A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users.
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members as of 2021.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg is a public community college in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Although it was originally part of West Virginia University, it is now an independent public institution with its own board of governors and degree-granting authority. Conceived as a community college to serve seven counties in west central West Virginia, it now offers baccalaureate programs. It is the largest community college in West Virginia and the state's fifth largest public college with over 3,900 students.
Open Library is an online project intended to create "one web page for every book ever published". Created by Aaron Swartz, Brewster Kahle, Alexis Rossi, Anand Chitipothu, and Rebecca Malamud, Open Library is a project of the Internet Archive, a nonprofit organization. It has been funded in part by grants from the California State Library and the Kahle/Austin Foundation. Open Library provides online digital copies in multiple formats, created from images of many public domain, out-of-print, and in-print books.
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) that has more than 7,000 members and serves primary school and secondary school librarians in the U.S., Canada, and even internationally. Prior to being established in 1951, school librarians were served by the School Library Section of ALA founded in 1914, which emerged from the Roundtable of Normal and High School Librarians. The mission of the American Association of School Librarians is to empower leaders to transform teaching and learning.
Foster Edward Mohrhardt was a United States librarian. He had a long and illustrious career in library and information science as a scholar, organizer and diplomat, and was listed by American Libraries among "100 Leaders we had in the 20th Century". Mohrhardt is also known for his work to have the United States Department of Agriculture Library re-designated as a national library.
Arkansas State Library is a special library which operates as a state agency under the Arkansas Department of Education, within Arkansas state government. It provides information resources for state agencies, legislators and legislative staffs. It also provides guidance and support for the development of local public libraries, and library services. Finally, the ASL provides resources, services, and leadership for the educational, informational and cultural needs of Arkansas citizens.
The Florida Library Association (FLA) is a regional, non-profit organization that promotes professional discourse and opportunities for the library community in Florida. The FLA publishes the Florida Libraries Journal.
The Southeastern Library Association (SELA) is an organization that collaborates with different library associations within the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) is a public library system that serves the city of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland counties in Virginia. The library system is within Region 5 of Virginia Library Association (VLA).
Libraries have been in West Virginia for much of its history as a state. Starting with subscription libraries, the early 19th century saw the beginning of libraries formed in many of the large towns. Three Carnegie libraries were built in the state at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Maine Library Association (MLA) is a professional organization for Maine's librarians and library workers. It was founded in 1891 at the Maine State Library in Augusta, Maine, with the stated goal of "promotion of library interests in the State of Maine."
The New Hampshire Library Association (NHLA) is a professional organization for New Hampshire's librarians and library workers; it is the oldest state library association in the United States. It was founded in 1889 by an act of the legislature with the stated goal "to promote the efficiency of libraries and to cultivate fellowship among its members." A group of 49 library trustees and one librarian met for the first time on September 12, 1890, at the American Library Association meeting in the White Mountains. Nathan Hunt, the City Librarian of Manchester, was NHLA's first president, elected in 1891.
The Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) is a professional organization for Rhode Island's librarians and library workers. It is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded on March 9, 1903, at the Providence Public Library in Providence, Rhode Island, at a meeting organized by Frank G. Bates, State Librarian of Rhode Island. The organization's goal was to promote "the Library interest of the state of Rhode Island". The current mission of RILA is "The Rhode Island Library Association is a professional organization that serves its members through career development, education, advocacy, networking partnerships and legislative action."
The Wyoming Library Association (WLA) is a professional organization for Wyoming's librarians and library workers headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The idea of a state library association was first proposed by Agnes Snow, the chairman of the Wyoming State Federation of Women's Clubs’ Literacy and Library Extension Committee. The library association, originally called WSLA, held its first meeting on October 6, 1914, in Laramie and elected Dr. Grace Raymond Hebard, the University of Wyoming's first librarian, as president with Snow as vice president. Chalmers Hadley from the American Library Association gave an opening speech discussing "the workings of a state library association" and explaining the benefits of such an organization.
The Hawaiʻi Library Association (HLA) is a professional organization for Hawaii's librarians and library workers created "to promote library service and librarianship in Hawai'i." It is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The Hawai'i Library Association was organized at a meeting of 20 county librarians on January 16–17, 1922. Clara Hemenway, director of the University of Hawaiʻi Library was the first president. The association's first informal meeting was in 1922; Margaret Newman was the first elected president at their first official meeting in 1924. HLA became a chapter of the American Library Association at that same meeting, in March 1924.
The Utah Library Association (ULA) is a professional organization for Utah's librarians and library workers. It was founded on June 8, 1912, in Salt Lake City & County Building in Salt Lake City, Utah. The initial founders were Esther Nelson, librarian of the University of Utah; Joanna Sprague and Julie Lynch of the Salt Lake City Public Library; and Howard Driggs, library secretary of the State Board of Public Instruction. Ephraim G. Gowans, Department Chair for Anatomy and Pathology in the University of Utah Medical School, was ULA's first elected president. ULA was initially part of the Utah Education Association and split from them in 1915.
The Iowa Library Association (1890) is a professional organization for Iowa's librarians and library workers. It is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. It was founded on September 2, 1890, in Des Moines, Iowa at the State Library in the Iowa State Capitol, by Ada E. North, Librarian at the State University of Iowa in Iowa City; State Librarian Mary Miller, T.S. Parvin of the Iowa Masonic Library, Clara M. Smith of the Burlington Public Library, and Clara C. Dwight of the Dubuque Y.M. Library.
The South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) is a professional organization for South Carolina's librarians and library workers. It is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. It was founded on October 27, 1915, in Columbia. University of South Carolina librarian Robert M. Kennedy was the association's first president from 1915 through 1921. The group became a chapter of the American Library Association in 1944.
The District of Columbia Library Association (DCLA) is a professional organization for District of Columbia's librarians and library workers. It is headquartered in Washington, DC. It was founded on June 15, 1894 as the Library Association of Washington City. DCLA's first president was Ainsworth Spofford who was also Librarian of Congress; most of DCLA's initial monthly meetings were held in the Library of Congress. It changed its name to District of Columbia Library Association in March 1901 and became a chapter of the American Library Association on June 28, 1922.
