Public Awareness

Ten librarians chosen for prestigious national public service honor

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) today announced six books shortlisted for the esteemed Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, awarded for the previous year's best fiction and nonfiction books written for adult readers and published in the United States. The two medal winners will be announced at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards event at ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, January 22, 2017.

CHICAGO - Today the Senate approved the nomination of Dr. Carla Hayden to serve as the nation’s 14th Librarian of Congress.  Dr. Hayden, American Library Association (ALA) past president and director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland, is the first female and the first African American to lead the Library of Congress. She also is the first professional librarian to be confirmed in more than 60 years.  

CHICAGO — With its strong, clear and consistent messaging and versatile tools, the American Library Association’s Libraries Transform public awareness and advocacy campaign effectively conveys the transformative nature of today’s libraries and the critical role they play in the digital age.

Since its rollout in 2015, the list of libraries that have adopted the campaign has been steadily building, with more than 2,700 libraries joining the effort.