, and unemployment increase.

Follow the stories of an activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide our

youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read.

 

Over 30% of Summit County’s young people currently aren’t reading on grade level.

Together, we will come together to discuss and promote the importance of reading and empower our community through the transformative power of books. 

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Education | Community Discussion |

Main Library

Phone: 330.643.9000
Branch manager
Michael Bianchi

Hours
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Mon, Apr 06 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Apr 07 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Apr 08 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Apr 09 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Apr 10 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 11 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Apr 12 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Drive-up Window closes fifteen minutes before the building closes for the day.

Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.

Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.

Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.

Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.

Upcoming Events

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Sat, Apr 11, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Sat, Apr 11, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Sun, Apr 12, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Auditorium

Mon, Apr 13, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone

Tue, Apr 14, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Apr 14, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Apr 15, 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 2:45pm - 3:15pm
Children's Library Educator Lab

Wed, Apr 15, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Thu, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 16, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 16, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 16, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Apr 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 18, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 18, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone

Cancelled
Mon, Apr 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Mon, Apr 20, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 21, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 22, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Wed, Apr 22, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Apr 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 23, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 23, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 23, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 23, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Apr 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sun, Apr 26, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Auditorium

Mon, Apr 27, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
115 E. Market St., Akron, OH 44308

Tue, Apr 28, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 29, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 29, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Thu, Apr 30, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Thu, Apr 30, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 30, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 30, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 30, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, May 01, 10:00am - 6:00pm

Fri, May 01, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, May 02, 10:00am - 5:00pm

Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, May 02, 2:00pm - 4:45pm
Auditorium

Mon, May 04, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, May 04, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, May 05, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, May 05, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, May 06, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, May 06, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, May 06, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Atrium,Auditorium,Meeting Room 1,Meeting Room 2AB,Meeting Room 3

Wed, May 06, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Wed, May 06, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, May 07, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, May 07, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, May 07, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, May 07, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, May 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, May 09, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, May 11, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, May 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone
Registration opens Monday, April 20 2026 at 10:00am