News & Features

A New Jersey school librarian fought to keep Fun Home on the shelves, an author is uninvited from a teen lit festival, the Carle Honors Art Auction is underway, and a few tech resources added features for the start of the new school year in this edition of News Bites. 

For almost 15 years, The Harry Potter Alliance has used the power of the beloved series to help fans create a community of activists.

In Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues: Education for the Liberation of Black and Brown Girls, Monique W. Morris centers the experience of these marginalized girls and highlights the actions of some educators and community members around the country who are making a positive difference in the students' lives.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement on the continued impact of racism on children's health and what pediatricians must do to combat it. Educators, too, can help, and organizations offer professional development and training on anti-racism, so they can support their students better.

After her son died by suicide in April, Michelle Oliver collaborated with an English teacher to look at Shakespeare's famous "love story" in a new way and to teach her students about suicide awareness.

Migrant kids in foster care and secure holding facilities will get books thanks to a new grant from First Book, plus coming titles from Lois Lowry and Megan Rapinoe, and more news.

Getting more families into libraries is one goal of the FamLAB Project, which has tapped a cross-sector cohort to expand out-of-school learning opportunities for young children and their families.

Ready to take the next step? K–12 librarians serving high-need communities are eligible for a partial-tuition scholarship toward attending a fall leadership course in Future Ready librarianship. 

There were inspiring speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and protests at the ALA Annual Conference. Here are highlights, news, and notes from this year's event in Washington, DC.