Finding Aid for Library Vertical Files, 1853-2014 | The American Library Association Archives

Title: Library Vertical Files, 1853-2014

ID: 18/1/56

Primary Creator: Headquarters Library

Extent: 31.0 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: Alphabetical by subject

Subjects: Adult Education Survey, Adult Services Division, ALA Annual Conference, ALA Council, American Association of School Librarians (AASL), American Issues forum, American Reference Center, Architectural Plans, Armed forces Library Section, Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Automation, Awards, Awards Committee, Bibliography Committee, Booklists, Bostwick, Arthur E., Children's Services Division (CSD), China-Libraries, Classification of Library Personnel Committee, Committee Reports, Conference Materials, Conferences, Constitution and By-Laws, Council of National Library and Information Associations, County Libraries, Division of Cataloging and Classification, Elections and Officers, Enlarged Program Committee, Executive Board, ALA, Federal Aid for Libraries, Financial Status of Publications Survey, France-Libraries, Freedom to Read Foundation, Headquarters Administration, Headquarters Library of The ALA, Intellectual Freedom, Office for, Intellectual Freedom Committee, International Relations Board, International Relations Office, Latin America Project, Books for, Library Administration Division (LAD), Library Education Division (LED), Library Film Advisor, Library History, Library Trends, Melcher Scholarships, Milam, Carl H., National Library Week, Newbery-Caldecott Awards, Newbery Award, Personnel Administration, Board On, Postwar Planning, President, ALA, Prison Libraries, Publications, Publishing Board, Publishing Services, Religious Books Round Table, Resources and Technical Services Division (RTSD), School Library Development Project, Section for Library Work With Children, Switzerland-Libraries, Victory Book Campaign, War Service, Washington Office, World War I, World War II

Languages: English

Vertical Files established by the Library for reference use containing material on ALA organization, constitution and bylaws (1914-51, 1971), elections and officers, membership, publicity (1876-1954), Council (1947-80), Executive Board (1960-79), publishing (1967-79), committees, round tables, boards and divisions and sections. The files include folders on meetings (1952-62), War Service during World Wars I and II, bibliography committee (1924-35), Reading Habits Study (1927-29), international relations, (1941-69), Books for Latin America Project (1942-45), Adult Education Survey and Grant Evaluation (1952-58), Financial Status of Publications Survey (1930), committee reports (1925-80), Wayne A. Wiegand's article The Wayward Bookman about K. August Linderfelt and related reproduced documents, awards (1924-80), headquarters administrative memoranda (1954-69), travel reports (1958-62), copies of articles by Carl Milam (1959-65) and the Freedom to Read Foundation (1969-90), organizational anniversaries, annual reports of the ALA (1973-97), election returns (1953-88), copies of the ALA Constitution (1889-78); a subject file on library topics; historical documents; National Library Week materials (1949-1983); project files; conference materials; and Council of National Library Associations (CNLA) minutes and proceedings (1941-1968).

The main function of the Headquarters Library is to provide basic services to the Executive Board and the membership (1). The Librarian reports to the Deputy Executive Director for Management (2). The Library is first referred to in the Secretary's Report of 1925-26: "A better professional library must be provided at ALA Headquarters if satisfactory service is to be given to members?" (3). In 1929 the ALA appealed to the Secretary of the Wieboldt Foundation for funds to establish a library at ALA Headquarters, but the appeal was denied (4). In the proposed budgets for 1931 and 1933, the Library was funded under the Department of Information and Advisory Services, a part of the Public Library Division (5). Its mission was "the task of building up and organizing a professional collection, of rendering reference service to the staff, and of answering reference questions. . ." (6). It also collected and compiled library statistics (7). By 1955 the Headquarters Librarian reported to the Executive Secretary (8). With the reorganization of Headquarters in 1958, the Library became a part of Unit IV under the direction of the Deputy Executive Director (9).

Repository: The American Library Association Archives

Accruals: 4/26/74 [See IWS]; 6/22/2021

Finding Aid Revision History: 12/9/2022 - created Word doc, fixed formatting

Other Note: 23 Pages

URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/alasfa/1801056a.pdf

PDF finding aid for Library Vertical Files (18/1/56)