AASL Office Subject File, 1992-2017 | The American Library Association Archives

The first annual meeting of the School Libraries Section was held in East Hall, University of California, at 9:30 Saturday morning, June 5, 1915, with an attendance of 250. In the opening meeting, the purpose of the section was outlined. "The school library being one of the great problems of library endeavor, it is fitting that there should be a section in the American Library Association devoted to the discussion of work with all classes of schools" (1). The American Association of School Librarians (ASSL) is interested in "the general improvement and extension of library services for children and young people." The American Association of School Libraries became a division of ALA on January 1, 1951. Formerly it was a section of the Division of Libraries for Children and Young People; and before 1941 it was the School Libraries Section of ALA organized in 1915 (2).Sources:
1. 1915 Proceedings, p. 276. 2. ALA Bulletin, December 1957, p. 845-46. 3. ALA Handbook, 1988/1989, p. 31; 1979/1980, p. 16. 4. Handbook, 1988/1989, pp. 31-2; 1982/83, p. 32 and 1984/1985, p. 35 Note: 1983/1984 could not be located for verification at the time of this research (Feb. 1989), so call was placed to Barbara Herrin, AASL deputy director, who confirmed the date of formation of the section.