American Library Association (ALA)

1. American Library Association (ALA) Rachel Ferguson February 8, 2005 IST 511

2. Welcome to the American Library Association (ALA) “The oldest and largest library association in the world.” • Founded: By Melvil Dewey and Justin Winsor in 1876 in Philadelphia and chartered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. • Members: 63,793 • Leadership: President, President-Elect, Past President, Executive Board, Council, Executive Director

3. Mission “to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”

4. Aims • Promote and improve library service and librarianship. • Establish standards of service, support, education, and welfare for libraries and library personnel • Promote the adoption of such standards in libraries of all kinds • Safeguard the professional status of librarians • Encourage the recruiting of competent personnel for professional careers in librarianship • Promote popular understanding and public acceptance of the value of library service and librarianship.

5. Motto The best reading, for the largest number, at the least cost.

6. Services • Works in liaison with federal agencies to initiate the enactment and administration of legislation that will extend library services. • Offers placement services. • Reference Library with 8,500 holdings

7. Membership • Membership to the ALA is open to: • Individuals in the U.S. and abroad who are involved in librarianship or library work • Individuals who are not in library work but wish to support the organization • Libraries or other nonprofit organizations • Businesses serving libraries or library workers • Dues vary according to membership status

8. Member Benefits • Subscription to American Libraries • Reduced conference registration fees • Discount on ALA books and products • Discount on classified ads in American Libraries • Voting right and privileges • Eligibility for membership in ALA divisions and round tables • Eligibility for ALA’s group insurance plans, credit card, car rental discounts, and travel programs

9. Units • Divisions- focus on specific types of libraries or library services • 11 divisions • Round Tables- promote specific fields or areas of librarianship outside the scope of the divisions • 18 round tables • ALA Offices- address broad interests and issues of concern to ALA members • Do not have members, but are advised by member advisory committees • 12 offices

10. Divisions • ALA incorporated divisions from the beginning of its existence. • College and Reference Librarians (1889) • Trustees (1890) • Catalogers (1900) • Today there are 11 membership divisions • Type-of-library • Type-of-library-function specialization

11. ALA divisions include: American Association of School Librarians (AASL)  Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Association for Library Service to Children  (ALSC)  Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA)  Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)  Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)  Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA)  Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)  Public Library Association (PLA)    Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)  Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)  Divisions cont.

12. Committees • Accreditation; Awards; Chapter Relations; Freedom and Equality of Access to Information; Intellectual Freedom; International Relations; Legislation; Library Education; Library Outreach Services; Library Personnel Resources; Minority Concerns and Cultural Diversity; Pay Equity; Policy Monitoring; Professional Ethics; Program Evaluation and Support; Public Information; Publishing; Research and Statistics; Review, Inquiry, and Mediation; Standards; Status of Women in Librarianship; User Instruction for Information Literacy.

13. Annual Conference • June • Attended by more than 25,000 individuals • The conference includes more than 2,000 meetings, discussion groups, programs on various topics affecting libraries and librarians, tours and special events. • Topics include libraries and technology, censorship and literacy. • Approximately 950 exhibiting companies • books, videos, computers and other materials • professional exhibits

14. Publications ALA publications include: • ALA Handbook of Organization and Membership Directory • Booklist • ALA Graphics • Book Links • ALA Editions • American Libraries • Smart Libraries Newsletter • ALA TechSource • Library Technology Reports

15. Contact Information • American Library Association (ALA) 50 E Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611 USA Phone:(312) 944-7298 Fax: (312) 440-9374 Toll-Free: 800-545-2433 E-Mail: ala@ala.org URL: http://www.ala.org

16. Works Cited • "ALA Periodicals -- List of the periodicals published by the ALA." American Library Association. 2004.http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=alaperiodicals (Accessed 29 Jan, 2005). • American Libraries. 1996. ALA handbook of organization: 1996-1997. Chicago: American Library Association. • “American Library Association.” 2004. Associations Unlimited U.S. National, Regional, State, and Local, and IRS Data on Nonprofits. (Accessed January 29, 2005). • "Conference Services." American Library Association. 2004.http://www.ala.org/template.cfm?Section=confservices (Accessed 29 Jan, 2005). • “Our Association." American Library Association. 2004.http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/Default262.htm (Accessed 29 Jan, 2005).