More than two-thirds of this year’s 15 selections are renovations or adaptive reuse projects. Libraries of all types are finding ways to acknowledge historical and environmental realities, embrace natural elements and cultural identities, evolve traditions, and build in flexibility to account for the unexpected. Read on for snapshots of these communities in motion. Natural immersion … Continue reading 2026 Library Design Showcase
Academic and school libraries More than 30,000 square feet Jen Library, Savannah (Ga.) College of Art and Design Design Firm and Photo: Savannah College of Art and Design Li Lu Law Library, Columbia University in New York City Design Firm: Perkins Eastman Photo: Andrew Rugge 30,000 square feet and less Confluence Library, Church of Christ … Continue reading 2026 ALA/IIDA Interior Design Awards
This is an excerpt from Upskilling for Library Workers: A Guide for Future-Ready Professionals by Ann Medaille (ALA Editions, 2026). While corporations may embrace upskilling to stay competitive, libraries will have to support upskilling to remain relevant. Library leaders are under greater pressure to respond rapidly to changing social and economic conditions and demonstrate that … Continue reading Secrets of Effective Upskilling
The high school’s effort to limit phone use on campus has received support from its educators, who say classroom engagement is on the rise, and mixed reviews from students, who dislike being cut off from their devices. But there’s been one unexpected outcome of the policy: More students are spending time in the library, where they’re … Continue reading Hold the Phone
Her latest title, American Hagwon (Cardinal, September), examines the influence of Korean “cram schools” among families in the Korean diaspora. American Libraries spoke with Lee ahead of her appearance at the American Library Association’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. She discussed her new book, the library that shaped her, and her antidote to … Continue reading Newsmaker: Min Jin Lee
2011 Year that Fayetteville (N.Y.) Free Library opened the first recognized public library makerspace. The library’s Fab Lab offers industrial-sized machines and tools for creative projects. $6,500 Honorarium amount paid to makers participating in Chicago Public Library’s 12-week Makers-in-Residence program. It is one of the country’s longest-running and largest such programs, in which residents host … Continue reading By the Numbers: Makerspaces
Of course, moving a library takes more than a month. Our planning took more than a year and required staff to work under tight deadlines, limited budgets, and high expectations. Here’s how we did it, and what we learned from the process. Choosing a location. It’s essential to consider whether the new location will match, … Continue reading Mall Wonder
Book Bans, Disinformation, and Cultural Erasure: The Censorship Movement in Libraries, Schools, and Society By Paul T. Jaeger Jaeger situates the current book-banning movement within a larger social and political effort to erase marginalized communities and culture. He provides clear definitions and examples of these processes and goals, including the roles played by technological progress … Continue reading Dismantling Disinformation
The Obama Presidential Center (OPC) branch of Chicago Public Library (CPL) is an example of a library that strengthens the social infrastructure that underpins resilience. CPL Commissioner Chris Brown describes the branch as a civic platform for residents, artists, educators, and organizations to cocreate the life of the library and its surrounding public spaces. Though … Continue reading A Sense of Purpose
School librarians work hard to turn their classroom—the library—into the well-loved hub and heart of the school. It’s a tall order, but they are up to the task. Certified school librarians are trained to provide equitable access, personalized learning opportunities, technology access, updated digital and print materials, and creative programming to motivate students and help … Continue reading Thank You, School Librarians
