Stories have extraordinary power to connect people across cultures, ages, and experiences. By curating diverse narratives, libraries promote inclusion and understanding. Librarians are natural storytellers, yet many of us stay behind the scenes. Perhaps it’s humility. Perhaps it’s the belief that the work speaks for itself. But in a world filled with noise, your steady, … Continue reading Your Library Story
I am thankful for the work of my predecessors Peter Hepburn and Maggie Farrell, and of Dina Tsourdinis, ALA’s chief financial officer, and her team to get our financial house in order. That means everything from timely reporting to clean audits to properly recording grants to an updated operating agreement. Unfortunately, ALA’s financial picture, while … Continue reading Bold Changes
As I write this, still in my early weeks at the Association, I’ve been asked often about my own priorities for ALA. Well, my primary goal is this: to support us in achieving the vision outlined in the ALA Forward initiative. This includes ensuring ALA’s financial stability, fostering membership trust and growth, and bolstering advocacy. … Continue reading Reinvigorating ALA
Tamika Barnes currently serves as the Georgia Library Association (GLA) president-elect and will assume the role of president in 2026. She served on the GLA executive board from 2013 to 2021, the ALA Executive Board from 2018 to 2021, and ALA Council from 2015 to 2018 and 2019 to 2021. Barnes is a member of … Continue reading Barnes, Calzada Seek 2027–2028 ALA Presidency
Likewise, our state association has challenged other bills designed to curtail access, intellectual freedom, and professional integrity. Each time, Iowa Library Association has mobilized quickly to alert members to these proposals, provide action plans, and connect with community partners. These nimble responses are possible because chapters know the local context, the lawmakers, and the stakes. … Continue reading The Pulse of Our Profession
Neither of my parents went to college, but I am fortunate that they read constantly and took me and my siblings to the library every week. No vacation began without a trip to the bookstore or library to stock up—everything from comic books to Robert Louis Stevenson (I still have my hardcover Treasure Island from … Continue reading Ready to Go
ALA has announced a series of difficult but necessary workforce changes as part of its ongoing ALA Forward initiative—a comprehensive effort to align the organization’s structure and programs with its strategic priorities, sustainability, and mission impact. “These decisions were not made lightly,” said ALA President Sam Helmick. “They represent difficult choices made with deep care … Continue reading ALA Announces Staffing Reductions
What is your earliest memory of a library? I think it’s probably my elementary school library. I went to public school in a suburb of Detroit called Bloomfield Hills—Pine Lake Elementary. It was this really beautiful building. The classrooms were all round. In my memory, we’d be in the library a few times a week. … Continue reading Meet Dan Montgomery
Aldo Leopold, a writer born in my hometown and a pioneer in modern conservation, once wrote, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” His words resonate powerfully with … Continue reading Sustainability at Our Core
American Library Association (ALA) President Cindy Hohl called the third, final Council meeting of ALA’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia to order at 9:08 a.m. on June 30. The agenda (CD#8.6) was adopted. Asking those in the room to stand, Hohl read the names of the people to be recognized by memorial resolutions: … Continue reading Council III: Strategic Plan Approved
The hybrid Council rules (CD#5.2) and the agenda (CD#8.5) were adopted. Committee on Organization Chair Kim DeNero-Ackroyd presented an action item (CD#27.1) to reunify the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). This vote was the second of two consecutive votes required of the Council. The motion … Continue reading Council II: Interpretations of Library Bill of Rights Approved
The hybrid Council rules (CD#5.2) and agenda (CD#8.4) were adopted. The minutes from ALA’s 2025 LibLearnX Conference in Phoenix (CD#2.2) meetings were approved, and the minutes from the May Council meeting (CD#2.3) were approved. Preceding the start of Council I, during the ALA–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) Council meeting, Emily Drabinski—ALA-APA immediate past president—presented an action … Continue reading Council I: Streamlining Divisions and Processes
