Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association praised the Prison Libraries Act, introduced today by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-5th), along with co-leads Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18th) and Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11th), and 25 cosponsors. The bill would establish a grant program within the Department of Justice to provide library services to incarcerated individuals to advance reintegration efforts, reduce recidivism and increase educational opportunities.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Policy & Advocacy (PPA) Office, in partnership with ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, announce a new initiative for proactive advocacy to combat book banning and censorship in America’s libraries.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) has tapped Sara R. Benson and Kent Oliver as senior policy fellows for the Public Policy and Advocacy office to strengthen the association’s involvement in policy discussions related to First Amendment freedoms and intellectual property.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) welcomed substantial increases in federal funding for libraries passed by Congress today as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming hours.