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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. -
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.” -
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.” -
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. -
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.” -
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. -
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.” -
Jessi Gold writes: “Before you turn August into a personal performance-improvement plan, here are a few ways to approach the year with less pressure and a better chance of making changes that actually fit your life. Of course, these ideas will not fix the system or the structural pressures that make your work exhausting. But they may keep you from adding a personal overhaul to an already overwhelming list of additional duties as assigned.” -
The Pulitzer Prizes and ALA announced August 19 the national tour of Pulitzer on the Road: Prize-Winning Works That Inform, Empower, and Inspire, a new traveling exhibition that will visit 20 public libraries nationwide. The exhibit will debut in mid-October in Chicago and Dallas. Through vividly designed panels, immersive interactive stations, and compelling storytelling, Pulitzer on the Road highlights the history and significance of the Pulitzer Prizes; connects new audiences with prize winners and their work; and promotes the role of journalism, books, drama, and music in a democratic society. -
ALA invites education programs and posters for the 2027 Annual Conference & Exhibition, to be held June 24–28, 2027, in New Orleans. The Annual Conference explores key challenges and opportunities facing libraries, with professional development rooted in timely research, innovation, and best practices. The submission sites are open now through September 21, and include both proposal submission guides and evaluation rubrics for 60-minute education sessions and poster sessions. -
Senka Stankovic writes: “I’ve noticed that digital tools are fundamental to how we ideate and deliver educational workshops. Born-digital, recently a student, and new to the workforce, I’ve come to believe that many digital tools that are meant to improve learning instead strip away the friction that the acquisition of knowledge requires. In this post, I explore three common classroom technologies: the slide deck, the laptop, and the gadgets. I offer opportunities for reintroducing friction to the classroom that can lead to higher engagement from, and connection with, our learners.” -
Kerry Sheridan writes: “Two former teachers defeated conservatives in the Sarasota (Fla.) School Board race, flipping the board where a conservative majority held sway since 2022. They join two moderates on the five-member board.” The fifth seat, currently held by Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler (who did not run for re-election), will have a runoff, but Moms for Liberty activist Teresa DeWitt finished third and was eliminated. The board is officially nonpartisan, but a conservative bloc has held a majority since 2022. Equality Florida claimed the Sarasota results were part of a statewide trend.WUSF-FM (Tampa, Fla.), Aug. 18; Florida Politics, Aug. 19; Equality Florida, Aug. 19
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