Association of Specialized and Coop Library Agencies | The American Library Association Archives

In July 1973 the ALA Committee of Organization Approved the merger of the Association of Hospital and Institution Libraries (AHIL) with the Round Table for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (1974) (1) called also Round Table for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (1975) (2), and Round Table for Library Service to the Blind (1976) (3) to create the Health and Rehabilitative Library Service Division (HRLSD) effective July 1974 (4).  The Bibliotherapy Committee was reconstituted in 1973-74 and began a special pilot project devoted to experimenting with the use of bibliotherapy in correctional institutions (5).  In 1976 three new committees came into existence: Library Service to the Impaired Elderly, Standards for Libraries for the Mentally Retarded, and the Standards for Library Service to the Blind and Physically Handicapped (6).

Two new discussion groups were added in 1976: Bibliotherapy Discussion Group (7) and Discussion Group for Library Service to the Hearing Impaired.  Two new sections were formed in 1976: Library Services to Prisoners and Section for Library Service to the Blind and Physically Handicapped (8).

Publications included a semiannual journal with four know issues: March and October 1975 (9) with the title Health and Rehabilitative Library Services, and HRLSD Journal, Spring 1976 (10), and one issue in 1977 (11).  The Division also published a quarterly Newsletter from November 1974.  Issues for 1974 to September 1975 were called Health and Rehabilitative Library Services News (12).  During its existence the Division cosponsored Library Standards for Juvenile Correctional Institutions, prepared by the ACA-ALA Health and Rehabilitiative Library Services INT Committee on Institution Libraries.  The Division also published "brochures, pamphlets, and books devoted to areas of interest" (13).

Effective September 1, 1978, the ALA Council approved the merger of the Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division with the Association of State Library Agencies to become the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) with the first president to take office after June 1979 (14).

Sub-Groups:

1-Board of Directors

2-Executive Secretary

3-Publications (AHIL Quarterly, HRLSD Journal, Book Guides)

30-Archivist

31-Audiovisual Review

32-Bibliotherapy

33-Conference Program

34-Exceptional Service Award, AHIL

35-Hospital and Institution Librarianship, Education for, AHIL/LED

36-Nominating

37-Planning, Organization and Bylaws

38-Projects, Special

39-Standards Review

40-Institutional Libraries

90-Joint Committees (American Correctional Association-AHIL, on Institution Libraries)

91-Advisory Committees (Publications)

93-Ad Hoc Committees (Guidelines for Personnel Working with People in Special Situations AHIL/AASL/CED/PLA/YASD, Patient Education, Prisons, Special Committee on, Research, Standards)

94-Subcommittees (International Relations)

1.  Margaret M. Kinney (1973-74 President of AHIL), "Association of Hospital and Institution Libraries, President's Annual Report," in Association of Hospital and Institution Libraries Quarterly 14 Summer/Fall 1974: 11/.

2.  Mary R. Power, "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division," in ALA Yearbook, 1975, p. 180.

3.  "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division," in ALA Yearbook, 1976, p. 147.

4.  Kinney, "AHIL, President's Annual Report," 1974, p. 11.

5.  Ibid.

6.  "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division," in ALA Yearbook, 1976, p. 148.

7.  Susan M. Haskin, "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division," in ALA Yearbook, 1977, p. 143.

8.  "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division," in ALA Yearbook, 1976, p. 148.