By Matt Enis, Lisa Peet, Hallie Rich, & Kara Yorio
This year’s American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, held from June 26–30 in Philadelphia, drew 14,250 participants: librarians and library staff, authors, publishers, educators, and exhibitors, including 165 international members. While still not up to pre-pandemic attendance levels, the conference was—by all accounts—buzzing and busy, with well-attended sessions and a bustling exhibit floor.
The mission of the Black Women’s Organizing Archive (BWOA) is to gather the papers and ephemera of 19th- and 20th-century Black female activists and intellectuals. The digital and community-centered archive includes the papers of four extraordinary women—Anna Julia Cooper, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Mary Church Terrell, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper—from archives and repositories across the United States and Canada.
European Union countries are often envied for their quality of life. Lately, the EU has lost confidence in its economic model. From Germany, to France, to Italy, economic growth stalled. Can the EU meet the challenges of a new era marked by rapid geopolitical shifts and policy uncertainty?
Among all the encouraging dispatches coming out of this year’s American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, one of the most welcome was ALA’s announcement that Daniel J. Montgomery has been appointed as the association’s next Executive Director. He will start in the role on November 10, succeeding Interim Executive Director Leslie Burger.
The Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize, developed in partnership between the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation and Library Journal, was created in 2019 to recognize the public library as a vital community asset. When libraries, civic entities, organizations, and the people they serve become close partners, their communities thrive. One winning library will receive $250,000 in unfettered grant monies from the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation. The winning library will also be profiled in the March 2026 issue of Library Journal and online. Honorable mentions may also be named. The deadline for nominations is September 15.
In the first of a series of excerpts from his latest book, Triptych: Death, AI, and Librarianship, acclaimed scholar R. David Lankes delivers an urgent call to action for the library profession.
“Accessibility isn’t a niche—it’s a foundation. Libraries have the opportunity to treat it not as a separate service, but as a lens for designing programs, spaces, and collections that work better for everyone.”
This Disability Pride Month, we need library workers and other allies everywhere to help us spread the word: literacy doesn’t end when print becomes hard to read.
For more than a decade, the Open Science Framework (OSF), maintained by the nonprofit Center for Open Science (COS), has helped make scientific research more transparent in order to broaden its impact and raise quality and trustworthiness. OSF is a free, open platform supporting full collaboration among researchers.
Nicholson’s observations ramble with curiosity and delight in his local environment. Highly recommended for readers interested and soothed by reading about the natural world.
Libraries are once again at the forefront of change, continuously adapting to meet the shifting demands of their communities and institutions. From harnessing the power of emerging technologies to redefining the role of physical spaces, libraries are evolving into vibrant, multifunctional hubs of innovation, collaboration and learning.
Disability Pride Month commemorates the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law on July 26, 1990. In recognition of this month-long observance, the following list promotes the de-stigmatization of disability, combats ableism, celebrates visibility, and honors the accomplishments, influence, strength, and joy of the disability community.
Library Journal is seeking submissions for its annual Year in Architecture issue (November 2025). The issue will feature public and academic library projects completed between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. Let us know about your remodeling projects and new buildings by filling out this online form. Material must be submitted by Friday, August 1 to be considered for the issue.
Like the first series, the database functions as a gateway to other 20th-century public policy issues and is a snap to use, with stellar content and common-sense features.
An outstanding resource aimed at repatriating, protecting, and disseminating endangered African materials. This vital knowledge source is recommended for all institutions.
Library Open Workflows is a new no-code solution from Ex Libris that empowers libraries to create customized, secure, and efficient workflows across their systems. Designed for accessibility and innovation, it simplifies complex integrations and enhances operational agility. General availability is expected in May 2025.
This month’s can’t-miss documentaries include the chilling story of the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo, klezmer and ethnomusicology, and a tribute to a beloved family-owned Ukrainian restaurant in New York.
Bringing more play back into school may be one way to help young male learners from falling behind. Library spaces and programs grounded in play-based learning (along with high quality pre-K options) also provide important support. According to the 2009 report “Crisis in the Kindergarten,” socio-dramatic play helps children build language and social skills and develop empathy. Libraries can offer the free play and playful learning experiences that benefit all children but may particularly support young boys’ learning needs.
“The Great Summer Preview” arrives from The Millions. Elly Griffiths is awarded the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award. The Library of Congress announces the lineup for the 2025 National Book Festival, including Amy Coney Barrett, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Geena Davis, and Ron Chernow. Plus, interviews with Lawrence Burney, Sarah Hartshorne, Parvati Shallow, Christine Brennan, and Bruce Holsinger.
Shortlists are announced for the Miles Franklin Literary Award for fiction about Australia, Scotland’s Highland Book Prize, and the Taste Canada Awards for cookbooks and food writing. A group of authors is suing Microsoft for allegedly using pirated books to train its LLM. A federal judge sided with Meta in dismissing a copyright-infringement lawsuit from a group of authors (the second such ruling after the Anthropic decision).
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