Editing American Library Association (section)

===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]].