“Oh, and a plot to kidnap and kill me!” Whitmer said of the domestic terror plot targeting her that was intercepted by the FBI and state police in 2020. Having survived all of that, she decided to write a memoir, True Gretch: What I’ve Learned about Life, Leadership, and Everything In Between (Simon & Schuster, … Continue reading Tools of Empowerment
ALA returns to this historic and vibrant city for its 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition, to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center June 26–30. As the Association—and the nation—approach monumental anniversaries, library workers will reaffirm and celebrate what it means to run institutions foundational to democracy, equity, and civic discourse. Many sessions in this year’s … Continue reading 2025 Annual Conference Preview
Throughout her more than 25-year career, Lin has garnered many accolades, including a 2010 Newbery Honor, 2019 Caldecott Honor, and 2022 Children’s Literature Legacy Award. In advance of her appearance at the American Library Association’s upcoming 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia, she talked with American Libraries about being inspired by myths, the insidiousness … Continue reading Newsmaker: Grace Lin
At the heart of your new novel is an underwater realm called the Library of Despair and Sorrow. Why do you view sadness and suffering as “more precious than gold,” as you describe in the novel? I think it acknowledges our humanity. It says to the reader, “We all have feelings of sadness, despair, or … Continue reading Newsmaker: Pam Muñoz Ryan
American Libraries spoke with Bob about his longtime fascination with Tubman, as well as his inspiration for the novel and accompanying songs. What role have libraries played in your life? When I was younger, I used to go to the library in Clayton County [Georgia] near me all the time, and I would pick up … Continue reading Newsmaker: Bob the Drag Queen
John Green, the celebrated young adult author and vlogger, has been an advocate for TB treatment access since 2019, when he met Henry, a teenager with TB, during a trip to Sierra Leone. Henry gave Green “the view from below,” he says, quoting his late friend and global health pioneer Paul Farmer, who described the … Continue reading Newsmaker: John Green
LibLearnX 2025, dedicated to the learning experience of library workers, will bring together authors, thought leaders, and subject matter experts at the Phoenix Convention Center for educational programs, awards, celebrations, and networking opportunities. This year’s programmatic theme is “Reimagine, Refocus, Reset: Charting a Path for the Future.” LibLearnX will not be held in 2026, while … Continue reading 2025 LibLearnX Preview
Growing up in remote, rural areas, singer-songwriter Neko Case found that her love of reading provided an escape. In her forthcoming memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You (Hachette, January), she recalls repeatedly flipping through the same October 1972 issue of Mad magazine, poring over her stepdad’s collection of archaeology books, and … Continue reading Newsmaker: Neko Case
In Episode 99, the Call Number team presents exclusive clips from conversations with authors we interviewed this past year, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Kwame Alexander, Connie Chung, Kate DiCamillo, Max Greenfield, Vashti Harrison, Maggie Nichols, and Jesús Trejo. They each talked to us about the role that books, libraries, and library workers have played in their … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: 2024 Author Chats
The two medal winners will be announced at 10:30 a.m. Mountain on January 26, 2025, at the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Book and Media Awards’ virtual event, held during ALA’s LibLearnX conference in Phoenix. The 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction shortlist titles include: Fiction Martyr! (Knopf) By Kaveh … Continue reading ALA Announces 2025 Carnegie Medals Shortlist
American Libraries spoke with Harrison about the response from readers nationwide, life after winning the Caldecott, and how the publishing world can continue to elevate untold stories. What stories have you been hearing from readers about Big? Kids ask me questions about the narrative because there’s a lot of visual metaphor. For example, “Does the … Continue reading Newsmaker: Vashti Harrison
Publishers, authors, librarians, booksellers, national organizations, and other library supporters were among those attending the summit, the third of its kind in ALA’s nearly 150-year history. The last ALA Intellectual Freedom Summit was held in 1953. That summit produced the Freedom to Read Statement, a response to Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s attempts to remove reading materials … Continue reading ‘We Are the Majority’
