2026 LLA Annual Conference

March 5 - 7, 2026
Lake Charles Event Center

Help shape LLA's new frontier! Submit a session proposal, register to be an exhibitor, or become a sponsor.

LLA President's Statement

As the President of the Louisiana Library Association, I am proud to announce that your Executive Board and I are standing up in support of the Little vs. Llano County case that is going to the Supreme Court. We have partnered with the First Amendment Clinic at Tulane University, which prepared an amicus brief, and Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship as cosigners.
As part of a nation with many voices and views, it is increasingly important that our libraries reflect that diversity and embrace it. Louisiana itself is well known for our rich culture, and our libraries, especially, should be at the forefront of that.

This case is not just about one county in Texas—it directly impacts Louisiana as well. Because it originates in the Fifth Circuit, its outcome will set legal precedent for our state. If the lower court’s decision stands, it could open the door for local governments to remove books based on political or personal objections, threatening intellectual freedom in every library in our state. As librarians, we have a responsibility to speak out against any action that undermines the freedom to read and the integrity of our profession.

By speaking up now for our neighbors and for free speech everywhere, we are making our libraries and communities a more welcoming place for all, especially our workers. Librarians and library staff are the hearts of our libraries, and it is our job to stand with them.

I would like to give special thanks to the Louisiana Library Association ALA Councilor, Amanda Jones, and the Louisiana Association of School Librarians President, Soline Holmes, for their hard work in helping lead the way for LLA to become a voice in this partnership.

You can read the amicus brief in full here: https://www.la-cac.org/little-vs-llano

Kayla Kalnasy
Louisiana Library Association President, 2025-2026

New Digital Publications

Louisiana Libraries Journal Article

Intellectual Freedom Committee Newsletter

Notes & Tracings, June 2025

ALA has published a set of frequently asked questions intended to help library workers, library advocates, and library users understand the Executive Order impacting IMLS funding. 

Take action: send a letter to your members of Congress.

A Message Regarding Censorship

The Louisiana Library Association denounces censorship of any kind, particularly in libraries. The LLA Code of Ethics, adopted by the membership in 1981 and located in the LLA Manual, makes clear our stance: Librarians must resist all efforts by groups or individuals to censor library materials. The American Library Association also condemns censorship and clearly states through the Library Bill of Rights that restricting access to library materials is a form of censorship, stating that "Attempts to restrict access to library materials violates the basic tenets of the Library Bill of Rights". Censorship always has been and always will be antithetical to librarianship. We stand with our colleagues and library users in fighting censorship in all its forms in Louisiana libraries. 

LLA Manual

ALA Library Bill of Rights

Statement on Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Requirements
from the Louisiana Library Association
Intellectual Freedom Committee

In Louisiana's 2024 regular legislative session, a bill was signed into law that removes the requirement for public library directors to hold a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree, allowing them to have any graduate degree instead. The bill’s author, Representative Josh Carlson, argued that there were not enough MLIS degree holders to fill the director position in his district’s public library system. During his committee hearing, he explained that his experience as a former Lafayette Parish councilman gave him insight into the hiring process for library directors. Carlson said, “…[w]hat I’ve noticed is that when we have this come up, the current requirement to be a director of a library, you have to have a master’s in library sciences. The problem I noticed is that so few people were actually receiving that master’s degree that we were excluding who I would consider highly qualified people simply because of their degree requirements.” Read the full statement here.