American Library Association profile picture

American Library Association

Everybody's working for the wiki.

About Me

This is the official Myspace profile of the American Library Association .

Members of the American Library Association (ALA) are change-agents within their communities. From public to academic to school to research and special libraries, ALA members have an immediate, dynamic impact on the quality of life in a community; on successful student learning outcomes; on the sustainability of critical engagements with the past and the extending access to tools for charting a new future; and on the usefulness of work/life in every field of human endeavor. And this profile would like to show them off.
This overview of the Reforma National Conference, held September 18-21 in El Paso, Texas, features musicians at the exhibit hall opening, conversations with Author Luncheon speaker Diana Washington Valdez and former ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano, a tour of the Biblioteca de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and music and dance under the stars at the Awards Banquet.

My Interests

2008 Banned Books Week Read Out!

Scenes from the 2008 Banned Books Week Read-Out, held at Chicago's Pioneer Plaza September 27. Speakers include authors Judy Blume, Lois Lowry, Stephen Chbosky, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Luis Alberto Urrea; a selection of challenged music performed by Matt Ryd; interviews with Judith Krug, And Tango Makes Three authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, and ALA President Jim Rettig; and a reading from Lauren Myracle's TTYL by the author with special guests Ron Koertge and Nanette Perez.

I'd like to meet:

Libraries, librarians, library workers, students, library supporters, and library lovers.You can chat with Tina, ALA's Member Specialist for Membership Development, using Meebo:

If she's not in, leave a message!
PLEASE keep in mind that following our internal policies I cannot approve any comments containing urls.

Music:

Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb shares her love of libraries

Movies:

Star Crossed Readers

Based on the blockbuster YA series Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart star in the forthcoming film about a teen who risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire. The next book in the Twilight series releases August 2, 2008.
Get a copy of your own!

Television:

Stepping up to the plate

In this video, Megan Humphrey, manager of the Campaign for America’s Libraries, talks about the program, which wrapped up its third season by celebrating the 100th anniversary of the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” The video also features excerpts of a presentation at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference by Andy Strasberg, co-author of “Baseball’s Greatest Hit: The Story of Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Books:

YALSA's YA Lit Symposium

The first ever YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium will be held November 7 - 9 in Nashville, Tennessee. In this preview of what to expect, YALSA members talk about the scheduled authors (including Marc Aronson, Coe Booth, and Julie Ann Peters), the opportunities for librarians to network and find new ideas to link teens with books, as well as how the symposium's theme of "How We Read Now" will be reflected in programming that will include information on zines, audio books, and more. Find out more

Heroes:

Why Not to Ban Books

Author Stephen Chbosky shares a letter he received from a reader of his young adult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Alternately funny and moving, it demonstrates the effect that a book can have on a life--even (and especially) a book that some would have removed from library shelves. Filmed at ALA's Banned Books Read-Out in Chicago September 27, 2008.

My Blog

Great Stories Club! Round II

The Great Stories CLUB is a reading and discussion program that targets underserved, troubled teen populations. The program reaches teens through books that are relevant to their lives, inviting them ...
Posted by American Library Association on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

A Call to Submit Library Questions for the 9/26 Presidential Debate

On Tuesday, October 7, one of the three 2008 Presidential debates between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain will be held at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. This debate will be a town hall for...
Posted by American Library Association on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:54:00 PST

Get Ready for Banned Books Week 2008

Banned Books Week, September 27 - October 4, 2008Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA event ...
Posted by American Library Association on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:26:00 PST

National Library Legislative Day - 5/13 and 5/14

On May 13 & 14, 2008, hundreds of librarians and library supporters of all kinds are coming to Washington, DC, for an event like no other: National Library Legislative Day (NLLD). And you can come, to...
Posted by American Library Association on Mon, 12 May 2008 02:32:00 PST

Happy National Library Week!

Celebrate National Library Week this week! Check out our great series of AL Focus videos offering information and laughs for National Library Week here Join us in Second Life for a week ...
Posted by American Library Association on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:25:00 PST

April is School Library Media Month!

First observed in 1985, School Library Media Month (SLMM) expands on ALA’s National Library Week celebration and provides a month-long opportunity for school library media specialists to highli...
Posted by American Library Association on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:58:00 PST

The Campaign for Americas Libraries offers prizes for National Library Week stories

The Campaign for America’s Libraries offers prizes for National Library Week stories The Campaign for America’s Libraries is collecting stories from libraries about how they plan to "Join...
Posted by American Library Association on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:21:00 PST

Be Prepared for Sunshine Week 2008: March 16-22

What is Sunshine Week?Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online new...
Posted by American Library Association on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:01:00 PST

Save School Libraries Valentine to Congress

..> American Library AssociationWashington Office NewslineALAWONVolume 17, Number 002January 25, 2008..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />   Send Your...
Posted by American Library Association on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:47:00 PST

Public Access to Medical Information - Senate Action Needed

..> American Library AssociationWashington Office NewslineALAWONVolume 16, Number 093October 20, 2007 Fight Continues for Public Access to NIH Medical Information - Urge Your Senators to Su...
Posted by American Library Association on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:29:00 PST