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Photo: John Sterling Ruth/Visit Philadelphia The City of Brotherly Love is also a city of firsts: The Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731, is considered the country’s first public library. Philadelphia was the original capital of the United States. And the American Library Association (ALA) held its inaugural Convention of Librarians […]
Steak with onions at Pat’s King of Steaks Photo: Pat’s King of Steaks No one was more surprised than Philadelphians when our restaurants and chefs started raking in James Beard Awards over the past half a dozen years. We knew we had good food, but we figured the rest of the country had long since […]
Martha Hickson, a recently retired media specialist who fought censorship at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, New Jersey, shakes hands with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (seated) after he signed into law last winter a measure to limit book bans and protect librarians from liability in the state. Photo: Dana DiFilippo/New Jersey Monitor Last December, librarian Martha […]
Edible Alphabet at Free Library of Philadelphia’s Culinary Literacy Center. Photos: Kriston Jae Bethel It’s Thursday morning, and the fourth floor of Parkway Central Library is alive with bubbling jollof rice, crisping empanadas, and stir-frying japchae. Welcome to Edible Alphabet, the flagship series of Free Library of Philadelphia’s (FLP) Culinary Literacy Center. Since 2015, the […]
Illustration: ©Timurock/Adobe Stock The library technology industry showed its maturity in 2024. Businesses have become increasingly stable and robust products delivered rich functionality. But decades of consolidation have created a narrower slate of competitors, resulting in a smaller number of products available for each type and size of library. The marketplace is seeing more specialized […]
The 2025 recipients of the I Love My Librarian Award (ILMLA) are 10 standout librarians. They include a bookmobile librarian serving a community in crisis, a school librarian bridging gaps for low-income students, a youth detention facility librarian creating a more inviting and inclusive space, and other notable community figures. On January 24, the American […]
Photo: John Black Photography In July 1925, the US was transfixed by State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, also known as the Scopes Monkey Trial. Held in Dayton, Tennessee, the proceedings examined whether high school teacher John T. Scopes violated the law by teaching evolution in a state-funded school. Then, as now, the trial […]
This week marks 100 days since President Trump’s January 20 inauguration. It has also been approximately 45 days since Trump signed the March 14 executive order that called for stripping the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) down to its “non-statutory and component functions.” In response, the American Library Association (ALA), along with the […]
Since President Trump retook office on January 20, libraries and librarianship have been assaulted via executive orders and other actions. While the legality of many of these actions is still being decided by the courts, librarians, archivists, and other information professionals have been working through the confusion to preserve access to information. Below are several examples […]
Illustration: David Alvarado When it comes to sustainability, “little things add up.” That’s what science librarian René Tanner—one of the dozens of librarians and experts whose actions American Libraries highlights in our Sustainability Issue—tells us. At a time when climate change seems impervious to the realities of workplace budgets and staff bandwidth, Tanner’s words ring […]
In 1979, Berkeley (Calif.) Public Library became one of the first libraries to start a tool lending program. Today, library patrons can choose from dozens of household options, from lawn mowers to miter saws, cold-press juicers to knife sharpeners. Public libraries continue to adopt this model, with Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library launching its first tool […]
Photo: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection With the acceleration of human-driven climate change, libraries are playing an increased role in helping their communities navigate environmental calamities. The downtown public library in Asheville, North Carolina, for instance, was a beacon of connectivity after flooding from Hurricane Helene disrupted the area’s Wi-Fi service in September […]
1989ALA creates the Task Force on the Environment, timed with Earth Day’s 20th anniversary in 1990. The task force is now part of the Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT). 1990ALA introduces Environmental Issues to its Policy Manual, urging librarians and library governing boards to “collect and provide information [to patrons] on the condition of our Earth, its […]
At nearly every talk I’ve given on climate change and libraries over roughly a decade, someone in the audience asks how I remain hopeful in the face of climate scientists’ predictions. I am not, I clarify, hopeful that we will turn the tide on the impacts of climate change—at least not in my lifetime. But […]
Greening your library with limited resources and lukewarm buy-in might seem overwhelming. But sustainability is also about committing to small changes. Here’s a list of low-lift ideas that libraries of any type or size can start incorporating. Organize a swap. Sul Ross State University Library in Alpine, Texas, hosted a clothing exchange for students, while […]
Optimism is a discipline—a practice rooted in critical hope that empowers us to confront challenges and find or forge paths forward. Libraries exemplify this commitment to progress, and the American Library Association (ALA) is uniquely positioned to amplify our impact by supporting the expertise and creativity of library workers. I seek the office of president […]
The current climate of censorship threatens to unravel the very fabric of librarianship. Librarians are under attack, facing threats to their safety and professional integrity, while at the same time library services are being stripped of their inclusivity. Misinformation has damaged librarians’ reputation, labeling us anti-American and labeling libraries as spaces that attempt to indoctrinate […]
Our libraries are the hearts, hubs, and learning places of our communities. They are the places where ideas are hatched, knowledge is created, and dreams are realized. Through literature, storytimes, and special collections, libraries offer patrons opportunities to increase their understanding and open portals to other worlds and new knowledge landscapes. We are living in […]
It is both an exciting and challenging time for the American Library Association (ALA). The Association is preparing to celebrate its sesquicentennial and seeks to ensure ALA is well-positioned to sustainably serve current and future generations of librarians and library workers. The talent and hard work of our member leaders and the ALA staff of […]
Photo: Dennis Scully/Visit Phoenix Welcome to the Valley of the Sun, the Big Saguaro, the Silicon Desert. Phoenix is known for its picturesque landscapes, hearty succulents, and scorching heat, but come January 24–27 the city will usher in a different kind of vibrancy and warmth: the community, creativity, and connections of the American Library Association’s […]
