For immediate release | October 24, 2025

PLA to award 150 Scholarships for 2026 Conference

CHICAGO — The Public Library Association (PLA) will award 150 scholarships for public library workers and students to attend the PLA 2026 Conference, taking place April 1-3 in Minneapolis, Minn. As part of PLA’s commitment to equity, diversity, and social justice in the library profession, the association has increased the number of scholarships offered compared to its previous conference.

The PLA 2026 Conference will offer thoughtfully curated educational sessions, awe-inspiring speakers, bestselling authors, networking opportunities, and an exhibits hall with vendors offering the best library products and solutions. The virtual conference will coincide with the in-person event, offering live-streamed general sessions, author events, mindfulness practices, and opportunities to network with colleagues across the country and around the world.

Past scholarship recipients have expressed how deeply the experience impacted their professional growth. “This journey, made possible through the generous scholarship provided by PLA, has been nothing short of transformative… The session[s] challenged me to confront my own roadblocks in not seeing myself in leadership roles. I feel that my career in librarianship has been forever changed,” says PLA 2024 Conference scholarship recipient Asha Norman.

Scholarships will cover conference registration fees and provide one year of PLA membership. Individuals who receive scholarships to attend the conference in-person will also receive a $750 stipend to help cover travel costs. Scholarships are available for both the in-person conference and the virtual conference. 

Library workers and students who belong to at least one of the following categories are eligible to apply:

Early career (i.e., fewer than five years) or un/under-employed (annual salary less than $45,000)

Students pursuing a master’s degree in library and/or information science (i.e., MLS, MLIS, MIS)

Working in small or rural libraries (i.e., serving communities with fewer than 25,000 people)

Current or past Spectrum Scholars working in public libraries

National Association of Librarians of Color (NALCO) members (i.e., members of AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, JCLC, and REFORMA)

Because PLA membership always includes membership in the American Library Association (ALA), all scholarship recipients also receive free subscriptions to American Libraries and Public Libraries magazines, discounts on ALA and PLA continuing education, access to ALA’s online networking hub ALA Connect, discounts in the ALA Store, and more. The total value of the conference scholarship exceeds a $1,000 investment in an individual’s professional development.

“My favorite lightbulb moments were when I felt energized as I was networking with my colleagues, discussing new technologies and authors with vendors, and walking from presentation to presentation… Thank you, PLA, for providing a safe and energizing space for all of us to learn, challenge ourselves and have fun in the way that only library workers can,” says Azita Frattarelli, also a past scholarship recipient.

Applications are due Nov. 6, 2025, by 11:59 PM Central. Applications are reviewed and scored by PLA volunteers and staff. Successful applicants will demonstrate how they plan to apply the skills and knowledge gained to benefit their careers, their organizations, and their communities.  Complete selection criteria and the scholarship application may be found here.

PLA gratefully recognizes the corporate and individual donors that make it possible to award scholarships to public library workers to attend the PLA Conference. Library supporters are invited to invest in the future leaders of the profession by donating to the Friends of PLA Fund.

About the Public Library Association

The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or pla@ala.org.

Contact:

Larra Clark

PLA Deputy Director

Public Library Association

lclark@ala.org

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