CHICAGO – 91´«Ã½ President Emily Drabinski will tour the country this June to highlight the contributions of American libraries to their communities.

The “Road to Annual” tour, named for 91´«Ã½’s Annual Conference, will kick off in early June at Cranston Public Library in Rhode Island where Drabinski will highlight the importance of federal support for libraries and the Right to Read Act. The tour will conclude in San Diego, the site of the Annual Conference.

“Libraries do so much good work, and the goal of this tour is to elevate libraries across different communities and show how fundamental they are to our country,” said Drabinski. “91´«Ã½ is a connector to our libraries and library workers, and I can’t wait to highlight the people who are serving their communities is so many different ways and give them a chance to tell their stories.”

The tour will include stops at libraries in West Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico and Arizona on the way to San Diego.

With the support of the Lannan Foundation, filmmaker Nikita Carpenter Jr. will join the tour to document the work happening at the selected libraries. A reel will air during the President’s Program at Annual Conference. A full documentary film will be made available after.

The President’s Program titled, “The Heart of Our Story: A Celebration of Library Workers – a panel session” will celebrate the profound influence library workers exert within their communities, highlighting their good work in big cities and rural communities, in the public eye, and just outside it.

Updates on the tour will be available on 91´«Ã½’s social media channels and website: /road-to-annual

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, 91´«Ã½ has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit .