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March 15, 2025
ALA statement on White House assault on the Institute of Museum and Library Services
An executive order issued by the Trump administration on Friday night, March 14, calls for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries.
February 10, 2025
American Library Association launches public supporter program
The American Library Association launched a new supporter program on February 10, 2025, inviting the public to join the fight to protect libraries and library professionals at a pivotal moment in our country’s history.
January 26, 2025
ALA to U. S. Department of Education: Book bans are real
The American Library Association responds to the Department of Education's dismissal of complaints about censorship and discrimination: the "effort to terminate protections... advances the demonstrably false claim that book bans are not real."
January 22, 2025
New ALA Initiative Asks Advocates to “Show Up for Our Libraries”
Today the American Library Association (ALA) launched Show Up for Our Libraries, a campaign to harness the collective power of library advocates to influence elected leaders and policymakers.
January 13, 2025
American Library Association extends support to libraries affected by Los Angeles wildfires
The American Library Association extends our deepest sympathies to those who have been affected by and to those who have lost everything during the Los Angeles area fires.
December 10, 2024
PLA provides funding to more than 100 public libraries as part of $2.7 million effort to boost digital literacy
The Public Library Association (PLA) has selected more than 139 public libraries across 42 states to host digital literacy workshops, powered by a generous $2.7 million contribution from AT&T.
ALA in the News
Censorship reports show a mixed picture on U.S. book challenges
In observance of Banned Books Week, the American Library Association and PEN America released reports on book censorship across the country.
The College Student’s Research Companion
CHICAGO — Most college students are novice researchers for whom Google is the first resort. But the sort of information usually found this way often lacks substance and is of questionable authority. Academic librarians and instructors can save students...
Using brand behavior to elevate the school library
CHICAGO —Branding isn't just for celebrities and corporations. Published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and ALA Editions, “ Elevating the School Library: Building Positive Perceptions through Brand Behavior” by Susan D. Ballard...
New textbook elucidates the basic concepts of information law
CHICAGO — Serving as both an accessible introduction for LIS students and a go-to reference for current practitioners, “ Foundations of Information Law,” published by ALA Neal-Schuman, is designed to empower readers to understand, rather than be...
A handbook for effectively serving museum visitors
CHICAGO — The “visitor experience” has been a long-neglected aspect of museum practice, receiving less academic attention than areas such as exhibition design or collections care. Despite this, the quality of the visitor experience is the single biggest...
Hilda K. Weisburg’s updated leadership guide for school librarians
CHICAGO — Deemed “essential” by Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), “a great read” by School Library Journal, and “comprehensive” by Reference & User Services Quarterly, the first edition of bestselling author Hilda K. Weisburg’s “ Leading for School...
Successful approaches to decolonizing archives
CHICAGO — Simply put, decolonial archival practices involve thinking about and consciously changing how historical knowledge is produced, communicated, and preserved. And though it is especially critical that scholars and archivists who work with records...
Using the AASL Standards to assess learners
CHICAGO — Published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and ALA Editions, “ Assessing Learners: Using the AASL Standards to Measure Competency and Growth” unpacks a complex and critical area of school library instruction aligned to the...
An updated guide to LGBTQIA+ books for children and teens
CHICAGO — Books for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, asexual, and intersex readers and their allies continue to thrive and evolve in reflection of the variety of families and individual identities today. Deemed "an essential...
ALA Store at 2023 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition
Located near the entrance to the Library Marketplace, the ALA Store will offer a wide range of posters, bookmarks, clothing, gift books and more during the 2023 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition. Store hours are: • Friday, June 23: 12:00pm – 5:30pm •...
Carrie Russell's updated copyright guidance for K–12 librarians and educators
CHICAGO — Previously awarded The ABC-CLIO Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature, Carrie Russell’s new second edition of “ Complete Copyright for K–12 Librarians and Educators,” published by ALA Editions, will encourage readers to stop...
Project management of exhibitions and installations
CHICAGO — Published by Facet Publishing and available through the ALA Store, “ Displaying Organisation: How to Successfully Project Manage Your Exhibition” is a practical, step-by-step guide for new and experienced museum and exhibition professionals, as...
Culturally responsive school libraries
CHICAGO — School librarians have always connected learners’ life experiences, cultures, and communities to materials, projects, and processes. As schools look to make these connections within the classroom and to the curriculum, school librarians are...
AASL’s exploration of the Shared Foundations continues with Engage
CHICAGO — Published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and ALA Editions, “ Engage” is both anchor and sail in the Shared Foundations, providing a culmination of knowledge and a starting point for new thinking that promotes learners’...
A 17-month weekly planner for book lovers from Sourcebooks and ALA
CHICAGO — Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher based in Chicago, and the American Library Association’s (ALA) book publishing imprint, ALA Editions | Neal-Schuman, announce publication of The American Library Association Recommended Reads and 2024...
Cultural humility in library work
CHICAGO — Cultural humility offers a renewing and transformative framework for navigating interpersonal interactions in libraries, whether between patrons and staff or staff members with one another. It foregrounds a practice of critical self-reflection...
