In 1958 the National Association of State Libraries, founded in 1889, disbanded (1). Its membership merged with that of the American Association of State Libraries (AASL), a division of ALA since January 1, 1957 (2). The State Library Agencies Division (SLAD) was founded on January 1, 1957 (3) and in 1958 SLAD merged with the AASL (4) to become the State Library Agency Division (5) In 1977-78 AASL changed its title to the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) (6). Title was changed to Association of Specialized Government and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASGCLA). Division was dissolved September 1, 2020.
ASCLA is responsible for functions pertaining to library services performed by state library agencies, specialized library agencies, and mutitype library cooperatives. It has the specific responsibility for:
1. Synthesis of appropriate ALA unit activities with the development and evaluation of programs which extend and improve user services in state and specialized libraries and multitype library cooperatives.
2. Representation and interpretation of the roles, functions, and services of these types of libraries within and outside the profession.
3. Development of policies, studies, and activities relative to government funding, grants and appropriations, and inter-governmental relationships in matters which affect these types of libraries, coordinated with appropriate ALA unit archives.
4. Establishment, evaluation, and promotion of standards.
5. Identification of user needs, and the creation and promotion of services to meet those needs.
6. Stimulation of the development and participation in appropriate type-of-activity divisions of librarians engaged in these types of libraries.
7. Coordination of the activities of ALA units which have a bearing on the concerns of this association.
8. Granting recognition for outstanding library service enacted.
9. Disseminating information and stimulating publishing and research.