Martin, Allie B. (1914-1976) | The American Library Association Archives

Name: Martin, Allie B. (1914-1976)

Fuller Form: Martin, Allie Beth

Historical Note: Allie B. Martin was president of the American Library Association from 1975 until her death on April 11, 1976, having been a member since 1935. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from George Peabody School of Library Science and a Master's degree from Columbia University School of Library Science. Prior to getting her master's, she was elected president of the Arkansas Library Association in 1945 and was editor of the journal, Arkansas Libraries, from 1945 to 1947. Upon moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1949, she began working in the Carnegie Library in Tulsa. She was a member of the Oklahoma Library Association and served as president from 1955 to 1956. She edited the official journal, Oklahoma Librarian, from 1953 to 1954, and she received a Distinguished Service Award from the Oklahoma Library Association in 1961. She was named acting director of the Tulsa City-County Library system in 1962 and then director in 1963. Additionally, she was a visiting associate professor of the University of Oklahoma School of Library Science. U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Carl Albert appointed her to the National Advisory Committee of the White House Conference on Library and Information Science. She served as president of the Southwestern Library Association from 1969 to 1970. During her term, SWLA received the J. Morris Jones-ALA Goals Award, and the Southwestern Library Interstate Cooperative Endeavor (SLICE) began. In ALA, she served on the executive boards of the Children's Services Division and the Public Library Association. She chaired the ALA Membership Committee from 1968 to 1973 and the Committee for a Greater ALA until 1967. She served on the ALA council from 1972 to 1976 and on the Executive Board in 1973. She was president-elect in 1974 before becoming president on July 4, 1975 [1].

Sources: 1. Frances Kennedy, "Martin, Allie Beth Dent (1914-1976)," in Dictionary of American Library Biography, ed. Bohdan S. Wynar. (Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1978), 345-347.

Records or Manuscript Collections Created by Martin, Allie B.