ALA President

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) announced today it will make available $1.25M in emergency relief grants to libraries that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund invites public, school, academic, and tribal libraries across the United States and US Territories to apply for grants of $30,000 to $50,000.

CHICAGO — The American Library Association hosted the 107th and final Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits online Jan. 22-26, 2021. The event attracted more than  7,100 participants.

The second ALA conference to be presented virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Midwinter Virtual connected librarians and library workers and offered inspiring educational sessions, featuring tools and best practices to navigate new paths in this time of uncertainty.

WASHINGTON, DC — On Tuesday, October 27, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) majority approved an order responding to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit's remand in Mozilla v. FCC. The court ordered the FCC to address the impact of its Restoring Internet Freedom Order, particularly the Order’s reclassification of broadband Internet access service on three key issues: 1) public safety; 2) competitive access to pole attachments; and 3) support for the agency’s Lifeline program, which provides broadband subsidies for low-income Americans.

CHICAGO – On Friday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m. HST (4:00 p.m. CDT), along with local library champions, American Library Association (ALA) President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., will bring Holding Space: A national conversation series with libraries, to a close at the Hawai’i State Library. During the virtual celebration, Jefferson will talk with library professionals about the state’s thriving library ecosystem, thank some of Hawai'i's strongest champions, and hear from rising leaders about their vision for libraries.