American Libraries, the voice of the profession and the flagship magazine of the American Library Association, is published 6 times yearly in print, plus a digital-only July/August issue and occasional digital supplements, by the American Library Association. ISSN 0002-9769. Printed in the USA. Subscription price is included in ALA dues. The magazine is sent to some 50,000 individuals and organizations worldwide. ALA members receive American Libraries as a perquisite of membership.
American Libraries Direct
AL Direct is an electronic newsletter sent on Wednesdays to personal members of ALA. It is a supplement to American Libraries magazine that provides summaries and links to news, announcements, and other information of interest to library and information science professionals. The newsletter is supplemented daily by other news on the American Libraries website’s widget, Latest Library Links.
American Libraries Live
American Libraries Live webcasts cover the full spectrum of library topics and give the ALA community a chance to learn about and discuss issues it deals with daily. Each program lasts 60 minutes.
Call Number with American Libraries Podcast
Call Number with American Libraries is a monthly podcast of conversations with librarians, authors, celebrities, and scholars about topics from the library world.
The Scoop
The Scoop is American Libraries’ blog for breaking news and conference coverage.
Membership
Membership in ALA is open to any individual or organization interested in library service and library and information science and technology. For changes of address or other membership questions, please contact Member Relations and Services at 800-545-2433 or email membership@ala.org.
Institutional Subscriptions & Single Issues
American Libraries is also available to libraries and other institutions by paid subscription: $75 per year, 6 issues in U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Foreign: $85 per year. To subscribe as an institution, complete the ALA subscription order form, or send the amount specified here to (or request invoicing from) American Libraries, Subscriptions, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601. Include full address of recipient at the subscribing institution. Claim missing issues: ALA Member Relations and Services. Allow six weeks.
Single issues are $12.50, discounted 30% for five or more copies of the same issue: contact Carrie Smith, 800-545-2433, ext. 4216 or casmith@ala.org.
Indexing
American Libraries is available full-text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W. Wilson, LexisNexis, Information Access, and JSTOR.
Editorial Policy
As stated in ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 (formerly 10.2):
The American Library Association is the publisher of the magazine, American Libraries. Because American Libraries is the official organ of the ALA, the editor has a particular responsibility to convey to the membership and other readers full and accurate information about the activities, purposes, and goals of the Association. In order to carry out this responsibility, the editor may have access to privileged information. The editor must assume an obligation to represent the best interests of the Association and its units fairly and as fully as possible within the scope of the journal and with due regard to the editor’s prerogatives in producing a balanced and readable publication.
ALA encourages publication in the news columns of American Libraries of news about all matters of import to libraries and librarians. The editor is guaranteed independence in gathering, reporting, and publishing news according to the principles of the Association’s policies on intellectual freedom.
Statements of official ALA positions on any matters shall be clearly identified as such when published in American Libraries. The editor must be free to analyze and interpret such matters as his or her judgment dictates, and such analysis and interpretation should appear over the editor’s signature.
News and views have their place in American Libraries, and every opportunity shall be assured for expression of diverse views when members believe such views run counter to their own, or when news is considered to be inaccurately or not fully reported. Signed interpretive comment shall be encouraged. Columns of American Libraries shall be kept scrupulously and faithfully open to all viewpoints of interest and concern to the library profession.