ALA Presidential Candidates Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Emily Drabinski

By Emily Drabinski | March 1, 2022

I take this call seriously. I edit a reinvigorated reviews section for College & Research Libraries. I’ve served on Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) program planning committees, led information literacy standards and guidelines work, and presented on a broad range of topics at ALA and ACRL conferences. As a member of Core, I … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Emily Drabinski →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Kelvin Watson

By Kelvin Watson | March 1, 2022

Back when I was an MLS student, I received the kind of meaningful support from ALA that made me a lifelong admirer of this distinguished organization and its mission. It also reinforced why I was drawn to the profession after a career in library book distribution and bookstore retailing, where I witnessed firsthand how librarians … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Kelvin Watson →

ALA Presidential Candidates Emily Drabinski and Kelvin Watson

Drabinski, Watson Seek 2023–2024 ALA Presidency

October 5, 2021

The October 5 presidential candidates statement reads as follows: Emily Drabinski, interim chief librarian at the Graduate Center, City University of New York, and Kelvin Watson, executive director of Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District, are the candidates for the 2023–2024 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA). Drabinski has served as chair of the … Continue reading Drabinski, Watson Seek 2023–2024 ALA Presidency →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Stacey A. Aldrich

By Stacey A. Aldrich | March 1, 2021

I am honored to be on the ballot for ALA president for the 2022–2023 term. When I began my career in college as assistant to the Slavic cataloger at University of Pittsburgh, little did I know that libraries would afford me experiences unlike any other field. I have worked in academic, special, public, and state … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Stacey A. Aldrich →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Ed Garcia

By Ed Garcia | March 1, 2021

Our Association is facing internal and external challenges that can only be overcome by strong leadership and collaborative effort. I bring proven leadership and experience in corporate, nonprofit, and library settings to help navigate these challenges. I was a 2010 Emerging Leader and have served three terms on Council. I was a member of key … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Ed Garcia →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada

By Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada | March 1, 2021

As your president, I will lead with the Association’s core values, centering equity, strengthening advocacy, and promoting organizational excellence through connection and collaboration. I have and will continue to seek out, listen to, and act on the varied perspectives and experiences of our members to move ALA forward. As a 14-year member, past ALA Executive … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada →

ALA presidential candidates for the 2022–2023 term, from left: Stacey A. Aldrich, Ed Garcia, and Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada

ALA Presidential Candidates Announced

October 26, 2020

“Stacey A. Aldrich, state librarian, Hawaii State Public Library System, Honolulu; Ed Garcia, director, Cranston (R.I.) Public Library; and Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, adult services assistant manager, Palos Verdes Library District in Rolling Hills Estates, California, are candidates for the 2022–2023 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA). Aldrich currently serves on the ALA Center for the … Continue reading ALA Presidential Candidates Announced →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Steven Yates

By Steven Yates | March 2, 2020

This year has already been historic for ALA. We have a new executive director and soon a new home in Chicago. These changes, along with the organizational review process, call for all of us to lend a hand. As a dedicated volunteer with leadership experience, I would like to work alongside you as your 2021–2022 … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Steven Yates →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Patricia “Patty” Wong

By Patty Wong | March 2, 2020

America’s libraries are the cornerstones of social democracy. We face many challenges as a nation: changing demographics and how to provide equitable access and service to all differing views about public support for public services privatization challenges to the freedom to read, write, and speak barriers to access shifting landscapes for publishing and digital access … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Patricia “Patty” Wong →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Julius C. Jefferson Jr.

By Julius C. Jefferson Jr. | March 1, 2019

It is an exciting time to be a member of the American Library Association (ALA). ALA can and will play an important role at this critical juncture in the history of our profession and our country, and it must stand united to speak with one voice: to advocate for the education of an informed citizenry; … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Julius C. Jefferson Jr. →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Lance Werner

By Lance Werner | March 1, 2019

The American Library Association (ALA) and libraries are in a unique position to help, heal, and lead. We must bring more civility and critical thought into the world through kindness, empathy, and love. Libraries are on the front line, doing an outstanding job of serving the underserved. But there is also an opportunity to bring … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Lance Werner →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Peter Hepburn

By Peter Hepburn | March 1, 2018

To thrive, libraries and library workers need a strong and healthy professional association that advocates for us and for those who come to our facilities or who use our online resources, enabling them to benefit from the wide range of services we offer. Within our library community, we must have an association that is itself … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Peter Hepburn →

Latest Library Links

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Booklist Reader—a publication that offers diverse readers’ advisory recommendations, author interviews, original features, and top 10 lists for library patrons of all ages—is celebrating its first anniversary by launching a new print option for subscribers. Starting January 2023, monthly print quantities of 50–5,000 copies will be available for US and Canadian Booklist subscribers for an additional fee. The digital addition of Booklist Reader is already included as a Booklist subscriber benefit. “We’re excited by the number of libraries sharing Booklist Reader via their websites, but Booklist understands that not all library patrons do or can interact with their library digitally,” says Booklist Publisher George Kendall.

ALA: Booklist Publications, Sept. 27
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On September 27, the Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concerns about threats directed at public and school libraries and library workers. The letter cites bombing or shooting threats in the past two weeks that have temporarily closed Hawaii State Public Library System, Salt Lake City Public Library, Denver Public Library, Fort Worth (Tex.) Public Library, and Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library. “Given the seriousness and proliferation of these threats of violence and other acts of intimidation increasingly taking place in America’s libraries, we are gravely concerned for the safety of library workers and the millions of Americans who visit libraries each day,” the letter states.

ALA, Sept. 27
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Erin Hennessy writes: “As bills hostile to LGBTQ communities, people of color, and women continue to proliferate, associations will increasingly face challenges. The uptick in these discriminatory laws at the state level flies in the face of the values and missions of many higher education organizations. Deciding where to host an annual national conference—and if or when to relocate—has become a much weightier and costlier decision, and one that is going to continue to surface for associations. Adding to the difficulty is the timeline and its associated costs; these conferences and annual meetings are usually booked multiple years out. It is critical for associations to have site-selection policies in place.”

Inside Higher Ed, Sept. 22
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Nicholas Brown writes: “The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 67.3 million Americans speak a language other than English at home, a number that has more than doubled since 1990. That’s a huge number with powerful implications for social institutions, including libraries. For many of us, getting started serving those communities feels like an overwhelming task. I’m here to tell you—you can do it. Our library has made significant progress on expanding multilingual access, starting with hiring bilingual English/Spanish speakers for branches. There are a few lessons our library has learned along the way that can help your library advance this important work.”

WebJunction, Sept. 22
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Vitaly Friedman writes: “Given just how complex the web has become, it’s easy to overlook some fine little details just before the big release. And sometimes it’s difficult to pick out just the right technique or strategy to address a particular problem. That’s where design checklists can help.” Friedman provides a variety of user experience (UX) checklists that cover best design practices, accessibility, tables, research methods, and more.

Smashing Magazine, Sept. 8
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Alejandra Domenzain writes: “At a time when book bans are targeting marginalized voices, it’s more important than ever to ask: Why does access to these books matter? I want to argue that the stakes are high not just for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in children’s books, but that we need to go further to demand social justice books in our schools and libraries. Social justice books ask questions that inevitably expose differences in power and privilege. They make the reader accountable: Is this fair? Should we do something to change it? Because these questions may be inconvenient or uncomfortable, many educators reserve social justice books for occasions such as Black History Month or Cesar Chavez Day, when they can be confined to a narrow scope, often historical, rather than challenging our current policies, systems, and institutions.”

Latinxs in Kit Lit newsletter, Sept.
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Kathleen Hughes writes: “Job seekers with a criminal record face an enormous barrier to employment. While legal service providers can assist with the expungement process, they are predominantly located in urban centers, making access difficult for those in rural areas. In this episode of FYI: The Public Libraries Podcast, Adult Program Manager Elena Coelho and Assistant Branch Manager Marshall Shord, both from Worcester County (Md.) Library, share their experiences starting and running a bimonthly expungement clinic in an area with few pro bono legal resources.”

Public Libraries Online, Sept. 26

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