ALA News

CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has released a new resource guide to support school librarians inspiring future generations of explorers. “Developing Reflective Explorers and Innovators” contains activities, resources, and professional development based on the Explore Shared Foundation in the AASL “National School Library Standards.” The guide, along with supporting materials, can be downloaded at standards.aasl.org/project/explorers.

CHICAGO — The necessity for library leaders to demonstrate that libraries are innovative, collaborative, and can provide eye-catching, transformational services and programs to their communities cannot be understated. But libraries do not suffer from a lack of big ideas. What library workers really need is a roadmap for making those impactful ideas become reality.

CHICAGO – The American Library Association today announced that chef and TV host Padma Lakshmi, Caldecott-winner Juana Martinez-Neal, and best-selling author Melissa de la Cruz will be among the featured speakers at the virtual 2021 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 23-29. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Registration for the conference is now open, and discounted rates are available through April 30, 2021.

CHICAGO – Kathy Lester, school librarian at East Middle School in Plymouth, Michigan, has been elected the 2022-2023 president of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). Lester will serve as president-elect during 2021-2022 under AASL President Jennisen Lucas.

CHICAGO ⎯  Cynthia Johnson has been elected the 2021-22 President-Elect of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).  Johnson will serve her Presidential term during 2022-23.

“My entire career as a librarian has focused on helping our users figure out how to use our libraries and find the information or materials they need. RUSA is the obvious home for these interests and I look forward to working with everyone in RUSA to continue meeting the organization’s goals.”

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) has announced the recipients of nearly $1 million in funding for small and rural libraries, the second grant distribution as part of the association’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries initiative.

CHICAGO – El próximo 30 de abril, cientos de bibliotecas de todo el país celebrarán el 25to aniversario del “Día”. Esta iniciativa, reconocida nacionalmente, enfatiza la importancia del alfabetismo para todos los niños de todas las procedencias, vinculando a niños y familias con libros multiculturales, cuentos y otros recursos bibliotecarios.

CHICAGO – On April 30, hundreds of libraries nationwide will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Día. This nationally recognized initiative emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds by linking children and families to multicultural books, stories, and other library resources. 

CHICAGO—Implementing web accessibility in libraries requires more than an educated site administrator. Managers need to be backed up with institutional changes to accessibility language in procurement policies and a budget to purchase necessary software. Lay leaders are needed to model accessibility in-house and trained staff are needed to create public-facing library communications. In 2014, the Library of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Education were the first agencies to enter into a web accessibility consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice.

ALA has published a new resource that details how libraries of all types can best obtain a portion of the state-allocated funding outlined in the American Rescue Plan Act. Passed by Congress on March 10, 2021, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes $200 million for

CHICAGO ⎯ Erin L. Ellis, Associate Dean of Research and Learning Services at Indiana University, has been elected ACRL Vice-President/President-Elect. Ellis will become president-elect in July 2021 and assume the presidency in July 2022 for a one-year term.

Mary Mallery, Chief Librarian and Executive Director of Academic Information Technologies at Brooklyn College/CUNY, and Yasmeen Shorish, Head of Scholarly Communications at James Madison University, have been elected to the ACRL Board of Directors as Director-at-Large.

Margaret Heller, Digital Services Librarian at Loyola University Chicago, has been elected as the 2021-22 President-elect of Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Her term will begin July 1, and she’ll serve in that role until July 1, 2022, when she’ll become President of Core. Heller’s fellow candidate for President-elect was Maurini Strub, Director of Performance & User Engagement at the University of Rochester (NY) River Campus Libraries.

CHICAGO -  Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada, adult services assistant manager, Palos Verdes Library District, Rolling Hills Estates, California has been elected 2021-2022 president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA).

Pelayo-Lozada received 4,056 votes, while her opponents, Ed Garcia, director, Cranston Public Library, Cranston, Rhode Island received 2,598 votes and Stacey A. Aldrich, state librarian, Hawaii State Public Library System, Honolulu, Hawaii received 2,186 votes.

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) has awarded its second Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant to the Albany (N.Y.) Public Library for their Branching Out program, a community initiative that aims to uplift local Black voices in music and art.

The American Library Association (ALA) and the Banned Books Week Coalition are excited to announce that banned author Jason Reynolds has been named the inaugural Honorary Chair for Banned Books Week 2021. The New York Times bestselling author will headline the annual celebration of the right to read, which takes place September 26 – October 2, 2021.

EXTON, Pennsylvania — United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations” on Tuesday, April 27th at 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members.

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) is offering its members new benefits that will aid in their professional development and help their libraries move forward.

They consist of two benefits each for organizational members and personal members.

CHICAGO – History is the glue binding communities together. As culture is passed down from generation to generation reinforces our connection to the past, we lay a firm foundation for the future.

During Preservation Week 2021, celebrated April 25– May 1 with the theme “Preserving Community Archives,” the American Library Association (ALA) will promote efforts to conserve community archives.

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association, has officially announced the 2021 Teens’ Top Ten Nominees.

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominators are members of teen book groups from sixteen school and public libraries around the country selected by YALSA to participate.

CHICAGO—On Tuesday, April 27 and Wednesday, April 28, join Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures for two free Preservation Week 2021 webinars.