Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA)

DC Circuit Court Delivers Mixed Ruling on Net Neutrality

ALA Will Continue Fight for Open Internet

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to issue its 2018 Order eliminating network neutrality protections while also vacating parts of the order and remanding other parts. Importantly, the court vacated the portion of the Order in which the FCC attempted to preempt state or local efforts to protect an open internet. 

United for Libraries invites Trustees to become Library Census Champions

Sign up by Oct. 1 to join launch webinar

Today United for Libraries, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Policy and Advocacy office and the Census Counts campaign launched Library Census Champions, a new network of state, local and tribal library Trustees helping their libraries and communities prepare for the 2020 Census.

ALA launches national campaign against e-book embargo

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – Today the American Library Association (ALA) and Public Library Association (PLA) announced a public campaign in response to recent efforts to limit library access to e-books. In a press conference held at the Nashville Public Library during the 2019 Digital Book World conference, ALA debuted an online petition at eBooksForAll.org for members of the public to urge Macmillan Publishers CEO John Sargent to reverse the proposed embargo on e-books sold to libraries. (See full petition text below.)

ALA announces National Library Legislative Day to be held in May 2020

WASHINGTON – The American Library Association announced today that the 45th annual National Library Legislative Day will be held May 4-5, 2020, at the Georgetown Conference Center in Washington, D.C.

National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) is a two-day educational advocacy event designed to gather hundreds of library workers, supporters, leaders, patrons and community stakeholders in Washington, D.C., to learn from policy experts and to raise awareness among federal legislators about how and why libraries are vital to communities across America.

ALA partners with Democracy Class on voter education for youth

*** Free, new resources available for National Voter Registration Day, September 24***

ALA releases template for state, local library action opposing Macmillan eBook embargo

Today, the American Library Association (ALA) and its public library division, the Public Library Association (PLA), added a new tool to resources available for state library chapters and local library boards to speak out against new planned restrictions for library eBook lending.

ALA urges libraries to partner with National Voter Registration Day

** Sign up by September 12 to receive free promotional resources **  
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Library Association (ALA), a Premier Partner of National Voter Registration Day, encourages libraries to sign up to observe the unofficial holiday on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Libraries that sign up by Thursday, September 12, will receive a toolkit of free promotional materials such as posters and stickers, and opportunities for training.
 

ALA denounces new Macmillan library lending model, urges library customers to voice objections

WASHINGTON, DC - The American Library Association (ALA) denounces the new library ebook lending model announced today by Macmillan Publishers. Under the new model, a library may purchase one copy upon release of a new title in ebook format, after which the publisher will impose an eight-week embargo on additional copies of that title sold to libraries.

ALA uneasy about Simon & Schuster digital lending model changes

WASHINGTON, DC – The American Library Association (ALA) expressed unease about changes announced by Simon & Schuster (S&S) to its ebook and digital audio book lending model for libraries. These changes place a financial burden on public libraries and limit public access to library resources.

Effective Aug. 1, 2019, S&S will replace its perpetual access model for digital audio book lending with two-year access at prices ranging from $39.99 to $79.99.

ALA welcomes Supreme Court decision to hold citizenship question from 2020 Census

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Supreme Court today issued a 5-4 ruling in Department of Commerce v. New York, temporarily blocking the Commerce Department from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. In response, ALA President Wanda Brown made the following statement: