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


Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada

One Voice

January 3, 2023

One of our greatest strengths is the simple and singular tool of using our united voice. When we unite our voices: We have the volume and power of a choir to amplify messages and make positive changes. Our message is informed by our unique and varied life experiences, our ancestors, and the goals we have … Continue reading One Voice


Peter Hepburn headshot

ALA Finances on Track

January 3, 2023

As the new calendar year begins, I am carrying that optimism forward. We are approximately one-third of the way through the American Library Association’s (ALA) fiscal year, which runs from September 1, 2022, to August 31. The most uncertain days of the pandemic seem to be behind us. Like many of our libraries and, indeed, many … Continue reading ALA Finances on Track


ALA logo

ALA Supports Human Rights in Iran

December 9, 2022

The American Library Association (ALA) supports its Iranian colleagues and the people of Iran in their efforts for human rights, including women’s rights and freedom of speech and expression. ALA has adopted Article 19 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights into its policies. It states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of … Continue reading ALA Supports Human Rights in Iran





11 Questions: Rebecca Headrick

October 18, 2022

Before joining ALA, Headrick was chief technology director at Illinois CPA Society, where she helped the organization migrate to cloud-based infrastructure. Prior to that, she held multiple technology roles with the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. Headrick has a bachelor’s in business analysis and IT project management from DePaul University and a master’s in business … Continue reading 11 Questions: Rebecca Headrick


Angela Gwizdala

11 Questions: Angela Gwizdala

October 17, 2022

Over the past year, Gwizdala had been serving as associate publisher of ALA Editions/ALA Neal-Schuman. In between her 15 years at ALA, she spent six years at the American Bar Association (ABA) where she was managing editor of periodicals (with readerships up to 40,000) for multiple ABA sections. She returned to ALA in 2014. Gwizdala … Continue reading 11 Questions: Angela Gwizdala


11 Questions: Melanie Welch

October 14, 2022

Welch has nearly 25 years of nonprofit management experience and started her career in environmental education and community engagement after receiving a master’s degree in biology. Before joining ALA, Melanie founded the Great Lakes Conservation department at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and was a 2010 Catto fellow at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. She answered … Continue reading 11 Questions: Melanie Welch


Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada

Representation Matters

September 1, 2022

The library ecosystem encompasses the life cycles of both our users (to provide representation and touchstones at each stage of a person’s life) and library workers (to assist at each stage of our careers). Seasons come and go, but libraries are always present: creating community, ensuring representation, and upholding our values. Here are some roles … Continue reading Representation Matters


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ALA Supports Information Access on Reproductive Health

August 9, 2022

ALA stands committed to the free, fair, and unrestricted exchange of ideas and the right of library patrons to seek information free from observation or unwanted surveillance by the government or other third parties, in accordance with the law and the US Constitution. ALA opposes policies and legislation that ban content, restrict access to information, … Continue reading ALA Supports Information Access on Reproductive Health