Press Releases

Mar 20: Intellectual Freedom Round Table to hold 40th anniversary celebration at Chicago Cultural Center

CHICAGO - After 40 years of defending and upholding First Amendment rights, it is time for a party. Come join the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) from 7:30 - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the magnificent...

Mar 19: 2013 ALA elections open March 19

CHICAGO — Voting in the 2013 ALA elections began at 9 a.m. Central time on March 19, 2013.  Between March 19 and March 21, the ALA will notify voters by email, providing them with their unique passcodes and information about how to vote online. The polls will close on Friday, April...

Mar 19: Applications for United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards due May 1

PHILADELPHIA – United for Libraries is accepting applications for the Baker & Taylor Awards, given to friends of the library groups and library foundations. Applications are due May 1, 2013.

Given annually since 2000, the Baker & Taylor Awards have recognized more than...

Mar 19: Apply by March 29 for 'Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys' programs


Application deadline approaching for up to $4,500 in program support

CHICAGO – The deadline is approaching for all public, academic and community college libraries—as well as state humanities councils—that were selected to...

Mar 19: Emily J. Pointer Public Library to be designated a Literary Landmark by United for Libraries in honor of Stark Young

PHILADELPHIA — United for Libraries, in partnership with Emily J. Pointer Public Library in Como, Miss., will designate the library a Literary Landmark in honor of Stark  Young on Thursday, March 28.

A plaque will be placed on the south lawn of the library during the Stark...

Mar 19: ALA, Library Copyright Alliance Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision in Kirtsaeng

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the Supreme Court announced its much-anticipated decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley, a lawsuit regarding the bedrock principle of the first sale doctrine. The 6-3 opinion is a total victory for libraries and our users. It vindicates the foundational principle of the first...

Mar 19: American Library, Library Copyright Alliance Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley—Total Victory for Libraries and Their Users

Today the Supreme Court announced its much-anticipated decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley, a lawsuit regarding the bedrock principle of the first sale doctrine. The 6-3 opinion is a total victory for libraries and our users. It vindicates the foundational principle of the first sale doctrine...

Mar 18: Children’s and YA library services in the digital age

CHICAGO — Outlining a vision for children’s and young adult library services in the next decade, “Library Services for Children and Young People: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age,” published by...

Mar 18: A comprehensive overview of law firm librarianship

CHICAGO—“Law Firm Librarianship: Issues, Practice, and Directions,” published by Chandos Publishing and available through...

Mar 18: YALSA seeks member editor for research journal

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is seeking a member editor for its open-access, peer-reviewed, electronic research journal, the Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults (JRLYA...

Mar 18: YALSA and Dollar General Literacy Foundation Award Grants to 20 Libraries

Grants to fund summer internships for teens at libraries

CHICAGO  —  Twenty libraries are receiving $1,000 to help fund summer internships for teens, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library...

Mar 18: Smith and Kohler receive ACRL CLS ProQuest Innovation in College Librarianship Award

CHICAGO – Erin T. Smith and Jamie P. Kohler, both of the Westminster College McGill Library, have been named the 2013 recipients of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) College Libraries Section (CLS) ProQuest Innovation in College Librarianship Award for their work on...

Mar 18: Cahoy wins 2013 ACRL/IS Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award

CHICAGO – Ellysa Stern Cahoy, education and behavioral sciences librarian and assistant director at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book at Pennsylvania State University, is the winner of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Instruction Section (IS) Miriam Dudley...

Mar 18: Glennan named ALA JSC representative

CHICAGO — Kathy Glennan, head of metadata creation and enhancement and music cataloger at the University of Maryland, has been named the new ALA representative to the Joint Steering Committee for the Development of ...

Mar 18: Webinar demonstrates how school librarians can extend their classroom beyond the bookstacks

CHICAGO - The archive of the recent webinar, “Join the Common Core Conversation,” is now available online as a part of the American Association of School Librarian’s (AASL) professional development repository, eCOLLAB. ...

Mar 18: Thought leaders discuss the benefits of school librarian mentorship

CHICAGO - The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) presents the newest set of podcasts in its 30 Second Thought Leadership: Insights from Leaders in the School Library Community series. The just-released 30 Second series focuses on the March/April 2013 Knowledge...

Mar 18: Gue receives 2013 ACRL WGSS Significant Achievement Award

CHICAGO – Randy Gue, curator of modern political and historical collections at Emory University, is the winner of the 2013 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Women and Gender Studies Section (WGSS) Award for Significant Achievement in Woman’s Studies Librarianship...

Mar 18: Olson wins 2013 ACRL WGSS Career Achievement Award

CHICAGO – Hope Olson, professor in the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s School of Information Studies, has been selected as the 2013 winner of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Women and Gender Studies Section (WGSS) Career Achievement Award. The award...

Mar 15: Customizable PSAs featuring Caroline Kennedy available

CHICAGO — Free customizable print and digital public service announcements (PSAs) featuring author, editor and library and literacy advocate Caroline Kennedy are available on the National Library Week website, ala.org/...

Mar 15: Michael Cart’s top 200 adult books for young adults

CHICAGO — In “Cart’s Top 200 Adult Books for Young Adults: Two Decades in Review,” published by ALA Editions, Michael Cart, the former YALSA president and  best-...

Mar 14: Proven strategies and programs for serving at-risk teens

CHICAGO — Working with at-risk teens, including those who are homeless, incarcerated or in foster care, is a rewarding but often challenging endeavor, especially with a growing number of at-risk teens in both urban and rural areas of the country. Based on best practices and personal...

Mar 14: The American Library Association honors Elizabeth Martinez with the 2013 Equality Award

CHICAGO— Elizabeth Martinez, library director, Salinas Public Library (Calif.) is the 2013 recipient of the American Library Association Equality Award. The annual award, $1000 and a framed citation of achievement donated by Scarecrow Press, a member of the Rowman & Littlefield...

Mar 14: Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award recipient named

CHICAGO - The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries is the winner of the prestigious Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award.  The award is presented annually to a library organization that exhibits meritorious achievement in creating new means of funding for a public or...

Mar 14: Carla D. Hayden receives the 2013 Joseph W. Lippincott Award

CHICAGO—2013 marks the 75th anniversary of the Joseph W Lippincott Award, which honors distinguished service to the profession of librarianship.  Presented every year since 1938, the award is named for Joseph W. Lippincott a noted publisher, author, naturalist and sportsman...

Mar 14: Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick to talk about dark side of U.S. history at ALA Annual Conference

CHICAGO - Academy Award-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick are sure to provoke important questions and discussion when they talk about their recent joint project, “The Untold History of the United States.” Stone and Kuznick appear as Auditorium Speakers at...

Mar 14: Rep. Lofgren presents American Library Association Madison Award to Aaron Swartz

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, March 15, 2013, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) will posthumously award activist Aaron Swartz the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2013 James Madison Award during the 15th Annual Freedom...

Mar 13: Go digital during storytime with ideas from new PLA webinar

CHICAGO – Storytime isn’t just for books anymore. Learn how to navigate the crowded world of digital media for children’s programming during the hourlong webinar, “Early Literacy Programming in the...

Mar 13: Siobhan A. Reardon to serve as an ALA Endowment Trustee

CHICAGO – Siobhan A. Reardon, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, has been elected to serve as the American Library Association’s (ALA) newest Endowment Trustee.  The ALA Executive Board made this selection during the Midwinter Meeting held in Seattle on...

Mar 12: LIASA celebrates South African Library Week with Educate yourself @ your library

CHICAGO – For the seventh year in a row, the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) will celebrate South African Library Week (March 16-23), using the @ your library brand. This year’s theme will be Educate Yourself @ your library.

The theme Educate...

Mar 12: Free webinar to highlight ways to build meaningful library experiences for those experiencing poverty and homelessness

CHICAGO – The ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) and the ALA Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) will host a webinar expanding on the tips and tools in “Extending our Reach: Reducing Homelessness Through Library Engagement,” the latest outreach toolkit...