National Library Week Committee | The American Library Association Archives

America's first National Library Week (NLW), held March 16-22, 1958, was the dream of the National Book Committee (NBC) and the American Library Association and executed through local and state committees. The non-profit NBC, formed in 1954 by ALA and the American Book Publishers Council, was charged to encourage reading and to keep books free and available, in answer to the trend noted in the mid-1960's by American librarians that people were spending more on radios, television sets, and musical instruments and less for books. When the NBC was disbanded in 1974, NLW became the full responsibility of ALA (1).

NLW continues to be the first and only national public relations program for libraries. The standing committee of NLW advises and assists ALA in planning, implementing, and evaluating NLW promotion, public relations programs and activities, and promotes participation in NLW activities through liaison with other ALA units (2).

From the first, NLW has had the support of public libraries, the United States national presidents, local and national community organizations, communications media (TV, radio, wire and public services), advertising agencies, publishers, business, corporations, consumer magazines, and newspapers. Themes vary from year-to-year and are publicized through posters. The Grolier NLW grant is given annually for the best proposal for a statewide library campaign (3).

In 1975, NLW became the framework for a Legislative Day in Washington, D.C. giving librarians and library-connected constituents the opportunity to talk to legislators about library needs. In support of-year-round goals of libraries, 46 national organizations with nearly 50 million constituents became NLW Partners to carry out national and local activities (4). Although the emphasis has been on public libraries, the goal now is to include school, academic, and special libraries.

Sub-Groups

1 - Chair

2 - Regional Workshops

3 - Annual Conference

10 - National Library Week Evaluation

13 - Films and Tapes

1. American Libraries, January 1983, pp.28-29.

2. ALA Handbook of Organization, 1984-84, p.18.

3. American Libraries, January 1983, p.83.

4. American Libraries, April 1984