School Libraries

In June, ALA Council will decide the fate of YALSA, voting on the recommendation that the teen division be eliminated and its work be moved under the umbrella of ALSC.

The National Coalition Against Censorship is launching a new Teen Advocacy Institute over the summer; a read-in is scheduled during ALA Annual to support the push for librarians in Philly schools; the lawsuit against Lucy Calkins is dismissed; and more in this edition of News Bites.

To inspire students, Tim Jones proves a little fun goes a long way. For his work transforming the school library into a hub of learning and inspiring students and staff with compassion and humor, Jones has been named the 2025 School Librarian of the Year.

What's the favorite part of her job? Turning reluctant readers into bookworms, says Tatanisha Love, library media specialist at Southwest Academy Magnet School for Science and Engineering in Baltimore.

At the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Jennifer Mathews built a library from scratch and learned American Sign Language and braille to better serve her preschool through 12th grade students. 

Jones, a library media specialist at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Louisville, KY, received the 2025 award, announced today by SLJ and sponsor Scholastic. Two School Librarian of the Year finalists were also selected: Tatanisha Love of Southwest Academy Magnet School for Science and Engineering in Baltimore, MD; and Jennifer Mathews of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in Colorado Springs, CO.

Bank Street College of Education has revealed the 2025 Margaret Wise Brown Board Book Award honorees, along with the Best Board Books of the Year.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. and School Library Journal have revealed the winning titles in the 2025 Children & Youth Literary Awards, which celebrate the diversity of the Black experience.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. (BCALA) welcomes book submissions for the current cycle of its Children & Young Adult Literary Awards.