Executive Board

CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) is proud to share that ALA President Emily Drabinski has been named to the Out100 2023 list, joining a distinguished group of LGBTQIA+ individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions, impact and influence over the past year.

CHICAGO — On Monday, the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) sent the following letter to the superintendent and school board members of the Houston Independent School District and the Texas Education Commissioner in response to their decision to eliminate school librarians and convert 28 school libraries to detention centers, predominantly in Houston’s underserved communities.

Dear Superintendent Miles, President Momanaee, and Board Members:

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) condemns—in the strongest terms possible—the violence, threats of violence and other acts of intimidation that are increasingly taking place in America’s libraries, including last week’s bomb threats to Hilton Central District Schools in New York, which put the lives of hundreds of innocent children and staff members in jeopardy.

CHICAGO - The American Library Association supports Iranian colleagues and the people of Iran in their efforts for human rights, including women’s rights and freedom of speech and expression.

ALA has adopted into its policies Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which states, "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers."