PLA News
Recent PLA News
PLA announces candidates for 2026 Board Election
The Public Library Association (PLA) 2025 Nominating Committee has unveiled the slate of candidates for the Association’s 2026 election. This year, eight nominees will stand for four positions on the PLA Board of Directors: 2027-2028 president, American Library Association (ALA) division councilor, and two directors-at-large.
PLA launches Transformative Technology Task Force with focus on artificial intelligence
The Public Library Association (PLA) has established the Transformative Technology Task Force to advise the association on the evolving role and impacts of transformative technology on library work and to identify and recommend priority training topics relevant to public library staff and users.
PLA opens proposal window for “Hot Takes” and “How-To” programming at 2026 national conference
CHICAGO — The Public Library Association (PLA) opened a call for proposals for the popular How-To Stage and new Hot Takes event at the PLA 2026 Conference, to be held April 1-3, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. The submission deadline is Dec. 15, 2025.
Bryan Stevenson to Open PLA 2026 Conference
Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) and author of Just Mercy, will deliver the opening keynote at the PLA 2026 Conference.
Free November 12 Webinar to Explore Key Findings from New PLA Report on Adult Learning in Public Libraries
PLA will host a free webinar sponsored by Gale (part of Cengage school) on Wednesday, November 12 at 1:00 PM CT to share and explore key findings from the report “Expanding Possibilities: Public Libraries and Adult Learning."
PLA to award 150 Scholarships for 2026 Conference
The Public Library Association (PLA) will award 150 scholarships for public library workers and students to attend the PLA 2026 Conference.
PLA opens registration for 2026 in-person, virtual conference
Registration is open for the PLA 2026 Conference, which takes place April1-3, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minn. Scholarship applications are open to eligible applicants thru Nov. 6, 2025.
With Funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation, ALA Announces Aging Together: An Evaluation of Library Programming for Older Adults
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA), with $388,363 in support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, announces Aging Together: An Evaluation of Library Programming...