Brief Description:

Subject files of the Headquarters Librarian (Flora Colton 1965-77; Joel Lee 1977-86), including agendas, minutes, correspondence, reports, policies, building plans, and an autograph collection (1925-49). Files concern the Library Advisory Committee (1965-76); ALA Archives (1948-76, 1978-81); publications lists (1957, 1967, 1969-84); Who's Who in Library and Information Services (1974-86); Library Technology (1982-86); Library planning and evaluation (1967, 1974-82); the Librarian's role as American Library History Round Table staff liaison (1973-80); Brochures, Pamphlets, and Posters from ALA Conventions and Library Promotion Events (2000-2008); and Memorabilia, including Commemorative Gavel of Canadian Library Association (1925) and Dedication Book for the Opening of ALA Headquarters Building (1981).

This series also includes the papers of Joel H. Lee concerning the ALA Database Development Project (1980-82), Library and Information Literature Membership Initiative Group (LILMIG, 1980-83), and the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR, 1981-83). The Database Development Project files contain the 1982 grant proposal, correspondence with Davis McCarn of H.W. Wilson Company and David Stam of the Mellon Foundation, grantsmanship information, database file descriptions, reports, budget and finance, and other material on ALA Media Reviews (the proposed ALA Database). The LILMIG files contain the petitions establishing LILMIG, publicity, and drafts of Guidelines for Authors, Editors, and Publishers in the Library and Information Field adopted by ALA on July 21, 1983. The NCTR files include correspondence with Meldon C. Kirk and Janet Wotten of Midwest Research Institute regarding subcontract for special reference services to NCTR and the contract itself. The Awards, Grants, and Scholarships Database files were created by Rebecca Gerber and others. These files comprise proposals, notes, correspondence, and descriptions related to the creation of the ALA Awards, Grants, and Scholarships Database spanning from 2008 to 2016.

Record Series Number: 18/1/5

Created by: Headquarters Library

Volume: 8.3 Cubic Feet

Acquired: 9/9/88; 6/2009; 12/14/2020

Arrangement: Alphabetical, chronological thereunder

Biographical Note for Headquarters Library : 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).

Subject Index

Languages of Materials