Press Releases

Sep 13: ALA’s Civic Imagination Stations Pilot Cohort Announced

CHICAGO — The American Library Association announces twelve artists and library staff teams selected for the pilot cohort for ALA’s Civic Imagination Stations, supported by The Estée Lauder Companies WRITING CHANGE...

Sep 12: Public Library Association (PLA) releases refresh of strategic goals, positioning Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice (EDISJ) at center

CHICAGO — The Public Library Association (PLA) Strategic Plan 2022—2026 is now available on the ...

Sep 12: Carnegie-Whitney Grant awards up to $5,000 for guides to library resources

The American Library Association Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library.

Funded projects have...

Sep 12: ALA, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Invite Public Libraries to Host Traveling Exhibition on Human Evolution

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s (NMNH) Human Origins Program, invites applications from public libraries interested in hosting the traveling exhibition...

Sep 08: Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table to launch Ashley Bryan Video Tribute

CHICAGO - The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table will launch the Ashley Bryan Video Tribute on Sept. 15 from 5-7 p.m. Central Standard Time on Zoom. 

The virtual event will provide deep insight on the life of CSK award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Bryan.

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Sep 07: ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall Receives Literarian Award from National Book Foundation

CHICAGO – American Library Association (ALA) Executive Director Tracie D. Hall will receive the 2022 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American...

Sep 07: Fostering wellness in the library workplace

CHICAGO — As part of their dedication to improving the lives of their patrons, libraries have long offered services, programs, and outreach dedicated to the health and wellness of their communities. There is a growing recognition that library workers themselves are in urgent need of such...

Sep 06: Marjory Blumenthal and Dr. Christopher Harris Appointed ALA Senior Policy Fellows

The American Library Association (ALA) has appointed Marjory Blumenthal and Dr. Christopher Harris as Senior Policy Fellows in ALA’s Office of Public Policy and Advocacy.  

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Sep 06: Scholarship Application Now Open

If you need a bit of financial help to get through your graduate program, scholarship funds are now available. The American Library Association (ALA) has more than $300,000 available to students who are studying in library science or school library media programs at the master's degree level....

Sep 06: Final Day to Submit Emerging Leaders Application Nears

The American Library Association (ALA) is now accepting applications for the 2023 class of Emerging Leaders (EL). Details on the program criteria can be found on the Emerging Leaders web page. ...

Sep 02: The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table gifts Book Donation Grants

CHICAGO - Each year, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards community offers three underfunded libraries, schools and/or non-traditional organizations that provide educational services to children CSK Book Donation Grants. The grant program provides books submitted for...

Sep 02: Fall 2022 Online Learning with RUSA

CHICAGO- The American Library Association- Reference and User Services Division (RUSA), continues to offer an outstanding combination of repeat and new courses/webinars. Check out our list...

Sep 01: ALA Celebrates National Library Card Sign-up Month September 2022

CHICAGO — Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries unite in a...

Aug 30: Connecting with teens in urban communities through media literacy

CHICAGO — Information and digital literacies are essential skills to survive and thrive in today’s media-saturated world. But minoritized and economically disadvantaged youth in urban communities often lack these critical media literacy competencies. Offering a multi-faceted perspective, Jimmeka...

Aug 26: ALA Editions Special Report explores Black and African American students’ experiences in libraries

CHICAGO — Librarianship is still a predominantly white profession. It is essential that current practitioners as well as those about to enter the field take an unflinching look at the profession’s legacy of racial discrimination, including the ways in which race might impact service to users...

Aug 25: Jim Rettig, 2008-2009 ALA President, Has Died

CHICAGO - Jim Rettig, president of the American Library Association (ALA) from 2008 to 2009, died August 17.

A dedicated library leader, Rettig was awarded a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from Marquette University. In 1975, he earned a Master of Library Science from ...

Aug 23: Core Forum Preconference: The New and Official RDA Toolkit: A Practical Approach

CHICAGO—On Thursday, October 13, 2022, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures will host the preconference “The New and Official...

Aug 23: Core Forum Preconference: Building Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Capacity

CHICAGO—Join...

Aug 23: PLA releases first Staff and Diversity Survey report

(CHICAGO) - The Public Library Association (PLA) today published the 2021 Public Library Staff and Diversity Survey report. The national survey updates...

Aug 22: ALA/ARL approve Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework

CHICAGO; WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Joint ALA/ARL Building Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity Framework Task Force’s final draft of the Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework was approved by the boards of directors of the four partner...

Aug 19: American Library Association Congratulates Two Past Presidents on Appointment to National Museum and Library Services Board

Two Past Presidents of the American Library Association (ALA), Julius C. Jefferson Jr., and James G. Neal, were among 11 new appointees to the National Museum and Library Services Board. The five-year appointments were announced this week by President Biden. The board advises...

Aug 18: Roselle Public Library District (IL) awarded 2022 Maureen Hayes Award

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has awarded the 2022 Maureen Hayes Award to the Roselle Public Library District in Roselle, IL. The award, sponsored by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, is designed to provide up to $4,000 to an ALSC member’s library to fund a...

Aug 17: ALA Announces the New Jason Reynolds/Simon & Schuster Travel Grant

During the 2022 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Washington, DC, the ALA Council approved the Jason Reynolds/Simon & Schuster Travel Grant. The grant will cover the expenses of five (5) Black/African American youth or teen services librarians or school...

Aug 17: ALA Editions Special Report explores cultural humility as a component of DEI efforts

CHICAGO — Cultural humility is emerging as a preferred approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within librarianship. At a time when library workers are critically examining their professional practices, cultural humility offers a potentially transformative framework of...

Aug 16: New from ACRL - “Intersections of Open Educational Resources and Information Literacy”

CHICAGO – The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the publication of "Intersections of Open Educational Resources and Information Literacy," book...

Aug 16: Announcing the 2022 Core Forum Keynote Speakers!

CHICAGO—Core is proud to announce our Forum 2022 keynote speakers, C. Thi Nguyen and Jonathan Moody!...

Aug 16: PLA awards $1.1 million to 160 public libraries to conduct digital literacy workshops 

A national initiative funded by PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T


CHICAGO — With over $1 million in contributions from AT&T, the Public Library Association (PLA) has selected 160 public...

Aug 15: AASL’s guide to social and emotional learning for picture book readers

CHICAGO — Published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and ALA Editions, Maureen Schlosser’s book “Social and Emotional Learning for Picture Book Readers” spotlights 24 compelling picture books with ready-to-go lesson plans...

Aug 10: Core Classroom: Designed with You in Mind: Welcoming Patrons and Staff with Disabilities in Your Library Spaces

CHICAGO—Join Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures this September for the Core Classroom "Designed with You in Mind: Welcoming Patrons and Staff with...

Aug 09: Mariam Jalalifard Selected as 2022 Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship Recipient

The American Library Association (ALA) has selected Mariam Jalalifard of Folsom, California as the 2022 Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship recipient.

The $3,000 award is given to an ALA or library support staff member to help finance the pursuit of a master’s degree in library and...