Discover the people, policies, and pivotal moments that shaped the ALA and the libraries we all rely on. Our anniversary blog is your behind-the-scenes look at the legacy we’re honoring and the future we’re building, with regular stories on how we’re celebrating.
A mass of enthusiastic demonstrators took part in the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women held on January 21, 2017, during the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits. A contingent of at least 200 librarians participated, brandishing signs like “Make America read again” and “Keep your hands off my area studies.”
October 17–22, 1904, was “American Library Association Week” at the St. Louis World’s Fair, formally known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in commemoration of President Thomas Jefferson’s acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Like many other organizations, ALA saw the fair as a wonderful opportunity to hold its annual meeting in a historic venue that offered unlimited educational benefits.
Bringing Harassment Out of the History Books
In this 2018 article, Anne Ford explores how the library profession has reckoned—or failed to reckon—with Melvil Dewey’s history of racism, exclusion, and sexual misconduct.