Issued during World War I by the American Library Association, Knowledge Wins promoted the ALA’s Library War Service — a national effort to get books into the hands of U.S. soldiers overseas. The message is right there on the page: “Public Library Books Are Free.” Education mattered, even in wartime.
The artwork is credited to Dan Smith and shows a soldier climbing toward a distant city by stepping across stacks of books labeled with trades and skills — shipbuilding, law, engineering, seamanship. It’s not subtle. It’s hopeful on purpose.
Our reproduction keeps the character of the original intact and prints it at a clean 20×30, framed and ready to hang. No vintage pretense. Just a strong piece of American history, made to live on your wall.
A wartime poster about books.
Still pulling its weight a century later.
KNOWLEDGE WINS — UNITED STATES, C. 1918
Issued during World War I by the American Library Association, Knowledge Wins promoted the ALA’s Library War Service — a national effort to get books into the hands of U.S. soldiers overseas. The message is right there on the page: “Public Library Books Are Free.” Education mattered, even in wartime.
The artwork is credited to Dan Smith and shows a soldier climbing toward a distant city by stepping across stacks of books labeled with trades and skills — shipbuilding, law, engineering, seamanship. It’s not subtle. It’s hopeful on purpose.
Our reproduction keeps the character of the original intact and prints it at a clean 20×30, framed and ready to hang. No vintage pretense. Just a strong piece of American history, made to live on your wall.
A wartime poster about books.
Still pulling its weight a century later.
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