Opinion

Librarians have always advanced the field by gathering, and ALA conferences show how local concerns can become shared knowledge, policy, and action. Those who gathered in Philadelphia at the nation’s centennial were defining the profession in real time. Over the years, conferences have become crucial pivot points where librarians enact or codify important shifts in policy and power to address ever-evolving needs.

In Library Journal’s 150th year, I find myself stepping back in time to reflect on the wisdom of many “library greats” who advanced the profession to where it stands today. Sometimes their work was highly visible, other times it was a quieter continuation of learning, iteration, and innovation.

Will libraries pay the price for property tax reform?

Librarians respond to pressure with presence.

This year marks Library Journal’s 150th anniversary. How many media companies can say they have been actively publishing for a century and a half? In an increasingly challenging media landscape, it feels almost miraculous to still be here.

Despite data that only about five percent of media consumers’ time is spent with books and audiobooks, publishing has the conditions to thrive.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to see poet and entrepreneur Wesley “Wallstreet Wes” Robinson perform in a spoken word event at my library. I was inspired by his performance and started following him on social media, where I learned that Wallstreet facilitates poetry clinics to deliver what he calls “emotional first aid,” many times to those who are justice-involved. His posts frequently include the tagline “I’m in the building because I’m into building.”

Since January, the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have implemented widespread employee reductions. The Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan nonprofit with a mission to improve government, estimates that more than 199,000 civil servants have left the workforce as a result of the administration’s firings, forced relocations, and deferred resignation program. In looking at the numbers, it can be easy to lose sight of individual losses, but we shouldn’t.

I’m a sucker for a library with a big, fat cookbook collection. Like a well-stocked pantry, it offers endless possibilities—recipes for quick weeknight dinners, menu inspiration for a cocktail party, or an introduction to a new culture by way of cuisine. From the kitchens of chefs, celebrities, nutritionists, influencers, and culinary experts, titles may range from the practical to the sublime.