In response to the proliferation, and polarized response to, of the use of artificial intelligence (AI), ALA designed its Guidance on the Use of AI in Libraries to help institutions develop AI policies and procedures with professional values in mind. ALA Council adopted the guidance document in June at ALA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition … Continue reading How ALA’s AI Guidance Came Together
As our nation marks its 250th year and E-Rate reaches its 30th anniversary, we should be celebrating a program that has expanded information access for all Americans. Unfortunately, opponents argue that because E-Rate has succeeded, we no longer need it. But success is precisely why it must continue. Just as our streets and roads require … Continue reading Save Our E-Rate
At “Leading ALA Into the Next 150 Years,” a June 28 panel held at ALA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago, longtime Association members spoke about their pathways to governance, the importance of mentorship, and what changes they see for the profession decades down the road. Panel moderator Amy Lappin, deputy director of Lebanon … Continue reading Leading from Where You Are
Council adopted the rules (CD#5.1) and the agenda (CD#8.6). Committee on Legislation Chair Susan Hempstead brought forth a resolution affirming public libraries as essential economic and civic infrastructure (CD#20.1). The resolution passed 111-3 with an amendment to broaden the statement to include all libraries, not just public libraries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working Group co-chairs Ed … Continue reading Council II: Guidance Approved for AI in Libraries
Council adopted the hybrid meeting rules (CD#5.1). A proposed amendment to limit debate to 10 minutes per motion did not pass. The agenda (CD#8.5) and the minutes from ALA’s 2026 Virtual Winter Council sessions (CD#2.3) were approved. ALA Executive Director Dan Montgomery reported on Executive Board actions since the January sessions (CD#15.1) and the implementation … Continue reading Council I: Moratorium on New Committees Approved
Prior to joining ALA, Lamdan was a librarian and law professor at City University of New York School of Law, where her research focused on information access, privacy, and other legal issues related to librarianship. She is author of two books, most recently Data Cartels (Stanford University Press, 2022), which looks at privacy and access … Continue reading 11 Questions: Sarah Lamdan
This milestone is about more than looking back; it is about the momentum we carry into the next era. When we talk about shaping what’s next, we are acknowledging that the radical act of keeping library doors open for everyone requires constant, courageous innovation. In the hallways of McCormick Place, you will feel a renewed … Continue reading Sparking a New Era
While this is my first Annual as executive director, I attended the conference last summer in Philadelphia. There, I was blown away by the sheer number of participants, the depth of quality programming, and the infectious enthusiasm and energy from morning to night. This year, we expect approximately 15,000 conference attendees. As in previous years, … Continue reading Summer Connections
The final vote count, tallied on May 27, was 77–4, with 81 out of 87 votes counted. (Six votes were challenged.) The National Labor Relations Board will now certify the union, a process that may take approximately 10 days, allowing workers to begin collective bargaining. “I’m so thrilled and honestly feeling really emotional,” says Ari … Continue reading ALA Workers Vote Yes on Union
Though not a comprehensive timeline of library history, the milestones collected here demonstrate lasting impact and how libraries and the profession are intertwined with the American story itself—as repositories of memory, arenas of debate, and enduring instruments of democratic life. 1876–1889 On October 4, 1876, a group of 103 librarians and advocates assembled at the … Continue reading 55 Moments That Redefined Librarianship
Robert Wedgeworth Wedgeworth served as ALA’s first Black executive director (1972–1985). In virtually all my professional positions, I was the only Black person. I never had problems as a result, because almost everybody accepted that I had to be exceptional in order to be in the position I was in. Earlier, as an undergraduate in … Continue reading A Seat at the Table
The rabbit-warren days are over. Since ALA headquarters moved in 2020 to its present location at Chicago’s 225 North Michigan Avenue, Barbus has presided over a completely reimagined in-house library. Visitors step off the elevator to find a large, open, bright area that’s home to not only the office’s main reception desk but also row upon … Continue reading Bookend: A Library for Librarians
