American Library Association

American professional society

Not to be confused with American Literature Association.

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American Library Association

Logo

Abbreviation| ALA
Formation| October 6, 1876; 148 years ago (1876-10-06)
Type| Nonprofit
NGO
Headquarters| Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Location|

* Chicago and Washington, D.C., U.S.

Region served

| United States
Membership| 47,247[1] (2024)

Executive Director

| Leslie Burger (interim)

President

| Cindy Hohl[2]
Staff| approx. 300
Website| ala.org

The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

### 19th century

[edit]

During the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, 103 librarians, 90 men, and 13 women, responded to a call for a "Convention of Librarians" to be held October 4–6, 1876, at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.[5]

American Library Association 1876 Organizing Committee: Melvil Dewey, Justin Winsor, William F. Poole, and Lloyd P. Smith

At the end of the meeting, according to Edward G. Holley in his essay "ALA at 100", "the register was passed around for all to sign who wished to become charter members", making October 6, 1876, the date of the ALA's founding.

Among the 103 librarians in attendance were Justin Winsor (Boston Public Library and Harvard University), William Frederick Poole (Chicago Public Library and Newberry College), Charles Ammi Cutter (Boston Athenæum), Melvil Dewey, Charles Evans (Indianapolis Public Library)[6] and Richard Rogers Bowker. Attendees came from as far west as Chicago and from England.[7][8][9] The ALA was chartered[10] in 1879 in Massachusetts. Its headquarters office is in Chicago.[11] Another important founder was Frederick Leypoldt, publisher of Library Journal, who published the conference proceedings.[12]

Justin Winsor was the first president of the ALA, serving from 1876 until 1885.[13]

Many early presidents were also officers in the Bibliographical Society of America. See List of presidents of the Bibliographical Society of America.

### 20th century

[edit]

In 1911, Theresa Elmendorf became ALA's first woman president.[14][15] An analysis of the writings of the first fifteen women presidents gives more insight into the expanded role of women in the association.[16]

American Library Association conference at New Monterey Hotel in Asbury Park, New Jersey, June 25, 1919

During World War I the ALA Executive Board initiated by Walter Lewis Brown established the Library War Service Committee to supply books and periodicals to military personnel at home and overseas.[17] The American Library in Paris was founded as part of this effort.

In the 1930s, library activists pressured the American Library Association to be more responsive to issues such as peace, segregation, library unions, and intellectual freedom. In 1931, the Junior Members Round Table (JMRT) was formed to provide a voice for the younger members of the ALA.[18]

The first Library Bill of Rights (LBR) was drafted by Forrest Spaulding to set a standard against censorship and was adopted by the ALA in 1939. This has been recognized as the moment defining modern librarianship as a profession committed to intellectual freedom and the right to read.[19] ALA appointed a committee to study censorship and recommend policy after the banning of the novel The Grapes of Wrath in Kern County, California and the implementation of the Library Bill of Rights. The committee reported in 1940 that intellectual freedom and professionalism were linked and recommended a permanent committee – Committee on Intellectual Freedom.[20] The ALA made revisions to strengthen the Library Bill of Rights in June 1948, approved the Statement on Labeling in 1951 to discourage labeling material as subversive, and adopted the Freedom to Read Statement and the Overseas Library Statement in 1953.[20]

The ALA has worked throughout its history to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access to information.[21]

In 1945 the ALA established an Office in Washington, D.C. named the National Relations Office under the direction of Paul Howard.[22]

In 1961, the ALA took a stand regarding service to African Americans and others, advocating for equal library service for all. An amendment to the Library Bill of Rights was passed in 1961 that made clear that an individual's library use should not be denied or abridged because of race, religion, national origin, or political views. Some communities decided to close their doors rather than desegregate.[23] In 1963, the ALA commissioned a study, Access to Public Libraries, which found direct and indirect discrimination in American libraries.[24]

In 1967, some librarians protested against a pro-Vietnam War speech given by General Maxwell D. Taylor at the annual ALA conference in San Francisco; the former president of Sarah Lawrence College, Harold Taylor, spoke to the Middle-Atlantic Regional Library Conference about socially responsible professionalism; and less than one year later a group of librarians proposed that the ALA schedule a new round table program discussion on the social responsibilities of librarians at its annual conference in Kansas City. This group called themselves the Organizing Committee for the ALA Round Table on Social Responsibilities of Libraries. This group drew in many other under-represented groups in the ALA who lacked power, including the Congress for Change in 1969.[25] This formation of the committee was approved in 1969 and would change its name to the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) in 1971. After its inception, the Round Table of Social Responsibilities began to press ALA leadership to address issues such as library unions, working conditions, wages, and intellectual freedom.

The Freedom to Read Foundation was founded by Judith Krug, Alexander Allain, and Carrie C Robinson and established by ALA's executive board in 1969.[26]

The Black Caucus of the ALA and the Office for Literacy and Outreach were established in 1970.[27]

In 1971, Barbara Gittings staffed a kissing booth at the ALA Conference underneath the banner, "Hug a Homosexual."[28][29][30] This was the precipitating event that evolved into the Rainbow Round Table dedicated to supporting the information needs of LGBTQIA+ people.

#### Centennial

[edit]

The American Library Association celebrated its centennial in 1976. In commemoration the association published Libraries and the Life of the Mind in America.[31][32]

The American Library Association Archives, established at the time of the centennial, created an online exhibit which includes a history of the centennial. Clara Stanton Jones, president, Inaugural address was titled, “The First Step into ALA’s Second Century.”[33]

#### 1976–2000

[edit]

Clara Stanton Jones was the first African American president of the ALA, serving as its acting president from April 11 to July 22 in 1976 upon the death of Allie Beth Martin and then elected president from July 22, 1976 to 1977.[34][35]

In 1979 and 1991 the ALA collaborated with the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science on two White House Conferences.[36]

In 1983 in response to the National Commission on Excellence in Education Report, A Nation at Risk, leaders in library and information science launched the project, "Libraries and the Learning Society."[37] Librarians examined how public libraries, academic libraries, library and information science training institutions, and school library media centers could best respond to A Nation at Risk.

In June 1990, the ALA approved "Policy on Library Services to the Poor" and in 1996 the Task Force on Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty was formed to resurrect and promote the ALA guidelines on library services to the poor.[38]

The Office for Information Technology Policy was established in 1995 to act as a public policy advocate for libraries in the area of information technology.[39]

The "Congress on Professional Education" took place from April 30 to May 1, 1999 in Washington, D.C.[40] Its purpose was to reach consensus among stakeholder groups on the values and core competencies of the profession and on strategies for action to address common issues and concerns.[41][42]

### 21st century

[edit]

Panelist Dr.Cora Dunkley speaking at Association for Library Service to Children 2022 President's Program, Lucia Gonzalez, President

At the beginning of the century The Congress on Professional Education recommended that the Association develop a set of Core Values.[43]

In 2007, Loriene Roy was elected as the first Native American President of the ALA.[44][45][46]

In 2009, Camila Alire became the first Hispanic president of the ALA.[47]

In 2014, Courtney Young, president of the association, commented on the background and implications of a racist joke author Daniel Handler made as African American writer Jacqueline Woodson received a National Book Award for Brown Girl Dreaming. "His comments were inappropriate and fell far short of the association's commitment to diversity," said Young. "Handler's remarks come at a time when the publishing world has little diversity. Works from authors and illustrators of color make up less than 8 percent of children's titles produced in 2013. The ALA hopes this regrettable incident will be used to open a dialogue on the need for diversity in the publishing industry, particularly in regards to books for young people."[48]

In 2018, the ALA Council unanimously adopted a resolution acknowledging ALA's accountability for not participating in the fight against library segregation during the era of Jim Crow laws and honoring African American librarians who did fight, including Clara Stanton Jones, E. J. Josey, Albert P. Marshall, and Virginia Lacy.[49] The day it was signed, ALA President Jim Neal read the resolution at an event where Joan Mattison Daniel of the Greenville Eight, Ethel Adolphe, Ibrahim Mumin, and Teri Moncure Mojgani shared their experiences participating in library protests and sit-ins during the 1960s.[50] Two years later, ALA expanded its accountability to include the organization’s history of "upholding unjust systems of racism and discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the association and the profession" and further resolved "to build a more equitable association" moving forward.[51]

In 2020 Wanda Kay Brown was the first president from a historically black college or university. She also was president during COVID-19 and the live annual conference was cancelled and delivered virtually. Brown characterized her presidency as one of "change, loss, and hope."[52]

In 2021, Patty Wong became the first Asian-American president of the ALA.[53]

In 2022 Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada became the first Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American president of the ALA.[54]

In 2023 the Public Library Association of ALA published the Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report addressing the myriad ways libraries nationwide serve and sustain their communities.[55] That same year, the Montana State Library Commission withdrew from the ALA, citing comments made by Emily Drabinski, who self-identified as a "Marxist lesbian".[56]

The Digital Public Library Ecosystem was published by ALA in 2023. It is a comprehensive overview of the current state and operations of the relationships and roles of stakeholders including authors, agents, publishers, distributors, the library community, governments, and trade organizations.[57]

In 2024, in response to proposed Georgia legislation that would prohibit public expenditures on the ALA, the ALA responded that the legislation "is based on false narratives", and the ALA "does not promote any 'ideology'".[58]

The Association received the Toni Morrison Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle.[59]

The Library History Round Table published the "Bibliography of Library History" database containing over 7,000 entries for books, articles, and theses in library history and related fields published from 1990 to 2022.[60]

Cindy Hohl, the first SPECTRUM Scholar to be elected president was inaugurated in July 2024. Her presidential theme is “A Good Way for ALA.”[61]

Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained was published in 2024.[62]

### Archives

[edit]

The ALA Archives, including historical documents, non-current records, and digital records, are held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign archives.[63] The establishment of the archives and the roles of David Horace Clift, Robert Wedgeworth, Beta Phi Mu, and the Library History Round Table has been documented by the first archivist, Maynard Britchford.[64][65]

Additionally, the American Library Association Institutional Repository (ALAIR) provides digital access to the publications and intellectual work of the Association.[66][67]

## Membership

[edit]

ALA membership is open to any person or organization, though most of its members are libraries or librarians. Most members live and work in the United States, with international members comprising 3.5% of total membership.[68]

## Governing structure

[edit]

The ALA is governed by an elected council and an executive board. Policies and programs are administered by committees and round tables. One of the organization's most visible tasks is overseen by the Office for Accreditation, which formally reviews and authorizes American and Canadian academic institutions that offer degree programs in library and information science.

### President and executive directors

[edit]

Further information: List of presidents of the American Library Association

ALA's President for the 2024–2025 term is Cindy Hohl. President-elect, Sam Helmick, will preside in 2025-2026.

The executive director of the American Library Association delegates authority within ALA headquarters to ALA’s department heads, who, in carrying out their assigned duties, are called upon to use ALA’s name, and, in that name, to commit the Association to programs, activities, and binding agreements.[69]

List of Executive Directors of the American Library Association

| Name  | Tenure

|

Daniel J. Montgomery (assuming office November 2025)[70] | 2025-
Leslie Burger (interim)[71] | 2023–2025
Tracie D. Hall[72] | 2020–2023
Mary W. Ghikas [73] | 2017–2020
Keith Michael Fiels | 2002–2017
William R. Gordon [74] | 1998–2002
Mary W. Ghikas | 1997–1998
Elizabeth Martinez | 1994–1997
Peggy Sullivan | 1992–1994
Linda F. Crismond [75] First woman executive director.  | 1989–1992
Thomas J. Galvin | 1985–1989
Robert Wedgeworth | 1972–1985
David Horace Clift (*Title changed to Executive Director as of November 1958)  | 1951–1972
John MacKenzie Cory [76] | 1948–1951
Harold F. Brigham (interim)[77] | 1948
Carl Milam[78] | 1920–1948

Secretaries of the Association prior to Carl Milam were George Burwell Utley (1911–20); Chalmers Hadley (1909–11); Edward C. Hovey (1905–7); James Ingersoll Wyer (1902–09); Frederick Winthrop Faxon (1900–02); Henry James Carr (1898–1900); Melvil Dewey (1897–98); Rutherford Platt Hayes (1896–97); Henry Livingston Elmendorf (1895–96); Frank Pierce Hill (1891–95); Mary Salome Cutler (1891); William E. Parker (1890–91) and Melvil Dewey (1879–90).[79][80]

### Activities

[edit]

The official purpose of the association is "to promote library service and librarianship." Members may join one or more of eight membership divisions that deal with specialized topics such as academic, school, or public libraries, technical or reference services, and library administration. Members may also join any of the nineteen round tables that are grouped around more specific interests and issues than the broader set of ALA divisions.

#### Divisions

[edit]

* American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
* Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).
* Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
* Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures. Advances the profession of librarians and information providers in leadership and management, collections and technical services, and technology roles. Formed from former ALA divisions: Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS), Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), and Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA).[81]
* Public Library Association (PLA).
* Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). Serves libraries in reference, user services, adult readers' advisory and collection development as well as resource sharing, genealogy and archives, and reference technology. Selects notable books for an annual list.[82]
* United for Libraries. Supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries.[83]
* Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).

#### Offices

[edit]

* ALA Editions (book publishing)[84]
* Office for Accreditation
* Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services
* Office for Intellectual Freedom
* Public Programs Office[85]
* Public Policy and Advocacy (est. in 1945)[86][87]

#### Round Tables

[edit]

List of ALA Round Tables

* Coretta Scott King Book Award Round Table [88][89]
* Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange RT (EMIERT)-committed to Multicultural education
* Exhibits Round Table (ERT)
* Film and Media Round Table (FMRT), from 1988-2018 was the Video Round Table.
* Games and Gaming (GAMERT)
* Government Documents (GODORT)
* Graphic Novel and Comics Round Table (GNCRT)[90]
* Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT)[91]
* International Relations (IRRT)
* Learning RT (LearnRT)
* Library History Round Table (LHRT)[92] "Bibliography of Library History" database containing over 7,000 entries.[60]
* Library Instruction Round Table
* Library Research
* Library Support Staff Interests Round Table
* Map and Geospatial Information
* New Members Round Table
* Rainbow Round Table[93]
* Retired Members Round Table
* Social Responsibilities Round Table – est. 1969.[94]

Task forces:

* *Feminist Task Force[95]
* Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty Task Force
* International Responsibilities Task Force
* Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Task Force
* The Rainbow Project Task Force
* Task Force on the Environment
* Staff Organization
* Sustainability
* Round Table Coordinating Assembly

#### Committees

[edit]

The Committee on Literacy develops and recommends the association's policies related to the promotion of multiple literacies.[96]

The Chapter Relations Committee develops and recognizes chapters as integral components of ALA, encourages discussion, activities and programs that support the mutual interests of ALA and the chapters.[97]

In 1970, the ALA founded the "Task Force on Gay Liberation, the first professional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organization, which became the "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT), now the Rainbow Round Table.[98][99][100]

In 1976, the Committee on the Status of Women in Librarianship (COSWL) was established as an ALA Council Committee.[101][102]

##  National outreach

[edit]

The ALA is affiliated with regional, state, and student chapters across the country. It organizes conferences, participates in library standards development, and publishes books and periodicals. The ALA publishes the journals American Libraries, Booklist and Choice.

The Graphics Program creates and distributes products that promote libraries, literacy and reading.[103] Along with other organizations, it sponsors the annual Banned Books Week the last week of September. The Young Adult Library Services Association also sponsors Teen Read Week, the third week of each October, and Teen Tech Week, the second week of each March. In addition, the ALA helps to promote diversity in the library profession with various outreach activities, including the Spectrum Scholarship program, which awards academic scholarships to minority library students each year.[104] Additionally, the ALA's Office for Library Advocacy has an initiative called I Love Libraries, also known as ilovelibraries, which attempts to "spread the world about the value of today's libraries," promotes value of librarians and libraries, explains key library issues, and "urges readers to support and take action for their libraries."[105][106]

The ALA provides many scholarships (over $300,000 annually), a list of which can be found on their website.[107]

National Library Week, the second week of each April, is a national observance sponsored by the ALA since 1958.[108] Libraries across the country celebrate library resources, library champions and promote public outreach.

## Awards

[edit]

Main article: List of ALA awards

ALA Youth Media Awards in January 2014; Pura Belpré Committee with Henrietta M. Smith

The American Library Association confers many professional recognition awards.[109] Association-wide awards include American Library Association Honorary Membership,[110] the Joseph W. Lippincott Award, the ALA Medal of Excellence[111] and American Library Association Equality Award.

The ALA annually confers numerous book and media awards, many through its children's and young adult divisions.

The Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC) administers:

* Caldecott Medal
* Newbery Medal
* Batchelder Award
* Belpré Awards
* Geisel Award
* Sibert Medal[112]

The Odyssey Award for best audiobook (joint with YALSA), and the (U.S.) Carnegie Medal and for best video. There are also two ALSC lifetime recognitions, the Children's Literature Legacy Award and the Arbuthnot Lecture.

The Coretta Scott King Award honorees are awarded by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table.[113]

The young-adult division, YALSA, administers the Margaret Edwards Award for significant and lasting contribution to YA literature, a lifetime recognition of one author annually, and annual awards that recognize particular works: the Michael L. Printz Award for a YA book judged on literary merit alone, the William C. Morris Award for an author's first YA book, the new "YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults," and the "Alex Award" list of ten adult books having special appeal for teens. Jointly with the children's division ALSC there is the Odyssey Award for excellence in audiobook production.[114]

The award for YA nonfiction was inaugurated in 2012, defined by ages 12 to 18 and publication year November 2010 to October 2011. The first winner was The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin (Roaring Brook Press, November 2010) and four other finalists were named.[115][116]

The Reference and User Services Association awards include annual lists of "Notable" and "Best" books and other media.[117] The Reference and User Services Association awards also include the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, Dartmouth Medal, Sophie Brody Award and Schneider Book Awards.

The Library History Round Table awards the Justin Winsor Prize for the best library history essay.

The Rainbow RoundTable annually honors authors with the Stonewall Book Award.

The annual awards roster also includes the John Cotton Dana Award for excellence in library public relations, and the "I Love My Librarian" award in concert with the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Public Library.

In 2000, the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) launched the Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture in tribute to the work of the first OLOS director, Jean E. Coleman. Barbara J. Ford gave the inaugural lecture, "Libraries, Literacy, Outreach and the Digital Divide."

Since 2006, the ALA has selected a class of Emerging Leaders, typically comprising about 100 librarians and library school students. This minor distinction is a form of organizational outreach to new librarians. The Emerging Leaders are allocated to project groups tasked with developing solutions to specified problems within ALA divisions. The class meets at the ALA Midwinter and Annual Meetings, commonly January and June. Project teams may present posters of their completed projects at the Annual.[118]

## Conferences

[edit]

The American Library Association Conference in June 2011

The ALA and its divisions hold numerous conferences throughout the year. The two largest conferences are the annual conference and the midwinter meeting, now called LibLearnX.[119] The latter is typically held in January and focuses on innovative session design concepts, while the annual conference is typically held in June and focuses on programs, exhibits, and presentations. The ALA annual conference is notable for being one of the largest professional conferences in existence, typically drawing over 25,000 attendees.[120]

In 2020, Wanda Kay Brown was the first president in 75 years under whom the Annual Conference, scheduled for Chicago in June 2020, was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release about cancellation of the conference, Brown stated: "ALA's priority is the health and safety of the library community, including our members, staff, supporters, vendors and volunteers."[121]

## Political positions

[edit]

See also: American librarianship and human rights

The ALA advocates positions on United States political issues that it believes are related to libraries and librarianship. For court cases that touch on issues about which the organization holds positions, the ALA often files amici curiae briefs, voluntarily offering information on some aspect of the case to assist the court in deciding a matter before it. The ALA has a Public Policy and Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., that lobbies Congress on issues relating to libraries, information and communication. It also provides materials to libraries that may include information on how to apply for grants, how to comply with the law, and how to oppose a law.[122]

### Intellectual freedom

[edit]

See also: Book censorship in the United States

The primary documented expressions of the ALA's intellectual freedom principles are the Freedom to Read Statement[123] and the Library Bill of Rights; the Library Bill of Rights urges libraries to "challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment."[124] The ALA Code of Ethics also calls on librarians to "uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources."[125]

The ALA maintains an Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), which is charged with "implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom,"[126] defined as "the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored."[127] Its goal is "to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries."[126] The OIF compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted to them by librarians across the country.[128]

The first director, Judith Krug, headed the office for four decades, until her death in April 2009.[129]

In 1950, the Intellectual Freedom Committee, the forerunner of the OIF, investigated the termination of Ruth W. Brown as librarian of the Bartlesville Public Library, a position she held in the Oklahoma town for 30 years. Brown's termination was based on the false allegation that she was a communist and that she had as part of the library's serials collection two left wing publications, The New Republic and The Nation. The ALA support for her and the subsequent legal case was the first such investigation undertaken by the ALA or one of its state chapters.[130]

In 1999, radio personality Laura Schlessinger campaigned publicly against the ALA's intellectual freedom policy, specifically in regard to the ALA's refusal to remove a link on its web site to a specific sex-education site for teens.[131] Sharon Priestly said, however, that Schlessinger "distorted and misrepresented the ALA stand to make it sound like the ALA was saying porno for 'children' is O.K."[132]

In 2002, the ALA filed suit with library users and the ACLU against the United States Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which required libraries receiving federal E-rate discounts for Internet access to install a "technology protection measure" to prevent children from accessing "visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors."[133] At trial, the federal district court struck down the law as unconstitutional.[134] The government appealed this decision, and on June 23, 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the law as constitutional as a condition imposed on institutions in exchange for government funding. In upholding the law, the Supreme Court, adopting the interpretation urged by the U.S. Solicitor General at oral argument, made it clear that the constitutionality of CIPA would be upheld only "if, as the Government represents, a librarian will unblock filtered material or disable the Internet software filter without significant delay on an adult user's request."[135]

In 2021, the ALA released a statement signed by its executive board and Boards of Directors of its eight divisions in response to "a dramatic uptick in book challenges and outright removal of books from libraries".[136] The message condemned "a few organizations [which] have advanced the proposition that the voices of the marginalized have no place on library shelves ... falsely claiming that these works are subversive, immoral, or worse [and inducing] officials to abandon constitutional principles, ignore the rule of law, and disregard individual rights to promote government censorship of library collections".[137] A spokesperson told ABC News that in her time working with reports of book challenges, she had "never seen such a widespread effort to remove books on racial and gender diversity".[137]

### Privacy

[edit]

#### 1970s

[edit]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attempted to use librarians as possible informants in the conspiracy case of the Harrisburg Seven in 1971. The Harrisburg Seven, a group of religious anti-war activists, were primarily accused of conspiring to kidnap National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. The supposed leader of the group, Philip Berrigan, was serving time at the Lewisburg penitentiary. The FBI sought "to use library surveillance and librarian informants" at Bucknell University as evidence of the Harrisburg Seven's "characters and intentions."[138] Boyd Douglas became one such informant for the FBI: he was a prisoner at the same penitentiary with a work-release position at the library. Boyd presented himself as an anti-war activist and offered to smuggle letters he collected while at work to Philip Berrigan at the prison.

The FBI also attempted to use Zoia Horn, a librarian at the Bucknell library, and interviewed other library workers. The FBI met with Horn in her home to debrief her, but Horn refused to answer their questions. She refused to testify, even after she was given immunity from self-incrimination.[139] Horn stated, "To me it stands on: Freedom of thought" and for the government to practice "spying in homes, in libraries and universities inhibits and destroys this freedom."[140] Zoia Horn was charged with contempt of the court and served 20 days in jail. She was "the first librarian who spent time in jail for a value of our profession" according to Judith Krug of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.[141] Horn continued to fight for intellectual freedom in libraries and beyond. The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the California Library Association now awards the Zoia Horn Intellectual Freedom Award in honor of those who make contributions to intellectual freedom.[142]

In the 1970s, United States Department of the Treasury agents also pressured public libraries across the country to "release circulation records recording the names and identifying information of people who checked out books on bomb making."[138] The ALA believed this to be an "unconscionable and unconstitutional invasion of library patrons' privacy."[138]

As a result of these two situations and many others, the ALA affirmed the confidential status of all records which held patron names in a Policy on the Confidentiality of Library Records. The ALA also released the ALA Statement on Professional Ethics in 1975 which advocated for the protection of the "confidential relationship" between a library user and a library.[138]

#### 1980s

[edit]

The FBI tried to use surveillance in library settings as part of its Library Awareness Program of the 1980s; it aimed to use librarians "as partners in surveillance." The program was known to the FBI as "The Development of Counterintelligence Among Librarians," indicating that the FBI believed that librarians might be supportive in its counterintelligence investigations. The FBI attempted to profile "Russian or Slavic-sounding last names" of library patrons to look for possible "national security threats." The FBI wanted libraries to help it trace "the reading habits of patrons with those names."[138]

The ALA responded by writing to the FBI director. The Intellectual Freedom Committee also created "an advisory statement to warn libraries" of the Library Awareness Program, including ways to help librarians "avoid breaking their ethical obligations if faced with FBI surveillance."[143]

#### USA PATRIOT Act

[edit]

In 2003, the ALA passed a resolution opposing the USA PATRIOT Act, which called sections of the law "a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users."[144] Since then, the ALA and its members have sought to change the law by working with members of Congress and educating their communities and the press about the law's potential to violate the privacy rights of library users. ALA has also participated as an amicus curiae in lawsuits filed by individuals challenging the constitutionality of the USA PATRIOT Act, including a lawsuit filed by four Connecticut librarians after the library consortium they managed was served with a national security letter seeking information about library users.[145] After several months of litigation, the lawsuit was dismissed when the FBI decided to withdraw the National Security Letter.[146] In 2007, the "Connecticut Four" were honored by the ALA with the Paul Howard Award for Courage for their challenge to the National Security Letter and gag order provision of the USA PATRIOT Act.[147]

In 2006, the ALA sold humorous "radical militant librarian" buttons for librarians to wear in support of the ALA's stances on intellectual freedom, privacy, and civil liberties.[148] Inspiration for the button's design came from documents obtained from the FBI by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The request revealed a series of e-mails in which FBI agents complained about the "radical, militant librarians" while criticizing the reluctance of FBI management to use the secret warrants authorized under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act.[149]

### Renaming of Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

[edit]

In 2018, the organization changed the name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to the Children's Literature Legacy Award. According to The New York Times, the name change was made "in order to distance the honor" from what the ALA described as "culturally insensitive portrayals" in Wilder's books.[150]

### Copyright

[edit]

The ALA "supports efforts to amend the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and urges the courts to restore the balance in copyright law, ensure fair use and protect and extend the public domain."[151] It supports changing copyright law to eliminate damages when using orphan works without permission;[152] is wary of digital rights management; and, in ALA v. FCC,[153] successfully sued the Federal Communications Commission to prevent regulation that would enforce next-generation digital televisions to contain rights-management hardware. It has joined the Information Access Alliance to promote open access to research.[154] The Copyright Advisory Network of the association's Office for Information Technology Policy provides copyright resources to libraries and the communities they serve. The ALA is a member of the Library Copyright Alliance,[155] along with the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of College and Research Libraries, which provides a unified voice for over 300,000 information professionals in the United States.[156] Currently, the ALA supports bill H.R. 905, also known as the You Own Devices Act, stating "to foster the social and commercial evolution of the "Internet of Things" by codifying the right of the owner of a device containing 'essential software' intrinsic to its function to transfer [e.g. sell or lease] both the device and the software."[157]

## Accredited programs in library and information studies

[edit]

Main article: List of American Library Association accredited library schools

ALA-accredited programs can be found at schools in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. These programs offer degrees with names such as Master of Library Science, Master of Arts, Master of Librarianship, Master of Library and Information Studies, and Master of Science. To be accredited, the program must undergo an external review and meet the Standards for Accreditation of Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies.

## Affiliates

[edit]

* American Association of Law Libraries
* American Indian Library Association
* Association for Information Science and Technology
* American Theological Library Association
* Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)
* Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association
* Association for Library and Information Science Education
* Association for Rural and Small Libraries
* Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services
* Association of Jewish Libraries
* Association of Research Libraries
* Beta Phi Mu
* Black Caucus of the American Library Association[158]
* Catholic Library Association
* Chinese American Librarians Association
* The Joint Council of Librarians of Color.[159]
* Latino Literacy Now
* Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa
* Medical Library Association
* Music Library Association
* National Storytelling Network
* Online Audiovisual Catalogers
* Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association
* Polish American Librarians Association
* ProLiteracy Worldwide
* REFORMA[160]
* Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials
* Theatre Library Association

## See also

[edit]

* Books portal
* Children's literature portal

* American Indian Library Association and American Indian Youth Literature Awards
* ANSEL American National Standard for Extended Latin Alphabet Coded Character Set for Bibliographic Use
* Book Links, an ALA magazine that helps teachers, librarians, school library media specialists, and parents connect children with high-quality books
* Booklist, an ALA publication that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials, geared toward libraries and booksellers
* Challenge (literature), an attempt to have books removed from a library
* Diversity in librarianship
* History of public library advocacy
* International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA)
* Library Bill of Rights
* Library Hall of Fame
* Library War Service
* Librarianship and human rights in the United States
* List of American Library Association accredited library schools
* List of presidents of the American Library Association
* National Library Symbol
* Neal-Schuman Publishers, an imprint of the ALA
* Public library advocacy
* List of most commonly challenged books in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ ALA Executive Director’s Report to the ALA Executive Board, January 2025
2. ^ Executive Board. American Library Association.
3. ^ Ghikas, Mary W. (2018). "The American Library Association," pp. 66-84 In McDonald, John D., and Michael Levine-Clark, eds. Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences. Fourth edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2018.
4. ^ ALA Membership Statistics, 1900-2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20240409035701/https://www.ala.org/membership/updates. Wayback machine. Accessed June 14, 2024
5. ^ Thomison, D. A History of the American Library Association. 1876–1972; American Library Association: Chicago.
6. ^ Charles Evans Holley Edward G. 1963. Charles Evans: American Bibliographer. Urbana Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
7. ^ "History". American Library Association. June 9, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
8. ^ "History". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
9. ^ *Green, Samuel Swett. (1913). The Public Library Movement in the United States 1853-1893.: From 1876 Reminiscences of the Writer. Boston Mass: Boston Book.
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11. ^ "Justin Winsor | American librarian". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
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15. ^ Thomison, Dennis (1993). "Elmendorf, Theresa West". In Robert Wedgeworth (ed.). World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services (3rd ed.). Chicago: ALA Editions. ISBN 0-8389-0609-5, p. 280. The death of her husband had forced Theresa Elmendorf to end her unpaid status, and for the next 20 years she held the position of vice-librarian at the Buffalo Public Library. Her new role also meant an increased participation in the American Library Association; in 1911–12 she served as its President, the first woman to hold that position.
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84. ^ "Home page". ALA Editions. Archived from the original on January 11, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
85. ^ Robertson, Deborah A, and Public Programs Office American Library Association.(2004). Cultural Programming for Libraries. ALA Editions.
86. ^ “ALA Washington Office Reorganizes.” 2019. American Libraries 50 (1/2): 14.
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88. ^ Smith, Henrietta M. (June 29, 2009). The Coretta Scott King Awards, 1970-2009. American Library Association. ISBN 978-0-8389-3584-2.
89. ^ Stephens, Claire Gatrell (May 15, 2000). Coretta Scott King Award Books: Using Great Literature with Children and Young Adults. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 978-0-313-08018-0.
90. ^ Godbey, Samantha; Melilli, Amanda (October 2, 2021). "Developing a P-12 English Language Learner Collection in an Academic Library That Reflects Its Community". Collection Management. 46 (3–4): 273–290\. doi:10.1080/01462679.2021.1910889. ISSN 0146-2679.3–4&rft.pages=273-290&rft.date=2021-10-02&rft_id=info:doi/10.1080/01462679.2021.1910889&rft.issn=0146-2679&rft.aulast=Godbey&rft.aufirst=Samantha&rft.au=Melilli,+Amanda&rft_id=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01462679.2021.1910889&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:American+Library+Association" class="Z3988">
91. ^ Samek, Toni (July 6, 2017). Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility in American Librarianship, 1967-1974. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5073-2.
92. ^ Greenberg, Gerry (2023), "On LHRT's Seventy-Fifth Anniversary. Libraries: Culture, History, and Society 7 no.1:77-79.
93. ^ Ford, Anne (2020). "The Rainbow's Arc: ALA's Rainbow Round Table celebrates 50 years of pride". American Libraries. 51 (6): 26–31\. JSTOR 26993090.
94. ^ Joyce, Steven (January 31, 1999). "A Few Gates: An Examination of the Social Responsibilities Debate in the Early 1970s & '90s". Progressive Librarian (15): 1. ProQuest 207670714.
95. ^ Poole, Alex H. (September 2018). "'Be Damned Pushy at Times': The Committee on the Status of Women and Feminism in the Archival Profession, 1972–1998". The American Archivist. 81 (2): 394–437\. doi:10.17723/0360-9081-81.2.394.
96. ^ Committee on Literacy. American Library Association.
97. ^ ALA Chapter Relations Committee American Library Association.
98. ^ Poole, Alex H. (October 2020). "'Tearing the Shroud of Invisibility': Communities of Protest Information Practices and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights in US Librarianship". The Library Quarterly. 90 (4): 530–562\. doi:10.1086/710255.
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103. ^ Peggy Barber. "Mickey Mouse, Miss Piggy and the Birth of ALA Graphics." American Libraries, vol. 34, no. 5, May 2003, pp. 60–63
104. ^ "Spectrum Scholarship Program". ala.org. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014.
105. ^ "About I Love Libraries". ilovelibraries.org. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020.
106. ^ "Friend Your Library". ala.org. April 18, 2010. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019.
107. ^ "ALA Scholarships | Awards & Grants". ala.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
108. ^ "National Library Week Fact Sheet". ala.org.
109. ^ American Library Association Professional Recognition Awards. American Library Association.
110. ^ Honorary Membership American Library Association.
111. ^ Albanese, Andrew (June 24, 2019). "ALA Votes to Strip Melvil Dewey's Name From Its Top Honor". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
112. ^ "Awards and Grants". ALA. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
113. ^ McCollough Carole J., Adelaide Poniatowski Phelps and Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table. Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee. 2019. The Coretta Scott King Awards : 50th Anniversary Sixth ed. Chicago: ALA Editions.
114. ^ "Welcome to the Odyssey Award home page!". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). American Library Association (ALA). Retrieved April 19, 2012.
115. ^ "'The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery' wins 2012 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults"". American Library Association. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
116. ^ "YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association. February 4, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
117. ^ Van Fleet, Connie, and Danny P. Wallace. 2002. “A Year Inside Notable Books.” Reference & User Services Quarterly 41 (4): 340
118. ^ Emerging Leaders Program Info: http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/leadership/emergingleaders
119. ^ LibLearnX
120. ^ "Conference Services". ALA. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved November 14, 2006.
121. ^ "American Library Association cancels 2020 Annual Conference due to COVID-19". American Library Association. March 24, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
122. ^ American Library Association. Public Policy and Advocacy Office.
123. ^ "Freedom to Read Statement". ALA. July 26, 2006. Archived from the original on August 26, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
124. ^ "Library Bill of Rights". ALA. June 30, 2006. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
125. ^ "Article II, ALA Code of Professional Ethics". ALA. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
126. ^ a b "Office for Intellectual Freedom". ALA. June 9, 2008. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
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128. ^ "Frequently Challenged Books". ALA. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
129. ^ "Barbara Jones, Ex-Director at Wesleyan, Named Head of ALA OIF and FTRF". Library Journal. MediaSource, Inc. December 2, 2009. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
130. ^ Robbins, L.S. (2000). The dismissal of Miss Ruth Brown. Norman, The University of Oklahoma Press.
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134. ^ United States v. Am. Lib. Asso., 201 F.Supp.2d 401, 490 (2002)
135. ^ "US v ALA 539 U.S. 194, 2003". FindLaw. Archived from the original on February 19, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
136. ^ "The American Library Association opposes widespread efforts to censor books in U.S. schools and libraries". American Library Association. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
137. ^ a b Alfonseca, Kiara (December 3, 2021). "Authors of color speak out against efforts to ban books on race". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
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## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Library Association.

Wikiquote has quotations related to libraries.

* Official website
* Works by American Library Association at Project Gutenberg
* Works by or about American Library Association at the Internet Archive
* American Library Association Archives at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

* v
* t
* e

American Library Association

Founders|

* Justin Winsor
* Charles Ammi Cutter
* Samuel S. Green
* James L. Whitney
* Melvil Dewey
* Fred B. Perkins
* Thomas W. Bicknell

Notable
divisions|

* American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
* Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS)
* Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
* Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
* Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)
* Library Information Technology Association (LITA)
* Public Library Association (PLA)
* Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
* Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

Magazines and journals|

* American Libraries
* Booklist
* Choice
* College & Research Libraries
* College & Research Libraries News
* Public Libraries
* Reference and User Services Quarterly
* Young Adult Library Services

Literary
awards and
honors|

| Books for adults|

* Boyd
* Brody
* Andrew Carnegie
* Dartmouth
* Gleason library history
* Stonewall

|

For children and
young adults|

* Arbuthnot
* Batchelder
* Belpré
* Caldecott
* Carnegie (video)
* Geisel
* King
* Legacy
* Newbery
* Odyssey (audio)
* Schneider
* Sibert
* Stonewall
* Excellence in Nonfiction
* Edwards
* Morris
* Printz

|

Book lists|

* ALA Notable Books
* Alex Awards
* Amazing YA Audiobooks
* Best YA Books
* Great Graphic Novels for Teens
* Outstanding Academic Title
* Popular YA Paperbacks
* Quick Picks
* Rainbow List
* Outstanding Reference Sources
* Rise: A Feminist Book Project

|

Related|

* Presidents of the ALA
* ALA accredited library schools
* Banned Books Week
* Freedom to Read Foundation
* Library Bill of Rights
* Rainbow Round Table
* Black Caucus
* United States v. American Library Ass'n

* v
* t
* e

Patriot Act

Titles I · II · III · IV · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X · History

Acts modified|

* Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
* Electronic Communications Privacy Act
* Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
* Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
* Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
* Money Laundering Control Act
* Bank Secrecy Act
* Right to Financial Privacy Act
* Fair Credit Reporting Act
* Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
* Victims of Crime Act of 1984
* Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act

People|

* George W. Bush
* John Ashcroft
* Alberto Gonzales
* Patrick Leahy
* Orrin Hatch
* Jon Kyl
* Dianne Feinstein
* Viet D. Dinh
* Joe Biden
* Michael Chertoff
* Barack Obama
* Eric Holder
* Chuck Schumer
* Lamar Smith
* Bob Graham
* Jay Rockefeller
* Arlen Specter
* Mike Oxley
* Dick Armey
* Paul Sarbanes
* Trent Lott
* Tom Daschle
* Russ Feingold
* Ellen Huvelle
* Ron Paul
* Lisa Murkowski
* Ron Wyden
* Dennis Kucinich
* Larry Craig
* John E. Sununu
* Richard Durbin
* Bernie Sanders
* Jerry Nadler
* John Conyers Jr.
* Butch Otter

Government
organizations|

* Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Department of Justice
* Select Committee on Intelligence
* Department of the Treasury
* FinCEN
* Department of State
* National Institute of Standards and Technology
* Customs Service
* Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Non-government
organizations|

* American Civil Liberties Union
* American Library Association
* Center for Democracy and Technology
* Center for Public Integrity
* Electronic Frontier Foundation
* Electronic Privacy Information Center
* Humanitarian Law Project

* v
* t
* e

Library associations of the United States

National|

* American Association of Law Libraries
* American Indian Library Association
* American Library Association
* American Theological Library Association
* Asian Pacific American Librarians Association
* Association for Rural & Small Libraries
* Association of Architecture School Librarians
* Black Caucus of the American Library Association
* Catholic Library Association
* Chinese American Librarians Association
* Medical Library Association
* Music Library Association
* NASIG
* Online Audiovisual Catalogers
* Progressive Librarians Guild
* REFORMA
* Special Libraries Association

State|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Guam
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* Washington D.C.
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Regional|

* Mountain Plains Library Association
* New England Library Association
* Pacific Northwest Library Association
* Southeastern Library Association

Defunct|

* Columbia Civic Library Association
* North Carolina Negro Library Association
* Southwestern Library Association

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Japan
* Italy
* Australia
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Portugal
* Norway
* Latvia
* Croatia
* Chile
* Greece
* Korea
* Sweden
* Poland
* Vatican
* Israel
* Catalonia

Academics|

* CiNii

People|

* Trove

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC
* Yale LUX

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