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With a Feb. 4 deadline looming, members of the library community worked to ensure that 25,000 people signed the White House petition on behalf of school libraries.

Paolo Bacigalupi, author of Ship Breaker, a 2010 young adult novel by Paolo Bacigalupi set in a postapocalyptic future, talks passionately about libraries and their role in society in this video interview.

The top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, Printz and Morris awards – were announced early Monday morning at ALA's annual Youth Media Awards ceremony.

Many of the winners are posting their reaction to receiving the prestigious honor on the YMA YouTube Channel. 

by Steve Zalusky

Libraries are creatures of adaptation. This is particularly true as people drift away from hardcover and paperback books and move toward getting their reading done on electronic devices.

Adults as well as children will recognize such Judy Blume titles as: Are You There God?

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“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
– Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream,” 1963

This weekend marks the annual celebration of the life and achievements of the Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  While your children are enjoying a day off from school, plan some time to learn about this great American.

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Libraries play a valuable role in bringing communities together.

And that includes ways in which community members act toward each other.

Illustrating this will be several public libraries that were selected by the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office and the Fetzer Institute to host a series of programs as part of the Building Common Ground: Discussions of Community, Civility and Compassion initiative, which is supported by the institute.

Sara Zarr, author of How to Save a Life, shares her thoughts about libraries in this week's video interview.

Zarr describes how libraries played a crucial role in providing her with books during her childhood in San Francisco.

"We didn't have money. We relied on hand-me-down clothing, food stamps. So the whole idea of idea of buying a book was completely foreign to me," she says.

The Michael L. Printz Award is bestowed annually to a book that exemplifies excellence in literature for teens. The award, sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association (ALA), and administered by ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the YALSA.

“Our Authors, Our Advocates,” ALA Past President Roberta Stevens’ library advocacy initiative, features  well-known and passionate authors speaking out about the value of and importance of libraries.

Pam Muñoz Ryan participated in the project by taping this video public service announcement in support of school libraries.