ALA Council Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Council III: Treasurer Presents Fiscal Report, Deficit Closure Plans

By Megan Bennett | June 29, 2026

The meeting kicked off with approval of the agenda (CD#8.7) and Helmick announcing memorial and tribute resolutions honoring: Randy J. Riley (M#8) Charles Kratz, (M#9) Maurice J. “Mitch” Freedman (M#10) Fobazi Ettarh (M#11) Florante Peter Ibañez (M#12) Stephen M. Hayes (M#13) Brenda Langstraat Bui (M#14) Stanton F. Biddle (M#15) Molly Royse (M#16) Diana Shonrock (M#17) … Continue reading Council III: Treasurer Presents Fiscal Report, Deficit Closure Plans →

Council II: Guidance Approved for AI in Libraries

By Megan Bennett | June 28, 2026

Council adopted the rules (CD#5.1) and the agenda (CD#8.6). Committee on Legislation Chair Susan Hempstead brought forth a resolution affirming public libraries as essential economic and civic infrastructure (CD#20.1). The resolution passed 111-3 with an amendment to broaden the statement to include all libraries, not just public libraries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working Group co-chairs Ed … Continue reading Council II: Guidance Approved for AI in Libraries →

Council I: Moratorium on New Committees Approved

By Megan Bennett | June 27, 2026

Council adopted the hybrid meeting rules (CD#5.1). A proposed amendment to limit debate to 10 minutes per motion did not pass. The agenda (CD#8.5) and the minutes from ALA’s 2026 Virtual Winter Council sessions (CD#2.3) were approved. ALA Executive Director Dan Montgomery reported on Executive Board actions since the January sessions (CD#15.1) and the implementation … Continue reading Council I: Moratorium on New Committees Approved →

Sustainability at Our Core

By Sam Helmick | September 2, 2025

Aldo Leopold, a writer born in my hometown and a pioneer in modern conservation, once wrote, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” His words resonate powerfully with … Continue reading Sustainability at Our Core →

Council III: Strategic Plan Approved

By Paula Mauro | July 1, 2025

American Library Association (ALA) President Cindy Hohl called the third, final Council meeting of ALA’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia to order at 9:08 a.m. on June 30. The agenda (CD#8.6) was adopted. Asking those in the room to stand, Hohl read the names of the people to be recognized by memorial resolutions: … Continue reading Council III: Strategic Plan Approved →

Council II: Interpretations of Library Bill of Rights Approved

By Paula Mauro | June 30, 2025

The hybrid Council rules (CD#5.2) and the agenda (CD#8.5) were adopted. Committee on Organization Chair Kim DeNero-Ackroyd presented an action item (CD#27.1) to reunify the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). This vote was the second of two consecutive votes required of the Council. The motion … Continue reading Council II: Interpretations of Library Bill of Rights Approved →

Council I: Streamlining Divisions and Processes

By Paula Mauro | June 29, 2025

The hybrid Council rules (CD#5.2) and agenda (CD#8.4) were adopted. The minutes from ALA’s 2025 LibLearnX Conference in Phoenix (CD#2.2) meetings were approved, and the minutes from the May Council meeting (CD#2.3) were approved. Preceding the start of Council I, during the ALA–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) Council meeting, Emily Drabinski—ALA-APA immediate past president—presented an action … Continue reading Council I: Streamlining Divisions and Processes →

Visions of 2076

By Greg Landgraf | June 29, 2025

A panel of ALA and library leaders speculated on how the association might evolve to better serve libraries during “ALA at 150: Envisioning the Next 50 Years—How Will ALA Empower Libraries and Library Workers in 2076,” a June 28 session at ALA’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. Moderator Joe Thompson, director of public … Continue reading Visions of 2076 →

Illustrated timeline, detailed in text below

Commitments to Conservation

March 3, 2025

1989 ALA creates the Task Force on the Environment, timed with Earth Day’s 20th anniversary in 1990. The task force is now part of the Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT). 1990 ALA introduces Environmental Issues to its Policy Manual, urging librarians and library governing boards to “collect and provide information [to patrons] on the condition of our … Continue reading Commitments to Conservation →

Council III: Update on Filling President-Elect Vacancy

By Megan Bennett | July 2, 2024

Council approved the meeting’s agenda (CD#8.6), and Drabinski announced memorial resolutions for: Joseph John Harzbecker, Jr. (M#7) Nancy E. Gwinn (M#8) Karen Crane (M#9) William Noel (M#10) Carole J. McCollough (M#11) Phyllis Jean Fisher (M#12) Linda Anne Dougherty (M#13) Delaine Andree Eastin(M#14) Jodie Gambill (M#15) Carolyn V. Neal (M#16) Marcia Goodfellow Schatz (M#17) James (Jim) … Continue reading Council III: Update on Filling President-Elect Vacancy →

Council II: The Future of ALA

By Sallyann Price | June 30, 2024

The second day of Council at Annual involved committee reports and a wide-ranging discussion about the future of the Association.

Council I: Elevating Intellectual Freedom

By Megan Bennett | June 29, 2024

The Council rules (CD#5.1) and agenda (CD#8.4) were adopted. The minutes from ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore (CD#2.2) meetings were approved. Interim ALA Executive Director Leslie Burger shared the Executive Board’s actions since LibLearnX (CD#15.1) and the implementation of Council Actions from the January conference (#9.1). Cindy Hohl, ALA president-elect and Committee on Committees … Continue reading Council I: Elevating Intellectual Freedom →

Latest Library Links

2d

Kendra Winchester writes: “Disability Pride Month is all about taking strength in who we are as disabled people, celebrating our lives, and coming together as a community. That includes the kiddos in our lives. That’s where picture books come into play. These stories aren’t just sweet stories; they are reflections of the many different kinds of disabled lives lived around the world. They illustrate the incredible diversity in disabled communities. Here are a few to help get you started.”

Book Riot, July 2
2d

Paul Goble writes: “The Lenin State Library in Moscow is setting up a special restricted access collection to hold what officials call ‘destructive literature’ that scholars and officials may need to see to do their work but that ordinary Russians will not be able to access, according to Zhanna Alekseyeva. The Russian deputy culture minister says other libraries will follow suit and will place books not on the approved list in such restricted collections.”

Eurasia Review, June 26
3d

Vincent Safuto writes: “Paper copies of BookPage magazine are gone from Hernando County’s (Fla.) public libraries, though the free book-review publication remains available online. The move follows months of complaints from some residents who argued the magazine pushed a political agenda and that the subscription wasted county money. County Commissioner Steve Champion questioned whether libraries are an essential service. He said the county may have to cut nonessential services if Gov. Ron DeSantis’s proposed property tax reduction wins approval from 60% of Florida voters.”

Tampa Bay (Fla.) Beacons, July 6
3d

Carolyn Jones writes: “California librarians were stunned when a last-minute budget change stripped K–12 schools of a trove of research materials. Without notice to schools or librarians, the legislature canceled $5.5 million that pays online fees for Compass, an online database of research and curriculum materials that have been vetted by teachers and librarians. Since the program launched in 2018, it’s received nearly 1 billion hits. The cut goes into effect on July 1, 2027. Meanwhile, librarians are launching an aggressive campaign to save the program.”

Cal Matters, June 30; California School Library Association, July 1
4d

Jaime Eastman writes: “Let’s talk about ways that intentional, scaffolded program structures create organization and clear direction for patrons and staff alike. While each library’s program structure is different, my goal today is to share replicable models that work for all types of libraries and programs. I’ll explore how scaffolded programs help you reach specific audiences and customize patron experiences. At its core, scaffolded programming is about purposeful program design over time.”

ALSC Blog, July 1
4d

Audrey Richardson writes: “Imagine you’re in a new job with a newish liaison responsibility. Things you know and knew going into this position: There is a three week stretch where you’re supporting 2 specific assignments, and you know that’s your whole life. Now imagine you’re gearing up for that stretch, and you’ve suddenly lost your voice. What do you do? Having this experience made me really think about how we plan for success with faculty partners while also taking care of ourselves.”

Info Literal, July 1
5d

Mollee Holloman and Heather Pennica write: “When we wrote about advocacy amplification in our recent Knowledge Quest article, we described a school librarian who designed a social media campaign for School Library Month, shared it with a statewide cohort, and watched it travel further than she ever expected. That librarian is Jennifer Long, a school library media coordinator in Rockingham County, North Carolina, and her story deserves more than a paragraph. Jennifer to give school librarians something they could actually use during School Library Month: Not just inspiration, but a ready-made framework.”

Knowledge Quest, July 7,

View more Latest Library Links