Rebirth and Reaffirmation

While the commemoration of the American Library Association’s (ALA) 150th anniversary kicked off in January, ALA staff and member leaders have been building momentum toward its largest in-person celebration, the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in our hometown of Chicago. I feel honored and privileged to be here in this moment as we celebrate this Magnificent Milestone! (Did you catch my Chicago pun?)

I invite you to join your colleagues at Annual to observe our past, reflect on our present, and envision our future. Attendees will have the opportunity to gather for the “ALA150: A Celebration for Our Libraries” reception on Saturday evening and immerse themselves in a variety of sessions highlighting key library moments under the ALA150 program track.

Throughout the conference and the remainder of our sesquicentennial year, I hope you will see the milestone as an opportunity for a rebirth and a reaffirmation of the work that you do to connect your community to the world. As I continue my journey at ALA, I am constantly inspired by library workers I have encountered, whether at the Public Library Association 2026 Conference in April or reading about the most recent group of I Love My Librarian Award recipients (whom I look forward to meeting at the award ceremony and reception at Annual!).

Since joining ALA last fall, I have been diving into the Association’s history and learning about the people and pivotal moments that shaped ALA and the profession. I hope you take time to read and enjoy the historical timeline in the June issue, the article featuring some of the ALA trailblazers who have paved the way, and the anniversary blog at ala150.org. A special thanks to our staff and members for their contributions and work in telling so many facets of the Association’s story.

Members have been driving ALA’s progress since our founding in Philadelphia in 1876. Whether you’re a student, longtime member, or a dedicated library advocate who values our mission, I hope you’ll consider supporting the Association through the ALA 150th Life Membership, which will show your commitment to the steadfast work being done for libraries now and in the years to come. This once-in-a-century opportunity is your chance to support libraries and help write our next chapter.

For 150 years, the American Library Association has supported and advanced the interests of America’s libraries and the careers of those who work in them. Whether you renew your membership, step into a leadership position, or participate in ALA events and professional development, your engagement will help shape the next 150 years for our libraries.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettys­burg Address called on America to resolve toward “a new birth of freedom.” Thirteen years later, ALA’s founders resolved to create this institution we all love, in part to more fully enable the rebirth that Lincoln called for.

Interestingly, in 1876, Walt Whitman, that great singer-poet of the American spirit, revised and republished his monumental collection, Leaves of Grass. As Whitman heard “America singing,” our ALA was taking shape. Like Whitman and our librarian forebears, let us now, in 2026, “project the history of the future.”

In Chicago this summer, in the year of America’s 250th birthday, I hope you’ll join us as we gather to create a new birth for the Association and its future.