A graphic of Chicago with text reading "2023 Annual Conference Preview."

2023 Annual Conference Preview

June 1, 2023

The conference, which will be held June 22–27 at McCormick Place, promises to showcase conversations and innovations that will help to shape the future of libraries for years to come. This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. For registration information and a complete list of events, visit alaannual.org. Featured speakers Check the … Continue reading 2023 Annual Conference Preview


A photo of deep dish pizza from Pizano's Pizza and Pasta, broth being poured over foie gras at Moody Tongue, and pig face topped with an egg at Girl & the Goat

Second to None

June 1, 2023

Below you’ll find some favorite spots within a walk, train ride, cab, or water taxi from McCormick Place and downtown hotels. Many were also featured in my guidebook, Frommer’s Chicago Day by Day (2019). Others have opened more recently, during the pandemic. Let the eating begin! South Loop, Hyde Park, and Near South Side Medici … Continue reading Second to None


A collage of Chicago recommendations: A swan boad, the IO Theater logo, a dome in the Chicago Cultural Center, Wrigley Field, The Light of Truth: Ida B. Wells National Monument, and a Pullman Porter hat

Welcome to the Windy City

June 1, 2023

Walk or bike from the convention center If you’re looking for a quick way to get some fresh air, the Burnham Wildlife Corridor starts at McCormick Place and runs south to 47th Street. Throughout this stretch of revitalized prairie are five Gathering Spaces designed and installed by local artists and community groups. The nearest, just … Continue reading Welcome to the Windy City



Headshot of Ken Jennings

Newsmaker: Ken Jennings

June 1, 2023

Jennings explores the afterlife in his latest book, 100 Places to See After You Die (Scribner, June). The satirical travel guide offers tips for visiting the Great Unknown, as it’s been described in popular culture and lore throughout history. American Libraries spoke with Jennings about his afterlife research, game show hosting duties, and what impact … Continue reading Newsmaker: Ken Jennings


Bookend: At the Heart of Medical History

June 1, 2023

“It’s not a traditional library,” says Michelle Rinard, referring to the museum’s Thorek Manuscripts and Rare Books Collection. As curator and manager of exhibitions and development, Rinard stewards the library—home to more than 1,000 volumes of medical books, journals, illustrations, letters, and manuscripts dating from the 16th century to the present. Among the collection’s rare … Continue reading Bookend: At the Heart of Medical History


Painted rocks memorializing the children and teachers who died at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.

Hope and Healing in Uvalde

May 22, 2023

“Sometimes those emotions are so powerful, and we’re using the metaphor of a volcano because sometimes they erupt at any time, at any moment,” Ramirez explains. “We can’t help what comes out sometimes. We are here to help families maneuver through those very powerful emotions and those difficult days.” Counselors from CBCST, a nonprofit that … Continue reading Hope and Healing in Uvalde


An image of 24 icons representing different technology devices and processes for the 2023 Library Systems Report

2023 Library Systems Report

May 1, 2023

Interest in open systems has been growing within the library world for at least 15 years, and recent procurements reflect important breakthroughs. The selection of the open source library services platform (LSP) FOLIO by Library of Congress (LC), the MOBIUS consortium, the National Library of Australia, and others has solidified FOLIO’s position as a major … Continue reading 2023 Library Systems Report


Photo of Ava Kirtley, who raised money to purchase books from frequently banned lists and gave them away to teens in Walla Walla, Washington.

Meeting The Challenge

May 1, 2023

In summer 2021, several parents and community members challenged a handful of books at the school, including the memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. In response, Kirtley and about 40 of her peers met that fall at a student-run social justice club to discuss how to respond. They made plans to attend the next school … Continue reading Meeting The Challenge


The Library's Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information, Barbara A. Alvarez

Let’s Talk about It

May 1, 2023

Fears and biases Let’s first discuss library anxiety. I see this firsthand in my own work as a reference services instructor. One of the assignments I task students with is to ask a reference librarian a real reference question and reflect on their experience. Many students report back that they were worried their questions were … Continue reading Let’s Talk about It


Angie Thomas

Newsmaker: Angie Thomas

May 1, 2023

Thomas continues to champion Black narratives through new and numerous projects, including a TV show currently in production with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground media company. The show will be based on Blackout (Quill Tree Books, 2021), an anthology she cowrote with Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. … Continue reading Newsmaker: Angie Thomas


Head curator Jenny Robb poses with collection items from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum

Bookend: A Library of Laughs

May 1, 2023

“When I was growing up, we didn’t have graphic novels for a children’s audience,” says Robb, head curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum (BICLM) at Ohio State University in Columbus. “But now we have all kinds of stories,” she says. “Autobiographical, fantasy, adventure, you name it. It’s incredible to see this explosion … Continue reading Bookend: A Library of Laughs