American Library Association

American Library Association
Name	American Library Association
Founded	6 October 1876
Headquarters	Chicago
Membership	57,000+
Leader title	President
Leader name	Emily Drabinski
Website	https://www.ala.org

American Library Association. Founded on October 6, 1876, in Philadelphia during the Centennial Exposition, it is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Established by figures including Melvil Dewey and Justin Winsor, its mission is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services. With over 57,000 members, it is a major advocate for the profession and for public access to information.

History

The founding conference was held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania with 103 librarians, including Charles Ammi Cutter and Frederick Leypoldt, in attendance. Its early work focused on professional standardization, leading to the creation of key tools like the Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification systems. The association established its headquarters in Chicago in 1909 and played a critical role during the First and Second World Wars through library services for soldiers. Landmark moments include the establishment of the Library Bill of Rights in 1939 and the merger with the Association of American Library Schools in 1956, solidifying its role in library education.

Organization and governance

Governance is vested in an elected Executive Board and a larger Council which serves as its legislative body. The association is structured into eleven membership divisions, such as the American Association of School Librarians and the Public Library Association, each focusing on specific library types or functions. Key operational units include the Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Washington Office, which handles federal advocacy. The current president is Emily Drabinski, and day-to-day operations are managed by an Executive Director headquartered at the American Library Association building in Chicago.

Activities and initiatives

It organizes the annual ALA Annual Conference and the Midwinter Meeting, which are major events for professional development and networking. The association sponsors nationwide campaigns like Banned Books Week and National Library Week to promote literacy and library use. It administers numerous grants and scholarships, including the prestigious Carnegie Corporation of New York-funded programs, and sets professional standards through its accreditation of master's programs in library science by the Committee on Accreditation. Other major initiatives include the Spectrum Scholarship Program to increase diversity in the profession and the @ your library public awareness campaign.

Advocacy and intellectual freedom

A core mission is the defense of intellectual freedom, primarily through the enforcement of the Library Bill of Rights and the work of the Office for Intellectual Freedom under directors like Judith Krug. It actively lobbies the United States Congress and federal agencies like the Federal Communications Commission on issues such as net neutrality, copyright reform under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and sustained funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The association frequently files amicus curiae briefs in landmark First Amendment cases heard by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Awards and recognition

The association presents over 100 awards, with the most celebrated being the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal for children's literature, established in 1922 and 1938 respectively. Other major honors include the Coretta Scott King Award for African American authors and illustrators, the Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature, and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and Non-Fiction. Professional awards recognize lifetime achievement, such as the Melvil Dewey Medal, and advocacy, like the Paul Howard Award for Courage.

Controversies

The association has faced internal debate and external criticism, particularly regarding its Resolution on the Threat to Library Materials Related to Racism and Black American Experience passed during the 2020–2021 United States racial unrest. Its steadfast defense of the First Amendment has often placed it in conflict with groups across the political spectrum, from the Moral Majority to local school boards during the LGBT book challenges of the 1990s and 2000s. More recently, its leadership and policies have been scrutinized during the widespread increase in book banning efforts across the United States, leading to discussions about the balance between intellectual freedom and collection development practices.

Category:American Library Association Category:Library associations Category:Organizations based in Chicago Category:Organizations established in 1876