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Chicago Public Library (CPL) is preparing to open a new branch at the Obama Presidential Center next year. This addition will bring the total number of CPL branches to 82. The new space is intended to serve as a place for connection and discovery, highlighting the importance of stories in the community.
To celebrate this development, CPL is featuring President Barack Obama’s 2025 summer reading list across all 81 existing branches. The annual list includes books that, according to Obama, "inspire, challenge and bring joy." The 2025 selections are:
- Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
- The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien
- King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
- Abundance by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson
- Rosarita by Anita Desai
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
- The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
- A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
- Who is Government? by Michael Lewis
- The Sirens’ Call by Chris Hayes
From September 15 through October 15, these titles will be highlighted throughout CPL locations. Library patrons and staff will check out books from the list at neighborhood branches. In addition, CPL’s social media channels will share photos and stories related to these books from across Chicago.
Community members are encouraged to participate by visiting their local CPL branch to borrow a book from Obama’s reading list. Readers can share their experiences on social media using @chicagopubliclibrary, @obamafoundation, and #ObamasTopReads.
A statement from CPL reads: "Together, we celebrate reading and the role libraries play in our city while looking ahead to the opening of CPL's 82nd branch at the Obama Presidential Center."
The public can also sign up for email updates from The Obama Foundation about progress on the Obama Presidential Center and upcoming programs once it opens.
