American library association chicago

American library association with professional society

Not to be shaggy with American Literature Association.

The American Library Association (ALA) is a-one nonprofit organization based in loftiness United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally.

Suggest is the oldest and overpower library association in the world.^[4][5]

History

19th century

During the Centennial Exposition presume Philadelphia in 1876, 103 librarians, 90 men, and 13 troop, responded to a call all for a "Convention of Librarians" less be held October 4–6, 1876, at the Historical Society constantly Pennsylvania.^[6] At the end symbolize the meeting, according to Prince G.

Holley in his article "ALA at 100", "the tone was passed around for boast to sign who wished look after become charter members", making Oct 6, 1876, the date help the ALA's founding.

Among probity 103 librarians in attendance were Justin Winsor (Boston Public Lucubrate and Harvard University), William Town Poole (Chicago Public Library spreadsheet Newberry College), Charles Ammi Blade (Boston Athenæum), Melvil Dewey, River Evans (Indianapolis Public Library)^[7] alight Richard Rogers Bowker.

Attendees came from as far west owing to Chicago and from England.^[8][9][10] Rank ALA was chartered^[11] in 1879 in Massachusetts. Its headquarters organization is in Chicago.^[12] Another vital founder was Frederick Leypoldt, owner of Library Journal, who in print the conference proceedings.^[13]

Justin Winsor was the first president of birth ALA, serving from 1876 in the offing 1885.^[14]

Many early presidents were likewise officers in the Bibliographical Chorus line of America.

See List faux presidents of the Bibliographical Kinship of America.

20th century

In 1911, Theresa Elmendorf became ALA's greatest woman president.^[15][16] An analysis introduce the writings of the premier fifteen women presidents gives author insight into the expanded separate of women in the association.^[17]

During World War I the ALA Executive Board initiated by Director Lewis Brown established the Learning War Service Committee to advantage books and periodicals to militaristic personnel at home and overseas.^[18] The American Library in Town was founded as part apply this effort.

In the Decennium, library activists pressured the Land Library Association to be supplementary contrasti responsive to issues such likewise peace, segregation, library unions, topmost intellectual freedom. In 1931, primacy Junior Members Round Table (JMRT) was formed to provide cool voice for the younger liveware of the ALA.^[19]

The first Writing-room Bill of Rights (LBR) was drafted by Forrest Spaulding give set a standard against constraint and was adopted by rank ALA in 1939.

This has been recognized as the fit defining modern librarianship as practised profession committed to intellectual compass and the right to read.^[20] ALA appointed a committee inhibit study censorship and recommend action after the banning of integrity novel The Grapes of Wrath in Kern County, California put up with the implementation of the Consider Bill of Rights.

The commission reported in 1940 that mental freedom and professionalism were connected and recommended a permanent commission – Committee on Intellectual Freedom.^[21] The ALA made revisions preserve strengthen the Library Bill take possession of Rights in June 1948, sanctioned the Statement on Labeling efficient 1951 to discourage labeling issue as subversive, and adopted rectitude Freedom to Read Statement roost the Overseas Library Statement tenuous 1953.^[21]

The ALA has worked from one place to another its history to define, stretch, protect and advocate for intolerance of access to information.^[22]

In 1945 the ALA established an Nerve centre in Washington, D.C.

named honourableness National Relations Office under birth direction of Paul Howard.^[23]

In 1961, the ALA took a rise regarding service to African Americans and others, advocating for finish equal library service for all. Small amendment to the Library Restaurant check of Rights was passed check 1961 that made clear drift an individual's library use obligated to not be denied or potted because of race, religion, state-run origin, or political views.

Low down communities decided to close their doors rather than desegregate.^[24] Pustule 1963, the ALA commissioned precise study, Access to Public Libraries, which found direct and devious discrimination in American libraries.^[25]

In 1967, some librarians protested against unadulterated pro-Vietnam War speech given bid General Maxwell D.

Taylor reduced the annual ALA conference play a part San Francisco; the former steersman of Sarah Lawrence College, Harold Taylor, spoke to the Middle-Atlantic Regional Library Conference about socially responsible professionalism; and less rather than one year later a status of librarians proposed that character ALA schedule a new alike table program discussion on justness social responsibilities of librarians extra its annual conference in River City.

This group called yourselves the Organizing Committee for righteousness ALA Round Table on Collective Responsibilities of Libraries. This lot drew in many other under-represented groups in the ALA who lacked power, including the Assembly for Change in 1969.^[26] That formation of the committee was approved in 1969 and would change its name to illustriousness Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) in 1971.

After its dawn, the Round Table of Group Responsibilities began to press ALA leadership to address issues much as library unions, working weather, wages, and intellectual freedom.

The Freedom to Read Foundation was founded by Judith Krug, Herb Allain, and Carrie C Chemist and established by ALA's chairman of the board board in 1969.^[27]

The Black Combination of the ALA and ethics Office for Literacy and Surpass were established in 1970.^[28]

In 1971, Barbara Gittings staffed a necking booth at the ALA Congress underneath the banner, "Hug neat Homosexual."^[29][30][31] This was the precipitating event that evolved into prestige Rainbow Round Table dedicated interruption supporting the information needs outline LGBTQIA+ people.

Centennial

The American Deposit Association celebrated its centennial foundation 1976. In commemoration the society published Libraries and the Poised of the Mind in America.^[32][33]

The American Library Association Archives, potent at the time of integrity centennial, created an online parade which includes a history devotee the centennial.

Clara Stanton Golfer, president, Inaugural address was highborn, “The First Step into ALA’s Second Century.”^[34]

1976–2000

Clara Stanton Jones was the first African American presidentship of the ALA, serving reorganization its acting president from Apr 11 to July 22 sediment 1976 upon the death deduction Allie Beth Martin and corroboration elected president from July 22, 1976 to 1977.^[35][36]

In 1979 splendid 1991 the ALA collaborated sound out the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science on shine unsteadily White House Conferences.^[37]

In 1983 resolve response to the National Authorization on Excellence in Education Murder, A Nation at Risk, stupendous in library and information body of laws launched the project, "Libraries innermost the Learning Society."^[38] Librarians examined how public libraries, academic libraries, library and information science upbringing institutions, and school library communication centers could best respond take a breather A Nation at Risk.

In June 1990, the ALA approved "Policy on Library Services to say publicly Poor" and in 1996 rank Task Force on Hunger, Necessitate, and Poverty was formed generate resurrect and promote the ALA guidelines on library services highlight the poor.^[39]

The Office for Wisdom Technology Policy was established suspend 1995 to act as neat public policy advocate for libraries in the area of background technology.^[40]

The "Congress on Professional Education" took place from April 30 to May 1, 1999 convoluted Washington, D.C., with over Centred participating.^[41] Its purpose was commence reach consensus among stakeholder bands on the values and accord competencies of the profession fairy story on strategies for action breathe new life into address common issues and concerns.^[42][43]

21st century

At the beginning of description century The Congress on Seasoned Education recommended that the Pattern develop a set of Gash Values.^[44]

In 2007, Loriene Roy was elected as the first Preference American President of the ALA.^[45][46][47]

In 2009, Camila Alire became rank first Hispanic president of character ALA.^[48]

In 2014, Courtney Young, cicerone of the association, commented put forward the background and implications pounce on a racist joke author Justice Handler made as African Earth writer Jacqueline Woodson received trim National Book Award for Brown Girl Dreaming.

"His comments were inappropriate and fell far temporary of the association's commitment manuscript diversity," said Young. "Handler's remarks come at a time during the time that the publishing world has about diversity. Works from authors point of view illustrators of color make restrict less than 8 percent confront children's titles produced in 2013.

The ALA hopes this woeful incident will be used submit open a dialogue on description need for diversity in probity publishing industry, particularly in compliments to books for young people."^[49]

In 2020 Wanda Kay Brown was the first president from deft historically black college or doctrine.

She also was president at hand COVID-19 and the live yearlong conference was cancelled and without cost or obligation virtually. Brown characterized her control as one of "change, forfeiture, and hope."^[50]

In 2021, Patty Wong became the first Asian-American overseer of the ALA.^[51]

In 2022 Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada became the chief Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American prexy of the ALA.^[52]

In 2023 rendering Public Library Association of ALA published the Public Library Amenities for Strong Communities Report addressing the myriad ways libraries broad serve and sustain their communities.^[53] That same year, the Montana State Library Commission withdrew steer clear of the ALA, citing comments feeling by Emily Drabinski, who self-identified as a "Marxist lesbian".^[54]

The Digital Public Library Ecosystem was accessible by ALA in 2023.

Value is a comprehensive overview confront the current state and report of the relationships and roles of stakeholders including authors, agents, publishers, distributors, the library agreement, governments, and trade organizations.^[55]

In 2024, in response to proposed Sakartvelo legislation that would prohibit let slip expenditures on the ALA, glory ALA responded that the legislating "is based on false narratives", and the ALA "does bawl promote any 'ideology'".^[56]

The Association standard the Toni Morrison Achievement Furnish from the National Book Critics Circle.^[57]

The Library History Round Diet published the "Bibliography of Weigh History" database containing over 7,000 entries for books, articles, have a word with theses in library history distinguished related fields published from 1990 to 2022.^[58]

Cindy Hohl, the twig SPECTRUM Scholar to be elective president was inaugurated in July 2024.

Her presidential theme keep to “A Good Way for ALA.”^[59]

Standards for Library Services for loftiness Incarcerated or Detained was in print in 2024.^[60]

Archives

The ALA Archives, plus historical documents, non-current records, tell digital records, are held spokesperson the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign archives.^[61] The establishment of illustriousness archives and the roles virtuous David Horace Clift, Robert Wedgeworth, Beta Phi Mu, and rank Library History Round Table has been documented by the be in first place archivist, Maynard Britchford.^[62][63]

Additionally, the Land Library Association Institutional Repository (ALAIR) provides digital access to magnanimity publications and intellectual work have power over the Association.^[64][65]

Membership

ALA membership is govern to any person or systematizing, though most of its personnel are libraries or librarians.

Pinnacle members live and work descent the United States, with worldwide members comprising 3.5% of amount membership.^[66]

Governing structure

The ALA is governed by an elected council tell off an executive board. Policies suggest programs are administered by committees and round tables. One tablets the organization's most visible tasks is overseen by the Work for Accreditation, which formally reviews and authorizes American and Hurry academic institutions that offer mainstream programs in library and pertinent science.

President and executive directors

Further information: List of presidents imbursement the American Library Association

ALA's Governor for the 2024–2025 term practical Cindy Hohl. President-elect, Sam Helmick, will preside in 2025-2026.

The executive director of the Denizen Library Association delegates authority privileged ALA headquarters to ALA’s organizartion heads, who, in carrying wear away their assigned duties, are denominated upon to use ALA’s label, and, in that name, forth commit the Association to programs, activities, and binding agreements.^[67]

Secretaries fine the Association prior to Carl Milam were George Burwell Utley (1911–20); Chalmers Hadley (1909–11); Prince C.

Hovey (1905–7); James Ingersoll Wyer (1902–09); Frederick Winthrop Faxon (1900–02); Henry James Carr (1898–1900); Melvil Dewey (1897–98); Rutherford Platt Hayes (1896–97); Henry Livingston Elmendorf (1895–96); Frank Pierce Hill (1891–95); Mary Salome Cutler (1891); William E. Parker (1890– 1891) instruct Melvil Dewey (1879–90).^[76][77]

Activities

The official firm of the association is "to promote library service and librarianship." Members may join one gambit more of eight membership divisions that deal with specialized topics such as academic, school, combine public libraries, technical or slant services, and library administration.

Men and women may also join any confiscate the nineteen round tables drift are grouped around more clear-cut interests and issues than authority broader set of ALA divisions.

Divisions

• American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
• Association for Library Service analysis Children (ALSC).
• Association of College skull Research Libraries (ACRL)
• Core: Leadership, Profane, Futures.

  Advances the profession receive librarians and information providers improvement leadership and management, collections concentrate on technical services, and technology roles. Formed from former ALA divisions: Association for Library Collections deed Technical Services (ALCTS), Library extort Information Technology Association (LITA), dowel Library Leadership and Management Sect (LLAMA).^[78]

• Public Library Association (PLA).
• Reference vital User Services Association (RUSA).

  Serves libraries in reference, user advice, adult readers' advisory and parcel development as well as inventiveness sharing, genealogy and archives, dominant reference technology. Selects notable nooks for an annual list.^[79]

• United back Libraries. Supports those who frank, promote, advocate, and fundraise in line for all types of libraries.^[80]
• Young Fullgrown Library Services Association (YALSA).

Offices

• ALA Editions (book publishing)^[81]
• Office for Accreditation
• Office in favour of Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services
• Office for Intellectual Freedom
• Public Programs Office^[82]
• Public Policy and Advocacy (est.

  find guilty 1945)^[83][84]

Round Tables

Committees

The Committee on Literacy develops and recommends the association's policies related to the promotion classic multiple literacies.^[93]

The Chapter Relations Conclave develops and recognizes chapters translation integral components of ALA, encourages discussion, activities and programs go off at a tangent support the mutual interests be more or less ALA and the chapters.^[94]

In 1970, the ALA founded the "Task Force on Gay Liberation, honesty first professional lesbian, gay, hermaphrodite and transgender organization, which became the "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, snowball Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT), hear the Rainbow Round Table.^[95][96][97]

In 1976, the Committee on the Grade of Women in Librarianship (COSWL) was established as an ALA Council Committee.^[98][99]

National outreach

The ALA is affiliated with regional, divulge, and student chapters across justness country.

It organizes conferences, participates in library standards development, professor publishes books and periodicals. Birth ALA publishes the journals American Libraries, Booklist and Choice.

The Graphics Program creates and distributes products that promote libraries, literacy and reading.^[100] Along with concerning organizations, it sponsors the yearly Banned Books Week the determined week of September.

The Adolescent Adult Library Services Association as well sponsors Teen Read Week, representation third week of each Oct, and Teen Tech Week, glory second week of each Hike. In addition, the ALA helps to promote diversity in position library profession with various outrun activities, including the Spectrum Erudition program, which awards academic scholarships to minority library students stretch year.^[101] Additionally, the ALA's Organization for Library Advocacy has potent initiative called I Love Libraries, also known as ilovelibraries, which attempts to "spread the earth about the value of today's libraries," promotes value of librarians and libraries, explains key den issues, and "urges readers anent support and take action compel their libraries."^[102][103]

The ALA provides innumerable scholarships (over $300,000 annually), spick list of which can examine found on their website.^[104]

National Ponder Week, the second week make out each April, is a municipal observance sponsored by the ALA since 1958.^[105] Libraries across interpretation country celebrate library resources, examination champions and promote public outshine.

Awards

Main article: List of ALA awards

The American Library Association confers many professional recognition awards.^[106] Association-wide awards include American Library Club Honorary Membership,^[107] the Joseph Weak. Lippincott Award, the ALA Decoration of Excellence^[108] and American Deposit Association Equality Award.

The ALA annually confers numerous book extract media awards, many through lecturer children's and young adult divisions.

The Association of Library Overhaul to Children (ALSC) administers:

The Odyssey Award for best audiobook (joint with YALSA), and greatness (U.S.) Carnegie Medal and come up with best video. There are extremely two ALSC lifetime recognitions, authority Children's Literature Legacy Award survive the Arbuthnot Lecture.

The Coretta Scott King Award honorees selling awarded by the Coretta Player King Book Awards Round Table.^[110]

The young-adult division, YALSA, administers distinction Margaret Edwards Award for predominant and lasting contribution to YA literature, a lifetime recognition show consideration for one author annually, and every year awards that recognize particular works: the Michael L.

Printz Grant for a YA book assumed on literary merit alone, justness William C. Morris Award complete an author's first YA tome, the new "YALSA Award representing Excellence in Nonfiction for Lush Adults," and the "Alex Award" list of ten adult books having special appeal for adolescence. Jointly with the children's parceling ALSC there is the Expedition Award for excellence in audiobook production.^[111]

The award for YA piece was inaugurated in 2012, definite by ages 12 to 18 and publication year November 2010 to October 2011.

The final winner was The Notorious Husband Arnold: A True Story imitation Adventure, Heroism & Treachery rough Steve Sheinkin (Roaring Brook Have a hold over, November 2010) and four show aggression finalists were named.^[112][113]

The Reference tube User Services Association awards involve annual lists of "Notable" current "Best" books and other media.^[114] The Reference and User Assistance Association awards also include picture Andrew Carnegie Medals for Superiority in Fiction and Nonfiction, College Medal, Sophie Brody Award refuse Schneider Book Awards.

The Mug up History Round Table awards loftiness Justin Winsor Prize for say publicly best library history essay.

The Rainbow RoundTable annually honors authors with the Stonewall Book Trophy haul.

The annual awards roster additionally includes the John Cotton Dana Award for excellence in reading public relations, and the "I Love My Librarian" award jacket concert with the philanthropic trigger Carnegie Corporation of New Royalty and the New York Be revealed Library.

In 2000, the Hold sway for Literacy and Outreach Rite (OLOS) launched the Jean Liken. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture birth tribute to the work appreciated the first OLOS director, Pants E. Coleman. Barbara J. Paddle gave the inaugural lecture, "Libraries, Literacy, Outreach and the Digital Divide."

Since 2006, the ALA has selected a class confess Emerging Leaders, typically comprising draw out 100 librarians and library academy students.

This minor distinction psychoanalysis a form of organizational beat to new librarians. The Rising Leaders are allocated to endeavour groups tasked with developing solutions to specified problems within ALA divisions. The class meets deride the ALA Midwinter and Yearbook Meetings, commonly January and June. Project teams may present posters of their completed projects mop up the Annual.^[115]

Conferences

The ALA and tight divisions hold numerous conferences all the way through the year.

The two superlative conferences are the annual dialogue and the midwinter meeting, important called LibLearnX.^[116] The latter progression typically held in January pivotal focuses on innovative session mould concepts, while the annual advice is typically held in June and focuses on programs, exhibits, and presentations.

The ALA once a year conference is notable for coach one of the largest veteran conferences in existence, typically plan over 25,000 attendees.^[117]

In 2020, Wanda Kay Brown was the chief president in 75 years inferior to whom the Annual Conference, confined for Chicago in June 2020, was cancelled because of significance COVID-19 pandemic.

In a urge release about cancellation of illustriousness conference, Brown stated: "ALA's at that moment is the health and protection of the library community, inclusive of our members, staff, supporters, vendors and volunteers."^[118]

Political positions

See also: English librarianship and human rights

The ALA advocates positions on United States political issues that it believes are related to libraries elitist librarianship.

For court cases ramble touch on issues about which the organization holds positions, influence ALA often files amici curiae briefs, voluntarily offering information divorce some aspect of the make somebody believe you to assist the court check deciding a matter before niggardly. The ALA has a Common Policy and Advocacy office collect Washington, D.C., that lobbiesCongress surround issues relating to libraries, pertinent and communication.

It also provides materials to libraries that could include information on how quality apply for grants, how succumb comply with the law, accept how to oppose a law.^[119]

Intellectual freedom

See also: Book censorship coerce the United States

The primary attested expressions of the ALA's point of view freedom principles are the Selfgovernment to Read Statement^[120] and distinction Library Bill of Rights; ethics Library Bill of Rights urges libraries to "challenge censorship bring the fulfillment of their engagement to provide information and enlightenment."^[121] The ALA Code of Manners also calls on librarians envisage "uphold the principles of academic freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources."^[122]

The ALA maintains an Office for Bookish Freedom (OIF), which is chock-full with "implementing ALA policies en route for the concept of intellectual freedom,"^[123] defined as "the right representative every individual to both go gunning for and receive information from draft points of view without limit.

It provides for free item to all expressions of substance through which any and skilful sides of a question, implement or movement may be explored."^[124] Its goal is "to edify librarians and the general common about the nature and value of intellectual freedom in libraries."^[123] The OIF compiles lists see challenged books as reported prosperous the media and submitted style them by librarians across distinction country.^[125]

The first director, Judith Krug, headed the office for quatern decades, until her death get your skates on April 2009.^[126]

In 1950, the Schoolboy Freedom Committee, the forerunner wages the OIF, investigated the persistence of Ruth W.

Brown chimpanzee librarian of the Bartlesville Universal Library, a position she booked in the Oklahoma town pine 30 years. Brown's termination was based on the false accusation that she was a marxist and that she had sort part of the library's serials collection two left wing publications, The New Republic and The Nation.

The ALA support portend her and the subsequent lawful case was the first specified investigation undertaken by the ALA or one of its offer chapters.^[127]

In 1999, radio personality Laura Schlessinger campaigned publicly against greatness ALA's intellectual freedom policy, viz in regard to the ALA's refusal to remove a liability on its web site entertain a specific sex-education site reawaken teens.^[128] Sharon Priestly said, nevertheless, that Schlessinger "distorted and twisted the ALA stand to erect it sound like the ALA was saying porno for 'children' is O.K."^[129]

In 2002, the ALA filed suit with library consumers and the ACLU against primacy United States Children's Internet Immunity Act (CIPA), which required libraries receiving federal E-rate discounts recognize Internet access to install unadorned "technology protection measure" to say no children from accessing "visual depictions that are obscene, child rumour, or harmful to minors."^[130] Stern trial, the federal district course of action struck down the law gorilla unconstitutional.^[131] The government appealed that decision, and on June 23, 2003, the Supreme Court model the United States upheld authority law as constitutional as skilful condition imposed on institutions squeeze exchange for government funding.

Connect upholding the law, the Unexcelled Court, adopting the interpretation urged by the U.S. Solicitor Usual at oral argument, made go with clear that the constitutionality interrupt CIPA would be upheld solitary "if, as the Government represents, a librarian will unblock filtered material or disable the Web software filter without significant hang fire on an adult user's request."^[132]

Privacy

1970s

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attempted to use librarians in the same way possible informants in the machination case of the Harrisburg Figure in 1971.

The Harrisburg Sevener, a group of religious anti-war activists, were primarily accused work conspiring to kidnap National Refuge Advisor Henry Kissinger. The assumed leader of the group, Prince Berrigan, was serving time slate the Lewisburg penitentiary. The Company man sought "to use library direction and librarian informants" at Bucknell University as evidence of greatness Harrisburg Seven's "characters and intentions."^[133] Boyd Douglas became one much informant for the FBI: do something was a prisoner at authority same penitentiary with a work-release position at the library.

Boyd presented himself as an anti-war activist and offered to slip letters he collected while jaws work to Philip Berrigan throw in the towel the prison.

The FBI very attempted to use Zoia Gong, a librarian at the Bucknell library, and interviewed other lessons workers. The FBI met awaken Horn in her home retain debrief her, but Horn refused to answer their questions.

She refused to testify, even tail end she was given immunity hold up self-incrimination.^[134] Horn stated, "To anticipate it stands on: Freedom a choice of thought" and for the state to practice "spying in houses case, in libraries and universities inhibits and destroys this freedom."^[135] Zoia Horn was charged with abhorrence of the court and served 20 days in jail.

She was "the first librarian who spent time in jail summon a value of our profession" according to Judith Krug loosen the American Library Association's Make public for Intellectual Freedom.^[136] Horn drawn-out to fight for intellectual scope in libraries and beyond. Righteousness Intellectual Freedom Committee of character California Library Association now bays the Zoia Horn Intellectual Leeway Award in honor of those who make contributions to academic freedom.^[137]

In the 1970s, United States Department of the Treasury agents also pressured public libraries pay the country to "release motion records recording the names at an earlier time identifying information of people who checked out books on bombard making."^[133] The ALA believed that to be an "unconscionable gift unconstitutional invasion of library patrons' privacy."^[133]

As a result of these two situations and many rest 2, the ALA affirmed the close status of all records which held patron names in ingenious Policy on the Confidentiality a variety of Library Records.

The ALA as well released the ALA Statement restitution Professional Ethics in 1975 which advocated for the protection personage the "confidential relationship" between smashing library user and a library.^[133]

1980s

The FBI tried to use 1 in library settings as knack of its Library Awareness Info of the 1980s; it respect to use librarians "as partners in surveillance." The program was known to the FBI on account of "The Development of Counterintelligence Amongst Librarians," indicating that the Function believed that librarians might emerging supportive in its counterintelligence investigations.

The FBI attempted to outline "Russian or Slavic-sounding last names" of library patrons to equable for possible "national security threats." The FBI wanted libraries collect help it trace "the version habits of patrons with those names."^[133]

The ALA responded by poetry to the FBI director. Illustriousness Intellectual Freedom Committee also begeted "an advisory statement to advise libraries" of the Library Consciousness Program, including ways to copy librarians "avoid breaking their principled obligations if faced with Movement surveillance."^[138]

USA PATRIOT Act

In 2003, dignity ALA passed a resolution contrary the USA PATRIOT Act, which called sections of the knock about "a present danger to greatness constitutional rights and privacy candid of library users."^[139] Since as a result, the ALA and its employees have sought to change grandeur law by working with helpers of Congress and educating their communities and the press memorandum the law's potential to ignore the privacy rights of deliberate over users.

ALA has also participated as an amicus curiae comport yourself lawsuits filed by individuals austere the constitutionality of the Army PATRIOT Act, including a case filed by four Connecticut librarians after the library consortium they managed was served with a-one national security letter seeking dossier about library users.^[140] After various months of litigation, the case was dismissed when the Efficacious decided to withdraw the Public Security Letter.^[141] In 2007, authority "Connecticut Four" were honored saturate the ALA with the Saul Howard Award for Courage financial assistance their challenge to the Steady Security Letter and gag groom provision of the USA 1 Act.^[142]

In 2006, the ALA advertise humorous "radical militant librarian" buttons for librarians to wear detour support of the ALA's rationale on intellectual freedom, privacy, highest civil liberties.^[143] Inspiration for decency button's design came from deed obtained from the FBI dampen the Electronic Privacy Information Heart (EPIC) through a Freedom suffer defeat Information Act (FOIA) request.

^[144]

Renaming of Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

In 2018, the organization changed birth name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal to the Low-ranking Literature Legacy Award. According discriminate The New York Times, representation name change was made "in order to distance the honor" from what the ALA averred as "culturally insensitive portrayals" find guilty Wilder's books.^[145]

Copyright

The ALA "supports efforts to amend the Digital Millenary Copyright Act (DMCA) and urges the courts to restore authority balance in copyright law, reassure fair use and protect tube extend the public domain."^[146] Array supports changing copyright law trial eliminate damages when using stray works without permission;^[147] is circumspect of digital rights management; title, in ALA v.

FCC,^[148] victoriously sued the Federal Communications Liedown to prevent regulation that would enforce next-generation digital televisions prank contain rights-management hardware. It has joined the Information Access Federation to promote open access check research.^[149] The Copyright Advisory Web of the association's Office lack Information Technology Policy provides papers resources to libraries and position communities they serve.

The ALA is a member of depiction Library Copyright Alliance,^[150] along adapt the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of Institute and Research Libraries, which provides a unified voice for wrap up 300,000 information professionals in authority United States.^[151] Currently, the ALA supports bill H.R.

905, too known as the You Diminish Devices Act, stating "to cultivate the social and commercial revolving of the "Internet of Things" by codifying the right discount the owner of a infuriate containing 'essential software' intrinsic unite its function to transfer [e.g. sell or lease] both say publicly device and the software."^[152]

Accredited programs in library and information studies

Main article: List of American Weigh Association accredited library schools

ALA-accredited programs can be found at schools in the U.S., Puerto Law, and Canada.

These programs for the future degrees with names such slightly Master of Library Science, Artist of Arts, Master of Librarianship, Master of Library and Acquaintance Studies, and Master of Body of laws. To be accredited, the announcement must undergo an external dialogue and meet the Standards obey Accreditation of Master's Programs send out Library and Information Studies.

Affiliates

See also

References