Montage of ALA promotional posters

Posters of Progress

May 1, 2026

1917–1919 World War I and Library War Service a. Knowledge Wins (1918) b. Books Wanted (1918) c. “Hey Fellows!” (1918) 1920–1939 ALA’s 50th anniversary and early promotional posters d. Hospital Library Service (1925) e. Public Libraries: An American Contribution to Civilization (1926) f. 50 Years: The University of the People (1926) g. Library Work: The … Continue reading Posters of Progress


The State of America's Libraries: A Snapshot of 2025

ALA Releases State of America’s Libraries 2026 Report

April 20, 2026

On April 20, the American Library Association (ALA) released its State of America’s Libraries 2026 report, an annual snapshot of library trends. The report is published during National Library Week, this year taking place April 19–25. As in recent years, the 2026 report documents censorship in libraries from the previous year. In 2025, ALA recorded 713 attempts to censor library … Continue reading ALA Releases State of America’s Libraries 2026 Report


Perspectives by Lucy Podmore

Walk with a Purpose

January 2, 2026

I am a school librarian. My community supports the school library, and students are active library users. At the same time, rhetoric from that legislative session and in the years since have shown me that the public has limited knowledge about how we choose books and select programming to make the library a place students … Continue reading Walk with a Purpose




Iris Mogul

Newsmaker: Iris Mogul

October 7, 2025

Her efforts drew significant attention, and this past May she received an honorable mention from the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards, which recognizes local high school seniors for service projects. This summer, she participated in the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Student Advocates for Speech (SAS) Leadership Program, joining a nationwide network of young people fighting … Continue reading Newsmaker: Iris Mogul



Students exploring the tables at the Freedom Walk program at Clark High School

Walk with a Purpose

October 6, 2025

I am a school librarian. My community supports the school library, and students are active library users. At the same time, rhetoric from the 2023 legislative session and in the years since have shown me that the public has limited knowledge about how we choose books and select programming to make the library a place … Continue reading Walk with a Purpose



Ava DuVernay headshot

‘We Have to Work Together’: Action Beyond Banned Books Week

October 2, 2024

DuVernay’s credits in film and television include Selma, 13th, Queen Sugar, and When They See Us. Two of her films have been inspired by frequently challenged books: 2018’s A Wrinkle in Time, based on the Newbery Medal–winning title by Madeleine L’Engle, and 2023’s Origin, centering on the life of Isabel Wilkerson, author of Caste: The … Continue reading ‘We Have to Work Together’: Action Beyond Banned Books Week


Official graphic for 2024's weeklong focus on fighting book challenges

ALA Releases Preliminary Data on 2024 Book Challenges

September 23, 2024

Between January 1 and August 31, 2024, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 414 attempts to censor library materials and services. In those cases, 1,128 unique titles were challenged. In the same reporting period last year, ALA tracked 695 attempts with 1,915 unique titles challenged. Though the number of reports to date has declined … Continue reading ALA Releases Preliminary Data on 2024 Book Challenges