The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ALA is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
ALA leadership, the Diversity Advisory Board, and the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS) are working together to empower our members with tools to address and recognize equity, diversity, inclusion, microaggressions, racism, genderism, ableism, and implicit/explicit bias, as we all work toward becoming allies in promoting and understanding our roles within a social justice framework. EDI efforts from ALA and its Divisions include our participation on the National Day of Racial Healing, PLA’s Social Justice and Public Libraries regional symposiums, and ACRL’s blog series on EDI. All existing and future continued education on EDI is available online and forthcoming resources on understanding the social justice framework, microaggressions, implicit bias, and being an ally are underway. Trainings for all ALA staff in the area of EDI are ongoing.
