Oklahoma Library Association

Last updated
Oklahoma Library Association
AbbreviationOLA
Formation1907
Type Non-profit
Purpose"To strengthen the quality of libraries, library services and librarianship in Oklahoma." [1]
Dana Belcher
Website OLA Website

The Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) is a non-profit organization that promotes libraries and library services and provides professional development for library personnel in the state of Oklahoma. OLA is a chapter of both the American Library Association and the Mountain Plains Library Association. [2] OLA hosts workshops throughout the year and holds an Annual Conference. [3] OLA is the official sponsor of the Sequoyah Book Award, the third oldest U.S. state children's choice award. [4]

Contents

History

OLA was formed on May 16, 1907 by a small group of librarians from the University of Oklahoma and nearby normal schools as well as public libraries. The meeting was hosted by the now-defunct Carnegie Library in downtown Oklahoma City. [5] These librarians were interested in forming a statewide library association to ensure the "statewide extension of tax-supported library service" and "to explore a more economical way of transporting...books." [6]

OLA has sponsored the Read Y'all celebrity poster literacy campaign and the Mildred Laughlin Festival of Books. [7] [8] [9] OLA used to publish a newsletter called Oklahoma Librarian, which ceased in 2018. [10]

Notable Members

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References

  1. "About OLA". oklibs.org. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  2. "Chapters". American Libraries. American Library Association. 3 (10): 1097–1098. 1972.
  3. McElfresh, Laura (2012). "E-Books, E-Readers, E-Gad!". Technicalities. Library & Information Science Source. 32 (2): 4–7.
  4. "Sequoyah Book Awards" Archived 2012-08-30 at the Wayback Machine (homepage). Oklahoma Library Association (OLA). Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  5. Oklahoma Libraries 1900–1937; a History and Handbook. Oklahoma Library Commission. 1937. pp. 192–193.
  6. Finchum, Tanya; Finchum, G. Allen (2011). "Not Gone with the Wind: Libraries in Oklahoma in the 1930s". Libraries & the Cultural Record. University of Texas Press. 46 (3): 276–294. doi:10.1353/lac.2011.0015. S2CID   159286414.
  7. "Sequoyah Book Awards - Oklahoma Library Association". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08.
  8. Oklahoman (July 12, 2007). "Oklahoma TV star featured on library association's poster". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  9. "Mildred Laughlin Festival of Books for Young People - Oklahoma Library Association". Archived from the original on 2015-09-11.
  10. https://www.oklibs.org/page/Oklahoma_Librarian (( |access-date=July 9, 2020 ))