LHRT (Library History Round Table)

If you haven't seen this already, ALA staff are working with History Associates Incorporated to develop an online, interactive timeline of the association's 150-year history. They are seeking additional input as we narrow down our list of milestones and events to feature in the timeline through a survey available here. The deadline to complete the survey is today, November 19 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

This interactive timeline will eventually be available on the ala150.org website. It will be used to tell ALA's rich history to a broad, public audience. It must appeal to, entertain, and educate a wide range of people, including:

• ALA members and other library professionals
• Historians, educators, and students
• Policymakers, funders, donors, and partners
• The general public and media

To keep the timeline engaging and digestible, we are striving to limit the timeline to fifty (50) entries. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the key moments and milestones in ALA's history. However, due to our size limit, we also need to make some important choices on what to keep and highlight, and what to save for another purpose. Please keep our goal of 50 entries in mind as you review the current list, along with the broad audience noted above.

Some things to keep in mind as you review include: Which are the most critical, key moments in ALA history? What and who are the first? What are the launch dates of the critical work or initiatives of the association? What are the most important milestones? Who are the trailblazers? We invite your input and expertise to help us review and narrow down this list at ALA History Timeline Feedback – Fill out form.

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Jennifer Bartlett
Chair, Library History Round Table, 2025-26
Associate Dean for Engagement, Learning, and Public Services
University of Tennessee
John Hodges Library
jbartl22@utk.edu
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I hope every LHRT member reviews this and sends in the survey.  

There is so much more needed. More responses from LHRT are important.

Here is what I responded. 

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Kathleen de la Peña McCook
Distinguished University Professor
School of Information
University of South Florida
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Hi Jennifer and friends --

I am on sabbatical, and, my expertise is 19th/early 20th century. So, there's limited time and knowledge I can lend to this. But FWIW, I responded to the survey and I linked to a marked-up copy of the spreadsheet that includes some suggestions. To me, the biggest omission is not mentioning E.J. Josey and other Black librarians' activism (in mentioning this, I cited Renate Chancellor's book). Another big omission is not clearly mentioning LSA (1956), LSCA (1964), and LSTA (1996) -- the timeline has related entries, but doesn't cite the specific laws. I also think more should be said about Banned Books Week and other anti-censorship efforts. Finally, I raised questions as to whether Caroline Hewins was "the first" to set up a children's collection (I think it was actually Minerva Saunders); whether Carnegie Library of Braddock was "the first" U.S. Carnegie library (I think it was the first U.S. public library funded by Carnegie to OPEN, but not the first to be COMMISSIONED); and whether the Round Table relating to "Negroes" (in the 1920s) was "the first" ALA effort toward diversity (I think an argument can be made for the Committee on the Foreign-Born).

Thanks for sharing this with us. I wish the powers that be had given us more time to provide feedback. I probably could/would have provided more suggestions if I weren't doing a "rush job."

Bernadette  :)

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Bernadette Lear
Education, Behavioral Sciences, and Social Sciences Librarian
Penn State University Libraries
She/Her/Hers,Ms.
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Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2025 11:19:00 AM
From: Bernadette Lear
Subject: RE: Library History Timeline

Hi Jennifer and friends --

I am on sabbatical, and, my expertise is 19th/early 20th century. So, there's limited time and knowledge I can lend to this. But FWIW, I responded to the survey and I linked to a marked-up copy of the spreadsheet that includes some suggestions. To me, the biggest omission is not mentioning E.J. Josey and other Black librarians' activism (in mentioning this, I cited Renate Chancellor's book). Another big omission is not clearly mentioning LSA (1956), LSCA (1964), and LSTA (1996) -- the timeline has related entries, but doesn't cite the specific laws. I also think more should be said about Banned Books Week and other anti-censorship efforts. Finally, I raised questions as to whether Caroline Hewins was "the first" to set up a children's collection (I think it was actually Minerva Saunders); whether Carnegie Library of Braddock was "the first" U.S. Carnegie library (I think it was the first U.S. public library funded by Carnegie to OPEN, but not the first to be COMMISSIONED); and whether the Round Table relating to "Negroes" (in the 1920s) was "the first" ALA effort toward diversity (I think an argument can be made for the Committee on the Foreign-Born).

Thanks for sharing this with us. I wish the powers that be had given us more time to provide feedback. I probably could/would have provided more suggestions if I weren't doing a "rush job."

Bernadette  :)

------------------------------
Bernadette Lear
Education, Behavioral Sciences, and Social Sciences Librarian
Penn State University Libraries
She/Her/Hers,Ms.
------------------------------

I'm surprised there's no mention of Charles Ammi Cutter.  An early advocate for the formation of ALA and the organization's third president, Cutter authored the 1876 report for the U.S. Bureau of Education on the state of libraries, published to mark the nation's Centennial. The second part of this document contained his foundational Rules for a Dictionary Catalog, which continues to inform modern organizing principles. Additionally, Cutter's Expansive Classification System influenced the Library of Congress Classification system. He also introduced key innovations such as interlibrary loan, pocket circulation cards in books, and home delivery of library materials. 

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William Evans
N.E.H. Chief Technical Services Librarian
Boston Athenaeum
He/Him/His
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11/24/2025 11:11:00 AM
From: William Evans
Subject: RE: Library History Timeline

I'm surprised there's no mention of Charles Ammi Cutter.  An early advocate for the formation of ALA and the organization's third president, Cutter authored the 1876 report for the U.S. Bureau of Education on the state of libraries, published to mark the nation's Centennial. The second part of this document contained his foundational Rules for a Dictionary Catalog, which continues to inform modern organizing principles. Additionally, Cutter's Expansive Classification System influenced the Library of Congress Classification system. He also introduced key innovations such as interlibrary loan, pocket circulation cards in books, and home delivery of library materials. 

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William Evans
N.E.H. Chief Technical Services Librarian
Boston Athenaeum
He/Him/His
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