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Show Up for Our Libraries

April 9, 2026

ALA and AFSCME Prevail in Fight to Protect Libraries and Museums Nationwide

On April 9, 2026, the American Library Association (ALA) – the largest library association in the world – and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) – the nation’s largest union of cultural workers – reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that protects the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and ensures the agency will continue carrying out its congressionally mandated work.

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ALA in the News

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New wave of bills targeting libraries is ‘a threat to our democracy,’ American Library Association warns

The association, founded in 1876, condemned legislation that would threaten librarians and other educators with criminal prosecution for possessing “obscene” material.
 

 

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2027 Jason Reynolds / Simon & Schuster Travel Grant Application Now Open

The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2027 Jason Reynolds / Simon & Schuster Travel Grant. The grant will provide financial support to five (5) Black/African American youth or teen services...

ALA 2027 Scholarship Application Now Open

If you need financial assistance to help fund your graduate education, scholarship opportunities are now available through the American Library Association (ALA). More than $300,000 in scholarship funding is available to students pursuing master’s degrees...

book cover for Guiding Youth from Eco-Anxiety to Empowerment: Climate Action Programming for School and Public Libraries

Climate action programming for school and public libraries

CHICAGO — Sustainability, one of the Core Values of Librarianship, is spurring libraries to lead the way in guiding their communities towards climate action. However, because people’s lives are affected every day by the increasing frequency and intensity...

A Year of STEM

ALA invites public libraries to apply for 12 months of early childhood STEM program kits and resources

CHICAGO – In collaboration with Cummins Inc., the American Library Association (ALA) invites applications from U.S. public libraries to participate in A Year of STEM, 12 months of curated STEM programming to foster curiosity and STEM-mindedness in early...

AASL Announces Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) Collection Development Grants

CHICAGO - Thirteen collection development grants are available to AASL members to create or expand their collection with content to provide context and content that explores Jewish experience, Jewish achievement, and Jewish identity as an antidote to...

Accepting Applications for the 2027 Lois Ann Gregory-Wood Fellowship

The American Library Association (ALA) invites applications for the 2027 Lois Ann Gregory-Wood (LAGW) Fellows Program. Visit the LAGW Fellows page for more information about the program and application process. Lois Ann Gregory-Wood worked at ALA for 50...

ALA American Library Association

2026 Library Design Showcase recognizes 15 library construction and restoration projects

American Libraries, the flagship magazine of the American Library Association, features 15 new and renovated libraries in its 2026 Library Design Showcase. The showcase appears in the publication’s Fall 2026 issue, available online today.

AASL27 Horizontal

AASL Opens Call For 2027 AASL National Conference Committee Members

CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) seeks enthusiastic and profession-focused school librarians to serve on the 2027 AASL National Conference Committee. The conference, taking place October 14-16, 2027, in Portland, Oregon, is...

ALA American Library Association

ALA announces 2026-2027 Spectrum Scholars

The American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded 2026 Spectrum Scholarships to 60 exceptional students pursuing graduate degrees in library and information studies.

ALSC and YALSA Prepare for September 1 Reunification

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are preparing to officially reunite on September 1, 2026, bringing together members, resources, and expertise...

Cover of the book "National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries," 2nd edition, featuring the AASL logo and three interconnected gears with icons of a lightbulb, group of people, and open book.

AASL Opens Call for Standards Crosswalk and Position Statement Task Forces

CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) seeks a dynamic group of school library practitioners, educators, and researchers to serve on highly impactful short-term task forces. You can apply using this application form. "The National...

AASL Commends Linked2Literacy

CHICAGO – Acting upon a resolution submitted by the Nebraska School Librarians Association (NSLA), the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) formally commends Linked2Literacy for inspiring generations by providing inclusive books and literacy...

Core Webinar: Building Equitable, Actionable Feedback Cultures

CHICAGO — Join Core for the webinar "Building Equitable, Actionable Feedback Cultures" on November 11, 2026, at 10 a.m. CDT. Feedback is one of the most powerful tools a leader has, and one of the most misused. This session invites library leaders at...

ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 24-28, 2027, New Orleans

ALA Opens 2027 Annual Conference & Exhibition Call for Proposals

ALA invites education programs and posters for the ALA 2027 Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 24-28, 2027, in New Orleans. The Annual Conference explores key challenges and opportunities facing libraries, with professional development rooted in timely research, innovation, and best practices. The submission sites are open now through September 21, 2026.

The Pulitzer Prizes, in partnership with the American Library Association, present new traveling exhibition, Pulitzer on the Road: Prize-Winning Works That Inform, Empower & Inspire, to be displayed at 20 public libraries nationwide

The Pulitzer Prizes and American Library Association (ALA) today announced the national tour of Pulitzer on the Road: Prize-Winning Works That Inform, Empower & Inspire, a new traveling exhibition that will visit 20 public libraries nationwide.