We are delighted to invite you to join the Friends of the Dallas Public Library for the annual Literary Lions Luncheon on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the Arts District Mansion. This year, we are proud to welcome award-winning sociologist and Director of NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge, Eric Klinenberg, in conversation with Krys Boyd, Host and Managing Editor of KERA’s Think.
Eric Klinenberg’s book Palaces for the People takes its name from Andrew Carnegie’s description of the libraries he funded. Dallas was part of that legacy, opening its Carnegie Library in 1901. Named an NPR Book of the Year and a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice upon its publication in 2018, Palaces for the People argues that the future of democratic societies depends not only on shared values but on shared spaces — the libraries, childcare centers, churches, synagogues, and parks that help people form crucial, sometimes life-saving connections. Klinenberg calls these spaces our “social infrastructure,” and he contends that they are just as essential to a strong, resilient community as physical infrastructure. As former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden notes, “Klinenberg is echoing what librarians and library patrons have been saying for years: that libraries are equalizers and absolutely universal.”
At a time when the Dallas Public Library system is facing significant budget challenges, this conversation feels especially urgent. It will help strengthen our collective voice as advocates and reinforce why a modern, vibrant, and responsive library system is an essential civic investment.
In that spirit, we are especially proud to present the 2026 Exall Award to Atmos Energy for their long-time support of the Dallas Public Library system. Their support demonstrates what is possible when corporate leadership invests in the social infrastructure that helps communities thrive. Their partnership helps ensure that Dallas libraries remain welcoming spaces that provide opportunity for everyone.
Thank you for believing in the power of libraries to build the strongest future for Dallas. We hope you will join us for this meaningful and inspiring afternoon.
