Library Programming Excellence in Action
What does excellence in library programming look like? Find how-to articles summarizing best practices of seasoned programming librarians.
Getting Started with Program Evaluation
Real, meaningful evaluation isn’t just a survey you tack on at the end of a program. It’s an integral piece of your planning process, right from the start. Once you learn to recognize the elements of evaluation and use them with intentionality, you’ll be able to continually grow the impact of your programs and your ability to tell their story.
The Secret to Successful Program Promotion? Data.
Picture this: You work hard to plan an awesome program, but nobody shows up. You feel totally defeated, and you aren't sure what you could've done differently. The secret to success? Data.
Engagement and Advocacy Start with Community Mapping
Taking time to understand who you know — and who you don’t know — is a great way to begin your journey toward being a community-informed programming librarian.
Sensory-Friendly Programming
Lessons on how to create effective sensory-friendly programs, courtesy of small and rural libraries.
Help! How Do I Talk About Disability at My Library?
Best practices for talking about disabilities in libraries and other public settings.
Drawn to the Library
Whatever draws you in, the library has something for everyone. Celebrate National Library Week (April 6 - 12, 2025) with these comic-related program ideas.
Call for Advisors: Digital Pathways
ALA seeks four librarian advisors to help shape a new digital health literacy project. Apply by April 30, 2025.
Sensory–Friendly Programs & Resources
How small and rural libraries are creating programs, spaces and collections that address the needs of patrons with sensory sensitivities.
Marketing Library Public Programs: Digging Deeper Into What We Know
Do library workers’ marketing tasks vary by levels of experience, education and the existence of marketing support staff? A survey shows that library workers with more years on the job are actually less confident about marketing tasks, with one exception.
Marketing Library Public Programs: The Survey Says…
A fieldwide survey highlights areas where library workers would benefit from greater support in marketing their public programs.
Visiting Santa at the Library: An Experience for All
One rural library’s experience creating a sensory-friendly Santa program for neurodivergent youth and their families.
Pairing STEAM with Stories
Libraries can foster learning by pairing picture books with STEAM activities. For creative approaches to problem-solving, take a look at these five playful learning programs.
Accessibility, Privacy, Dignity: How Libraries Are Addressing Hygiene Needs
Many libraries offer free hygiene supplies in restrooms. This interview with two Missouri librarians explores how they make it happen.
How a Chair Storage Room Became This Library's Star-Studded Wall
A nostalgic desire for autograph books and the dream to create a green room led the programming librarians at the Avon (Conn.) Library to the designate the “Chair Storage Room" as the new home of a “Wall of Fame.”
Apply Now: Sara Jaffarian School Library Award
School librarians are invited to apply for a $5,000 annual award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through twelfth grade.