American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is an organization which does not receive money. It is in the United States. It helps libraries and library education all over the world. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world.^[1] It has more than 62,000 members.^[2] Justin Winsor, Charles Ammi Cutter, Samuel Swett Green, James L. Whitney, Melvil Dewey, Fred B. Perkins and Thomas W. Bicknell began the organization in 1876. It began in Philadelphia, but its head office is in Chicago now. Anybody can join, but most of its members are librarians. Most members live and work in the United States. Members from other countries make up about 3.5% of the members.^[3]

1. ↑ "American Library Association - MSN Encarta". Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2010-08-09.
2. ↑ "Report to Council and Executive Board," by ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels, EBD#12.36 2009-2010, 18 June 2010 (misdated as 18 June 2009). "Overall ALA Membership as of May 2010 stands at 62,251."
3. ↑ "ALA International Member Survey". ALA. Retrieved 2006-11-14.