The Conference Arrangements Office was established in 1968 as a unite of the Administrative Services Department of the American Library Association (1). Its origins date back to 1957 when a Conference Program Arrangements unit was established as part of the Program and Membership Services Department (2). From 1964 to 1966, the Conference Arrangements Office was known as the Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting Executive Committee (3). Responsibility for administering the unit has shifted between ALA departments over the years including Program and Membership Services (1957-59), Administrative and Fiscal Services (1960-61), Executive Office (1973-81), Fiscal Services (1982-84), and Communications Services (1985- ) (4).

The purpose of the Conference Arrangements Office is to coordinate all arrangements, excluding program, for the two annual meetings of the Association. Activities include handling requests for facilities, exhibit space, conference site information, program scheduling and placement of advertisements in the Official Program (5).