Unlock a world of learning at LibLearnX. Dive into hands-on workshops, connect with peers, and grow your network. You'll be inspired by featured speakers and celebrate with colleagues at the award ceremonies. Register today!
Read the January/February 2025 issue of American Libraries, which includes a preview of ALA’s LibLearnX conference, an interview with Grammy-nominated musician Neko Case, and an article about new charcuterie programming for teens.
In response to results of the 2024 United States election, the American Library Association vowed to continue its defense of the core values of librarianship in the face of political threats.
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.
Sign up to receive critical action alerts and advocacy updates on issues affecting libraries.
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.
How You Can Help
Show up for our libraries by contacting Congress, sharing your library story, or donating to ALA. Your tax-deductible gift will support ALA’s advocacy to protect the freedom to read, strong libraries in every community, and respect for library workers.
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.
ALA compiles data on book challenges from reports filed by library professionals in the field and from news stories published throughout the United States.
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.
Resource Quick Links
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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.
More Resources for Librarians
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.
News and Press Resources
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!
News Around ALA
See all ALA News at the ALA News and Press Center
ALA vows to defend intellectual freedom and access to information against polit…
RUSA Virtual Forum: Meeting Users' Needs (EDIA)
Applications are open for ALA’s ‘Libraries Transforming Communities’ grants
Featured Jobs | ALA JobLIST
Job Opportunities at ALA!
Program Coordinator, Community Engagement, Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS)
Editorial Assistant, Booklist Publications
Executive Director, Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Upcoming eLearning Opportunities
eLearning
This series explores the key aspects of a Library Facility Master Plan, from understanding its necessity and initiation
eLearning
A four-week asynchronous course on Inside Interlibrary Loan
eLearning
Webinar
Discover your pathway within PLA from members of the PLA Membership Advisory Group.
eLearning
Webinar
Discover your pathway within PLA from members of the PLA Membership Advisory Group.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn how to create a culture of empathy and action by developing micro-communities to combat loneliness.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn how to create a culture of empathy and action by developing micro-communities to combat loneliness.
eLearning
This series explores the key aspects of a Library Facility Master Plan, from understanding its necessity and initiation
eLearning
February 2025 Learning Live
eLearning
Forum
Join this e-Forum to discuss your successes, your not-so-successful endeavors, and to learn how to incorporate project
eLearning
A presentation on using book kits in libraries to promote conversations about racial equity and inclusion with children
eLearning
This study aims to investigate the alignment between a university (UW-Madison) library’s resources and the research
eLearning
Forum
Join this e-Forum to discuss your successes, your not-so-successful endeavors, and to learn how to incorporate project
eLearning
Webinar
Learn to create engaging spaces for library patrons of all ages from real-life examples and outcomes.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn to create engaging spaces for library patrons of all ages from real-life examples and outcomes.
eLearning
This webinar takes the US Army's Troop Leading Procedures and adapts them to a library setting, showing how they were
eLearning
This 90 minute webinar will discuss the different paths to employement as a federal or military librarian.
eLearning
Move beyond “autism acceptance” and let your library become a place of autistic joy.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn best practices for cardholder registration that reduces barriers and increase access for all.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn best practices for cardholder registration that reduces barriers and increase access for all.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn how you can be a part of PLA’s renowned conference programming.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn how you can be a part of PLA’s renowned conference programming.
eLearning
Learn how to support your patrons who struggle with reading!
eLearning
March 2025 Learning Live
eLearning
This webinar will draw on both quantitative and qualitative data collected by the presenter from academic library staff
eLearning
Today's libraries are challenged with engaging busy customers who see thousands of ads per day. This webinar will
eLearning
The webinar will explore AI's expanding role in libraries & the LIS field, stressing the urgent need for librarians and
eLearning
This webinar will explore how librarians can use AI-powered writing assistants to improve their professional writing
eLearning
This 60 minute webinar will help make sense of historical newspapers and guide researchers to a better understanding of
eLearning
Transitioning from staff member to management, even as an assistant, can be tough. Come webinar panel of three managers
eLearning
A four week asynchronous course on project management.
eLearning
As linked data becomes more of a reality for the library community, OCLC has worked with libraries around the world to
eLearning
Leading staff in an ever-changing, unpredictable environment can be difficult. In this session, we'll discuss the impact
eLearning
Webinar
Learn about PLA Committees and Advisory Groups and how to increase your chances of being selected.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn about PLA Committees and Advisory Groups and how to increase your chances of being selected.
eLearning
Where can I find child support guidelines? What are the laws in Nevada on gun ownership? How do I copyright my name? Any
eLearning
Reference Interview is a comprehensive six-week asynchronous course focusing on the methods of evaluating reference
eLearning
Webinar
Learn about PLA publication opportunities, including writing for Public Libraries magazine and PLA’s podcast.
eLearning
Webinar
Learn about PLA publication opportunities, including writing for Public Libraries magazine and PLA’s podcast.
eLearning
ecent research in the cultural heritage conservation field has identified arsenic and other toxic heavy metals in
eLearning
As the transgender population increases in size and visibility, a resulting backlash has gripped America--and libraries
eLearning
Connecting Information Literacy Efforts to Student Retention is a four-week asynchronous course discussing the
eLearning
The presentation will focus on the lived experience of a librarian who recently moved into a large middle management
eLearning
The Core Competencies for Cataloging & Metadata Professional Librarians provides an important framework to assess
eLearning
Discovery products providing a single search interface to library collections have become industry standard in large
eLearning
Neurodiversity within the librarian professional is often neglected as a subject of scholarly conversation. With higher
eLearning
Come and learn the best practices that are having an impact on the lives of so many community members across the nation
eLearning
In this four-week asynchronous eCourse, participants will explore how a well-developed marketing plan drives the
eLearning
Explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionize libraries by enhancing accessibility, streamlining operations, and
eLearning
This four-week course by librarian and gerontologist Fatima Perkins helps libraries engage older adults. It covers
Upcoming Events
Celebration
Resources to share with your learners to celebrate Crayola Creativity Week.
Celebration
Resources to celebrate Black History Month with your learners.
Conference
ACRL 2025 features more 500 carefully curated programs designed to meet the needs of the academic and research library
Conference
The AASL National Conference is the only national conference dedicated solely to school librarians and their unique role
Awards, Grants, and Scholarships
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.
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.
Quick Links
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.
ALA Scholarships Links
Shop ALA
Underserved populations frequently do not have access to a library—or they may even be unaware that they have an information need. How can we as a profession effectively reach them?
Visit the Graphics Gift Shop for all-new Vintage ALA items--t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, pencil pouches, stickers, and more!
Designed to support state curricula and teaching standards, this full-color book combines facsimiles of primary sources from the Library of Congress's unparalleled collections with teaching strategies and mroe resources.
Whether it's a hardcover or paperback, an audiobook, or eBook, it's all reading! Display this poster to celebrate and promote reading in a variety of formats.