Register Now for the 2026 ULC Annual Leadership Forum!
The 2026 ULC Annual Leadership Forum, "In Demand: The People and Power of Public Libraries", will bring ULC members together in Las Vegas for a high-energy, highly interactive gathering focused on relevance, leadership, communication, staff strength and community value. Hosted in partnership with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, this year’s Forum will create space for ULC members to sharpen the message, strengthen the teams behind the work and make library value impossible to miss.
Learn More & Register Now!
Webinar | Inventive Thinking: Finding Everyday Solutions
Whenever we face significant change, most of us panic. It’s true. We feel control and certainty slip away. Worst-case scenarios take center stage. Sound familiar? What if, instead, we could respond like inventors? Determining how to design the future we want. In this lively webinar, we’ll borrow simple lessons from everyday inventors to help you reclaim agency and build solutions with confidence.
Register Now
Announcing the 2026-2027 ULC Board of Directors
In ULC's virtual Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, June 11, ULC members confirmed the 2026-2027 Board of Directors. We are thrilled to announce the election of 4 Board Officers, 1 new Board Member, and the reelection of several returning Board Members!
Learn More
Eight Public Libraries Selected for Local News Partnership Project
We’re excited to announce the eight ULC member libraries selected for a new national pilot program connecting public libraries with local news organizations. In partnership with More Perfect, these libraries will explore innovative ways to build trust in local information, elevate community voices, and foster civic dialogue — creating models that can inspire libraries nationwide.
Learn More
ULC Joins Leading Public Library Organizations to Call for E-book Action
ULC joins our peers at the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), Canadian Urban Libraries Council / Conseil des Bibliothèques Urbaines du Canada (CULC/CBUC), and the Public Library Association (PLA) to publicly call attention to the e-books pricing crisis and demand change from the largest publishers. This effort matters because it sends a message that, as organizations advocating for and representing nearly all public libraries in the US and Canada – small and large, urban and rural, and everything in between – we stand united for change while open for dialogue, at a moment when states are turning up the pressure on publishers with legislative efforts.
Read the Full Statement
New from ULC Academy: "Managing from the Middle: Influence Leaders"
Though management is a core responsibility of many within the field of librarianship, it is not always a skill taught in library school or easily learned on the job. Managing From the Middle: Influence Leaders is designed for library managers and administrators leading teams, advancing priorities, and driving organizational change across their systems. Build the leadership skills, confidence, and influence needed to create real impact. NOW WITH GROUP PRICING! Begins July 9.
Learn More & Register Now
NEW! Impact Brief: Safe Routes to Libraries
With the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), ULC and the Safe Routes Partnership have collaborated since 2024 to lay the groundwork for a national "Safe Routes to Libraries" program — an initiative designed to foster walking, biking, and rolling access to public library buildings across the United States. In February 2025, we surveyed members of ULC and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries to understand the existing landscape of Safe Routes to Libraries work before the implementation of a national initiative. This new Impact Brief explores the work libraries are already doing across North America to improve the walkability and bikeability of their buildings — from transportation safety and bike education programs to community audits and StoryWalks!
Read the Impact Brief
ULC Announces Library Recipients of Civic Makers Lab for Adults Grants
The Urban Libraries Council is proud to announce the 10 recipients of its Civic Makers Lab for Adults grant, an initiative that equips librarians to serve as civic learning facilitators, and empowers young adults ages 18-24 to be active contributors to their communities. The libraries selected will use the grant to implement young adult civic learning experiences such as simulations, community design challenges, project-based civic action, and civic awareness campaigns, including a small pilot project and a larger project.
Press Release
Explore the 2025 ULC Impact Report Now!
The Urban Libraries Council 2025 Impact Report showcases the very best of ULC: from celebrating our ever-growing membership and the convening of hundreds of library leaders at our flagship events to cohort-led initiatives and measuring the myriad ways libraries give back to their communities. Dive into the 2025 Impact Report to get all the details of ULC's work during 2025 and learn how libraries all over North America are driving innovation for the field.
Read the Report
2025 Library Insights Report Now Available!
The Urban Libraries Council’s 2025 Library Insights Report captures how urban libraries are evolving to meet community needs, revealing continued growth in both in-person and digital engagement. Now in its third year, the Library Insights Survey draws on four years of member data to illuminate trends in library programs, staffing, budgets, and operations—offering a clear picture of where libraries are today and how they’re shaping the future.
Download the Report
For over 50 years, the Urban Libraries Council has served as an outcomes-driven research and innovations network of more than 190 leading North American public libraries.
Learn MoreStrategic Priorities
Support the Urban Library Leader
Center the Transformative Role of Public Libraries
Drive Advocacy for Urban Libraries
The Voice of Public Libraries
ULC provides a forum for library leaders to share best practices and innovative ideas that inspire programs that support 21st century learning, a strong economy and an active democracy.
Learn More About ULC
Interested in Membership?
Find out how ULC membership empowers hundreds of leading library systems across North America.
View Membership Benefits