“[I felt] kind of irresponsible,” said Crenshaw, who is perhaps best known for her work in the critical race theory movement and coining the term intersectionality. “Shouldn’t we all be out there in the streets doing this work?” But Backtalker (Simon & Schuster), a book that represents “the sum total of what it means to … Continue reading Talking Back to Injustice
Knowing that some librarians are thinking about ignoring AI completely, Hanegan had a thought: “What institution is going to help [my mom] and all of her friends navigate this?” “Disengagement from AI guarantees your vulnerability,” he said. “The people that you serve will be harmed without your trusted guidance.” Hanegan was one of four panelists … Continue reading Exercising Agency with AI
At “Leading ALA Into the Next 150 Years,” a June 28 panel held at ALA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago, longtime Association members spoke about their pathways to governance, the importance of mentorship, and what changes they see for the profession decades down the road. Panel moderator Amy Lappin, deputy director of Lebanon … Continue reading Leading from Where You Are
“As a person who was an outsider, in order for me to learn how to behave in certain spaces, I read these old novels,” Lee told attendees at the American Library Association’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago on June 27. “I think it’s the most romantic thing I could say, but my life … Continue reading Prices Paid for Lessons Learned
“Tell me the truth, though—how many people saw my name in the program and thought, ‘I had no idea she was still alive’?” The 89-year-old author—twice a winner of the Newbery Medal, for The Giver and Number the Stars—took the stage to a standing ovation at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2026 Annual Conference and … Continue reading A Storied Career
“I’ve only seen this many librarians in my dreams!” she exclaimed. “The fact that there are 3,000 of you in the room really does feel like I’m dead!” The award-winning host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNOW and creator of the narrative podcast series Burn Order took the stage as Opening General Session speaker … Continue reading Inheritance as Nourishment
His new cookbook, Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America (November, Clarkson Potter), written with Kate Nelson and Kristin Donnelly, takes a region-by-region approach to Native ingredients, history, and cooking. Sherman spoke with American Libraries about this extensive collection, his early influences, and his love for libraries. Sample a recipe … Continue reading Newsmaker: Sean Sherman
With The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page (Philomel Books, April), Davis offers a funny and self-referential take on embracing differences. She talked to American Libraries at the American Library Association’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia about her new book, striving for equitable representation in media, and the roles for which … Continue reading Newsmaker: Geena Davis
“I was very shy and self-conscious as a kid, and I never wanted to try anything,” Davis told the crowd at the Closing Session of the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia on June 30. “My fondest wish was to take up less space.” Her debut picture book (released by … Continue reading Taking Up Space
“I can speak out. I’m not going to lose my job and salary,” said Barbara Stripling, a retired academic librarian and former president of both the American Library Association (ALA) and New York Library Association, who now lives in Philadelphia. “It’s really an ideal role to be a changemaker.” “We have a voice that can’t … Continue reading Avenues to Advocacy
“We can’t imagine a better third space than the library,” Shapiro told attendees of “Infant Programming Reimagined: Connecting Caregivers and Communities through Libraries,” a June 28 session at the American Library Association’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. She and copresenters from NYPL discussed ways to make the library more welcoming and inclusive of … Continue reading Craving Connection
“We’re trying to uphold the tenets of intellectual freedom, we’re trying to have diverse collections, we’re trying to make sure people see themselves in the library,” said Kimberly B. Knight, director of Virginia Beach (Va.) Public Library. “[Staffers] want us to fight, they want us to stand up.… But we also want to speak strategically, … Continue reading A Delicate Dance
