American Library Association

05/30/2026

“I’ve found that momentum matters more than page count; once I reconnect with the feeling of discovery, the habit tends to return on its own.”

ALA President Sam Helmick on how picking up a book that’s different from what you “should” be reading is a great way to get out of a reading slump.

We asked a bunch of bookworms for their best tips on rekindling their love of reading. Here's what they had to say.

05/29/2026

Is your community ? Join ALA and libraries around the country in partnering with National Voter Registration Day! Register as a partner today to host events or materials in your library: bit.ly/ALA-NVRD26.

05/28/2026

🎉 It's the gala of the century, where ALA members, friends of libraries, and ALA staff will gather to celebrate 150 years in the making. Join your friends to toast the past and the future—relax in the laid-back lounge, step into a 360° photo booth, watch original artwork come to life, get an exclusive look at rare ALA artifacts, and leave with a one-of-a-kind poem written just for you.

Tickets are limited. RSVP TODAY! https://bit.ly/4qJALBq

Already registered for the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition? You can edit your registration to add this event through your confirmation email.

05/27/2026

ALA employees voted to approve the formation of ALA Workers United (ALAWU), a new union representing staff at the association. The National Labor Relations Board will now certify the union, allowing workers to begin collective bargaining.

Following the vote tally, ALA Executive Director Dan Montgomery said, “Moving forward, I believe our shared focus will remain on advancing ALA’s mission, serving our members, and fostering a workplace culture grounded in collaboration, mutual respect, and people-centered values. Together, we will continue working to ensure the Association is well-positioned to live up to our mission: to support libraries, library workers, and the communities they serve for years to come.”

Read more:

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 h...

05/27/2026

Digital access of library patrons is under threat…all because of rising e-book costs. Libraries are spending up to 3 times more than consumers to buy e-books, only for that content to expire.

That’s why we’re calling on North America’s Big Five publishers to work with libraries together to identify and implement real, sustainable solutions. Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/4dBnwj6

05/26/2026

Explore Jewish culture, identity, and immigration through the power of Yiddish literature. Apply by August 14 for the Yiddish Book Center's 2026-2027 cohort of the Between Two Worlds Public Libraries Program!

Forty selected libraries will receive books, funding, educational resources, and an expenses-paid training at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.

This is a unique opportunity to bring rich cultural conversations to your community through the lens of Yiddish storytelling: https://bit.ly/4uK4Bs0

05/25/2026

“Decent, but not too highbrow.” That’s how one volunteer described the kind of fiction he and his colleagues solicited from their Hibbing, Minnesota, neighbors for the second of three book collection campaigns the American Library Association sponsored for servicemen during World War I.

ALA established its Library War Service in 1917 to provide books and library services to U.S. soldiers and sailors both in training at home and serving in Europe, raising $5 million from public donations and holding three book drives—one in September 1917, one in March 1918, and one in January 1919. This second book drive generated 3 million books, many going overseas, others ending up on the shelves of 36 training-camp libraries erected through Carnegie Corporation funding and managed by ALA volunteers across the country.

During the war, tens of thousands of servicemen spent much of their free time reading in those camp libraries and near the European battlefronts. By poring over “decent but not too highbrow” fiction, many improved their literary skills beyond the merely functional. The affinity they developed for these services often carried over into postwar use and support of public libraries.

Read more about ALA's Library War Service: https://bit.ly/4v7IDPV

05/22/2026

Due to communist hysteria before and after World War II, many organizations and publications were under suspicion of being affiliated with or promoting the Communist party. One curious suspect of this scrutiny was Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, the product testing and consumer advocacy magazine. In the late 1930s, Consumers Union faced unsubstantiated accusations of communism. Despite the fruitless claims, Consumers Union was placed on a list of subversive organizations by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1944.

In 1951, representatives from the Better Business Bureaus drew attention to Consumer Union’s status on the House Committee’s list. As a result, Ohio schools banned the use of Consumer Reports in the classroom. While the Ohio schools' ban of the magazine was short-lived, questions about it were not, and the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) noticed the attempts to ban the publication.

The IFC received inquiries from librarians as far away as Hawaii, asking about the supposedly communist Consumer Reports. The committee provided librarians with information outlining the facts of the accusations against Consumers Union, concluding that “the case against Consumers Union is, at best, tenuous and without evidence of subversion.” This wasn’t an endorsement of the publication, and the committee urged that library materials should be selected to fit local needs, recommending that “all librarians should resist the pressures of those who want to prevent American citizens from being informed.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/3RkeaQ0

05/20/2026

“I don't think we should be taking these books out. Leave it up to the librarians. I want my kid to read. Want to know why? Books start conversations. Know what we’re not having enough of in this country? Conversations! I don't think so honey!”

“I don’t think so, honey. Don’t ever get me started on that again.”

05/19/2026

🎉 From fresh faces to returning favorites, our exhibitor list is growing! With over 130 first-time exhibitors, the ALA Annual Library Marketplace has something new for EVERYONE!

Start planning your Library Marketplace experience with new exhibitors, returning favorites, and tons of resources. https://bit.ly/4dA6TCS

Not registered? Don't wait any longer.