This blog post is by Amelia N. Aldred, Deputy Director of State and Local Advocacy and staff lead to Unite Against Book Bans at the American Library Association.
As January comes to a close and I look toward the year ahead, I’m so grateful for this community of freedom to read advocates who are working across the country to Unite Against Book Bans. The challenges we face are real, but so is the growing network of individuals and organizations who continue to win victories, share strategies, and build momentum to protect the right to read everywhere.
Thanks to your dedication, we’ve seen meaningful progress in courts, in legislatures, and in local communities. Even in difficult moments, we continue to fight for the freedom to read and strengthen the movement together.
As new censorship tactics emerge in 2026, Unite Against Book Bans will keep evolving to meet the needs of advocates. Guided by feedback from our organizational partners and a close look at last year’s outcomes, we’re leaning even more into our role as a trusted clearinghouse of resources and a connector across the movement.
In 2026, you can expect:
- A new freedom to read community calendar featuring events from Unite, partners, and grassroots groups to help advocates find and support one another.
- A bimonthly partner newsletter and a bimonthly individual supporter newsletter highlighting recent wins, advocate profiles, new resources, and emerging data.
- Continued expansion of our Resource Library, along with regular blog and newsletter features spotlighting partner-created tools.
- Expanded voter engagement content, especially around local school board and library board elections.
- Updated talking points and strategies to support effective grassroots organizing.
- Virtual trainings on advocacy skills, trends, and other key topics.
- A preconference workshop connecting faith communities and library advocates at the American Library Association Annual Conference 2026 in Chicago. The preconference is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 25. Tickets will be under $20 and open to the public, including non-ALA conference attendees. Unite supporters will receive an invitation to attend when registration opens.
For our organizational partners, while our bimonthly meetings have been paused, we’re exploring a quarterly or biannual meeting schedule that will maximize our time together. In the meantime, we’ll continue to share regular updates, connect advocates with one another, and proactively amplify partners’ work.
If you have a resource or call to action you’d like us to share through our newsletter, calendar, or social channels—or if you’re interested in cohosting a training or webinar—please reach out.
For all that you do to protect the freedom to read, thank you. It is our honor to be in community with you as we take on the work ahead.
