The ALA Conference will take place June 22 - 27, 2023 in Chicago. As the world's biggest library event, the onsite Annual Conference & Exhibition听brings together thousands of听librarians and library staff, educators, authors, publishers, friends of libraries, trustees, special guests, and exhibitors.
National Library Week, April 23 - 29, 2023,听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.听The theme for 2023 National Library Week is "There's More to the Story."
On April 30, 2023, libraries nationwide will celebrate D铆a. 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.
Each year the 91传媒 (ALA) honors books and media for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards, including the prestigious听Newbery, Caldecott,听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 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 91传媒 and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.听
LIBRARY ISSUES
Book Challenge Surge
Efforts to ban books have persisted in American history, but those efforts are reaching unprecedented heights. In 2022, ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources 鈥� the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. Ninety percent of the overall number of books challenged were part of attempts to censor multiple titles.
,听,听and听听libraries are on the front lines of the COVID-19听response and are providing library users with the resources needed to care for people whose lives have been disrupted by closures, job loss, and sickness.
America鈥檚 libraries are committed to promoting literacy and a love of reading with diverse collections, programs and services for all ages. In an increasingly digital world, our libraries are investing more in eBooks and downloadable media. And millions of people discover and explore new and favorite authors through both our digital and print collections.
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.听
PAST EVENTS听
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week, Sept. 18 - 24, 2022,听听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.听 Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community 鈥� librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types 鈥� in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month -听a time when the 91传媒 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.
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From April 9-16, 2022, libraries will celebrate the 20th anniversary of听Money Smart Week庐.听Earning a living can be hard. But knowing how to spend, save and invest your money wisely can be even more of a challenge.听Money Smart Week庐 is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. The 91传媒 (ALA) is among several partnering organizations.
During听Preservation Week, April 30 鈥� May 6, 2023, libraries all over the country present events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do,听individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared history.
PAST CONFERENCES
The Library Learning Experience (LibLearnX)
The 91传媒 (ALA) will offer The Library Learning Experience (LibLearnX), Jan. 27 -听 30, 2023.听This education听experience for library professionals is designed to motivate, inspire, and engage attendees in discussions that will shape the future of libraries and their communities.听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听(PLA)听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听听will take place March 23听- 25, 2022, in Portland, Oregon.
AASL National Conference & Exhibition听听
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Conference is the only听national conference specifically for school librarians and dedicated to the unique role they serve as leaders, instructional partners, information specialists, teachers, and program administrators. This three-day event occurs once every other year and will be taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct.听21-23, 2021. The conference attracts more than 1,200 school librarians from across the country听to share best practices, resources, and networking.听Those communicating about the national conference are encouraged to use the official hashtag, #AASL21.