Melanie Welch

The ALA Public Programs Office provides leadership, resources, training, and networking opportunities that help thousands of librarians nationwide develop and host cultural programs for adult, young adult, and family audiences. The mission of the ALA Public Programs Office is to foster cultural programming as an integral part of library service in all types of libraries. Projects include book and film discussion series, literary and cultural programs featuring authors and artists, and traveling exhibitions. Several thousand libraries and librarians receive programming support from the Public Programs Office annually. In 2003, ALA established the Cultural Communities Fund, an endowment that will expand the opportunities offered to libraries through the Public Programs Office.