April is School Library Month, when school librarians across the U.S. are encouraged to host activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school libraries play in transforming learning. For more than 40 years, School Library Month has highlighted the vital role school libraries play in the lives and education of our nation’s youth. It has a fascinating history.
Bookmobiles are a large component of library outreach—in fact, National Library Outreach Day was first called National Bookmobile Day. In honor of the bookmobile and its vital role in helping to get books and library materials to everyone, especially those unable to directly access their local library, we have a look at its history from the American Library Association Archives.
In March 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) announced a new project in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries, under ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, to expand support for hundreds of small and rural libraries across the country.
It’s National Library Week, the weeklong celebration of the important role libraries and library workers play in schools and communities across the United States. It also marks the release of ALA’s 2026 State of America’s Libraries Report and the highly anticipated Top 11 Most Challenged Books List.
Belén (N.M.) Public Library was awarded two rounds of grant funding via ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities initiative. Those dollars have helped the library reach its goal of becoming a safe place for everyone—including those with mobility disabilities, low vision or blindness, hearing loss, and those who are neurodivergent.
This National Library Week, celebrated April 19-25, we want to know: What brings you library joy? Show us with your original creative work and you could win a $150 VISA gift card or an ALA READ poster!
City dwellers are used to seeing lawn signs for politicians, schools, or reminders to pick up after your dog. But during the summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a different kind of sign begins sprouting up across the city. These colorful, circular signs aren’t for an upcoming election but instead “lawn codes” for the Ann Arbor District Library’s (AADL) Summer Game.
ALA’s Dolly Parton READ poster will no longer be available after April 16 when our licensing for it ends. A lifelong advocate for libraries and literary, Parton received an honorary lifetime membership to ALA in 2023 for her longstanding support and commitment to inspiring a love of books and reading.
Lester Public Library in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, was one of just 15 libraries in the nation selected to host “World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration,” an exhibit that explored why people move, how migration changes individuals and communities, and what those movements mean for our shared future.
Virtual reality (VR) has popped up in many libraries in recent years, sparking everything from senior-focused programs to virtual travel experiences to tween and teen STEAM programs. Using a headset, such as the Oculus, allows participants to immerse themselves into new worlds and experiences. In an academic library, VR can enhance educational takeaways from historical and cultural events and tie into curriculum.
