On March 14, President Trump issued an executive order intended to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services. ALA and AFSCME have filed a federal lawsuit in response.

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Join library professionals from around the world at ALA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, June 26-30. Gain fresh insights, network, discover top resources, and hear from renowned speakers and authors. See the Preliminary Schedule at alaannual.org.

Sharing stories about the impact of your library is one of the best ways to garner support from elected officials. Your government leaders need to know how your community relies on the library, and the funding that supports the library!

About the Campaign

Sign up to receive critical action alerts and advocacy updates on issues affecting libraries.

Sign Up for Advocacy Alerts

ALA has launched a new supporter program on February 10, inviting the public to join the fight to protect libraries and library professionals at this pivotal moment in our country’s history.

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.

Learn More about ALA

AL June issue cover

Read the Latest Issue

Read the June 2025 issue of American Libraries, which features a preview of the upcoming ALA Annual Conference in Philadelphia. Plus, check out our Philly dining guide, an interview with award-winning author Grace Lin, an article about states pushing back against book bans, misinformation escape rooms, and more.

Read the Latest Issue

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

ALA compiles data on book challenges from reports filed by library professionals in the field and from news stories published throughout the United States.

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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!

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

ALSC Summer Reading Lists

The 2025 Summer Reading Lists from ALSC features book titles and digital media options to keep children engaged in reading and exploring throughout the summer. Download the lists free:

Birth-preschool | Grades K-2

Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8

Find more reading lists from ALSC at www.ala.org/alsc/booklists!

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!

Featured Jobs | ALA JobLIST

Upcoming eLearning Opportunities

07
Jul
03
Aug

eLearning

In this four-week asynchronous eCourse, participants will explore how a well-developed marketing plan drives the creation of promotional plans, allowing librarians to better serve their patrons, community, and

07
Jul
15
Aug

eLearning

This 6-week online course is a basic primer for library cataloging concepts and practices. It covers: principles underlying cataloging practice; examples illustrating the principles in practice; tools used in

07
Jul
15
Aug

eLearning

This 6-week online course is a basic primer for library cataloging concepts and practices. It covers: principles underlying cataloging practice; examples illustrating the principles in practice; tools used in

09
Jul

eLearning

Explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionize libraries by enhancing accessibility, streamlining operations, and fostering community connections.

09
Jul

eLearning

Webinar

Learn practical tools for feedback conversations and strategies rooted in self-awareness of power dynamics and identity.

09
Jul

eLearning

Webinar

Learn practical tools for feedback conversations and strategies rooted in self-awareness of power dynamics and identity.

14
Jul

eLearning

Webinar

Be inspired by real-world examples to build your own community of library advocates.

14
Jul

eLearning

Webinar

Be inspired by real-world examples to build your own community of library advocates.

15
Jul

eLearning

Forum

This e-Forum will introduce participants to the theory behind approachability efforts in librarianship practices and give them opportunities to practice applying these concepts to real-world-inspired scenarios.

Upcoming Events

29
Jul
31
Jul

Conference

This interactive three-day virtual event features expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.

01
Sep

Celebration

Library Card Sign-Up Month is a national public awareness campaign started in 1987 to emphasize the importance of a library card to a child’s education.

16
Oct
18
Oct

Conference

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

19
Oct
25
Oct

Celebration

Celebrate Your Friends Group Oct. 19-25, 2025, during the 20th annual National Friends of Libraries Week!

12
Nov
14
Nov

Conference

The Core Forum brings together practitioners & decision makers in the following areas: Access & Equity, Buildings & Operations, Leadership & Management, Metadata & Collections, Preservation & Technology.

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

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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

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.