Like many American Library Association (ALA) staffers, librarian and archivist Colleen Barbus remembers the Association’s previous headquarters—especially the tendency of new employees to eventually “stumble across the ALA Library and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know this was here,’” Read more
In 1876, the year of our nation’s centennial, 103 dreamers gathered in Philadelphia. These librarians and library advocates did not come merely to talk. They came to weave a vision of libraries as lanterns in the night, as havens Read more
As the American Library Association (ALA) celebrates 150 years, we’re drawing inspiration from key events since its 1876 founding: from the first conventions and library schools, through wartime and the fight for civil rights, to seismic technological advancements and Read more
From wartime appeals to celebrity-studded reading campaigns, library posters have long captured the evolving role of libraries in American life. This feature traces the American Library Association’s (ALA) history through some of its most iconic visuals—the patriotic mobilization of Read more
For 150 years, the American Library Association (ALA) has shaped the landscape of libraries and the profession itself—but its leadership has often reflected the racial and gender biases of society at large. For this special anniversary issue, American Libraries Read more
Volume 33, Issue 2, null 2026, Page 139-163.
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Publication date: July 2026
Source: The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 52, Issue 4
Author(s): Rende Li, Miaomiao Guo, Zhouliang Qiu
About 100 employees at the American Library Association (ALA) began voting on April 24 to form ALA Workers United (ALAWU), a new union at the 150-year-old association.
If a majority of the 101 eligible staff members out of 161 Read more
