For this installment of our weekly book reviews from Booklist, the American Library Association’s nationally distributed book and media review publication, we have Sharon Rawlins’s review of “Friedel and Gina: A True Story of Sisterhood and Survival During the Holocaust” by Jeremy Dronfield, first published February 1, 2026, in Booklist.
The Illinois Fire Service Institute Library in Champaign, Illinois, provides fire and emergency library and information assistance to the Fire Institute’s instructional staff, students, and more than 1,000 Illinois fire departments and 42,000 Illinois firefighters. Through ALA’s American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries, the library is creating the Children Fire Safety Literacy Reading and Discussion Program, which uses history, biography, and fiction to teach children about fire safety.
Booklist selects 12 vivid and thoughtful memoirs that bring us into the lives of Black families and share deeply resonant experiences of hardships and healing, dreams and accomplishments.
“A win for adult horror fans and a surprisingly unique take on the haunted house story.” For this installment of our weekly book reviews from Booklist, the American Library Association’s book and media review publication, we have Jack Phoenix’s review of the trade paperback edition of the comic book, “Plague House,” written by Michael W. Conrad and illustrated by Dave Chisholm.
What do “The Karate Kid,” “Clueless,” “Before Sunrise,” and “The Big Chill” have in common (besides being great films that hold-up over multiple watches)? They’ve all been added to the National Film Registry for 2025 by the Library of Congress.
A children’s book enjoyed a spectacular trip around the world before coming home to a Virginia library 36 years after it was checked out.
The American Library Association has selected “A Guardian and a Thief” by Megha Majumdar as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and “Things in Nature Merely Grow” by Yiyun Li as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The selections were announced Tuesday, January 27.
The Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Printz, and more. The 2026 ALA Youth Media Award honorees have been announced. Check out the books young readers will be talking about all year.
For this installment of our weekly book reviews from Booklist, the American Library Association’s nationally distributed book and media review publication, we have Kaitlin Conner’s review of the audiobook of “Finding My Way,” written and read by Malala Yousafzai, first published January 1, 2026, in Booklist.
Libraries and schools across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of attempts to ban or remove books from their shelves. I Love Libraries will continue to raise awareness by highlighting attempts to censor library materials, as well as efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them. This report includes news from Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, and Maryland.
Are you a high-school student or parent/guardian of a teen who wants to get hands-on journalism experience this school year? PBS News Student Reporting Labs is for you then. Join them for a three-part intro virtual series beginning August 26 to learn more.
In episode 21 of the “How I Library” podcast, show host and I Love Libraries editor Phil Morehart speaks with award-winning author and illustrator Brian Selznick (“The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” “Wonderstruck”). Selznick joins the show to discuss his new YA novel, “Run Away with Me,” the importance of creating stories that depict the LGBTQ+ experience, book repair, Italian art and architecture, and, of course, how he libraries.
Libraries remind us that value isn’t always immediate or measurable in quarterly reports, but it’s real. The impact accumulates over time, quietly compounding. And any organization willing to think more expansively, invest in culture, make room for imagination, and support its people and community can experience it.
When Dan Pelzer died last month at the age of 92, he left his family and friends an incredible gift: a 109-page handwritten list of all the books he’d read since 1962. And now it can be viewed by the world.
With a grant from the American Library Association, a small library in rural New Hampshire created accessible and inclusive spaces for its youngest patrons.
In the almost 15 years since the first Death Café was held in the UK, they have sprouted all over the world. And libraries are often the gathering spots.
Oscar-winning actor and lifelong advocate for equity and education, Geena Davis believes libraries are magical spaces—full of discovery, imagination, and opportunity for all. That’s why she proudly supports the American Library Association. Join Geena in standing up for libraries and the freedom to read.
In episode 20 of the “How I Library” podcast, show host and I Love Libraries editor Phil Morehart speaks with magician, actor, and author Penn Jillette from the Emmy Award-winning magic and comedy duo, Penn and Teller. Jillette joins the show to discuss his new novel, “Felony Juggler,” and its influences, magic and skepticism, the importance of libraries in his life growing up, book bans and information access, and of course, how he libraries.
MSNBC’s Ali Velshi sat down with author Max Brooks recently to learn why Brooks’ book “World War Z” has been banned and to break down its message, exploring why it inspires fear not just in the reader, but also in those in power.
Oh my! Actor, author, and activist George Takei has been named honorary chair of Banned Books Week, which will take place October 5–11, 2025.
In episode 22 of the “How I Library” podcast, show host and I Love Libraries editor Phil Morehart speaks with award-winning actor, author, and musician David Duchovny (“The X-Files,” “Californication”). Duchovny joins the podcast to discuss his new book of poetry, “About Time: Poems,” his writing and music, his thoughts on book bans and censorship, and, of course, how he libraries. He also reads a brand-new poem for listeners.
In Dunkerton, Iowa, population 842, more than 15% of the population lives with some type of disability. Dunkerton Public Library has stepped up to serve this community, using funds it received from ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant to help older adults with mobility issues, people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and those who are blind or low vision to fully participate in all library services.
American Libraries, the magazine of the American Library Association, has released the 37th annual edition of its Library Design Showcase, which spotlights the year’s most exciting new and renovated libraries. And, as usual, it’s lovely.
Grace Lin, the lauded author and illustrator—and winner of a Newbery Honor, a Caldecott Honor, and a Children’s Literature Legacy Award—thinks libraries are places of wonder and magic for people of all ages. That’s why she proudly supports the American Library Association.
Join policy experts from the American Library Association for a FREE webinar on September 9 at 4:00 pm CT to get updates on the fight to defend library funding and learn the best ways to turn your Congressmembers into true library champions, regardless of their political background.
On September 3, the American Library Association and a coalition of 13 partner organizations filed an amicus brief in Rhode Island v. Trump, a lawsuit brought by 21 state Attorneys General urging a federal court to uphold an injunction against the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 I Love My Librarian Award. Ten librarians from across the U.S. will win $5,000 and the recognition of a lifetime—your librarian could be one of them!
Caring for loved ones struggling with disease, advanced age, or both takes a toll, as do so many aspects of life. These candid, informative, practical, and inspiring memoirs and guides address the demands on caregivers and the need for self-care for everyone.
Libraries and schools across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of attempts to ban or remove books from their shelves. I Love Libraries will continue to raise awareness by highlighting attempts to censor library materials, as well as efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them. This report includes news from Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, and Maryland.
