Core Forum is the annual conference for ALA’s newest division, Core: Leadership, Infrastructures, Futures. It features pre-conference workshops, tours, thought-provoking presentations, keynote speakers, poster presentations, and social events.

Learn more

The American Library Association has released preliminary data documenting attempts to censor books and materials in public, school, and academic libraries during the first eight months of 2024.

Get yourself and your community ready to participate in the 2024 elections with our #ReaderVoterReady toolkits, registration tools, shareables, and more!

Starting on September 1, 2024, ALA will implement a new simplified structure for personal memberships. Learn more about the changes.

Membership and Marketing Specialist, ALSC/YALSA

Editorial Assistant, Booklist Publications

Executive Director, Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)

ALA's key mission areas: Diversity, Equity of Access, Education and Continuous Learning, Intellectual Freedom, and Literacy

The ALA Mission

The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

Get Involved

ALA is the largest membership association in the library industry. It's a community of people working together to ensure that libraries remain vital centers of literacy, access, and opportunity.

By giving to ALA, you are helping us improve library and information services and the profession of librarianship to ensure access to information for all.

Fight Censorship: Take Action Against Book Bans

Book Résumés help librarians, parents, and community members defend books from censorship. They detail each title’s significance and educational value and are easy to share with administrators, review committees, and elected officials.

Bookmark this link!

Every year, ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools.

See the list.

Your front line reports help ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom to stay on top of trends and supply library workers with resources to combat censorship. You can also help get the word out and encourage reporting of book censorship.

Report a challenge.

Resource Quick Links

5 students and teacher showing off their collages as part of the Great Stories Club

Programming Resources

The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office empowers libraries to create vibrant hubs of learning and connection in communities of all types.

Learn more about the ALA Public Programs Office

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ALA's Programming Librarian website is a place for library professionals to share, learn, and be inspired to present excellent programming for their communities.

Browse the Programming Librarian website

illustration for News, Press, and Media

News and Press Center

For more than 140 years, the American Library Association has been the trusted voice for all libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all.

Contact the ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations team to learn more about ALA positions and actions and get comprehensive insights into key issues facing libraries nationwide.

Visit the News and Press Center

ALA Connect logo featuring speech bubbles and the tagline "Engage. Learn. Grow."

ALA Connect

Discussion boards and shared libraries provide collaboration tools connecting more than 50,000 library professionals with a wide variety of interests and specialization is the place to share ideas and make new connections with library workers across the globe.

Complete your profile and grow your online professional network at ALA Connect!

Upcoming eLearning Opportunities

14
Oct
25
Nov
eLearning

Reference Interview is a comprehensive six-week asynchronous course focusing on the methods of evaluating reference

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

21
Oct
11
Nov
eLearning

BizRef 101 is for any librarian in-training who wants to gain confidence and knowledge around BizRef topics such as

22
Oct
eLearning
Forum

Explore how AI is revolutionizing metadata management in libraries, from automated tagging to quality control. Share

22
Oct
eLearning
Forum

Explore how AI is revolutionizing metadata management in libraries, from automated tagging to quality control. Share

23
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Learn how a Library of Things can improve programs and services in both large and smaller/rural libraries.

23
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Learn how a Library of Things can improve programs and services in both large and smaller/rural libraries.

23
Oct
eLearning

In-reach, a play on “library outreach,” helps to develop fresh and different perspectives – and boost morale. In this

30
Oct
eLearning

This webinar provides guidance and scenarios on integrating ethical instruction when helping youth do research and other

12
Nov
eLearning

November 2024 Learning Live: Learn tips and best practices for both small and large Friends groups.

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

20
Nov
eLearning

Have you ever thought about working in resource sharing, but weren't sure how to get started? Have you ended up in

20
Nov
eLearning

This webinar seeks to foster a basic understanding of Copyright, emphasizing content creators. It will provide an

03
Dec
eLearning

This webinar will explore the technical and political processes of overhauling and streamlining LibGuides and an A-Z

10
Dec
eLearning

December 2024 Learning Live: Hone your storytelling skills.

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

15
Oct
eLearning
Webinar

Capture new ideas, affirm old ones, and connect with fellow members in this series of fast-paced exchanges.

21
Jan
eLearning

This webinar shows how to draw from new approaches and technologies to harness experimentation as a tool for testing

Upcoming Events

14
Oct
ALA Events

The deadline to submit volunteer applications has been extended to October 14, 2024 to be considered for 2025-2027

16
Oct

The second meeting of Edi and Neal's Book Club for professional development explores themes in Dr. Lesley S.J. Farmer's

18
Oct
Conference

Deadline for community chat, lightning talk, poster session, roundtable discussion, and virtual presentation proposals.

20
Oct
26
Oct
Celebration

Celebrate Your Friends Group Oct. 20-26, 2024, during the 19th annual National Friends of Libraries Week!

21
Oct
25
Oct
Celebration

Resources to help school librarians celebrate U.S. Media Literacy Week in school libraries.

14
Nov
16
Nov
Conference

The Core Forum will take place November 14-16, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Registration is now open!

16
Oct
18
Oct
Conference

The AASL National Conference is the only national conference dedicated solely to school librarians and their unique role

Awards, Grants, and Scholarships

Winners display their books at the 2023 Youth Media Awards

ALA Awards

From captivating storytelling to groundbreaking research, the ALA Awards program showcases the best in literature and media.

Visit the Book and Media Awards home page

ALA Professional Recognition Awards honor individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the advancement of library science and services.

Visit the Professional Recognition Awards home page

A photo of a woman working in a library

ALA Grants

ALA Grants invest in the future of libraries and librarianship through the funding of programming, research, and professional development. Grants may be offered to support the planning and implementation of programs, to promote research in library and information sciences, to assist with conference and travel fees, and more.

Visit the ALA Grants home page

ALA Scholarship Program logo with university building

ALA Scholarships

The American Library Association and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for study in a master's degree in library and information studies from an ALA-accredited program, or for a master's degree with a specialty in school librarianship that meets the ALA curriculum guidelines for a CAEP-accredited unit.

The scholarship process is open annually from September 1st - March 1st.

Go to ALA Scholarships Home

Invite readers to embark on a literary adventure with everyone's favorite Beagle Scout, Snoopy, in this playful poster. Camp Snoopy is a perfect theme for summer reading—and beyond.

Packed with inspiration for showstopping library programs for all audiences, this sourcebook will help librarians engage patrons while saving their budget lines.

Elevate your advocacy with our eye-catching PLA 2024 Special Edition Tote Bags! Share your support for intellectual freedom with this striking design.

Bibliotherapy can be defined as the use of guided reading for therapeutic ends. And though you might not be a licensed mental health professional, you can support mental health and personal growth by connecting patrons to books that heal.