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Library Marketplace at the American Library Association’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago on June 26.Photo: EPNAC Chicago, headquarters of the American Library Association (ALA), was an apt host for the Association’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition, marking both ALA’s 150th anniversary and the nation’s 250th birthday. A total of 14,800 people gathered at […]
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the federal E-Rate program, which provides broadband funding for public libraries and schools. On June 25, however, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will decide whether to limit or sunset E-Rate, which could adversely affect libraries, schools, and other community groups that rely on it most. On June 11, […]
Photo: Ionel/Adobe Stock The American Library Association (ALA) was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 amid the patriotic spectacle of our nation’s centennial celebrations. But it’s Chicago, the Association’s home for more than a century, that will welcome the library community for a milestone 150th anniversary celebration at the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition, to be […]
Brunch items at Bronzeville Winery Photo: Bronzeville Winery Welcome back to Chicago! It’s the perfect place to host the American Library Association’s (ALA) 150th anniversary, and we’ve compiled a master list of restaurants and cafés where you can celebrate while attending the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition. From healthy breakfasts to decadent splurges and feasts, […]
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming ubiquitous. Its integration is not just limited to our personal technology but now also includes library resources (see examples in “2026 Library Systems Briefing”). Meanwhile, vendors are constantly introducing new tools or integrations into existing products, and we must measure emerging AI platforms against our library’s tried-and-true resources […]
Illustration: IKON Images/Adobe Stock The library technology industry is at a critical juncture, driven by uncertainties in funding and disruptions in technology, particularly around artificial intelligence (AI). Business transitions have included changes in executive leadership, acquisitions, and new ownership. Despite these shakeups, most vendors advanced along their development road maps, with some launching new or […]
As the American Library Association (ALA) celebrates 150 years, we’re drawing inspiration from key events since its 1876 founding: from the first conventions and library schools, through wartime and the fight for civil rights, to seismic technological advancements and the existential threats of the current moment. Though not a comprehensive timeline of library history, the […]
From wartime appeals to celebrity-studded reading campaigns, library posters have long captured the evolving role of libraries in American life. This feature traces the American Library Association’s (ALA) history through some of its most iconic visuals—the patriotic mobilization of ALA’s Library War Service, the pop-culture energy of its READ posters, the spirited encouragement of the […]
For 150 years, the American Library Association (ALA) has shaped the landscape of libraries and the profession itself—but its leadership has often reflected the racial and gender biases of society at large. For this special anniversary issue, American Libraries spoke with eight barrier-busting Association leaders about their struggles, triumphs, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. The stories and […]
Colleen Barbus, librarian and archivist for the ALA Library in Chicago. Photo: Lauren Ehle Like many American Library Association (ALA) staffers, librarian and archivist Colleen Barbus remembers the Association’s previous headquarters—especially the tendency of new employees to eventually “stumble across the ALA Library and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know this was here,’” she says. […]
A flier promoting ALA Workers United. Approximately 100 ALA employees began voting on April 24 to form a new union at the 150-year-old association. About 100 employees at the American Library Association (ALA) began voting on April 24 to form ALA Workers United (ALAWU), a new union at the 150-year-old association. If a majority of […]
An ICE protest march that took place outside of Minneapolis Central Library on January 23. The library worked with its union members to have enough staff available to keep the library open as a warming center (in below-zero temperatures) and community space while allowing staff who wanted to participate in the protest to attend. Photo: […]
Mychal Threets Photo: Random House Children’s Books Generations of fans of the long-running PBS staple Reading Rainbow most likely tuned in on the family TV. Now a growing generation of young readers can stream the reboot on YouTube, hosted by children’s librarian Mychal Threets, who started his career in the San Francisco Bay Area and […]
Illustration: Visual Generation Bad-news fatigue is real for library advocates who feel like every year is more hostile than the one before it. Since about 2021, coordinated groups of parents and elected officials, with support from well-funded networks, have increasingly pushed to outsource librarians’ curatorial authority through parental consent policies and external review boards, all […]
Photos: Daniel Thornberg (Capitol), Maksym Yemelyanov (library) You don’t need to stream C-SPAN or binge West Wing reruns to know that the annual US federal budget process isn’t always linear or logical. Progress is incremental, margins are razor-thin, and, as the library community has felt acutely over the last year, victories are rarely final. To […]
Illustration: Visual Generation Getting started with web accessibility improvements can feel overwhelming. The ultimate goal should be a website that maximizes accessibility and considers inclusive access in all decisions. But even incremental improvements have real benefits. A good approach is to look at the most high-impact changes you can make early in the process to […]
I am honored to stand for election as president-elect of ALA. My career has been shaped by a profound belief in the power of libraries to advance equity, expand opportunity, and strengthen our democracy. For more than two decades, I have served in leadership roles across ALA, state associations, and professional divisions, and throughout that […]
Libraries changed my life. As a Hispanic, first-generation high school and college graduate, born and raised in South Texas, every book I read and every library activity I participated in helped shape my understanding of the world. My state and national library associations furthered my library leadership journey by expanding my professional networks and growth […]
The Institute of Museum and Library Services’ empty booth at the 2025 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. Terra Dankowski/American Libraries In the first year of Donald Trump’s second presidency, libraries have been buffeted by a string of policies and executive orders. Some changes have been sweeping, while others were smaller in scope but […]
Freedom to read faces federal scrutiny Following the Trump administration’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the US Naval Academy removed nearly 400 books deemed DEI-related from its Nimitz Library (later returning most of them to circulation). Meanwhile, in April, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case brought by […]
