Participants at LifeWorks, a residential community for neurodiverse young adults, hold bags from Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL). WCPL recently opened a satellite branch at LifeWorks.

Meeting Neurodiverse Needs

March 1, 2024

To fill in service gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL) opened four satellite libraries. These one-room, full-service satellites, housed by community partners, are meant to support populations that would otherwise struggle to visit a full-size branch because of socioeconomic, transportation, or other barriers. Last year, WCPL debuted a satellite … Continue reading Meeting Neurodiverse Needs



Audrey Barbakoff and Noah Lenstra

Working Hand in Hand

March 1, 2024

Community-led planning is a method for making decisions that puts power in the hands of the community rather than the library. They have real responsibility, authority to make decisions, and accountability for the outcomes. Librarians serve as conveners and facilitators, providing access to library resources and support. The library cannot and should not try to … Continue reading Working Hand in Hand


Headshot of column author Amy Holland

Beyond ADA Compliance

March 1, 2024

In 2020, staff members at Irondequoit Public Library (IPL) in Rochester, New York, began rethinking our approach to accessibility and inclusion. With reduced hours and services during the COVID- 19 pandemic, we had an opportunity to reenvision how we wanted to welcome patrons back. ADA guidelines provide for a minimum standard of service, but we … Continue reading Beyond ADA Compliance


From left: Filmmakers Trish Adlesic, Nazenet Habtezghi, and Sheila Nevins.

Newsmakers: Trish Adlesic and Nazenet Habtezghi

February 20, 2024

Adlesic is codirector and producer of The ABCs of Book Banning, a 2023 film that has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short category. Sheila Nevins, famed documentarian and current head of MTV Documentary Films, led the project, and journalist-turned-filmmaker Nazenet Habtezghi also codirected. American Libraries spoke with Adlesic and Habtezghi … Continue reading Newsmakers: Trish Adlesic and Nazenet Habtezghi


Jesús Trejo

Newsmaker: Jesús Trejo

February 19, 2024

Its companion book, Mamá’s Magnificent Dancing Plantitas (Minerva), will be released this September. American Libraries spoke with Trejo after his appearance at the American Library Association’s 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore about his family, what fans can expect from his future work, and book bans. What role have libraries and librarians played in your life? … Continue reading Newsmaker: Jesús Trejo


Glen J. Benedict (right), access services librarian at the University of the District of Colombia in Washington D.C. and Mel Baldwin, adult services librarian at Granville County (N.C.) Library System, present “Upholding Trans Patron Privacy & Information Access” January 21 at the 2024 LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore.

Protecting Trans Patrons

January 21, 2024

This is one of the scenarios library workers were asked to ponder during “Upholding Trans Patron Privacy and Information Access,” presented January 21 at the American Library Association’s 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore. Privacy is “not just a service aspect,” said Glen J. Benedict, access services librarian at the University of the District of Colombia … Continue reading Protecting Trans Patrons


Child actor and author Mia Armstrong at the 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore

‘Do Say Hello’

January 21, 2024

“I wanted to inspire people with or without disabilities,” said Armstrong, who wrote the book about her experience as a person with Down syndrome.  Armstrong, alongside her mother Cara, discussed I Am A Masterpiece! (Random House Books for Young Readers, January) and the importance of belonging during their January 21 featured speaker session at the … Continue reading ‘Do Say Hello’


David Delmar Sentíes, author and founder of nonprofit coding boot camp Resilient Coders, was the keynote speaker at the American Library Association's (ALA) 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration. The event, part of ALA's 2024 LibLearnX conference, took place January 21 in Baltimore.

‘We Need the Doers’

January 21, 2024

An estimated 200 people attended the 6:30 a.m. celebration on January 21 at ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore. This year would have marked King’s 95th birthday. More than 20 library leaders from across the profession took the stage to read passages from King’s speech at the 1967 National Conference for New Politics in Chicago, an … Continue reading ‘We Need the Doers’


Jesús Trejo

‘Family Is Everything’

January 20, 2024

“I’m very grateful that I was able to speak and tell the story of our family,” Trejo said. “This book, with every page, with every word, with every picture, just illustrates how family’s everything. If you have that—everything else could not be lined up correctly in life—but if you have that, you’re winning.” Trejo discussed … Continue reading ‘Family Is Everything’



Episode 91: Good Morning, Baltimore!

Call Number Podcast: Good Morning, Baltimore!

January 16, 2024

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with David Thomas and Tonya Thomas, both chefs and food historians. The husband-and-wife duo is behind Baltimore’s H3irloom Food Group, a culinary organization with a mission of uplifting the Black food narrative through catering and educational events. They discuss their cooking journeys and … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Good Morning, Baltimore!