Category Archives: ALA History

Publications: The Art and Literature of the 1938 Science Booklist for Boys and Girls

By Salvatore De Sando | Published: April 19, 2018

Eighty years ago, in 1938, a Booklist series was produced to support interest in science among children. Published and prepared by the Section for Library Work with Children (later Division of Libraries for Children and Young People; now Association for Library Service to Children), the series highlighted recent publications about science while including delightful images […]

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Publications: IRRT Newsletter, Leads, and International Leads

By Salvatore De Sando | Published: December 1, 2017

Since 1987, or since October 1957 if you count its predecessor (or since April 1957 if you count the predecessor’s predecessor [or really since 1950, for that predecessor’s predecessor]), the publications of the International Relations Round Table have been documenting goodwill between librarians in the form of publications like the RTLSA Newsletter, IRRT Newsletter, Leads, […]

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Increasing Morale: Hospital Library Service in WWI

By Madison Well | Published: June 15, 2017

World War I spread tragedy and despair across the world, but the American Library Association worked to brighten the spirits of wounded soldiers. In 1917, the American Library Association provided library services to wounded soldiers and delivered books, newspapers, and magazines to more than 200 army and navy hospitals.  The ALA was able to send […]

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The A.L.A. and Armed Services Librarianship

By Salvatore De Sando | Published: May 22, 2017

After the success of supporting library service for soldiers during World War One and Two, A.L.A. members have been a part of the expansion of public library services including armed services librarianship across the country and overseas. Read on to learn more about armed services librarianship!

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Commemorating the Library War Service

By Cara Bertram | Published: April 4, 2017

With centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I coming up on April 6, the American Library Association Archives is commemorating the centennial of the Library War Service, which was formed shortly after the US entered the Great War. Keep an eye on our blog, social media, and our site for the different […]

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The Books They Read: Library War Service in WWI

By Leanna Barcelona | Published: March 20, 2017
Found in record series 89/1/13, box 6.

During the course of U.S. involvement in World War I, the American Library Association collected $5 million in donations for the Library War Service, a service that accumulated a collection of ten million publications and established thirty-six camp libraries across the United States and Europe. It was the ALA Library War Service’s mission to provide […]

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“First Your Country, Then Your Rights”: African American Soldiers in WWI

By Sharon Pietryka | Published: February 15, 2017

In honor of Black History Month and the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, it is only fitting to discuss the service of African Americans in the war and to highlight a few materials we have here at the archives that illustrate their contributions. In 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service […]

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The ALA Mexican Border Traveling Library Service

By Cara Bertram | Published: January 17, 2017

While most of the American Library Association Library War Service’s efforts were concentrated in camps and hospitals in the United States and Europe, there was also a need for books for the soldiers stationed along the Mexican border. Chalmers Hadley, the librarian of the Denver Public Library, surveyed the desire for books among soldiers at […]

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“Public Library of the High Seas”: ALA and the American Merchant Marine Library Association

By Sharon Pietryka | Published: November 16, 2016

The connection between the ALA and the American Merchant Marine Library Association (AMMLA) is a little-known example of collaboration and cooperation between organizations. AMMLA developed out of the World War I Library War Service and ALA’s efforts to provide books and resources to men aboard U. S. vessels. (For more information about the Library War […]

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Activism and Advocacy in ALA: Women’s Organizations

By Leanna Barcelona | Published: October 19, 2016
Found in RS 13/6/17

There are several units within the American Library Association that support women in the library profession and as a whole. Many of these groups arose during the second wave of feminism in the 1960s-80s in response to political and social movements outside of the ALA. Women in librarianship wanted the predominately-female profession to be regarded with […]

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