37 Colorful Vintage Library Ads That Bookworms Will Love

As public libraries began popping up across America in the early 1900s, these posters encouraged people to take advantage of their new resources.

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1 of 39 2 of 39Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book after a look at this poster by Albert Dorne?

philbradley/Flickr 3 of 39This poster by Charles Buckles urged Americans to send support to the troops by donating books. Circa 1918 - 1923. Library of Congress 4 of 39This 1910 poster by M. Norstad shows a father and son enjoying good reads in the great outdoors. Library of Congress 5 of 39Sadie Wendell Mitchell created this poster circa 1909 that encourages women to read. Note the title of the book at the woman’s feet — The Psychology of the Male Human. Library of Congress 6 of 39Albert M. Bender made this poster for the WPA Art Project some time between 1936 and 1940. Library of Congress 7 of 39A Chicago Public Library Week poster created between 1936 and 1941 under the WPA. Library of Congress 8 of 39"Books Are Weapons", from the Federal Art Project, 1941-1943. Schomburg Collection of the New York Public Library. Library of Congress 9 of 39There’s still nothing like a good book. This poster was made for Children’s Book Week by Jon O. Brubaker in 1926. freelibrary.org 10 of 39"Rain is bad for a book!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940. Library of Congress 11 of 39"A Book Mark Would Be Better!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress 12 of 39"This breaks the back of a book!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940. Library of Congress 13 of 39"Don’t gum up a book." Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress 14 of 39"The Vacation Reading Club." WPA Federal Art Project, 1936 - 1939. Library of Congress 15 of 39"Little Miss Muffet." Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress 16 of 39"January — a year of good reading ahead." Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1941.Library of Congress 17 of 39Poster for Library Project showing a windblown woman and books by authors such as Scott, Dumas, Thackeray, Dickens, Austen, and others. 1936. Library of Congress 18 of 39"September - back to work - back to school - back to BOOKS." V. Donaghue, WPA Art Project, 1940. Library of Congress 19 of 39"Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town … to count the many children reading library books". Sara Cleo, artist, Federal Art Project, 1940. Library of Congress 20 of 39"Curb service 10,000 current books." Chicago Public Library, Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1941. Library of Congress 21 of 39"What’s Ahead in Science?" 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr 22 of 39"As the World Changes." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 23 of 39"The Book Hunter." 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr 24 of 39"You can’t start any younger!" 1955.doe-c-doe/Flickr 25 of 39"Library carousel." 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 26 of 39"Good books will satisfy your curiosity too." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 27 of 39"How about a date … with a good book?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 28 of 39"When you want facts, visit your school library." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 29 of 39"Which family reads together?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 30 of 39"There’s a future in books." 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 31 of 39"Man overbored?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 32 of 39"RX for boredom? Read." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 33 of 39"Bored? Why not read an exciting book? 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr 34 of 39"Read … it’s fun!" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr 35 of 39"Read more, know more!" 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr 36 of 39"There’s romance in books." 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr 37 of 39"Stories of the Sea." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 38 of 39"What’s your future?" 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr 39 of 39Like this gallery?Share it:

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37 Vintage Library Ads That Perfectly Capture The Joys Of Reading View Gallery

What happens when enthusiasm for literacy meets vintage design? These colorful and amazing posters — some with charmingly bad puns or baffling font choices.

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1 of 39 2 of 39Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book after a look at this poster by Albert Dorne?

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1 of 39 2 of 39Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book after a look at this poster by Albert Dorne?

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1 of 39 2 of 39Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book after a look at this poster by Albert Dorne?

Flipboard

1 of 39

2 of 39Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book after a look at this poster by Albert Dorne?

philbradley/Flickr

3 of 39This poster by Charles Buckles urged Americans to send support to the troops by donating books. Circa 1918 - 1923. Library of Congress

4 of 39This 1910 poster by M. Norstad shows a father and son enjoying good reads in the great outdoors. Library of Congress

5 of 39Sadie Wendell Mitchell created this poster circa 1909 that encourages women to read. Note the title of the book at the woman’s feet — The Psychology of the Male Human. Library of Congress

6 of 39Albert M. Bender made this poster for the WPA Art Project some time between 1936 and 1940. Library of Congress

7 of 39A Chicago Public Library Week poster created between 1936 and 1941 under the WPA. Library of Congress

8 of 39"Books Are Weapons", from the Federal Art Project, 1941-1943. Schomburg Collection of the New York Public Library. Library of Congress

9 of 39There’s still nothing like a good book. This poster was made for Children’s Book Week by Jon O. Brubaker in 1926. freelibrary.org

10 of 39"Rain is bad for a book!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940. Library of Congress

11 of 39"A Book Mark Would Be Better!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress

12 of 39"This breaks the back of a book!" Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940. Library of Congress

13 of 39"Don’t gum up a book." Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois W.P.A. Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress

14 of 39"The Vacation Reading Club." WPA Federal Art Project, 1936 - 1939. Library of Congress

15 of 39"Little Miss Muffet." Gregg Arlington, artist, Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1940.Library of Congress

16 of 39"January — a year of good reading ahead." Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1941.Library of Congress

17 of 39Poster for Library Project showing a windblown woman and books by authors such as Scott, Dumas, Thackeray, Dickens, Austen, and others. 1936. Library of Congress

18 of 39"September - back to work - back to school - back to BOOKS." V. Donaghue, WPA Art Project, 1940. Library of Congress

19 of 39"Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town … to count the many children reading library books". Sara Cleo, artist, Federal Art Project, 1940. Library of Congress

20 of 39"Curb service 10,000 current books." Chicago Public Library, Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936 - 1941. Library of Congress

21 of 39"What’s Ahead in Science?" 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr

22 of 39"As the World Changes." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

23 of 39"The Book Hunter." 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr

24 of 39"You can’t start any younger!" 1955.doe-c-doe/Flickr

25 of 39"Library carousel." 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

26 of 39"Good books will satisfy your curiosity too." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

27 of 39"How about a date … with a good book?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

28 of 39"When you want facts, visit your school library." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

29 of 39"Which family reads together?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

30 of 39"There’s a future in books." 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

31 of 39"Man overbored?" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

32 of 39"RX for boredom? Read." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

33 of 39"Bored? Why not read an exciting book? 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr

34 of 39"Read … it’s fun!" 1950s.doe-c-doe/Flickr

35 of 39"Read more, know more!" 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr

36 of 39"There’s romance in books." 1950s.vblibrary/Flickr

37 of 39"Stories of the Sea." 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

38 of 39"What’s your future?" 1950s. vblibrary/Flickr

39 of 39Like this gallery?Share it:

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37 Vintage Library Ads That Perfectly Capture The Joys Of Reading View Gallery

37 Vintage Library Ads That Perfectly Capture The Joys Of Reading

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But these posters also served an important purpose. In the early 1900s, public libraries were beginning to pop up in American cities, offering the public far greater access to books and information than ever before.

It’s apparent that literacy needed a bump at this time. The oldest of these ads dates back to the turn of the 20th century, when 10 percent of the population was illiterate. As the first libraries opened, these posters advertised possibilities for a new kind of future.

Literacy In 1900s America

Library of CongressWomen’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony reading a book, circa 1900.

In the past, reading was almost always something reserved for the upper classes, and mostly for white men. For people of color, extra barriers prevented education. Before the Civil War, a tangled web of state laws forbade teaching slaves how to read, and in some states prohibited freed black people from learning or teaching.

The effects of these laws still lingered in 1900. Though just 10 percent of the general population could not read, that number rose to 44.5 percent among black people and other people of color.

For women, traditional gender roles stood in the way of literacy. The expectation that girls would grow up solely to be wives and mothers meant that often less energy went toward getting them interested in books.

Library of CongressA woman reading with her son in 1939.

This makes it somewhat surprising that one of the earliest vintage library ads, dated from 1909, features a woman reading. However, the book at her feet is titled The Psychology of the Male Human, which isn’t exactly progressive.

Though the social attitudes found in some of these posters seem retrograde today, they show some progress. After all, these vintage library posters pushed people of all races, male and female, to reap the benefits of reading in a way that hadn’t been encouraged in the past.

And with the Great Depression just around the corner, public libraries were poised to provide books and other resources to people suffering from poverty and hunger.

The Federal Art Project

Wikimedia CommonsThe WPA employed artists of all kinds, including women like these two who are shown working in a poster shop.

Many of these vintage library ads came about several decades after the first libraries thanks to the WPA Federal Art Project. This major effort to provide government support for American artists came along during the Great Depression and ran from 1935 to 1943.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt put $35 million towards the program, which employed more than 5,000 artists at its peak in 1936.

The Federal Art Project artists created 2,566 murals, over 100,000 easel paintings, and approximately 17,700 sculptures. Along with this, creators made almost 300,000 fine prints and around 22,000 plates for the Index of American Design.

The national director of the project, Holger Cahill, was a former museum curator as well as an American folk art expert. He was able to see the potential for cultural development in the WPA and undoubtedly appreciated that artists would be able to work for a paycheck.

As for the artists, many of them saw the program as a much-needed support and an opportunity to create art that reflected their hopes for a better future. Creating work that promoted reading was a natural extension of this desire to improve conditions for all.

Wikimedia CommonsArtists employed by the Works Progress Administration also made work promoting national parks, government programs, and the WPA itself.

Though the program came to an end in 1943, artists continued to make posters urging people to get into a good book into the 1950s and beyond. And now, with the rise of email, texting, and social media, our literacy skills are on display like never before.

Literacy rates among American adults are much higher now than they once were. But, as of 2019, one in five adults still has low English literacy skills. This translates to about 43 million people who struggle to read.

With millions still lacking the skills to paraphrase what they’ve read, compare and contrast written information, and make inferences about a text, perhaps now would not be a bad time for these vintage library posters to make a comeback.

Next, take a look at these 55 photos of your parents being cooler than you’ll ever be. Then, see just what vintage Soviet propaganda posters were trying to sell you.

As public libraries began popping up across America in the early 1900s, these posters encouraged people to take advantage of their new resources.#

Literacy In 1900s America#

The Federal Art Project#

As public libraries began popping up across America in the early 1900s, these posters encouraged people to take advantage of their new resources.

Literacy In 1900s America

The Federal Art Project