Iowa Library Association

Iowa Library Association
Name	Iowa Library Association
Abbreviation	ILA
Formation	1890
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Des Moines, Iowa
Region	Iowa, United States
Membership	Librarians, library staff, trustees, students

Iowa Library Association The Iowa Library Association is a professional organization serving librarians, library staff, trustees, and students across Iowa. It connects public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, and special libraries through programming, advocacy, and professional development linked to institutions such as the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Drake University, Coe College, and the University of Northern Iowa. The association has historical ties to regional partners including the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and state-level entities such as the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service.

History

The organization was founded in the late 19th century amid national movements for library professionalization that included figures from the Carnegie Corporation era and contemporaries associated with the New England Library Association and the New York Library Association. Early leaders corresponded with administrators at the Library of Congress, contributors to the Gilded Age philanthropic network, and advocates who worked with the Iowa State Legislature. Over decades the association engaged with initiatives tied to the Works Progress Administration, the American Library Association’s Public Libraries Division, and educational reforms connected to the Smith–Lever Act and policies influenced by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Notable milestones intersected with institutions such as the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Des Moines Public Library, the Cedar Rapids Public Library, and library pioneers affiliated with the Knox College region. The association's archives document collaboration with the Iowa Federation of Women’s Clubs, connections to the Chautauqua movement, and responses to technological shifts marked by projects at the Iowa Communications Network.

Mission and Activities

The association’s mission emphasizes professional development, resource sharing, and public access consistent with standards promoted by the American Association of School Librarians, the Public Library Association, and the Association of Research Libraries. Core activities include continuing education programs developed with partners such as Iowa State University Extension, grant workshops tied to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and standards alignment referencing the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the Every Student Succeeds Act. It maintains committees on diversity and inclusion informed by scholarship from the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Diversity Committee, literacy initiatives coordinated with Iowa Reading Research Center, and technology efforts related to the Internet Archive and the Digital Public Library of America.

Membership and Governance

Membership encompasses directors and staff from systems such as the Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency, trustees from the Iowa Library Trustees Association, students enrolled at the Iowa College of Law and other campuses, and supporters from organizations including the Iowa Association of School Boards. Governance follows a board and executive structure modeled on practices from the American Library Association, with elected officers, standing committees, and regional representatives who liaise with entities like the Iowa Counties Association and the Iowa Municipalities League. Annual reports reference collaborations with the Iowa Workforce Development and volunteer networks such as the AmeriCorps programs active in library services.

Conferences and Events

The association organizes an annual conference featuring sessions led by experts from the National Library of Medicine, the Library of Congress, and representatives from the Federal Communications Commission on broadband policy. Past keynote speakers have included scholars from the University of Chicago, professionals from the Seattle Public Library, and leaders associated with the Public Library Association. Events showcase exhibits by vendors connected to OCLC, ProQuest, EBSCO Information Services, and demonstrations of platforms such as OverDrive and Mango Languages. Specialty symposiums address school librarianship with presenters from the International Literacy Association and academic librarianship in partnership with the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Publications and Awards

The association publishes newsletters, conference proceedings, and professional guides reflecting standards from the American Library Association and scholarship appearing in journals such as College & Research Libraries and Public Libraries. It administers awards recognizing excellence in service, youth programming, and preservation work, modeled after honors like the Carnegie Medal and regional recognitions similar to the Midwest Book Awards. Award recipients often include staff from the Des Moines Public Library, the Dubuque County Library, and academic collections at the Iowa Wesleyan University and the Luther College archives. Publications highlight collaborations with the State Historical Society of Iowa and project outcomes funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Advocacy and Legislative Work

The association advocates before the Iowa State Legislature and coordinates campaigns addressing funding, copyright, and access issues that intersect with federal statutes such as the Library Services and Technology Act and policy discussions involving the United States Copyright Office. It partners with coalitions including the Iowa Civic Literacy Coalition and the Iowa Coalition for Student Success to promote literacy and broadband access, engaging with agencies like the Federal Communications Commission on e-rate modernization and rural connectivity affecting county systems such as the Polk County Library network.

Partnerships and Affiliations

The association maintains formal affiliations with the American Library Association, regional bodies like the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, academic partners including the University of Iowa Libraries and the Iowa State University Library, and community organizations such as the Iowa Humanities Board and the Iowa Library Trustees Association. It collaborates with vendors and service organizations including OCLC, OverDrive, EBSCO Information Services, ProQuest, and national funders like the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities to deliver programming, resources, and grant opportunities.

Category:Libraries in Iowa Category:Professional associations based in the United States