The Playful Library: Building Environments for Learning and Creativity

Abstract

Megan Lotts’ The Playful Library: Building Environments for Learning and Creativity frames play as a powerful tool for connection, growth, innovation, and reflection in libraries—a message that strikes a bittersweet note in 2025. While Lotts does not directly address the current political climate, it is difficult to read her book without this context in mind. Libraries across the United States find themselves under increased political scrutiny and have become sites of ideological controversy. The instinctual reaction to this movement may be to retreat and withdraw, sticking with controlled, tried-and-true forms of patron engagement and programming