Library Journal Day of Dialog Fall 2026: Virtual, Free, and Features ME

Join us October 22 for our Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Spanning a variety of genres, this free, day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for fall/winter 2026. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more.

And don’t forget the virtual exhibit hall! Visit the booths to download free resources and chat with publishing representatives. 

EVENT HOURS: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET

 

I am going to share the full program below, but please note, there are often 3 concurrent programs. This is all good because all sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date. So pick your first go around faves and then join in after, but you have to register to have access.

Speaking of the schedule, I am doing one of those first sessions:

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Nightmares on the Page
Creepy novels, full of atmosphere, foreboding dread, and shocking scares.

Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Imps! (Tin House: Zando)
Elle Engel, He Always Comes Back (akaSTORY: Abrams)
Eric LaRocca, Brute (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Gus Moreno, If You Think You're Lonely Now (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Tanya Pell, This B Just Won't Die! (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Becky Spratford, LJ Horror Review Columnist

But there is SO much more.  

Go to the main page and you will find everything you need know: full schedule, registration link, another bios, and the sponsors who will be in the virtual exhibit hall. 

I hope to see some of you there.

FULL PROGRAM is below or at this link.

9:00 – 9:30 AM ET | The Exhibit Hall Opens
 

9:30 – 10:00 AM ET | Opening Keynote
Jojo Moyes discusses Three Sisters (Pamela Dorman Books: Penguin Random House), a novel about a family reunion that is by turns comic, tempestuous, heartfelt, and ultimately redemptive.
Moderator: Jill Cox-Cordova, former LJ Associate Editor

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Nightmares on the Page
Creepy novels, full of atmosphere, foreboding dread, and shocking scares.

Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Imps! (Tin House: Zando)
Elle Engel, He Always Comes Back (akaSTORY: Abrams)
Eric LaRocca, Brute (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Gus Moreno, If You Think You're Lonely Now (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Tanya Pell, This B Just Won't Die! (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Becky Spratford, LJ Horror Review Columnist

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Spellbound for Love
A conversation on crafting fantastical worlds with romance, adventure, and high stakes.

Ruby Dixon, Villain Origin Story (Ace: Penguin Random House)
Tzeyi Koay, A Curse Carved in Ink (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Alexis L. Menard, Vices & Virtues (Forever: Hachette)
Lexi Ryan, Night Tide (Deluxe Limited Edition) (Avon: HarperCollins)
Tasha Suri, The Lady of Thorns (Orbit: Hachette)
Moderator: Nicole Gaudier Alemañy, Assistant Branch Manager, Brooklyn Public Library (NY)

10:05 – 10:55 AM ET | Turning the Page Together
A lively discussion on books worth talking about, perfect for sharing with friends and book clubs.

Karen Joy Fowler, Otter Music (G.P. Putnam's Sons: Penguin Random House)
Elizabeth Wellington Rollins, The Three Graces of Pearl Street (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Nina Michiko Tam, Tastes Like Seeing God (Pamela Dorman Books: Penguin Random House)
Rory Squire, Small Talk (Cardinal: Hachette)
Marisel Vera, The Girls from Humboldt Park (Liveright: Norton)
Moderator: Lynnanne Pearson, Head of Adult Services, DeKalb Public Library (IL)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Nobody Told Me This About Parenting
Experts provide practical, compassionate approaches to raising kids today.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, The Dysregulated Kid (Page Two: Page Two)
Lisa Damour, The Emotional Lives of Parents (Ballantine Books: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Ashley Rayner, Librarian at NORC, University of Chicago (IL)

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Nonfiction Illustrated
Discover culinary traditions, experience a life-changing journey, and reflect upon a tragic moment in history.

Christopher Benson, Framing Emmett Till (Abrams ComicArts - Megascope: Abrams)
Matthew Maxwell, How to Hold a Cockroach (Penguin Random House)
Linda Yi, Let's Make Sichuan! (Ten Speed Graphic: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Alexander Zalben, Host and Editor, Comic Book Club

11:00 – 11:30 AM ET | Supernatural Curiosity
Explore the museum of lost things, travel to enchanted fairy lands, and encounter ghostly hauntings.

Sarah Clegg, Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Sam Kean, The Museum of Lost Things (National Geographic: Disney)
Margo MacDonald, A Curious Presence: An Exploration of Ghosts and the People Who Haunt Them (ECW Press: ECW)
Moderator: Sarah-Ruth Tasko, Readers' Advisory Librarian - Darien Library (CT)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS
 

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Culinary Adventures
Discover fresh ways to cook, eat, and feel your best with these four Union Square cookbook authors. From Italian favorites and fiber-fueled meals to the science of flavor and everyday wellness, this panel serves up practical recipes, expert insights, and delicious inspiration for every home cook.

Anna Francese Gass, Instant Italian: 100 Modern Classics—Ready in Under an Hour
Dr. Emily Leeming, Fiber Power: 60 Recipes to Transform Your Energy and Boost Your Health in Four Weeks
Helen Rennie, The Science of Dinner: Lessons in Flavor and Texture with 60 Essential Recipes
Elizabeth Stein, Nourish and Thrive: 100 Balanced Recipes for Everyday Wellness
Moderator: Ron Block, Branch Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library System (OH)

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Novels of Twists and Turns
These mysteries and thrillers range from cozy to creepy and are full of suspense, misdirection, and plot twists.

Tempest Black, Bitter Fruit (Little, Brown and Company: Hachette)
Meg Blakemore, When Harriet Met Homicide (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Lauren Ling Brown, The Inheritance Thief (Bantam: Penguin Random House)
Alyssa Cole, It Takes a Village (Wildthorn: Macmillan)
Rebecca Connolly, Webs of Ink (Shadow Mountain: Shadow Mountain)
Moderator: Tina Panik, Reference Manager, Avon Free Public Library (CT)

11:35 AM – 12:25 PM ET | Sea Stories
Nonfiction books that capture the drama and danger of life at sea, with accounts of shipwrecks, science, and tragedy.

Caitlin Doughty, Dead in the Water (W. W. Norton & Company: Norton)
Mark Harris, Deep End (W. W. Norton & Company: Norton)
Ben Rawlence, The River in the Sea (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Decker Watson, The Sinking of The Scandies Rose (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Moderator: Dontaná McPherson-Joseph, Collection Management Librarian, Oak Park Public Library (IL)

12:25 – 12:55 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

12:55 – 1:25 PM ET | Afternoon Keynote
Join Isabel Ibañez in conversation with St. Martin’s Publishing Group’s Executive Editor Eileen Rothschild as they discuss Witch Dance (St. Martin's Publishing Group / Saturday Books: Macmillan Library Marketing), an atmospheric, historical fantasy where forbidden magic, a deadly mystery, and an enemies-to-lovers romance collide in Renaissance Europe.

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

1:30 – 2:20 PM ET | Enchantment in the Everyday
These books blend time travel, alternate realities, and magical recipes into daily life.

Sarah Addison Allen, Paper Ghosts (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Tabitha Bouldin, Seven Recipes for Second Chances (Bethany House Publishers: Baker)
Emilia Hart, The Enigmas (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Kelly Murashige, Milkiverse (Soho Press) 
Alex Schulman, June 17th (Harper: HarperCollins)
Moderator: James Gardner, Reference Librarian at Clark County Public Library

1:30 – 2:20 PM ET | Make Your World Better
Self-help authors discuss reconnecting with one’s self, focusing on what's really important, and practicing social bravery.

Autumn Brown, Temper (St. Martin's Essentials / Sounds True: Macmillan)
Chris Cleave, Human Again (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Amy Cuddy, Bullied (Harper Wave: HarperCollins)
Jedidiah Jenkins, Go Quiet on the Mountain (Convergent Books: Penguin Random House)
John S. Kruse, ADHD World (New Harbinger Publications: New Harbinger)
Moderator: Emily Bowles, Lecturer in English, Georgia Gwinnett College

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS
 

2:25 – 3:15 PM ET | First-Time Authors
Learn about debut novels that run the gamut from ping-pong to magical party islands.

Renny Gong, Ping Pong Kids (Ecco: HarperCollins)
CJ Green, Record Lows (Cardinal: Hachette)
Jordan Harrison, Miss Archer (William Morrow: HarperCollins)
Ronald Lee Robertson, Goliath (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Raelle Tucker, Obscura (Crown: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Jen Jumba, MLIS, Popular Department Manager, Cleveland Public Library (OH)

2:25 – 3:15 PM ET | The Heart of the Matter
Romance books that celebrate connection, character, and unforgettable love stories.

Liana Cincotti, Don't Be in Love (Forever: Hachette)
Kristina Forest, The Unrequited Love Department (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Roxanne LoMarc, Love and Other Two-Player Games (Haven: Baker)
Martha Waters, Spellstruck (Atria Books: Simon & Schuster)
Julia Whelan, Casanova LLC: Deluxe Limited Edition (Kensington: Kensington)
Moderator: Migdalia Jimenez, Librarian, Chicago Public Library (IL)

3:15 – 3:40 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS
 

3:40 – 4:30 PM ET | The Stories We Carry
Authors share the vulnerability and craft of telling their unique histories in their own words.

Miranda Brown, Dumpling Therapy: My Mother, Chinese Food, and Five Thousand Years of Not-So-Ancient Recipes (St. Martin's Press: Macmillan)
Tamra Davis, Girl with a Camera (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Ana Hebra Flaster, Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town (She Writes Press: Indie Author Project)
Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Both and Neither: A Memoir and History of Gender (or a Haunting) (Doubleday: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Natalie Marshall, Executive Director, Flint River Regional Library System (GA)

3:40 – 4:30 PM ET | Worlds Beyond
Books filled with cozy magic shops, dystopian cli-fi futures, and desert kingdoms readers won't want to leave.

Delemhach, The Dues & Don'ts of Magic (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press: Simon & Schuster)
Sara Hashem, Merciful Carnage (Orbit: Hachette)
Ashley Poston, Elodie and the Dark Lord (Ace: Penguin Random House)
Lev AC Rosen, All Her Potential (Erewhon Books: Kensington)
A.D. Sui, Our Infinite and Inevitable Ends (ECW Press: ECW)
Moderator: Jessica Trotter, Collection Development Specialist, Capital Area District Libraries (MI)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

4:35 – 5:25 PM ET | Fantastic Fiction
From the mountains of Jamaica to the hills of Ireland, these books have stories that defy the ordinary.

Mateo Askaripour, Pure Ox (Dutton: Penguin Random House)
Wiley Cash, Same River Twice (William Morrow: HarperCollins)
Nicole Dennis-Benn, Black Gold (Random House: Penguin Random House)
Mary Beth Keane, Whale Harbor (Scribner: Simon & Schuster)
Susan Meissner, Somewhere, Something Incredible (Berkley: Penguin Random House)
Moderator: Andrea Gough, Adult Services Librarian, Seattle (WA)

4:35 – 5:25 PM ET | Reading the Past
Writers weave historical elements, including the Space Race and 19th-century immigration, into compelling narratives.

Marianne Fons, The Dressmaker of Winterset (Union Square & Co.: Union Square)
Jennifer Galvão, Maria, Maria (Random House: Penguin Random House)
Pam Jenoff, The Society of Forgotten Wives (Park Row: HarperCollins)
Shirin Yim Leos, Of Wind and Dust (The Dial Press: Penguin Random House)
Erin Litteken, Find Me in the Stars (Harper Muse: HarperCollins Christian/Focus)
Moderator: Felicia Humphries, Asst. Director Library Services, Boston Public Schools (MA)

5:30 – 6:00 PM ET | Closing Keynote
Bestselling crime writer S.A. Cosby brings his signature grit and suspense to the Marvel Universe with Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel (Hyperion Avenue: Disney), a thrilling tale of justice and power that pushes heroes to their limits.
Moderator: Ron Block, Branch Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library System (OH)

ALA 2026: Wrap Up Post 2 of 2 (the Becky's Rant Version)

Back for day two of Becky's wrap up, but I do think after the holiday, I may come back with other people's  roundups as well. 

But right now, you can follow PW's libraries reporter who has Day 1 and 2 reports up now. But if you use the link I provided for all their library news, you can follow more as it is published.

I am going to address the opening and closing sessions in a moment, but first, I want to begin with some o fly observations from the Exhibit Floor.

• The book stages were not a factor this year. At least to me. Look, they were there but unlike last year, I did not hear them or see people flocking to them. People were talking about the stages last year. And I am not surprised because a few months before ALA I was talking with the publishers who had me do moderating on this stages and all of them said they had nothing there this year. I thought they were just trying to get rid of me, but then I looked at the schedules and honestly, they were mostly publishers doing buzzes or stuff for YS librarians. So maybe your experience is different but I 100% did not factor them into my plans this year, and again, the last few years, I was at those stages more than ever.
• I did not think there were as many big name authors there this year-- at least for adults. Don't get me wrong, there were huge people like John Scalzi and Tananarive Due, but the number of big name authors was down. But again, librarian, my experience may not be anything more than my experience. So I started to ask a variety of people who are bringing the authors in (leaving names and affiliations out but these are top people), and they told me that when the conference people reached out for names of authors, the ones that were chosen to appear were surprising to them. And it seems like there were few options for the people hosting the author panels via United For Libraries and LibraryReads as well. Again, at least for the adult side. The number of kid lit and teen authors was much higher.
• I was heartened to see that the comics and graphic novelists authors were higher and more on point this year though. That is a win.
• And the most noticeable but least surprising thing I learned on the exhibit floor was the number of vendors and even publishers who are all flocking to fill the B&T gap. Ingram could not step in and do everything-- obviously. B&T, for all of their issues, was a stalwart for libraries for delivering the highest number of processed books, uniquely tailored to your libraries call number and sticker placement quirks as well as the best provider of standing order authors. They developed these services over decades. What I saw was interesting. First publishers like PRH are trying to fill the ordering and inventory gaps by now allowing libraries to order directly from them with a cart system that we are used to. But second, and more interesting, I saw a variety of vendors offering parts of what B&T offered, no one offering everything, but pieces. For example, Amazon now will send your books to you from their new library ordering portal with mylar covers. They also are going to roll out a standing author program and there are people talking about Amazon leveraging their customer data to help libraries understand what books are most popular in their zip codes. Follett is also ramping up their services for public libraries. I have worked with Follett on ordering and cataloging through their school library linked systems for years as I have volunteered at the school library, but they are now saying they will be able to offer processed books and catalog records that will upload into systems that are not theirs. I also ran into many former B&T employees who are at many of the vendors and are sharing their knowledge with their new companies. My overall assessment of everything I saw (and I have only shared a few things), all of these promises and new services are going to take a few years to ramp up. In the meantime, we are all going to continue to struggle to get books on the shelf. Talking to librarians from all over the country, most are making due by hiring a few new people to process and teaching library associates how to do copy cataloging and processing as a job ON TOP of their other duties to make due. 

Again, those are my brief overview thoughts from the exhibit floor, but now I want to talk about the opening and closing sessions.

PW has a longer report of the opening session but I want to talk about one small part, but a part that ruined the entire session and quite honestly, clouded my entire experience at ALA,  the appearance of the Sharjah Book Authority CEO Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri. This is all PW said about that, and it was buried in a paragraph with others:

At the welcome ceremony, speakers included Illinois Library Association president Carolyn Ciesla, Chicago Public Library commissioner Chris Brown, and Sharjah Book Authority CEO Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, who reminded the assembly that “knowledge should move freely across borders.” Dan Montgomery, wrapping up his first year as ALA executive director, praised Helmick and other volunteer leaders for their dedicated efforts, “not made any easier by the times we’re in.” 

First, our president, a nonbinary person giggled with excitement as they were introducing this man without telling us who it was at first. And then he came out. Here is what I said on Bluesky:

Not sure why ALA gave the mic and opening session stage to the librarian from UAE, a country that does not have intellectual freedom. I will make sure someone in charge has to answer this question.

To say I was incensed at him walking on the stage under the pretense that he was there to celebrate the libraries' 100th anniversary and to advertise that they were hosting the International Book Fair, would be an understatement. This is a place where being gay and especially being nonbinary like the person introducing this man is ILLEGAL. This is a place (UAE) where freedom of the press and intellectual freedom are squashed by rule of law. Freedom House listing for UAE gives them a score of 18/100 for Freedom. 18 out of 100! I am not exaggerating.

Why are we, the ALA giving precious time on the microphone to a man who got up there and praised his government, a government that is suppressing free speech. A government who are actively queer people existing. WHAT ARE WE DOING? These are people related to those who are doing the same thing here, in our country, the people the ALA and all of us have been exhaustively fighting for years. People who some library workers have lost their jobs standing up to.

I have no problem mentioning them with the many, many others in the library world who are celebrating milestones this year-- and there are a lot. I have no problem with him being on the welcome slide listing all of the international librarians that were attending. And I have no problem with them having a booth for the International Book Fair because that is an event that library people might want to know about. 

BUT to give this man a chance to speak at the mic, and give no one else that space, that is a choice I cannot get behind.  It is a slap in the face to every one of us who is fighting for intellectual freedom every single day.

Because I am me, I stopped paying attention to anything else after this and spent most of my night reaching out to others involved in ALA decision making and those officially working to protect intellectual freedom. Surprise, surprise (sarcasm) not a single one had any idea who okayed him to speak. And for a while many of these people were also surprised he got mic time. And then, but the next day, these same people (and there were a few) got back to me with sanitized responses that claimed things like:

• He was speaking because it was a 100th anniversary for them and they are hosting the International Book Fair with ALA is a partner with.
• My responses-- they have a booth, he doesn't;t need the mic too; you put a bunch of anniversaries on the screen but only he talked, many of which were major ALA specific initiatives.
• They want to highlight the huge international support of ALA's 150th and he spoke for all International attendees
• Again, they listed at least 4 major international attendees and any one of them could have spoken instead. 
• While we might not agree with his country's politics, we cannot blame him for that. 
• Okay this one made me mad because that is not the point. He can do whatever he wants and has to follow the rules of his country, that is his choice. BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR CHOICE? We actually have the freedom to make a choice to NOT support those who suppress intellectual freedom.

I need to be clear here-- asking someone to speak at the ALA Opening Session, giving them the mic, that is a choice. Not allowing someone to speak is also a choice. ALA made a choice that is 100% counter to everything we claim to believe in. I will not forget this. I will not stop talking about this to all of you and ALA people. And I will not stay silent.

As you can imagine, I heard nothing back after I countered these arguments. My friend Kelly Jensen told me all you can do is challenge them but in the end you will not get a response and also she said no one will admit who invited him. That is what I am finding out. I also found out along my journey of talking to people over the conference, that folks I thought were involved in major planning committees were relieved of their duties a few months ago. Hmmmmmm

Look, I have no proof but everyone knows ALA's finances are a mess. I am guessing a pay out from the UAE to ALA was involved. And look, if you are going to basically take a bribe-- because that is what it is when you go against everything you "believe in" and are fighting for in exchange for money. Let us talk in front of everyone with your blessing and endorsement and stay quiet because we paid you. Again, no proof but why else will no one go on the record to explain why he got the mic.

As you can tell, I am still upset about all of this, and quite honestly, it clouded my experience at the closing session which was added after the closing speaker cancelled:

Closing General Session: 250/150: Intellectual Freedom, Public Engagement, and the Infrastructure of Democracy

As the United States celebrates 250 years of democracy, ALA leadership – current President Sam Helmick, President Elect Maria McCauley, Director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom Sarah Lamdan, and Executive Director Dan Montgomery – will discuss the issues at the heart of the profession: librarians as vanguards of intellectual freedom, information literacy and civic engagement, and libraries as welcoming spaces that provide a sense of community and belonging for patrons.

I will start my comments here by saying Sarah Lamdan is 100% better than her predecessor who thankfully retired. I will not say her name but I will say we had some clashes. All she did was say no when challenged to actually fight for our intellectual freedom. Lamdan is doing much better. One of the best ways to see that, as soon as the former head of OIF retired, magically Kelly Jensen (the leading journalist fighting for our intellectual freedom) was included in the ALA's fight against censorship.

Before the conference began, I was hopeful about this conversation but as you can imagine, after that Opening Session experience, I was less so. Well I was not disappointed in my lowered expectations. This conversation had NO TEETH. Instead of interrogating the state of censorship in America, instead of rallying us to fight with renewed energy, instead of giving us things we can do to work together both in our communities and across the country, instead, they gave us a conversation about JOY?!?!? 

They wanted us to joyfully rally our comunities about all the great things libraries do. She wanted if to focus on our joy of serving those patrons. They wanted us to look at joy as an act of resistance.

This last one mad me even more mad, but I was too tired to put that on socials. We need actual resistance, I don't care if this attack on all of us is taking an emotional toll on us. It is not taking an emotional toll on enough of us. Too many library workers say things to me like-- well that is their problem or my community is fine. People, it is not. I am on the ILA's Intellectual Freedom committee-- in a  state where book banning is technically illegal-- I can tell you our meetings are filled with libraries needing help (school and public) as their freedoms are being eroded. 

Joy is not the resistance we need. The other side of this debate has all the time and money and federal political support to keep pudding away at our freedoms. They ar not going to stop. And with power and money int heir corner, JOY will never be enough. In fact, this argument by ALA leadership that we should take a break, deal with our emotional health, and not do anything other than be joyful is a kick in the gut to those of us engaged in this fight. What we need from ALA is a clearer, stronger, and quite honestly, more anger fueled game plan to really fight back. What we got instead was some touchy feely nonsense.

Lamdan also said we should lean on others if we need it, but again, too many library workers are ignoring the problems either because they think they are not relevant to them or because they hide hoping people don't go after them. But first, everyone is in this fight whether we want to be or not. And second, ignoring the issue is what got us in so deep to begin with. How can we lean on others when you are not rallying them to help us.

Look, I clearly had a lot of thoughts about ALA's messaging. And they are very critical. But I went to this conference knowing I might feel this way. I went as a member who writes for ALA's publishing division. And I went and am a member because I truly believe if you want to fight to make something better you do not abstain. No. Instead you stay and become a thorn in their sides. You fight from within. I have been doing that for years and I will continue. And I do this with the knowledge that I have colleagues on the inside who must stay silent publicly but appreciate that I can fight for them. 

I promise to all of you, I will keep fighting and I will keep being a member. They are not going to be able to get rid of me that easily. I know many of them read this blog because it gets back to me through other channels. So to those in charge, I say-- If you thought I was fighting before, you haven't seen anything yet.

ALA 2026: Wrap Up Post 1 of 2 (updated 7/1 with Read N Rave Titles)

I usually post in the morning but I needed a moment after being at ALA Annual since Friday and having worked 8 days (and counting without a break)

Today, I am going to focus on the things I did where I can share things you can use. Tomorrow I will write about the Opening and closing sessions and link to a few reports from other outlets.

But I do want to let you know, there are a few resources that will be ready in a week or so and I did have some meetings that will lead to more posts and information coming over the next few weeks.

Let me start on Friday at the Library Insights Preconference. The things said on my panel are all things you have heard before here on RA for All. But I do want to talk about this panel and provide the info from what I am calling the most useful handout of the conference-- Tell me What to Publish: What Librarians Wish Publishers Knew:

What are readers asking for—and what aren’t they finding? In our closing conversation, librarians from across the country share insights from their circulation data, collection development priorities, and daily patron requests. We’ll look at what the metadata is revealing about genre trends and where publishers may be missing opportunities. From urban systems to rural branches, these experts will identify gaps in the marketplace, shifts in reading habits, and emerging categories ready for attention. Designed for publishers seeking actionable direction, this session delivers a rare, unfiltered look at what librarians truly wish you’d publish next.

Ann Lehue, Director, Collection and Metadata Development, Ingram

Christina Chatel, School Library Media Specialist, Boulan Park and Smith Middle Schools

Dr. Corinthia Price, President, International Association of School Librarianship

Stephen Sposato, Collection Development Manager, Chicago Public Library 

Click here for more info on the panelists.  

Ann from Ingram Content Group's Library Services made a two sided handout. One side was a great resource for the publishers. It's on how to  maximize sales to libraries and gives them lots of advice on what we like to see and the resources we use. On the bottom, says, "Libraries rely heavily on reviews for their push casing decisions." After that heading it has the link to all of the journals with their age conus and the link to where they submit for review.

The other side is a document entitled, "Publishing Trends and Gaps" and this is what the panel focused on. I have recreated that bulleted list here for all to see for free, with attribution to Ingram.

THIS HANDOUT IS RA AND COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT GOLD!!!!!

Please click through. These are the areas that are in demand at libraries for all ages. Please look through this list and use it to make displays and pass on to your children department and the people who order books. I am also hanging on to this for my end of the year reports. 

I want to link the info on the handout with a few other things I saw at the conference. Publishers (especially Harper Collins) were making sure to mention all of the titles they were now including in Large Print. There are a lot more than previous years. Also, speaking of HarperCollins, they had an entire section at their booth with the covers of audio ARCs available through Net Galley and QR codes to go directly to them. Here is that page. Multiple formats with ease were everywhere at the conference and I know all of that is great for us.

The woman who was one of the co-founders of the Young Teen Lit movement (also in the handout) was on the panel and talked at length about the issue shared their website: https://youngteenlit.com/. Go there to follow them and the authors and books they recommend. After seeing this panel Friday and was primed to notice the books that are being marketed to fill this gap while I was on the show floor. 

You can also read another report from the day here.

Now on to other things.

I want to thank everyone who came to my signing at the S&S Booth. Many of you said you saw it here on the blog. We had 80 books and I had 1 hour to sign them. I never imaged I would have 80 people come, let alone have one of those EPIC ALA links that has to be split by the booth, but I did. I met so many of you and signed those books in 70 minutes. Thank you all. Here are some photos of the line and me signing that Lila Denning took. And thank you to Melissa Croce and her assistant El. who ran the appearance.  They worked hard all conference. I know this because I went back to offer to help them with other things. 

On Sunday, Lila and I had a huddle (mentioned in this post with links to Lila's quick slide show of 5 Tips for Book Displays). Readers of this blog know what I talked about. We had 20+ people show up for a space ment for 6-8, including someone from a display shelving company. The biggest comments were that it should have been a panel. I agree. Maybe next year we will do that. 

Also welcome to my new readers from that event.

I also attended the Booklist/LibraryReads Read N Rave on Sunday. Booklist now has the blog post up with all of the titles here. Please consider voting for them for LibraryReads.

Finally, I got to see Tananarive Due on her LibraryReads panel, Monday. We were able to hug and celebrate our Stoker Award wins and take a selfie for our wonderful editor Joe Monti. I was so proud to see the room so excited for Due's new book--Mazywood. I have turned in my Booklist review and spoiler alert-- it is great and you can read my pre-review thoughts here. But when she spoke about it specifically, she talked about moving from the pain and trauma of writing The Reformatory and how Mazywood leads with joy. It really does, but I will say, joy for Horror people, maybe not everyone's idea of joy, because it both a novel of early Hollywood and the Black experience in it AND a good old-fashioned 1980s survival monster horror story. 

Here are photos from the panel and of me and Due celebrating our joy! Oh and a bonus pic of me and Lila in the audience (early Monday morning.)

That's enough for today. As I mentioned above, I have somethings to say about the Opening and closing ceremony and my overall experience. I will also link to reports from others.

My ALA Schedule Including Booth Signing

As promised here yesterday, today's post is all about my personal schedule at ALA. Please note, this is not complete. I am not including a few panels I hope to make it to, rather I will only include places I KNOW I will be at during specific times. 

Please though, if you see me, stop me. No matter how busy I look. I want to meet you if you want to meet me. I will have RA for All pens and stickers for anyone who asks. And, since I will go home every night, I will not run out!

I have highlighted the 2 events where I am the presenter.

Friday, June 26, 2026:

Library Insights Pre-Conference
McCormick Place West – Room W471A (West Building Level 4)

8:30 am- 3:30 pm

This is a ticketed event which I wrote about in detail in this post. I will be in that room most of the day, but as soon as it is over, I will head to registration.

Opening General Session featuring Rachel Maddow

McCormick Place W375 CDE Skyline

4-5:30pm

I will be outside mingling with people before it begins. I will also be sitting close to the front because my dear friend Carolyn Ciesla is the current President of ILA and she will be on stage to welcome you all.

After the opening session, I will probably skip the exhibit open since I will have been there all day and I have a dinner to get to.

Saturday, June 27, 2026:

HarperCollins Adult Fall/Winter Preview

Location: McCormick Place, W 375 A Skyline

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

After that I will be in the Exhibit Hall visiting vendors and publishers until MY SIGNING.

Becky Siegel Spratford: Why I Love Horror

Location: Booth 3112

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM 

Becky will be signing copies of her Bram Stoker award-winning horror anthology, "Why I Love Horror". Come grab a complimentary copy, get it signed, and meet Becky!

Also I will have the QR code to buy my shirt (which I will be wearing for the signing) from Greg's Threads of Dread. 

Please note: this is your only chance to get a free copy of WHY I LOVE HORROR but it is not your only chance to get your copy signed. If you have your copy, I will sign it at any time. I have different stickers for that.

After the signing, I am heading a few blocks away to do to the celebration of the Life and Legacy of Fobazi Ettarh. I wrote about that event here including all the location and time details. I hope to see many of you there. 

When I return from the memorial, I will be around for a few more hours. I am keeping my options open though, especially because I don't know who I will be catching up with from that event.

But later that night I will be at the off site ticketed event--

2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Award Ceremony and Reception

Location: Off Site, American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., 2nd Fl

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction are celebrated every year at ALA's Annual Conference, this year held in Chicago. Join us for a literary night on Saturday, June 27 from 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. CT at the American Writers Museum as we honor this year's winners: A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar and Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li. The award ceremony will conclude with a light reception and book signing.

I will be there as a former committee members for this award to celebrate the work of my colleagues.

Sunday, June 28, 2026:

Love Stories: A Romance Author Panel

Location: McCormick Place, W 193 A

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Isn't it romantic? Meet bestselling authors of romance and other love stories at this popular program moderated by Melissa DeWild, Reviews Director, Library Journal. A panel of four writers from a variety of publishers will discuss their writing lives, their inspirations and processes, and their forthcoming titles. Advance copies will be provided to attendees (subject to availability). A book signing will follow. Authors include Emily Rath ("Devour Me" | Avon/HarperCollins), Cara Tanamachi ("Kiss, Marry, Kill" | Forever/Hachette), Iman Hariri-Kia ("Once in a Timeline" | Cosmo Reads/Sourcebooks), and Lauren Rowe ("Chasing the Rush" | Kensington Publishing).

This panel is moderated by my editor at LJ, Melissa DeWild. I will be there to support her. 

Connect Lounge Huddle: To facilitate discovery and circulation, how can libraries make their reading collection displays more engaging?

Location: McCormick Place, ALA Connect Lounge, Hall F2 Lobby

11:00 AM - 11:20 AM

The humble book display is often not used to its fullest as the discovery tool it can be. And we often forget how much it can drive increased circulation. But in a world where patrons use the library as both a physical and digital space, and with an understanding that patrons crave interactive experiences, discussion leaders Becky Spratford and Lila Denning will share their decades of experience as librarians and trainers to help huddle participants break down how to create displays that spark conversation, bring patrons of all ages into the library, and have them leave not only with a few good books to read but also a plan to return soon to get some more.

My colleague (and house guest for ALA Annual) Lila Denning and I will be hosting this conversation about how to make your book displays more effective and we don't mean by adding decorations. Come chat with us. We can even stick around for a bit after if you want to keep chatting, but we do have to get to the next panel before it ends at Noon...

Thrills & Chills: An Author Panel

Location: McCormick Place, W 193 B

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This program will present bestselling authors of mysteries and thrillers moderated by Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection Management and Library Outreach, Booklist. A panel of four writers from a variety of publishers will discuss their writing lives, their inspirations and processes, and their forthcoming titles. Advance copies will be provided to attendees (subject to availability). A book signing will follow. Authors include Daniel Kraus ("The Sixth Nik" | Saga Press/Simon & Schuster), Nina Simon ("My Sister Is Going to Kill Me" | William Morrow/HarperCollins), Cynthia Pelayo ("Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror" | Primero Sueno Press/Simon & Schuster), and Sara Paretsky ("Bad Company" | Minotaur Books/Macmillan Publishers).

Not only is this panel being moderated by my Booklist Editor Susan Maguire, but it features two of my real life friends, Cynthia Pelayo and Daniel Kraus. I will be there before it ends.

Booklist and LibraryReads Read 'N' Rave

Location: McCormick Place, W 195

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Collection development and readers' advisory specialists from across the country will RAVE about their favorite forthcoming READS in this lively presentation brought to you by LibraryReads and Booklist. Join us and find your patrons' next favorite reads or add to that ever-growing TBR pile. List of books will be available on booklistonline.com after the event.

This is a NOT TO MISS event every single year. Also Susan again! I have done this more than once myself. It is a gauntlet, but super fun. I am very excited to be in the audience these days. Please note, it used to always be on Monday but it was moved to Sunday this year. Please mark your schedules. 

I will also be stopping by the booth signings of friends Maurice Broaddus (Booth 2521 between 12 and 1) and Grace Daly (booth 3226E between 2:30 and 3). 

Like the other days, I have some panels marked to attend, but I cannot 100% promise I will be at those and I don't want to disappoint someone who make a point to go there to see me. 

Monday, June 29, 2026:

Last day!!! And again, one of the primer events for the conference in my opinion...

Your Morning is Booked: ALMA/LibraryReads Adult Author Panel

Location: McCormick Place, W 181 A B C

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Join the Adult Library Marketing Association and LibraryReads for their annual adult author panel. You'll hear 5 top authors talk about their upcoming releases, and get print galleys. Please find the RSVP link on our website at at LibraryReads.org/events, so we can make sure we have galleys and swag on hand.

Featured Authors:

• Meg Anderson,  The Memory of Borrowed Books, Sourcebooks 
• Bonnie Jo Campbell, The Spirits, W. W. Norton & Company
• Tananarive Due, Mazywood, Simon & Schuster
• Laleh Khadivi, Female Life on Planet Earth, HarperCollins
• Jeneva Rose, Sometimes I Scare Myself , Blackstone Publishing

You do not want to miss this early morning start as Tananarive Due and I are reunited after we both won the Bram Stoker Award for my book. We will have a mini celebratory victory dance. But seriously, this is always great panel and you can get ARCs for all of the authors. And I am not just saying this because I am a LibraryReads Ambassador. Hosted by Rebecca Vnuk, LibraryReds Executive Director. 

After this, I will be around. I will probably be spending the time after this panel in the exhibit hall before it closes. And after that, panels.

Finally, yesterday, it was announced that Wayne Brady had to cancel for the closing session, but they did add this (which I will be at):

Closing General Session: 250/150: Intellectual Freedom, Public Engagement, and the Infrastructure of Democracy

Location: McCormick Place, W 375 C D E Skyline

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM

As the United States celebrates 250 years of democracy, ALA leadership – current President Sam Helmick, President Elect Maria McCauley, Director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom Sarah Lamdan, and Executive Director Dan Montgomery – will discuss the issues at the heart of the profession: librarians as vanguards of intellectual freedom, information literacy and civic engagement, and libraries as welcoming spaces that provide a sense of community and belonging for patrons.

I am intrigued by what they plan to talk about. With the awful former director of OIF finally retired (she was never strong enough fighting against censorship in my opinion and I have not hidden that opinion from her), I am hoping to hear some stronger language. I have no hopes though. I will come with an open mind, but know that FOR SURE, I will report on this one.

Okay so that is the bare bones schedule of where I will be over the next few days. Again, come say hello and I will give you a pen and a sticker. Put a copy of my book in your face and I will sign it. Just find me and say hi.

And those of you not attending...I've got you. Reports will follow. In fact, here is a reminder of my upcoming blogging schedule:

• 6/26 and 29: Blog is off while I attend ALA but check bluesky for updates
• 6/30 (later in the day though, not AM) and 7/1: Detailed recaps of what I saw and learned plus links to reports others on things I missed.
• 7/2: Come back before the July 4th holiday because I will be linking to my LJ Horror Genre Preview in the July issue and I will have a giveaway of the upcoming second Never Whistle at Night anthology (on both blogs).
• 7/3: That is the July 4th Holiday observed so RA for All is off
• 7/6: This one is exciting-- I will be posting and writing about NoveList's brand new RA Competencies. They were released last week, but I want to give it the eyes it deserves and that means waiting until AFTER ALA Annual and the July 4th Holiday.

Back Tuesday afternoon with some recaps.