American Library Association gets $5.5 million Mellon grant

NEW YORK (AP) — The American Library Association has received a $5.5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation that it will use in part to counter the surge in book banning over the past two years. The ALA also plans to expand its scholarships and other programs for librarians of color and broaden its efforts to increase literacy among adults. ALA President Lessa Pelayo-Lozada says in a statement Tuesday that “at a time when libraries and librarians are facing immense pressure and scrutiny, it is affirming and deeply meaningful to have the support of community champions like the Mellon Foundation.”