A graphic of Chicago with text reading "2023 Annual Conference Preview."

2023 Annual Conference Preview

June 1, 2023

The conference, which will be held June 22–27 at McCormick Place, promises to showcase conversations and innovations that will help to shape the future of libraries for years to come. This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. For registration information and a complete list of events, visit alaannual.org. Featured speakers Check the … Continue reading 2023 Annual Conference Preview


Photos of speakers from the US Book Show

Standing Together

May 30, 2023

The four-day hybrid conference, now in its third year, is designed by and for authors, publishers, booksellers, and librarians. The first day of programming covered two curated tracks: “Libraries Are Essential” and “Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities in Conversation.” The tracks addressed several common themes, including how librarians are experiencing burnout as a result … Continue reading Standing Together


Headshot of Heather McGhee

Shifting the Narrative

March 28, 2023

“Everything we believe comes from a story we’ve been told,” McGhee said. “So, ask: ‘Who is selling us these stories?’” The New York Times–bestselling author and board chair of racial justice advocacy organization Color for Change shared key insights from her 2021 book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can … Continue reading Shifting the Narrative


Screenshot of "Building Bridges into Library Leadership" presentation

What Leadership Looks Like

March 28, 2023

During the panel discussion “Building Bridges into Library Leadership,” five women who were recently appointed to top positions within their institutions shared experiences, challenges, and advice, highlighting the importance of expanding opportunities for women. Rachel Rubin, dean of libraries and archives at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, in Canada, encouraged those in hiring … Continue reading What Leadership Looks Like


Headshot of Rebecca Nagle

The Stories We Tell

March 28, 2023

Award-winning advocate, journalist, and Cherokee Nation citizen Rebecca Nagle opened the conference, shedding light on the lack of representation of Native Americans in media and how it affects public policy. “The stories we tell ourselves about who we are and where we come from inform our public policy,” Nagle said. Through her award-winning podcast This … Continue reading The Stories We Tell


Joslyn Dixon (left), executive director of Oak Park (Ill.) Public Library, poses with author Caseen Gaines in the LLX Marketplace.

2023 LibLearnX Wrap-Up

February 15, 2023

At ALA’s second-annual LibLearnX, presenters shared different approaches and a refreshed outlook for dealing with the swell of book bans and censorship attempts happening across the country. Authors and illustrators took to the stage to offer stories of hope and struggle and showed the power of centering narratives from those who are Black, Indigenous, and … Continue reading 2023 LibLearnX Wrap-Up



2023 LibLearn X Preview

2023 LibLearnX Preview

January 3, 2023

Designed for active learning, the conference will offer more than 120 educational sessions in various formats, created by and for library professionals. Additionally, LibLearnX sees the return of ALA’s Symposium on the Future of Libraries, as well as an all-new Governance Institute geared toward prospective leaders. This preview represents a sampling of the sessions that … Continue reading 2023 LibLearnX Preview


2022 Year in Review

January 3, 2023

Uniting against censorship attempts Organized book challenges continued to proliferate. From January through August, 681 attempts to ban or restrict library materials had been made in the US, with 1,651 unique titles targeted. In response to mounting censorship threats, ALA announced in May its Unite Against Book Bans campaign, a coalition with more than 60 … Continue reading 2022 Year in Review



Ladino singer-songwriter Sarah Aroeste explains how the migration of Sephardic Jews from Spain to Macedonia and Greece informed Ladino music. Aroeste performed June 27 at the Association of Jewish Libraries Conference 2022. Photo by Sally Stieglitz.

Saving Our Stories

July 1, 2022

Highlighting history In the session “Documenting History through Collections,” presenters discussed how collections tell—or exclude—stories from the past. Herb Calanes, retired director of Corpus Christi (Tex.) Public Libraries, shared his research on Sephardic Jews in northern Mexico (an area then known as Nueva España) following their 1492 expulsion from Spain. Although Sephardic families were longtime … Continue reading Saving Our Stories


2022 Annual Conference Preview

2022 Annual Conference Preview

June 1, 2022

In addition to the face-to-face networking opportunities that so many have missed, Annual will offer a full slate of programs, including educational sessions, author talks, exhibit hall attractions, and new ideas to shape the future of libraries. Also available is the Digital Experience, a virtual option for those who cannot attend the celebration in the … Continue reading 2022 Annual Conference Preview