March/April 2026

Cover of the Mach/April 2026 issue of American Libraries featuring Mychal Threets

Features & Trends

Mychal Threets showing "Library Joy" T-shirt with rainbow in the background and the cover of his new kids' book

Newsmaker: Mychal Threets

By Sallyann Price

You’ve talked about being a library kid long before you ever worked at the library. How did you start to see it as a career path? It took a lot of failure. It took a lot of mistakes, a lot of careers not panning out. My dream job was to be in the military. Even … Continue reading Newsmaker: Mychal Threets →

An image of a woman high-fiving another person in the library

5 Library Wins Worth Celebrating

By Sallyann Price

But in 2025, there were notable examples of voters, courts, and candidates across the country affirming the profession’s core values of intellectual freedom and inclusive access. Below we highlight five recent victories for libraries, library workers, and their communities. 1. California voters rein in city council overreach Huntington Beach, California, has become a flashpoint in … Continue reading 5 Library Wins Worth Celebrating →

Finding Your Heroes on the Hill

To help equip and energize advocates in an environment of heightened stakes, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Policy and Advocacy Office launched a webinar series as part of its Show Up for Our Libraries campaign. The sixth installment, “Turning Congressmembers into Library Champions,” brought together voices from the library side and the congressional side … Continue reading Finding Your Heroes on the Hill →

Columnists

Latest Library Links

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Jessica Brownley writes: “March Madness isn’t just for basketball—it’s a perfect theme to get kids excited about reading. At our library, we combined the thrill of the tournament with a love of books by hosting a ‘Tournament of Book Characters.’ It’s a creative way to combine literacy and fun, giving kids a hands-on, interactive reading experience that mirrors the excitement of sports tournaments. With a visually engaging bracket, clear voting options, and a variety of books, your library can make March Madness memorable for all young readers. Here’s how we set it up.”

ALSC Blog, Mar. 9
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Zoë McLaughlin writes: “It’s March, which means the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II deadline for large institutions is looming near. I spend roughly 25% of my time on accessibility, meaning that Title II is top of mind for me right now. The ADA has been in place since 1990—it isn’t new—but there have been some recent changes, especially with regard to electronic resources. One facet of our response to Title II has been focusing on web accessibility. This means making sure that library users can access, read, and use library webpages and other electronic materials.”

ACRLog, Mar. 7
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Dan Montgomery writes: “These past few months as executive director have been a whirlwind learning experience—unlike anything else in my life—and I have enjoyed the heck out of it. One of the most powerful insights I’ve gained is a deeper understanding of our Association’s advocacy work: what it truly means to advocate for libraries, for librarianship, for all library workers, and for the right to read and access information equitably and freely across our nation.”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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Voting in the 2026 ALA Election began March 9. ALA members can cast their votes for 2027–2028 ALA president and 2026–2029 councilors-at-large, vote on three bylaw amendments, and participate in divisional and round table elections. The election period runs through April 1. Read candidate statements from presidential candidates Tamika Barnes and Becky Calzada, and watch a recording of the candidates forum.

ALA Governance Office; American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr.
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Lorenzo Tondo writes: “Firefighters in Sicily have rescued about 400 rare books from the private Angelo Marsiano library in Niscemi that hangs on the edge of a mudflow, after a devastating landslide in January tore away an entire slope of the town. The library stands on the lip of the precipice gouged out by the landslide, with part of the building in effect hanging in mid-air. The library holds about 4,000 books of literature, history, and general nonfiction, including a number of rare editions dating from before 1830 on Sicilian history.”

The Guardian, Feb. 27; Italian Library Association, Feb. 5
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Anne Cantrell writes: “As libraries grapple with how to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in responsible and ethical ways, Montana State University Library researchers are offering a new, free resource to help those institutions make decisions about AI that align with their values. Viewfinder is a new toolkit designed to support librarians, researchers, and others as they consider whether and how to implement AI tools in their libraries and archives. The toolkit invites users to identify stakeholders and consider which values are of concern.”

Montana State University, Feb. 23
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“Over the past few weeks, Iran has once again moved to the forefront of international attention. With events moving quickly and several policy strands converging at once, having clear and reliable reference points is essential. To support colleagues following these developments, the European Council Library has prepared a dedicated library guide on Iran. It brings together key European Union (EU) documents, background material, books and articles, media sources, and external analysis in one structured place—helping to connect immediate decisions with the wider framework of EU-Iran relations.”

European Council Library, Mar. 2