It’s another week and another roundup of updates to keep you at the top of your library game. We’ve got a pair of big updates on the Institution of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) legal fight, a great partnership between Chicago’s public libraries and public schools, the best April new releases, an author who has finally revealed the true identity behind their pseudonym, and more.
Let’s dive in.
Library Updates
- The Trump administration has withdrawn its appeal of a federal judge’s earlier ruling that halted the dismantling of the IMLS, meaning they have to leave the IMLS alone. This is a big win for libraries after a long year of fighting, and especially after the initial 2027 federal budget draft eliminated all IMLS funding for the sixth time.
- Speaking of big wins in court for the IMLS, in the second case brought following last year’s gutting of the agency, a settlement has been reached. It’s a win for libraries, too.
- The Chicago Public Library and Chicago Public Schools have partnered to automatically grant library access to all 315,000+ public school students in the city.
- Public library directors share tips and resources for dealing with ICE agents entering library spaces. This is a horrible reality that library staff are facing.
- Kentucky lawmakers are set to restore funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
- Libraries see a surge in book checkouts after districts ban student cell phone use.
- Airport libraries take off.
- A mysterious donation gave the small town of Frontenac, Kansas, its first public library.
Award News
- The 2025 Nebula Awards ballot has been released.
- Here are the finalists for the Lambda Literary Awards.
- The National Book Critics Circle Award winners have been announced.
- Anna Dempsey wins the inaugural Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction.
- The shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Nonfiction has been released.
- The PEN America Literary Awards have been announced.
- The International Booker Prize shortlist has been announced.
- Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey has won the 2026 Philip K. Dick Award.
- Mahreen Sohail’s Small Scale Sinners has won the 2026 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
- The National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honorees for 2026 have been announced.
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Author News
- Freida McFadden has revealed her true identity.
- British espionage author Len Deighton died last month at 97.
- Margareta Magnusson, the author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, has died at 92.
New Releases
- April picks from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Crime Reads, Kirkus, New York Times, Reactor (horror, romantasy), Star Tribune, and Time.
- Book Riot’s favorite April picks, plus new monthly releases for mysteries/thrillers, romance, SFF, historical fiction, nonfiction, queer books, and children’s books.
- 5 buzzy books by BIPOC authors.
- 8 exciting debut romances coming in 2026.
- 2026 YA book earworms. (#SorryNotSorry)
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