5h
ALA’s Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) officially reunited on September 1, bringing together members, resources, and expertise supporting library services for children and teens under one division. The reunification process has been underway for more than a year, guided by input and collaboration from ALSC and YALSA members, boards, committees, and staff. Work will continue throughout the coming year to shape the identity, governance, programs, and priorities of the reunified division.
Association for Library Service to Children, Aug. 26
7h
Zoë McLaughlin writes: “The goals for our sensory room were to provide a place for library visitors to find stress relief, relax and work through emotions, and use items related to different sensory experiences. To get this project going, we needed a combination of administrative buy-in, funding, and direction. We specifically have left it unlocked and without a reservation system, with the idea being that you won’t be able to predict when you’ll need a moment to regroup and therefore won’t be able to make a reservation ahead of time. We’ve seen a lot of use just walking by and noting whether or not the door is closed. The feedback left by visitors has been nice to receive.”
ACRLog, Aug. 28
9h
Maria McCauley writes: “When it comes to building resilient and equitable communities, libraries are natural leaders. We provide places where neighbors meet, learn, and support one another; where sustainability education becomes action; and where residents can find year-round climate refuge. When communities are resilient, they are better able to overcome barriers. So how do we advance long-term resiliency? The first step is to engage in cross-sector and intergovernmental partnerships, social safety networks, and community-wide sustainability planning.”
American Libraries column, Fall
14h
Sallyann Price writes: “Welcome to American Libraries’ 2026 Library Design Showcase, our annual celebration of new and renovated libraries across the US and Canada. The word welcome appeared in many of this year’s submissions, reflecting a growing understanding that in anxious times, the library is a place that should feel good: safe, comfortable, well-lit, plugged in, and deeply connected to its surroundings. 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.
American Libraries feature, Fall
5d
Peyton Gast writes: “A new 4,000-square-foot pollinator garden opened Thursday at the Phoenix (Ore.) branch of Jackson County Library District, giving the community a green space inspired by residents’ hopes for recovery after the 2020 Almeda Fire. The garden wraps around the library, with greenery near the entrance, colorful flowers in the back and tall trees shading pathways through the space. Library leaders say the project grew out of community listening sessions held after the fire, which destroyed much of Phoenix. Residents expressed a desire to restore some of the plants, wildlife and natural spaces lost in the disaster.”
OPB, Aug. 23
5d
The PBS documentary series Roadtrip Nation will present a two-episode series, “Beyond Books,” that celebrates the surprising, essential, and evolving role of public libraries. In the series, three young adults travel across the country in a green RV visiting libraries in California, New Mexico, Missouri, and Illinois, and meet with library professionals leading innovative rural libraries, specialized archives, and large urban systems. Roadtrip Nation: “Beyond Books” will air on PBS starting September 1, and stream on the PBS app and PBS.org.
KQED-TV (San Francisco), Aug. 21
6d
Anne James writes: “Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Wednesday he will push state lawmakers to strip a full letter grade from any school district’s state accountability rating if it keeps library books he considers inappropriate, an escalation that comes about a year after a separate state law already gave Texas parents new power over what their children can check out. Patrick said nearly 2,200 titles are on what he calls a ‘dirty book list,’ [compiled by Christian advocacy group Recover America] and he claimed many of them are still sitting on public school library shelves across Texas.”
KHOU-TV (Houston), Aug. 20
