AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE BOASTS BIG NAMES
Bestselling Author and Presidential Poet Amanda Gorman and Illustrator, Author, and Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honoree Christian Robinson will be the closing speakers for the 2023 Annual Conference & Exhibition. Photo provided by ALA.
Annual Conference & Exhibition from June 22nd through
the 27th in Chicago at McCormick Place.
comprehensive library event, set to bring together librarians,
library workers, educators, authors, publishers and library lovers. The hope is that during the five-day event, people will inspire and discover each other.
the organization listened to its members to inform what
should be discussed. Those issues, along with health and
wellness, intellectual freedom, leadership and innovation
and trauma, are things library workers are experiencing.
Pelayo-Lozado pointed out, libraries are facing the highest
number of book challenges ever recorded. When it comes
to book challenges, books with portrayals of LGBTQIA +
people, Black people and People of Color are consistently on
the list. The American Library Association released its Top
13 Most Challenged Books of 2022.
which is a very vague term. Some are just straight up challenged for LGBTQIA + content, as well as EDI content and to promote specific social agendas. But, we really know it is a silencing of these voices and histories,” Pelayo-Lozado said.
COVID-19, the American Library Association is trying to
figure out how to keep accessibility moving forward. The
organization also is trying to figure out how to support the
library workers who went through trauma because of the
pandemic.
have a heavy focus on intellectual freedom and speakers
who could discuss that. Speakers at the event include Judy
Blume, who has had her books censored and challenged. She will share some of her ideas and wisdom with attendees, as well as how she deals with fans and her staunch critics.
Award recipient, and Brian Pinkney, son of Jerry Pinkney, will
discuss their book “A Walk in the Woods.” Bestselling Author and Presidential Poet Amanda Gorman and Christian Robinson, Illustrator, Author, and Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honoree, will discuss their upcoming children’s picture book, “Something, Someday.”
and the love of coming together as a community,” Pelayo-
Lozado said.
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