Press Releases

Jul 22: Shawna Manchakowsky wins student stipend for YALSA’s Young Adult Literature Symposium

CHICAGO – Shawna Manchakowsky, a student at the University of Alberta, has won the 2014 Young Adult Literature Symposium student stipend from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).

“I want young adults to feel that the library is a safe place to be, where...

Jul 22: AASL releases position statement on the role of the school librarian in Senior/Capstone Projects

CHICAGO The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has published a new position statement on the role of the school librarian in Senior/Capstone Projects. Senior/Capstone Projects are research-oriented courses driven by student interest and not...

Jul 22: ALA applauds presidential signing of the workforce bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, President Barack Obama will sign the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a bill that will open access to federal funding support to public libraries for effective job training and job search programs. President Obama will sign the bill into law from 12:00 to 1...

Jul 21: Information governance and security

CHICAGO — Written by Alan MacLennan, “Information Governance and Assurance: Reducing Risk, Promoting Policy,” published by Facet Publishing and available...

Jul 21: Letting go of legacy services

CHICAGO — The last few years have proven beyond any doubt that libraries cannot afford to coast along with the status quo. Just as important as proposing and adding new services is the sometimes unpleasant process of critically examining existing realities and letting go of obsolete or...

Jul 18: ALA brings library lens to network neutrality debate in FCC public comments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the American Library Association (ALA) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt the legally enforceable network neutrality rules necessary to fulfill library missions and serve communities nationwide. The ALA joined 10 other national higher...

Jul 15: New Jersey libraries team up to teach valuable language skills through American Dream Starts @ your library grant

CHICAGO Three New Jersey libraries are teaming for results in the area of community engagement.

Through an American Dream Starts @ your library grant provided by the American Library Association and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, three Essex (N.J...

Jul 15: AASL transforms learning with new mission statement and strategic plan

CHICAGO –The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) challenges leaders in all fields to bring about an evolution in student learning with its adoption of a new mission statement and strategic plan. During the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, the AASL Board of Directors...

Jul 15: COA announces accreditation decisions taken at 2014 Annual Conference

CHICAGO The Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces accreditation decisions made at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

Continued accreditation status was granted to the following programs, with the next...

Jul 15: Preserving complex digital objects

CHICAGO — “Preserving Complex Digital Objects,” published by Facet Publishing and available through the ALA Store,...

Jul 15: The path to a carbon-neutral library

CHICAGO — The first book to seriously examine the future of libraries in a climate reality-based context, “Ecology, Economy, Equity: The Path to a Carbon-Neutral Library,” published by...

Jul 15: Three groups win United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards

PHILADELPHIA — Three groups have been recognized with United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards for outstanding efforts to support their library. This year’s winners are Friends of the Weber County Library (Ogden, Utah), Friends of the Peoria (Ariz.) Public Library and...

Jul 15: ALSC and LEGO Systems partner to create Junior Maker Spaces

CHICAGO – The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and LEGO Systems, Inc. are working together to bring Junior Maker Spaces to libraries across the country. This project will focus on giving children ages 4 to 6 areas to make and create in their local libraries.

...

Jul 14: Burhanna wins inaugural LIRT Librarian Recognition Award

CHICAGO The American Library Association's (ALA) Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) awarded its first ever Librarian Recognition Award at ALA Annual Conference on Sunday, June 29, 2014 to Kenneth Burhanna, associate professor and assistant dean for...

Jul 14: Empower patrons and improve nonfiction circulation with tips from new PLA webinar

CHICAGO – Looking for a way to improve customer service, access and "findability" for your patrons? Register for the live, hour-long webinar, "Dewey 2.0: Reinvigorating Your Nonfiction Collections," at 1 p.m....

Jul 14: United for Libraries honors Kendrick B. Melrose with Major Benefactor Citation

PHILADELPHIA United for Libraries, in conjunction with the Orange County (Fla.) Library System, honored Kendrick B. Melrose with its Major Benefactor Citation for his significant contribution to the creation of the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology,...

Jul 14: Cannon Memorial Library, Saint Leo University, honored with LIRT Innovation in Instruction award

CHICAGO The American Library Association's (ALA) Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) awarded its inaugural Innovation in Instruction Award at ALA Annual Conference on Sunday, June 29, 2014 to Cannon Memorial Library of Saint Leo University in Florida....

Jul 11: ALA welcomes forward movement on E-rate modernization
 
 
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to release the first Order as part of its E-rate modernization proceeding. American Library Association (ALA) President Courtney Young released the following statement...
Jul 10: Higher education, library groups release Net Neutrality Principles

Today, higher education and library organizations representing thousands of colleges, universities, and libraries nationwide released a joint set of Net Neutrality Principles they recommend form the basis of an upcoming Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to protect the openness of...

Jul 10: Nominating committee seeks candidates

CHICAGO The ALA 2015 Nominating Committee reminds all interested ALA members that the deadline for completing the candidate biographical form is quickly approaching – the form will close on Aug. 15.  The committee is soliciting nominees to run on the...

Jul 10: ALA applauds Congress for passing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), H.R. 803, in a bipartisan vote 415-6. The passage of the bill comes after the U.S. Senate passed this legislation on a 95-3 vote on June 25th.

The American...

Jul 09: ALA, public libraries to measure Internet speeds, add to E-rate record

The American Library Association (ALA) and the Information Policy & Access Center (iPAC) at the University of Maryland College Park will gauge the quality of public access to the internet in our nation’s public libraries this summer. The speed test study is a supplement to a three-year...

Jul 08: Rebecca P. Butler’s guidebook to copyright for academic librarians and professionals

CHICAGO — In “Copyright for Academic Librarians and Professionals,” published by ALA Editions, seasoned copyright expert Rebecca P. Butler turns her attention to the unique...

Jul 08: District of Columbia Public Library chosen as site for the 2015 Arbuthnot Lecture
 
CHICAGO The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) announced that the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Committee has chosen DC Public Library, Washington, D.C., as the site of the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture featuring author/illustrator...
Jul 08: 'The Kid- and Teen-Friendly Library'— free American Libraries Live broadcast

CHICAGO — How can we effectively get children and teens, crucial groups of patrons, into the public library and engaged with library programs and services? “The Kid- and Teen-Friendly Library,” the next broadcast of American...

Jul 08: The academic library administrator's field guide

CHICAGO — The daily administration of an academic library often leaves you needing quick advice on the topic at hand. Bryce Nelson, an experienced administrator writing from first-hand knowledge, delivers such advice in “The...

Jul 08: Linked Data for libraries, archives and museums

CHICAGO — Libraries, archives and museums are facing up to the challenge of providing access to fast-growing collections while managing constrained budgets. Key to this is the creation, linking and publishing of good quality metadata, which allows library collections to be discovered,...

Jul 07: Applying user experience (UX) design to your library

CHICAGO — Every decision you make affects how people experience your library. “Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying User Experience Design to Your Library,” published by ALA...

Jul 01: 2014 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition—thousands of engaged attendees, lively programs and events

CHICAGO — 18,626 librarians, library workers and library supporters (including 5,607 exhibitors) from around the world joined energetically in the shared endeavor of “Transforming our libraries, ourselves” at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 26-July 1 in...

Jul 01: ALA encourages next step in E-rate improvements

Today, the American Library Association participated in an E-rate press call moderated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and was joined by several education and digital learning advocates. More than 4 million people visit America’s public libraries each day, and high-capacity...