Tuesday, July 30 - Thursday, August 1, 2024
This interactive three-day virtual event will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.
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At the American Library Association’s annual conference in San Diego, the ALA Council delivered a strong message opposing censors and those who are trying to remove hundreds of books at a time targeting LGBTQ+ and people of color from library shelves.
Follow ALA President Emily Drabinski on her cross-country tour to highlight the contributions of American libraries to their communities.
What were the standout moments of the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Diego? American Libraries has complete coverage.
Director of Development, American Library Assocation
Director, Office for Accreditation, American Library Assocation
Associate Editor, Books for Youth, Booklist Publications
The ALA Mission
The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
Get Involved
ALA is the largest membership association in the library industry. It's a community of people working together to ensure that libraries remain vital centers of literacy, access, and opportunity.
By giving to ALA, you are helping us improve library and information services and the profession of librarianship to ensure access to information for all.
Fight Censorship: Take Action Against Book Bans
Book Résumés help librarians, parents, and community members defend books from censorship. They detail each title’s significance and educational value and are easy to share with administrators, review committees, and elected officials.
Every year, ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools.
Your front line reports help ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom to stay on top of trends and supply library workers with resources to combat censorship. You can also help get the word out and encourage reporting of book censorship.
Resource Quick Links
Books we recommend
The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction
Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books
You May Also Be Interested In . . .
Programming Resources
The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office empowers libraries to create vibrant hubs of learning and connection in communities of all types.
Learn more about the ALA Public Programs Office
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ALA's Programming Librarian website is a place for library professionals to share, learn, and be inspired to present excellent programming for their communities.
More Resources for Librarians
News and Press Center
For more than 140 years, the American Library Association has been the trusted voice for all libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all.
Contact the ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations team to learn more about ALA positions and actions and get comprehensive insights into key issues facing libraries nationwide.
News and Press Resources
ALA Connect
Discussion boards and shared libraries provide collaboration tools connecting more than 50,000 library professionals with a wide variety of interests and specialization is the place to share ideas and make new connections with library workers across the globe.
Complete your profile and grow your online professional network at ALA Connect!
Latest News
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion News
eLearning
Welcome to ALA eLearning, the leading global content provider of courses, webinars, and customized eLearning content for library and information workers in all types of libraries and related organizations. Designed to meet your evolving learning needs, ALA eLearning brings together content from every office and division of ALA in one place. New events are added all the time; search and browse for fee-based eCourses and webinars as well as free events. Come learn with ALA and its divisions and offices!
Upcoming classes
Law and the Right to Read: What Your Trustees Need to Know
Trustees will learn the basics of intellectual freedom related to their role, and how First Amendment rights are related to policies and access in our public- and public-school libraries.
Canva and Design for Libraries: Page Layout and Social Media Design
Creating a social media post or poster is now easier than ever with Canva, but what if you're not sure where to start?
Human Resources Crash Course for Library Managers
This series will provide current or future managers and directors the foundation they need to excel in their new role.
Awards, Grants, and Scholarships
ALA Awards
The ALA Awards program celebrates excellence in literature and media across a comprehensive and diverse array of categories. From captivating storytelling to groundbreaking research, the ALA Awards program showcases the best in literature and media.
Visit the Book and Media Awards home page
ALA Professional Recognition Awards honor individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the advancement of library science and services, from excellence in leadership to innovative initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion within library spaces.
ALA Grants
ALA Grants invest in the future of libraries and librarianship through the funding of programming, research, and professional development. Grants may be offered to support the planning and implementation of programs, to promote research in library and information sciences, to assist with conference and travel fees, and more.
Quick Links
ALA Scholarships
The American Library Association (ALA) is committed to promoting and advancing the librarian profession. To demonstrate this commitment, the ALA and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for study in a master's degree in library and information studies from an ALA-accredited program, or for a master's degree with a specialty in school librarianship that meets the ALA curriculum guidelines for a CAEP-accredited unit.
The scholarship process is open annually from September 1st - March 1st. Applications and reference forms (which must be submitted on-line) are available during that time period. Instructions and general information remain available year round.
ALA Scholarships Links
Shop ALA
A 12-month book log and undated planner with weekly reads, book trackers, and more. Track your progress, discover new stories, and inspire a year of reading with the ALA's undated reading challenge planner.
Award-winning singer-songwriter, actress, author and philanthropist Dolly Parton has sold more than 100 million records worldwide but counts her Imagination Library initiative as one of her greatest achievements.
Complete with step-by-step instructions, this book will walk you through planning, organizing, and running sustainable living programs at your library.
This plush pullover is perfect for the gym, errands, or kicking around the house. Free people read freely – it really is that simple, and this message is more important than ever. Find shirts, hats, and much more at the ALA Graphics Gift Shop!