Finding Aid for Subject Files, 1941-71, 1973-2013, 2016 | The American Library Association Archives

Title: Subject Files, 1941-71, 1973-2013, 2016

ID: 12/1/6

Primary Creator: Public Information Office

Extent: 19.5 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: Chronological and by subject thereunder

Subjects: Advocacy, ALA Annual Conference, ALA Midwinter Meeting, Book Campaigns, Book Week, Children's Book Council, Library Newsletters, Library Outreach Programs, Milam, Carl H., National Library Week, National Relations Office, Peterson, Olga M., Publicity, Public Programs Office, Reading Campaigns, Tuomey, Mary C.

Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian, Greek,Modern(1453-)

Recommendation was made in 1923 for a full time Headquarters staff appointment for publicity and broadened in 1929 to include information dissemination, both subsumed under a Publicity Department (1). Between 1930 and 1942, the Department, responsible to the Executive Director, acted under the supervision of the Publicity Committee (2). Thereafter, until 1973, this department became known as the Public Relations Division or Office, which also conducted the activities of the Department of Information and Advisory Services (3). As an outgrowth of this later department, the Public Information Office (PIO) first appeared in 1974 as part of "Other Services" (4).

The Public Information Office (PIO) was formed in th 1974 after a reorganization of the Public Relations and Membership Promotion Offices (5). In October 1974 the Executive Committee of the National Book Committee, Inc. voted to discontinue their library promotional effort, National Library Week (NLW), with the understanding that ALA would assume responsibility for NLW (6); PIO began functioning in 1975 when ALA inherited that responsibility (7).

The purpose of the Public Information Office is to maintain communication with the national and international press, providing information about ALA, its activities, and major developments affecting the library profession (8). "The responsibility for implementing national information programs . . . rests with the Public Information Office of the Association with support by the Public Relations (LAMA) Section and other appropriate groups" (9).

The Public Information Office is an ALA headquarters staff component (10). Its position has been changed from an original listing as "Other Services" (11) to a "Publishing Services" office (12), to a position as a Communications Services unit (13).

In 1980 the Office included a director and a publishing information officer (14); in 1983, the publishing information officer became public information officer, and the position of chapter relations officer was added (15).

"PIO produces a weekly review column "About Books" syndicated to more than 700 newspapers" (16) and, since 1982, a quarterly publication, Openers (17).

Advocacy
ALA Annual Conference
ALA Midwinter Meeting
Book Campaigns
Book Week
Children's Book Council
Library Newsletters
Library Outreach Programs
Milam, Carl H.
National Library Week
National Relations Office
Peterson, Olga M.
Publicity
Public Programs Office
Reading Campaigns
Tuomey, Mary C.

Repository: The American Library Association Archives

Accruals: 4/26/74, 1/27/99, ca.1996, 12/15/99; 07/26/2010; 05/28/2013, 8/16/2013; 4/15/2015; 7/21/2015; 7/27/2015; 8/31/2015; 2/16/2018

Finding Aid Revision History: 01/31/2023 - added 1 folder to Box 23; 02/02/2023 - fixed finding aid from material mix-up between Boxes 20-22;

Other Note: 24 Pages

URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/alasfa/1201006a.pdf

PDF finding aid for Subject Files (12/1/6)