American Library Association to host Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 22-27 in Chicago

Featured speakers include Judy Blume, Amanda Gorman, Christian Robinson and other high-profile authors and advocates

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) will host its 2023 Annual Conference & Exhibition June 22-27 at McCormick Place in Chicago, where thousands of librarians and library staff, authors, publishers, educators, exhibitors and more will come together for the largest library event in the world. The highly anticipated conference will feature resources, support and expertise to help library professionals enhance and provide access to information, opportunities and essential programs and services for all.

There will be many high-profile speakers throughout the five days of discovery and inspiration, including pioneering children’s and young adult author and advocate Judy Blume, who will headline the opening session. Amanda Gorman, bestselling author, advocate and presidential inaugural poet, and Christian Robinson, an illustrator and author who has been recognized with Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honors, will deliver the closing address. Gorman and Robinson will discuss their upcoming children’s picture book, “Something, Someday.”

The speaking roster also includes many other acclaimed, bestselling authors and illustrators of the hottest fiction and most critical nonfiction of our time, such as middle-grade series author Rick Riordan, young adult author Mark Oshiro, author and poet Nikki Grimes, illustrator Brian Pinkney, and comedian, actress, writer, and disability advocate Maysoon Zayid. In addition, Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel, Frozen’s Elsa!, and her sister, acclaimed writer and teacher Cara Mentzel, will share the inspiration behind their new book, "Proud Mouse.” The ALA President’s Program featured speaker is the award-winning filmmaker and author Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu. She will join ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada in conversation to discuss Native Hawaiian philosophy and traditions, and the contributions Wong-Kalu has made to the Native Hawaiian and LGBTQ+ communities.

“ALA Annual is an unparalleled opportunity for library professionals to access learning opportunities that will aid their personal development, help them navigate complex issues and empower them to better serve their communities,” said Pelayo-Lozada. “We are thrilled to gather this June in Chicago, one of the most beautiful and exciting summer destinations and the perfect place for library professionals to connect and learn with their peers from around the country and across the globe.”

Advance registration for the Annual Conference & Exhibition is currently open at 2023.alaannual.org. Standard registration rates will apply from June 17 through June 27. There are options for full five-day registration or exhibits-only, and group discounts are available for libraries that want to send several staff members. In addition, ALA is offering a Digital Experience—a virtual option that gives participants online access to more than 60 conference presentations. Conference selections are specially curated and include access to main-stage sessions, virtual speakers, education programs, “News You Can Use” sessions, and ALA Governance Meetings. An advance registration discount is available through June 16. Attendees will have access to livestreamed sessions during the conference with on-demand access through August 31, 2023.

The ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition will explore issues impacting libraries and their communities, with a packed five-day agenda that includes more than 200 educational programs that are created and curated by library professionals. The programs cover a diverse range of urgent topics facing libraries, such as digital equity, intellectual freedom, literacy, health and wellness, trauma, small and rural libraries, and prison libraries. News You Can Use sessions will provide updates on new research, innovations and advances that impact libraries.

The bustling Library Marketplace will be a centerpiece of the Annual Conference & Exhibition, with more than 590 innovative exhibits, including demos of the latest products, services and technologies that can transform and support the modern library. The Marketplace will also include more than 300 experts, authors and illustrators on eight live stages, as well as Meet-the-Authors sessions with autograph and selfie opportunities and live podcasts by authors. Complimentary advance copies of books will be available so that library professionals can explore the newest books their patrons and students will soon be asking for. Additional highlights include the Now Showing @ ALA Film Program with films and documentaries shown from Saturday through Monday.

For more information, visit 2023.alaannual.org or ala.org.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.