American Library Association (ALA) President Sam Helmick called the first Council meeting of ALA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition to order at 10:20 a.m. on June 27 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Council adopted the hybrid meeting rules (CD#5.1). A proposed amendment to limit debate to 10 minutes per motion did not pass. The agenda (CD#8.5) and the minutes from ALA’s 2026 Virtual Winter Council sessions (CD#2.3) were approved.