The International Relations Round Table (IRRT) is proud to announce the call for nominations for the American Library Association (ALA) Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects.
Nomination Deadline: March 15, 2026
The American Library Association International Relations Round Table (IRRT) invites you to submit nominations for innovative international library projects that qualify for the ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects. Citations are awarded by the ALA President each year at the International Librarians Reception at the ALA Annual Conference. In 2026, the conference will be held in Chicago from June 25-29, 2026. Although recipients of the citations are expected to attend the reception in person, it is not required to be eligible for the citation. Also, ALA membership is not required to submit your nominations for the citation.
The following criteria will be used in selecting recipients:
1. The recipient will have designed, initiated, and implemented a highly visible innovative library service(s) in a country outside of the United States and within the last three years. The project should be unique, original, and improve services to library users.
2. The project should draw attention to the potential of libraries to create positive change.
3. The project must demonstrate a strong likelihood of sustainability and have the potential to serve as a model for other libraries.
4. The project must be current, that is, it must be in operation during the year that the Citation is awarded.
5. Any projects that fall within the category of professional development for staff and librarians will NOT be considered. Beneficiaries of the projects must be "Library Patrons" only.
6. Recipients of this citation in the last three years are not eligible for the 2026 citation. For example, if your library project received this citation in 2024, your library will not be eligible until 2027.
Information about previous recipients can be found here: ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects
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Citation Nomination Processes
Please click here for the nomination materials. Nominations submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the IRRT Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects Committee.
Documents required to complete the nomination include:
1. Nomination form with nominator and nominee's information.
2. Nomination letter (500-750 words) supporting the project's nomination and explaining why it should receive the citation, written by the NOMINATOR. The nominator may be a member of any LIS professional organization/association. ALA membership is not required to submit the nomination.
3. Project description document (1,200-1,500 words excluding appendix) written by the project lead or someone designated by the project lead describing the project, its sustainability, its impact on library patrons, its potential to serve as a model for other libraries, along with highlighting why this project deserves the citation. Please consider adding supporting documents, such as images, links to project videos, or other relevant documents, to the document's appendix.
Please email the nomination form, your nomination letter, and the project description, along with any supporting documents to the International Relations Office email (intl@ala.org) by March 15, 2026. Please write: "Nomination for the ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects" in your email subject line.
The successful applicants will be informed of the committee's decisions by May 2026.
If your project receives the citation:
Successful nominees will receive a framed citation from the current ALA President at the International Librarians Reception of the ALA Annual Conference to be held in Chicago in June 2026. An invitation letter to attend the ALA International Librarians Reception to accept the citation will be issued to the successful nominees by the ALA International Relations Office. Please remember that NO financial assistance to attend the ALA Conference will be provided, nor is there a monetary award with the Citation. However, recipients requiring assistance with letters of invitation or other documents related to conference attendance should contact the ALA International Relations Office. For more information about the ALA Annual Conference, please click here. Questions should be sent to the International Relations Office at intl@ala.org, which will forward them to the co-chairs of the ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects Committee.
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Andrea Malone
Research Visibility and Impact Coordinator
University of Houston
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