Keep your voice down, but the American Library Association is 138 years old today, after 103 librarians convened in Philadelphia on October 6, 1876. They adopted the aim "to enable librarians to do their present work more easily and at less expense." Today, the ALA is the world's largest and oldest library association, with over 62,000 members.

You might think a library association might be limited to pretty dull work (ooh, another newsletter about the Dewey decimal system!)…and you would be wrong. Over its history, the ALA has waded into some very contentious political battles, most notably over censorship and freedom of information after "The Grapes of Wrath" was banned in many places, but also over topics like segregation, war, and library unions.

The ALA took a stand favoring equal service for all in 1961, while some members objected to a pro-Vietnam War a general delivered at their 1967 conference. Increasing access to libraries for the poor has also been an important topic for the ALA. Multiple times, the ALA has spoken out against censorship and in favor of the freedom of information. The ALA also founded the first professional organization centered on gay and lesbian issues, "The Task Force on Gay Liberation," today called the GLBT Round Table, and annually present the Stonewall Book Award for exceptional books dealing with LGBT issues.

Fun fact: Anyone can join the ALA (kinda like getting a library card). There are 11 divisions dealing with issues ranging from publishing to reference services to service for children, as well as for both public and research libraries. With 25,000 attendees, the ALA's annual conference is one of the largest professional conferences anywhere…and believe me, those librarians know how to party. Just keep it down, will you? This is the really good part.

Via http://www.teleread.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/AmericanLibraryAssociation.jpg