A look back at the speakers and educational programs at ALA's 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

When I was youth services librarian at Campbell County (Wyo.) Public Library, I hired a magician as a summer reading performer. They happened to be transgender. That scheduled performance—and, as we ...

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 ...

2026 National Library Legislative Day participants on the steps of the US Capitol. Fifty years after ALA’s first National Library Legislative Day (NLLD), approximately 200 library advocates from ...

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 ...

Librarians are used to being generalists, able to research all kinds of questions. But when someone seeks help filling out a form or understanding their rights, those same staffers may be wary of ...

On January 26, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, ...

After a May 2024 cyberattack, Seattle Public Library’s Central Library asked patrons to keep their physical books, CDs, and DVDs until their computer systems were running again. Photo: Caroline Walker ...

Welcome to the 2025 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries’ annual celebration of new and renovated libraries throughout North America. Today’s libraries are places where people from diverse ...

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 ...

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, ...