Show up for our libraries. ALA 150, American Library Association.
NEW: Congress has begun preparation for next year's federal budget, and they need to hear from library advocates like you.
The best way to show up #ForOurLibraries during the budget process? Take action.
Tell your Representative to #FundLibraries in FY 2027: ala.org/showup
“If a man knows not which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
Seneca the Younger
Great. Just great.
First portion of a letter from ALA to Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Shaheen on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Re: S.3733, Community Passport Services Access Act - SUPPORT. Dear Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Shaheen, On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA), I write in support of S. 3733, the Community Passport Services Access Act, and its House companion, H.R. 6997. These bills would allow nonprofit public libraries to continue serving as passport acceptance facilities designated by the State Department. Many libraries across the country serve as passport acceptance facilities. These libraries offer a convenient location for Americans to apply for a U.S. passport, especially in rural areas which may be distant from other passport acceptance facilities."
ALA reiterates our strong support for proposed legislation in Congress to protect passport acceptance services at nonprofit libraries. As we said in a letter to Congressional committee leadership, thousands of Americans use these critical services.
Our earlier statement: www.ala.org/news/2026/02...
See it. Act upon what you learn.
“Of the people, by the people and for the people.”
If you are in the Austin area next month I’ll be around talking about voting rights at the LBJ Library! Put it on your calendars!
Srsly.
"Voter suppression is one of the core tools of authoritarianism. It is how you shift from democracy to autocracy. And for millions of Americans, it’s about to become the norm"
www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/202...
Graphic Novels and Comics Round table announces the 2025 Outstanding comics awards for Adults, Young Adults, Children for Fiction, Non-fiction, and series. Book covers of the winners in the background.
Exciting news! 🎉
The inaugural Outstanding Comics Awards was announced today
Each award has three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and series!
🧵 for press releases
Browse the Awards winners and honorees on our site
www.ala.org/gncrt/awards...
#LibComix
boss’d with pearl
And transforming!
Adding my voice of outrage. Yet again I will be calling my senators, reps and, and and…
Pictured, from left: ALA's Kevin Maher, ALA's Lisa Varga, ALA Executive Director Dan Montgomery, Rep. Adelita Grijalva, ALA's Megan Janicki, ALA's Emily Durkin, and ALA's Shawnda Hines, posing together in Rep. Grijalva's office with a framed picture of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva posing in a Read poster.
Libraries had a big day on Capitol Hill.
First, thank you Rep Adelita Grijalva for meeting with ALA!
We were proud to present her with a vintage Read poster featuring her father, library champion Rep Raúl Grijalva, pictured with her daughter. We couldn't think of a better way to welcome her to DC!
Photo of a card with calligraphy writing. Text on card reads "LIBRARIANS' CONVENTION. The Librarians of the City of Philadelphia request the pleasure of your company, on Friday Evening, Oct. 6, 1876, between the hours of 8 and 11, at the rooms of the Historical Society, No. 820 Spruce St. Please present this card at the door." Text in graphic reads "Present at the Creation: 'For the purpose of promoting the library interests of the country, and of increasing reciprocity of intelligence and goodwill among librarians and all interested in library economy and bibliographic studies, the undersigned form themselves in a body to be known as the AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.'" ALA150. American Library Association
Library historian Wayne A. Wiegand writes about the first "Congress of Librarians" and the beginning of the American Library Association: https://bit.ly/4bvULDy.
Originally published in @amlibraries.bsky.social.
#ALA150 #ForOurLibraries
Tomorrow!! Saturday!
Schedule for Coretta Scott King Book Awards Literature Week: Thursday, January 15: MLK Jr. Sunrise Celebration (on-demand after January 15. Monday, January 19" Community Commemorative Service hosted by The King Center, 10:00 am, ET. Tuesday, January 20: The Life of Coretta Scott King with Dr. Queen Zabriskie, 12:00 pm ET. Wednesday, January, 21: Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffrey Boston Weatherford, 12:00 pm ET. THursday, January 22: James Ransome, 12:00 pm Et. Friday, January 23: Lesa Cline Ransome, 12:00 pm Et.
Join us for Coretta Scott King Book Award Literature Week
🗓️ Jan 19–23, 2026
Celebrate Black voices, stories, and literary excellence.
🔗 Register at bit.ly/csk-lit-week-26
#CSKLiteratureWeek #CSKBART #CorettaScottKing #BlackAuthors
It wasn’t to you, no.
It is my experience that making sure strong community leaders know about the data and trends helps make the case with the people who do make the decisions. Your Friends, Library Foundation, Chamber, Rotary, local philanthropists. If data won’t convince them, what will? It’s a campaign.
If I wrote it, I meant it.
Take it as you will.
How so? Our library staff is fabulous. How is support for eliminating fines insulting to them? As a patron, I find them nothing but helpful. As a former librarian, I respect their work and recognize some of the challenges they face.The commissioner tries to give staff tools make our system better.
Librarians DO have power over this. So do their boards. Our director came to the commission with data from other libraries that had eliminated fines and presented figures from our own system. She addressed the reality that fines are a barrier to the underserved. We voted unanimously to end fines.
Its not a fine. It’s a replacement fee; there’s a huge difference in the tone there.
Fires have roared through my county way too often in recent years. We are certainly not going to fine or charge someone who has lost their home/possessions for a few books.
I’m a library commissioner and a librarian. I’ve also been president of my state library association. My library system did away with fines about 7 years ago. Works just fine.
All policies should be on your library’s webpage. Or call the director/manager’s office and ask for it.
Every library system has its own policies.
People will bring them back. Libraries have been looking at this for a long time. Bringing them back is part of the charm and makes sense. Not everyone wants books they’ve already read taking up space in their living quarters.
You sound like YOU have some overdue books from some library.
[Flourish and shout.]
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Let’s talk about something not many people are chatting about and what’s actually happening right now.
You might wonder why Imran Ahmed and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) suddenly became targets of the U.S. government. The honest answer is that their research hit where it hurt.
Good luck! Happy Christmas. (Hope someone gives you a stong eggnog!)
