Alison Marcotte writes: “The City of Brotherly Love is also a city of firsts: The Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731, is considered the country’s first public library. Philadelphia was the original capital of the United States. And ALA held its inaugural Convention of Librarians there during the Centennial Exposition in 1876. ALA returns to this historic and vibrant city for its 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition, to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center June 26–30. This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. For registration information and a complete list of events, visit alaannual.org.”