President’s Message
Happy Lunar New Year, APALA!
Many in our communities celebrate Lunar New Year, sharing food and community with friends and family. Although not a part of my family traditions, I have always enjoyed the beauty and ceremony. At my branch library, we hosted local lion dancers and passed out red envelopes filled with pairs of stickers to the many children in our community.
We are more than halfway through my presidency, and the last couple of months have been incredibly eventful. I am not exaggerating when I write that I have learned more in these last seven months about leadership, advocacy, and community than I have at any other juncture in my life so far.
Announcements & News
The 2024 APALA Literature Awards winners have been announced! Congratulations to the winners and honorees! Read the full announcement here.
Applications are now being accepted for the Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture Grant. Applications due: March 15, 2024.
The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Scholarships and Awards Committee is excited to announce the recipient of the 2024 APALA Gayatri Singh Award: Ray Pun!
Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen attended the National Book Award ceremony on November 15, 2023. She served as a judge in the Young People’s Category.
On April 2, 2024, Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen will host documentarian, producer and activist Curtis Chin (author of Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Asian American Cultural Center Food for Thought at 12 noon and at the School of Information Sciences at 7 pm.
The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Executive Board is proud to endorse Dr. Ray Pun in the American Library Association’s 2025-2026 Presidential election.
APALA Statement in Support of ALA President Emily Drabinski
APALA Engagement Task Force Report