Press Kits
ALA Conferences
The ALA Annual Conference will take place June 27 - July 2, 2024 in San Diego. As the world's biggest library event, the onsite Annual Conference & Exhibition brings together thousands of librarians and library staff, educators, authors, publishers, friends of libraries, trustees, special guests, and exhibitors.
The American Library Association will offer The Library Learning Experience (LibLearnX), Jan. 24-27, 2025. This education experience for library professionals is designed to motivate, inspire, and engage attendees in discussions that will shape the future of libraries and their communities. The event will bring thousands of library workers, educators, special guests, and exhibitors from the library and information industry for meetings, programs, discussion groups, events, in-depth conversations, and exhibits.
Offered biennially, the Public Library Association Conference is the premier event for public libraries, drawing thousands of librarians, library support staff, trustees, friends, and library vendors from across the country and around the world. This multi-day event offers over 100 top-quality education programs, social events that include author luncheons and networking receptions, and a bustling exhibits hall featuring the latest in products and services. The Conference took place April 3–5, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Issues
Book Challenge Surge: Efforts to ban books have persisted in American history, but those efforts are reaching unprecedented heights. In 2023, ALA documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship, the highest number recorded since we began tracking censorship data more than 20 years ago. Pressure groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove the surge.
Libraries and Voter Engagement: Libraries are centers of civic engagement in communities, schools, and academic institutions. By providing information, resources, and programming to foster full participation in the democratic process, libraries are valuable partners to government agencies, community leaders, and elected officials.
Book Awards
ALA Youth Media Awards: Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books and media for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth.
The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction: The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were established in 2012, and recognize the best of the best in fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year. The awards serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.
Events
National Library Week: National Library Week, April 6-12 in 2025, is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all.
Banned Books Week: Banned Books Week, September 22-28, 2024, is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community – librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types – in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
Library Card Sign-up Month: September is Library Card Sign-up Month - a time when the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind the public that a library card is a key to limitless opportunities. Library Card Sign-up Month also brings attention to the supportive role libraries and librarians play in transforming lives and communities through education and lifelong learning.
DIA: On April 30, 20234, libraries nationwide will celebrate 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.
Preservation Week: During Preservation Week, April 28 – May 4, 2024, libraries all over the country present events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared history.
