Editing American Library Association (section)

==History==
===19th century===
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]].<ref>Thomison, D. ''A History of the American Library Association. 1876–1972''; American Library Association: Chicago.</ref> 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 (librarian)|Charles Evans]] ([[Indianapolis Public Library]])<ref>Charles Evans Holley Edward G. 1963. ''Charles Evans: American Bibliographer.'' Urbana Illinois: University of Illinois Press.</ref> and [[Richard Rogers Bowker]]. Attendees came from as far west as Chicago and from England.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.ala.org/aboutala/history |website=American Library Association |date=June 9, 2008 |access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/aboutala/missionhistory/history |title=History |website=American Library Association |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128031727/http://www.ala.org/aboutala/missionhistory/history |archive-date=January 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>*Green, Samuel Swett. (1913). ''[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044015587264&seq=135 The Public Library Movement in the United States 1853-1893.: From 1876 Reminiscences of the Writer.]'' Boston Mass: Boston Book.</ref> The ALA was chartered<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/aboutala/history/charter-1879-revised-1942 |title=Charter of 1879 (Revised 1942) |website=American Library Association |access-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328000718/http://www.ala.org/aboutala/history/charter-1879-revised-1942 |archive-date=March 28, 2014}}</ref> in 1879 in [[Massachusetts]]. Its headquarters office is in [[Chicago]].<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Justin-Winsor|title=Justin Winsor {{!}} American librarian|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2018-08-17|language=en}}</ref>
Another important founder was [[Frederick Leypoldt]], publisher of [[Library Journal]], who published the conference proceedings.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044011710068&seq=25 Library Journal 1 1876-1877].</ref>

Justin Winsor was the first president of the ALA, serving from 1876 until 1885.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Justin Winsor (American librarian)|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/645522/Justin-Winsor|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|publisher=Britannica|access-date=16 February 2014}}</ref>

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

===20th century===
In 1911, [[Theresa Elmendorf]] became ALA's first woman president.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mrs. Theresa West Elmendorf |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82197786/theresa-elmendorf-1855-1932/ |newspaper=The Daily Tribune |date=August 9, 1946 |location=Wisconsin Rapids, WI |page=9 |via = [[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=July 26, 2021}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name="Thomison p. 280">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.''</ref> An analysis of the writings of the first fifteen women presidents gives more insight into the expanded role of women in the association.<ref>Busbin, O.Mell, JR. ''A Survey of the Writings of the First Fifteen Women Presidents of the American Library Association.'' PhD dissertation.  Western Michigan University; 1978.</ref>
{{wide image|1919 ALA NewMontereyHotel NJ LC.jpg|800px|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.<ref>Young, Arthur P. ''Books for Sammies: The American Library Association and World War I''. Beta Phi Mu chapbook, no. 15. Pittsburgh, Pa: Beta Phi Mu, 1981.
</ref> 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.<ref>(Samek, 2001, p.&nbsp;7)</ref>
 
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.<ref>(Robbins, 1996, p.&nbsp;166)</ref> 
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.<ref name="McCook, 2011, p. 63">(McCook, 2011, p.&nbsp;63)</ref> 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.<ref name="McCook, 2011, p. 63"/>

The ALA has worked throughout its history to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access to information.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED462981|title=''Rocks in the Whirlpool: Equity of Access and the American Library Association''}}|  Submitted to the Executive Board of the American Library Association June 14, 2002.| ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)|  ED462981| Retrieved December 21, 2011</ref>

In 1945 the ALA established an Office in Washington, D.C. named the National Relations Office under the direction of Paul Howard.<ref>Molumby, Lawrence, E. "[https://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/PPA/ALA%20WO%20Chronology%20First%2050%20Years.pdf ''ALA Washington Office: A Chronology of its First Fifty Years'']." American Library Association, Washington Office, May 1966.</ref>

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.<ref>Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science (3rd edn). New York: Neal-Schuman, p.294</ref> In 1963, the ALA commissioned a study, ''Access to Public Libraries'', which found direct and indirect discrimination in American libraries.<ref>(McCook, 2011, p.&nbsp;55)</ref>

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 (educator)|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, Missouri|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.<ref>(Samek, 2001, pp.&nbsp;67–8)</ref> 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.<ref>(Samek, 2001, p. 69)</ref>

The [[Black Caucus of the American Library Association|Black Caucus of the ALA]] and the Office for Literacy and Outreach were established in 1970.<ref>(Rubin, 2004, p. 296)</ref>

In 1971, [[Barbara Gittings]] staffed a kissing booth at the ALA Conference underneath the banner, "Hug a Homosexual."<ref>Bullough, Vern, ed. (2002) ''Before Stonewall: Activists for gay and lesbian rights in historical context.'' Harrington Park Press; {{ISBN|1-56023-192-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gaypioneers.com/soundbitesframe-gittings.cfm |title=Gay Pioneers |publisher=Gay Pioneers |access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref><ref name="citypaper">Warner David.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypaper.net/articles/042299/feat.20q.shtml |title=20 questions |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516124313/http://www.citypaper.net/articles/042299/feat.20q.shtml |archive-date=2008-05-16 }} CityPaper.net. April 22–29, 1999; accessed November 4, 2007.</ref> This was the precipitating event that evolved into the [[Rainbow Round Table]] dedicated to supporting the information needs of [[LGBTQIA+]] people.

====Centennial====
The American Library Association celebrated its centennial in 1976. In commemoration the association published ''Libraries and the Life of the Mind in America.''<ref>''Libraries and the Life of the Mind in America: Addresses Delivered at the Centennial Celebration of the American Library Association.'' Chicago: American 
Library Assn., 1977.</ref><ref>[https://www.library.illinois.edu/ala/140-years-ala-conference-planners/11-1976-conference-sources/ Edward G. Holley, ALA at 100, American Library Association] (Chicago, 1976)</ref>

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.”<ref>Clara Stanton Jones, “The First Step into ALA’s Second Century,” in Step into 200: American Library Association Gala Inaugural Banquet, July 23, 1976, [https://www.library.illinois.edu/ala/140-years-ala-conference-planners/10-1976-conference/ Record series 5/1/1, Box 18, Folder: 1976.]</ref>

====1976–2000====
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.<ref>"Clara Stanton Jones interviewed by Marva DeLoach," in ''Women of Color in Librarianship,'' pp.29- 57.Chicago: American Library Association Editions, 1998.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/aboutala/history/past |title=ALA's Past Presidents &#124; About ALA |date=20 November 2007 |publisher=Ala.org |access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref>

In 1979 and 1991 the ALA collaborated with the [[National Commission on Libraries and Information Science]] on two White House Conferences.<ref>Mathews, Virginia H. 2004. ''Libraries Citizens & Advocacy: The Lasting Effects of Two White House Conferences on Library and Information Services.'' Washington D.C.: White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services Taskforce.</ref>

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."<ref>{{cite report |id={{ERIC|ED243885}} |title=Alliance for Excellence: Librarians Respond to 'A Nation at Risk.' Recommendations and Strategies from Libraries and the Learning Society |date=July 1984 }}</ref>  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.<ref>(Berman, 2001, p.&nbsp;12)</ref>

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.<ref>Whitwell, Stuart C.A. 'Understanding the New Office for Information Technology Policy.' ''American Libraries.'' V. 26. Chicago: American Library Association, 1995</ref>

The "Congress on Professional Education" took place from April 30 to May 1, 1999 in Washington, D.C.<ref>Sullivan, Peggy. "The congress on professional education: Lessons learned from library school, past and future." ''American Libraries.'' 1999;30(7):14-15.</ref> 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.<ref>Reichel, Mary, and Marion T. Reid. “Reports from the Congress on Professional Education.” ''College & Research Libraries News'' 60, no. 6 (June 1999): 473.</ref><ref>American Library Association [https://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/educprofdev/congressprofessional.htm Congresses on Professional Education].
</ref>

===21st century===
[[File:Panelists at ALSC 2022 President Program.jpg|thumb|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.<ref>{{cite journal |id={{ERIC|EJ633103}} |last1=Sager |first1=Don |title=The Search for Librarianship's Core Values |journal=Public Libraries |date=2001 |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=149–153 }}</ref>

In 2007, [[Loriene Roy]] was elected as the first Native American President of the ALA.<ref name="RoyPage">[http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~loriene/index.html Loriene Roy web page], University of Texas. 19 March 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=news&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=125170 |title=Loriene Roy elected ALA president for 2007-2008 |date=May 1, 2006 |website=American Library Association |access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/loriene-roy-elected-president-of-american-library-association |title=Loriene Roy elected president of American Library Association |last=Reynolds |first=Jerry |date=August 1, 2007 |website=Indian Country Today |access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref>

In 2009, [[Camila Alire]] became the first Hispanic president of the ALA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/1379-1.173742.html|title=US library chief visits University - Archive - News archive - The University of Sheffield|first=University of|last=Sheffield|date=October 14, 2009|website=www.sheffield.ac.uk|access-date=July 4, 2022|archive-date=July 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705191555/https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/1379-1.173742.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2014, [[Courtney Young (librarian)|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."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/29/award-winning-author-jacqueline-woodson-responds-racist-joke |title=Award-Winning Author Jacqueline Woodson Responds to Racist Joke |website=The Advocate |date=November 29, 2014 |last=Garcia |first=Michelle |access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref>

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."<ref>Brown, Wanda Kay. 2020. [https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2020/06/01/a-year-of-change-loss-hope/ "A Year of Change, Loss, Hope."] ''American Libraries'' June 51:4.</ref>

In 2021, [[Patty Wong (librarian)|Patty Wong]] became the first Asian-American president of the ALA.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://2022.alaannual.org/ala-presidents-program | title=ALA President's Program &#124; 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition | date=May 5, 2022 }}</ref>

In 2022 [[Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada]] became the first Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American president of the ALA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-26 |title=Countering Anti-Asian Hate |url=https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2021/05/26/countering-anti-asian-hate/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=American Libraries Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

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.<ref>Public Library Association. [https://www.ala.org/pla/sites/ala.org.pla/files/content/data/PLA_Services_Survey_Report_2023.pdf Public Library Services for Strong Communities Report: Results from the 2022 PLA Annual Survey]. Chicago: Public Library Association, 2023</ref> 
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".<ref>{{cite news | last = Girten | first = Nicole | date = July 12, 2023 | title = Montana State Library Commission votes to withdraw from national association | url = https://dailymontanan.com/2023/07/12/montana-state-library-commission-votes-to-withdraw-from-national-association/ | work =  Daily Montanan}}</ref>

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.<ref>Noorda, Rachel and Kathi Inman Berens.2023. [https://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/ebooks/Digital-PL-Ecosystem-Report%20(1).pdf Digital Public Library Ecosystem] American Library Association.</ref>

In 2024, in response to proposed [[Georgia (U.S. state)|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'".<ref>[https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2024/02/american-library-association-opposes-proposed-georgia-legislation American Library Association Opposes Proposed Georgia Legislation].American Library Association, February 5, 2024.</ref>

The Association received the [[Toni Morrison]] Achievement Award from the [[National Book Critics Circle]].<ref>[https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2024/01/american-library-association-receive-lifetime-achievement-award-national-book American Library Association to receive lifetime achievement award from National Book Critics Circle]. American Library Association, January 25, 2024.</ref>

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.<ref name="openpub1">[https://openpublishing.psu.edu/blh/ Bibliography of Library History] American Library Association, Library History Round Table, April 24, 2024.</ref>

[[Cindy Hohl]], the first SPECTRUM Scholar to be elected president was inaugurated in July 2024. Her presidential theme is “A Good Way for ALA.”<ref>[https://www.ala.org/news/2024/07/hohl-inaugurated-2024-2025-ala-president Hohl inaugurated 2024-2025 ALA president] American Library Association, July 2, 2024.</ref>

''Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained'' was published in 2024.<ref>American Library Association, American Library Association Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained Working Group. ''Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained.'' 2024 revised edition. Chicago: American Library Association.</ref>

===Archives===
The ALA Archives, including historical documents, non-current records, and digital records, are held at the [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]] archives.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.ala.org/offices/library/alaarchive | title =ALA Archives | date =August 9, 2008 | publisher =ALA | access-date =September 1, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100920124447/http://ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/library/alaarchive/index.cfm| archive-date= 20 September 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brichford |first1=Maynard |title=Current Status of the American Library Association Archives: A Preliminary Report |journal=The Journal of Library History |date=1977 |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=64–69 |jstor=25540717 }}</ref><ref>Bertram, Cara. “Preserving the History of the American Library Association.” ''IFLA Journal'', 2024. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352241246445.</ref>

Additionally, the American Library Association Institutional Repository (ALAIR) provides digital access to the publications and intellectual work of the Association.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ALAIR :: Home |url=https://alair.ala.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219084347/https://alair.ala.org/ |archive-date=2023-12-19 |website=alair.ala.org}}</ref><ref>Bertram, C. (2024). "Preserving the history of the American Library Association". ''IFLA Journal'', 0(0). {{doi|10.1177/03400352241246445}}.</ref>