ALA Emerging Leaders Program
Many of you are aware that we will no longer gather for a mid-year event. After careful consideration the decision was made to postpone the 2026 program for the Emerging Leaders and develop a new schedule for the next class in consultation with top leadership and coordinators for the program. Please be assured that the Emerging Leader program will still be going strong in the future. Please check back next year!
The American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leaders (EL) program is a leadership development program which enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism as well as other professional library-related organizations.
Selected participants are encouraged to attend the full schedule of activities for professional development opportunities. After the face-to-face meetings, the program grows and develops in an online learning and networking environment for six months. The program culminates with a poster session presentation to display the results of the project planning work of each group at the ALA Annual Conference.
Participants commit to participating in all aspects of the program. Participants may be offered an opportunity to serve on an ALA, division, chapter, or round table committee, task force or workgroup as well as other library-related groups upon completion of program. However, appointments are not guaranteed.
The program is limited to no more than 50 participants each year.
News Archive
Meet the 2025 Class of Emerging Leaders at a Poster Session during ALA Annual Conference
Class of 2025 Emerging Leaders Announced
Accepting Applications for the 2025 Class of Emerging Leaders
Class of 2024 Emerging Leaders Announced
Accepting Applications for the 2024 Class of Emerging Leaders
Selection Criteria
The selection committee seeks diversity based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to geography, gender, ethnicity and type of library. Particular attention is given to candidates' personal statements as well as those of their references. No more than one person from any institution can be selected for participation in the program per year. Preference will be given to those who do not have experience working on ALA committees, task forces, etc. and to those who meet the following criteria:
- Selected participants must be a new library professional of any age with fewer than 5 years of experience working at a professional or paraprofessional/support staff level in a library; If you worked in a library and subsequently earned your MLS, we will not count the time worked prior to receiving your MLS towards the total number of years worked.
- Selected participants must be willing and able to attend both ALA conferences and work virtually in between the two conferences. Attendance at both conferences is a REQUIREMENT.
- Selected participants must not be currently enrolled in, or applying to a program that requires participation during the Emerging Leaders' full-day events scheduled at both the January meeting or the ALA Annual Conference during the year of program participation.
Conference Dates & Locations TBD
- Be prepared to commit to serve on an ALA, Division, Chapter, or Round Table committee, task force or workgroup, or your state or local library organization upon completion of program, and
- Be an ALA member, and if sponsored by an organization, a member of that organization.
Over-sight Committee
The Emerging Leaders Working Group has over-sight of the Emerging Leaders Program.
