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2024 Annual Conference Preview

San Diego’s famously sunny reputation may rest on its Mediterranean climate, but “America’s Finest City” has more to offer than beaches and breezes. As the former stomping ground of Theodor Geisel (also known as Dr. Seuss; see our By the Numbers) and Raymond Chandler—and the place where speculative-fiction stars Kim Stanley Robinson and Cindy Pon […]

Newsmaker: Dulcé Sloan

Dulcé Sloan Photo: Bronson Farr Two decades ago, while Daily Show Senior Correspondent Dulcé Sloan was doing summer shows at a community theater in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, the library was her main hangout spot. In the small town of 9,000 people, it was a place to gather with other young actors—and the only place with internet […]

2024 LibLearnX Wrap-Up

Washington Post columnist Michele Norris (right) speaks with ALA President Emily Drabinski at the opening session of the 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore on January 20. Photo: Rebecca Lomax/American Libraries Freezing temperatures in Baltimore could not stop librarians from exchanging hot ideas at the American Library Association’s (ALA) second in-person LibLearnX conference. Held January 19–22, […]

2024 LibLearnX Preview

LibLearnX heads to the Charm City this year, and what place could B’more enticing? The American Library Association’s (ALA) LibLearnX conference will be held January 19–22, bringing collaborative learning activities, networking opportunities, celebrations, and author talks to the city of Baltimore. Designed for active learning, the conference will offer more than 100 educational programs in returning […]

2023 Annual Conference Preview

Illustration: ©greens87/Adobe Stock It’s been five years since librarianship’s largest event has taken place in Chicago, the hometown of the American Library Association (ALA). So much, both in the profession and the world around us, has changed since then. But so much of the 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition will feel familiar—including top-tier authors, educational […]

2023 LibLearnX Wrap-Up

Joslyn Dixon (left), executive director of Oak Park (Ill.) Public Library, poses with author Caseen Gaines in the LLX Marketplace.Photo: EPNAC For the first time, the American Library Association (ALA) held LibLearnX (January 27–30) in person. The four-day hybrid event drew 1,712 attendees and 757 exhibitors to New Orleans as well as 190 participants to […]

2023 LibLearnX Preview

Photo: Todd Coleman Last year, the American Library Association (ALA) debuted LibLearnX: the Library Learning Experience virtually because of the pandemic. This year, for the first time, the conference will be held in person. LibLearnX—which will take place January 27–30 in New Orleans—is intended for members and nonmembers to engage in collaborative learning activities, networking […]

2022 Year in Review

Uniting against censorship attempts Organized book challenges continued to proliferate. From January through August, 681 attempts to ban or restrict library materials had been made in the US, with 1,651 unique titles targeted. In response to mounting censorship threats, ALA announced in May its Unite Against Book Bans campaign, a coalition with more than 60 […]

2022 Annual Conference Preview

After two years of pandemic-imposed social distancing and virtual meetings, librarians will once again gather in person at the profession’s largest event. The American Library Association’s (ALA) 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition returns to Washington, D.C., June 23–28. In addition to the face-to-face networking opportunities that so many have missed, Annual will offer a full […]

Introducing LibLearnX

For many years, the leadership of the American Library Association (ALA) has been working to reimagine—and ultimately replace—the Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits event traditionally held in January. ALA’s planning, which has involved gathering member input and incrementally tweaking the conference’s format, reflects the shifting dynamics in how associations conduct business and engage members, moving away […]

2021 Annual Conference Preview

This year’s Annual Conference—the third American Library Association (ALA) conference to go virtual during the coronavirus pandemic—brings together an exciting lineup of speakers and educational sessions designed to engage members in a week of collaboration and connection. Tune in to hear from leading authors, thinkers, and activists, and explore programs and panel discussions devoted to […]

ALA Virtual Preview

The American Library Association (ALA) made a historic decision to cancel its 2020 Annual Conference in Chicago, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But in these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever for librarians and library workers to seek and embrace community and keep up with professional development opportunities. ALA Virtual (June […]