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.
Posters of Progress: Mapping ALA’s History Through Library Poster Art
From wartime appeals to celebrity-studded reading campaigns, library posters have long captured the evolving role of libraries in American life. This feature traces ALA’s history through some of its most iconic visuals. Together, these images chart a story of the profession’s unflinching ideals of access, literacy, and intellectual freedom, showcasing how libraries continue to reimagine their place in public life.
The Library War Service: ALA’s Book Campaigns in World War I
Historian Wayne Wiegand looks at ALA’s Library War Service, which the Association established in 1917 to provide books and library services to U.S. soldiers and sailors both in training at home and serving in Europe during WWI.