Brief Description: Files of the Library Periodicals Round Table contains correspondence of the chairs, correspondence with Samray Smith, ALA staff liaison, elections, financial statements, membership lists, minutes, reports and correspondence of the Newsletter editors (1959-62) includes copy, production expenses, subscriptions, mailing, correspondence about and drafts of the Directory of Library Periodicals (1957) and responses to a LPRT questionnaire to library periodicals concerning circulation, editing, format and advertising (1953), and correspondence with Samray Smith, Eric Moon, John Wakeman, Eli Oboler, Sarah Wallace, Eugene Hart, Louise Smith, Alice Norton, and Mildred Hennessy.

Record Series Number: 31/13/45

Created by: Library Periodicals Round Table

Volume: 1.0 Cubic Feet

Acquired: 04/26/1974.

Arrangement: Arranged by subject and chronologically thereunder

Biographical Note for Library Periodicals Round Table :

When the Editors and Publishers Round Table disbanded it recommended the formation of a Library Periodicals Round Table.  The ALA Council approved the formation of the Library Periodicals Round Table on July 4, 1952.  It first met February 3, 1953 (1).

The original purpose of the Round Table was "to provide opportunities for the discussion of mutual aims and problems by those editorially responsible for all library periodicals, or their authorized representatives."  Membership was limited to members of the editorial and business staffs of library periodicals (2).  Within a year the Round Table changed its purpose to read "to provide opportunities for the discussion of mutual aims and problems of library periodicals" and altered its membership standards to "any member of the ALA interested in these problems" (3).  The Round Table defined a library periodical as "any serial publication except annual reports, unannotated book lists, and publications of the Federal Government issued in the continental United States under library auspices for librarians and/or anyone else interested in the development and welfare of librarians" (4).

The Round Table published a quarterly LPRT Newsletter (5) and the 1957 Library Periodicals Directory (6).  Its committees included Editorial Policies, Advertising Policies, Exchanges Policies, Newsletter (7), Library Periodicals Directory (8), Manual for Library Periodicals Editors, Membership, Midwinter Program, Activities, and Nominating (9).

In 1963 the Library Periodicals Round Table requested that it be disbanded.  It officers recommended that the Round Table's primary function, "the improvement of library periodicals of many types," be assumed by the Public Relations Section of the Library Administrative Division.  At a January 27, 1964 Committee on Organization meeting, the Round Table and Public Relations Section agreed to the proposed reorganization.  The ALA Council accepted the reorganization on January 30, 1964 (10).

Sub-Groups:

1-Officers

2-Publications

30-Publications Committee

Subject Index

Languages of Materials