Rod Hersberger

Strengthening the ALA Endowment

June 18, 2019

The first is the endowment’s investment in private equity. While it is illiquid, private equity generally outperforms most other investment categories. We did not venture into this area lightly. The trustees conducted an extraordinary level of discussion, review, and due diligence before we made our first investment. In July 2015, we invested $2 million in … Continue reading Strengthening the ALA Endowment


Dewey Decibel podcast: Insider's Guide to Washington, D.C.

Dewey Decibel Podcast: Insider’s Guide to Washington, D.C.

June 14, 2019

In Episode 39, Dewey Decibel explores where to eat and see live music during Annual. First, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski speaks with Meredith Pratt, author of Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, D.C. 2020 and the Annual Conference dining guide featured in American Libraries’ June issue, about the best places to dine in the district. Next, American … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Insider’s Guide to Washington, D.C.


The American Library Association's 2019 Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held in Washington, D.C., June 20–25. Photo: ©Tono Balaguer/Adobe Stock

2019 Annual Conference Preview

June 3, 2019

Conference highlights Sonia Sotomayor, associate justice of the US Supreme Court and author of four books, will take the stage 8:30–9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, for a conversation with her editor, Jill Santopolo of Philomel Books. For more on Sotomayor, whose latest book Just Ask! is forthcoming in September, read our interview. The Opening General Session features Jason Reynolds, author … Continue reading 2019 Annual Conference Preview


Ben’s Chili Bowl. Photo: washington.org

A Culinary Capital

June 3, 2019

Today, rock-star chefs have transformed neighborhoods into epicurean destinations and turned what was once a dining drought into a wave of new restaurants, vibrant tastes, and international cuisines. Ready to dig in? Here is a guide to the best flavors in our culinary capital, excerpted from Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, D.C., 2020. Near the Convention … Continue reading A Culinary Capital



Tomi Adeyemi

Newsmaker: Tomi Adeyemi

June 3, 2019

Adeyemi will be an Auditorium Speaker at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C., on June 24. American Libraries spoke with her about writing, her inspirations, and the importance of representation in media. From being a New York Times bestselling debut author to getting a movie deal, what has been the most … Continue reading Newsmaker: Tomi Adeyemi


Sonia Sotomayor (Photo: Elena Seibert)

A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC

May 9, 2019

On May 9, the American Library Association (ALA) Conference Services Division announced the following session to take place at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference: A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice, was born in Bronx, New York, on … Continue reading A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC


Newsmaker: Jason Reynolds

April 12, 2018

This year’s theme for School Library Month is “Making Connections at Your School Library.” You’ve said reading the lyrics to Queen Latifah’s 1993 album Black Reign changed your life and inspired you to start writing poetry. When students connect with and see themselves in the music, multimedia, and books they read, it changes their relationship with reading completely. … Continue reading Newsmaker: Jason Reynolds