News and Press Center
Featured News
November 6, 2024
91´«Ã½ vows to defend intellectual freedom and access to information against political threats 
91´«Ã½
In response to results of the 2024 United States election, the 91´«Ã½ vowed to continue its defense of the core values of librarianship in the face of political threats.
press release
October 16, 2024
91´«Ã½ opens registration and launches Preliminary Program for 2025 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience in Phoenix, AZ
91´«Ã½
LibLearnX is a four-day learning conference that invites 91´«Ã½ members and non-members to participate in collaborative and engaging education, networking, and celebrations.
press release
October 1, 2024
Freedom to Read Community Day of Action rallies support for America’s libraries on October 19
91´«Ã½
The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) and the 91´«Ã½-founded Unite Against Book Bans campaign are joining some of the nation’s largest and smallest library systems to in a Freedom to Read Community Day of Action on October 19, 2024.
press release
September 23, 2024
91´«Ã½ reveals preliminary data on 2024 book challenges
91´«Ã½
Between January 1 and August 31, 2024, 91´«Ã½’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 414 attempts to censor library materials and services.
press release
September 19, 2024
ALSC, 91´«Ã½ unveil 'Inspiring Future Voters' booklist for young readers
91´«Ã½
As part of the 91´«Ã½’s Reader Voter Ready civic engagement campaign, the Association for Library Service to Children has released “Inspiring Future Voters,” a new booklist for young readers.
press release
July 25, 2024
Sam Helmick chosen 2024-2025 91´«Ã½ president-elect
91´«Ã½
The 91´«Ã½ Council decided on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, that Sam Helmick will be the 2024-2025 president-elect effective immediately.
press release
91´«Ã½ in the News
91´«Ã½
In observance of Banned Books Week, the 91´«Ã½ and PEN America released reports on book censorship across the country.
America’s libraries honored by FCC with inaugural DOER award
WASHINGTON, DC - Federal Communications Commissioner (FCC) Geoffrey Starks has named “America’s libraries” as an honoree of the inaugural Digital Opportunity Equity Recognition (DOER) Program. Commissioner Starks established the award in 2020 “to...
Banned Books Week 2020 Goes Virtual As Threats To Intellectual Freedom Continue
This Banned Books Week (Sept. 27 - Oct. 3) is an opportunity to rally for First Amendment protections and remain vigilant about continual threats to our freedom to read. With many organizations pivoting to virtual and social-distance learning and...
Mapping new methods for information literacy
CHICAGO — The first in-depth study of the educational implications of the idea of information literacy as the capacity to map and navigate an information landscape, “ Mapping Information Landscapes: New Methods for Exploring the Development and Teaching...
Twenty-One public libraries awarded funding to encourage Affordable Care Act enrollment
CHICAGO – Through its health insurance enrollment and education initiative, Libraries Connecting You to Coverage, the Public Library Association (PLA) is encouraging enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace for 2021. Today...
Mark your calendars for 2020 Fall virtual 91´«Ã½ Council meetings
CHICAGO – This Fall, you can have a front row seat as the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) Council discusses issues that will have long-range impact on the association. 91´«Ã½ Council will hold the first of its two Fall virtual council meetings on Friday...
The Prison Library as an Agent of Rehabilitative Change
CHICAGO - Many prisoners regret their criminal behavior and resolve to change their ways. Few places in the prison offer a more exciting opportunity to get inmates invested in lasting rehabilitative change than the prison library, yet many Departments of...
Diversity, equity, and inclusion in action
CHICAGO — All too often, in a hurried attempt to “catch up,” diversity training can create division among staff or place undue burdens on a handful of employees. Instead, academic libraries need approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that...
Public libraries connecting readers through national digital reading event
New epic saga ebook now available for reading and social media discussion CHICAGO – Readers nationwide are actively borrowing and discussing the next Libraries Transform Book Pick, the annual digital reading event that makes a featured ebook immediately...
Core Webinar Presents Effective Communications for Libraries in a Crisis
Any situation that threatens the integrity or reputation of your organization is a crisis. It could include funding reductions, safety and security events, or health issues at your library. Libraries must be prepared for potential emergencies and...
Six library students win free registration for YALSA’s 2020 Virtual YA Services Symposium
CHICAGO – Six students have been selected to receive registration grants from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) for its 2020 Young Adult Services Symposium. The grants will provide free registration to attend the symposium, which will...
Carnegie-Whitney awards up to $5,000 for guides to library resources
CHICAGO — The 91´«Ã½ Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at...
Six library workers win free registration for YALSA’s 2020 Virtual YA Services Symposium
CHICAGO — Six library workers have been selected to receive registration grants from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) for its 2020 Young Adult Services Symposium. The grants will provide free registration to attend the symposium, which...
CHICAGO – As schools across the country make critical decisions about how to handle a variety of back-to-school scenarios, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is collecting data from school librarians across the country to gauge the...
ALSC President Kirby McCurtis discusses #LooktoLibraries with ABC News
CHICAGO – Today Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) President Kirby McCurtis, appeared as a guest on " Pandemic: What You Need to Know," a new ABC Network program temporarily replacing the third hour of Good Morning America. This national...
Study finds genrefication increases browsing satisfaction
CHICAGO – New research published in the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR), explores the impact of genrefying the fiction section in an elementary school library. SLR promotes and...
