International Relations Office (IRO)

Jim Neal receives 2023 John Ames/Humphry/OCLC/ Forest Press Award

CHICAGO — James (Jim) Neal is this year’s recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Committee’s John Ames/Humphry/OCLC/ Forest Press Award.

OCLC/Forest Press donated the cash award of $1,000, which is given to an individual for significant contribution to international librarianship.

ALA supports human rights and freedom of expression in Iran

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."

ALA Condemns Destruction of Libraries, Schools, and Cultural Institutions in Ukraine

CHICAGO -- On June 25, 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) Council passed a resolution condemning the enormous damage and destruction of Ukrainian cultural resources resulting from the continued occupation of Ukraine by the Russian Federation government.

ALA announces Ukraine Library Relief Fund

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with the Ukrainian Library Association (ULA), has announced the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund to gather donations for the Ukrainian library community as they face the challenges of war.

ALA announces $1.55M second round of emergency fund for libraries impacted by COVID-19

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) announced today it will make available  $1.55M in emergency relief grants to more than 75 libraries that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund invites public, school, academic, tribal, and correctional libraries across the United States and US Territories to apply for grants of $20,000.

ALA stands with Ukrainian library community

CHICAGO — The American Library Association and its divisions support our Ukrainian colleagues and will work with the global library community to answer the appeal from the Ukrainian Library Association to provide accurate information as a means to support democracy and freedom of expression.

ALA donates $15,000 to assist libraries in Louisiana and New Jersey damaged by Hurricane Ida

CHICAGO — Libraries and communities in Louisiana and the along the East Coast are still struggling to recover from damage from category 4 Hurricane Ida which ravaged a huge part of the country in August.

Thanks to support from members and other library supporters, the ALA Disaster Relief Fund is sending $5,000 each to the Lafourche Parish Library (Louisiana), the St. Charles Parish Library (Louisiana) and the Caldwell Public Library (New Jersey) restore and upgrade resources and services.

ALA donates $12,000 to re-establish and restore public libraries in Haiti

CHICAGO — ALA and its members, through the ALA Disaster Relief Fund, have provided $12,000 to the Bibliothèque Nationale d’Haïti to re-establish two of its public libraries whose locations that were damaged and made uninhabitable due to the large earthquake that struck Haiti in August.

2021 IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant call for proposals

CHICAGO — The International Relations Round Table (IRRT) announces the call for proposals for its Mission Enhancement Grant. In 2016, IRRT members and supporters established the IRRT Endowment. Interest from the Endowment will be used to fund member-initiated proposals for international projects that contribute to ALA’s role in international librarianship.

Nicaragua 3D printing project wins 2021 International Relations Round Table (IRRT) Awards Mission Enhancement Grant

CHICAGO — The “3D Printing Technology Training in the San Juan del Sur Nicaragua Public Library” project is this year’s recipient of the American Library Association’s International Relations Round Table (IRRT) Mission Enhancement Grant.