{"id":2878,"date":"2016-10-06T12:00:37","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T12:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/archives.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/?page_id=2878"},"modified":"2021-01-28T16:06:26","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T16:06:26","slug":"4-1876-conference","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/4-1876-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"The 1876 Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"shortcode sh-grid sh-grid-cols-1 md:sh-grid-cols-12 sh-gap-3\">\n<div class=\"shortcode sh-col-span-9 sh-pb-3\">\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA-0000303-Melvil-Dewey-e1475530496660.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA-0000303-Melvil-Dewey-e1475530496660-230x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-3777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA-0000303-Melvil-Dewey-e1475530496660-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA-0000303-Melvil-Dewey-e1475530496660.jpg 737w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-3777'>\n\t\t\t\tMelvil Dewey, found in Record Series  99\/1\/13, Box 1, folder: Melvil Dewey, 1890-1891, 1892-1893.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003368-Richard-Rodgers-Bowker.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003368-Richard-Rodgers-Bowker-210x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-3783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003368-Richard-Rodgers-Bowker-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003368-Richard-Rodgers-Bowker.jpg 348w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-3783'>\n\t\t\t\tR. R. Bowker, found in Record Series 13\/6\/15, Box 5.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002450-Charles-Cutter.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002450-Charles-Cutter-194x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-3780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002450-Charles-Cutter-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002450-Charles-Cutter.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-3780'>\n\t\t\t\tCharles A. Cutter, found in Record Series 99\/1\/13, Box 1, folder: Charles Ami Cutler, 1887-1889.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>It was March 18, 1876, in the London-based periodical <em>The\u00a0Academy<\/em>, when an anonymous correspondent wrote to advocate the need for a congress of librarians to support public and private librarianship.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page261-e1475530624126.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page261-e1475530624126-220x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-3593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page261-e1475530624126-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page261-e1475530624126.jpg 704w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-3593'>\n\t\t\t\tThe First Identified Suggestion for an 1876 Librarians Conference, found in The Academy, March 18, 1876, on Page 261, via Hathi Trust Digital Library.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page262-e1475530527293.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page262-e1475530527293-218x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-3594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page262-e1475530527293-218x300.jpg 218w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/Academy_18760318_Page262-e1475530527293.jpg 697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-3594'>\n\t\t\t\tThe First Identified Suggestion for an 1876 Librarians Conference, found in The Academy, March 18, 1876, on Page 262, via Hathi Trust Digital Library.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>On April 22, 1876, Frederick Leypoldt&#8217;s <em>Publishers&#8217; Weekly<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0reprinted the letter and Boston Athenaeum librarian Charles Cutter March 1876.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/TheNation_18760420_Page264-e1475530568223.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/TheNation_18760420_Page264-e1475530568223-217x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-3597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/TheNation_18760420_Page264-e1475530568223-217x300.jpg 217w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/TheNation_18760420_Page264-e1475530568223.jpg 694w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 217px) 100vw, 217px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-3597'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Second Identified Suggestion for an 1876 Librarians Conference, found in The Nation, April 20, 1876, on Page 264, via Hathi Trust Digital Library.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/PublishersWeekly_18760422_Page528-e1475530578472.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"178\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/PublishersWeekly_18760422_Page528-e1475530578472-178x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-3595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/PublishersWeekly_18760422_Page528-e1475530578472-178x300.jpg 178w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/PublishersWeekly_18760422_Page528-e1475530578472.jpg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 178px) 100vw, 178px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-3595'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Third Identified Suggestion for an 1876 Librarians Conference, found in Publishers Weekly, April 22, 1876, on Page 528, via Hathi Trust Digital Library.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>May<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Early professional library organizers include\u00a0Frederick Leypoldt (editor and publisher of <em>Publisher&#8217;s Weekly<\/em>), Melvil Dewey (librarian of Amherst), and Richard Rogers Bowker (Leypoldt&#8217;s business partner). While Mr. Leypoldt and Mr. Bowker had been planning an editorial to urge a professional library conference, independently, Mr. Dewey had been arranging a professional library journal. It was middle May when the three men met and their interests converged. Together, they sought the signatures of leading librarians to endorse the call for a conference at an undetermined date in 1876.<\/p>\n<h3>June<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Weeks later, the first printed call was published, followed by waves of supportive letters sent to Dewey. An Executive Committee and an Arrangements Committee were formed to coordinate. Committee Members: Lloyd P. Smith (of Philadelphia Library Company), Justin Winsor (of Boston Public Library), and William F. Poole (of Chicago Public Library).<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/2-1853-conference\/ala0003367-lloyd-p-smith\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003367-Lloyd-P.-Smith-210x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-3782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003367-Lloyd-P.-Smith-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0003367-Lloyd-P.-Smith.jpg 497w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-3782'>\n\t\t\t\tLloyd P. Smith, found in Record Series 18\/1\/57, Box 27, Folder: SI-SR, c. 1886 (reproduction) -1991.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/2-1853-conference\/ala0002448-justin-winsor\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002448-Justin-Winsor-226x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-3778\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002448-Justin-Winsor-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002448-Justin-Winsor.jpg 728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-3778'>\n\t\t\t\tJustin Winsor, found in Record Series 99\/1\/13, Box 1, Folder: Justin Winsor, 1987-1885, 1897.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/2-1853-conference\/ala0002449-william-f-poole\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"215\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002449-William-F.-Poole-215x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-3779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002449-William-F.-Poole-215x300.jpg 215w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/ALA0002449-William-F.-Poole.jpg 547w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 215px) 100vw, 215px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-3779'>\n\t\t\t\tWilliam F. Poole, found in Record Series 99\/1\/13, Box 1, Folder: William Frederick Poole, 1885-1887.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>July<\/h3>\n<p>In July, the October conference date would be agreed upon, and prospective paper topics were proposed by committed participants. At the end of the month, the second printed call included a long list of supportive, eminent librarians.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/20160902_145940-1-1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"254\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/20160902_145940-1-1-254x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-3911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/20160902_145940-1-1-254x300.jpg 254w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/20160902_145940-1-1-768x906.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/20160902_145940-1-1.jpg 861w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-3911'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Second Conference Call, found in Record Series 5\/60\/76.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>August<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In August, a United States federal government report on librarianship, <a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.hathitrust.org\/api\/volumes\/oclc\/6281171.html\"><em>Public Libraries in the United States of America<\/em><\/a>, was under production and planned for release in conjunction with the conference.<\/p>\n<h3>September<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In September, as final preparations were made, the program was released.\u00a0On October 4, 1876, 103 librarians attended the first day of the conference at the Historical society of Pennsylvania. Justin Winsor was elected president, with Ainsworth R. Spofford, James Yates, William F. Poole, and Lloyd P. Smith elected as vice presidents. Melvil Dewey, Charles Evans, and Reuben A. Guild served as secretaries.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-2878 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/05\/ALA0002059.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/05\/ALA0002059-191x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-3012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/05\/ALA0002059-191x300.jpg 191w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/05\/ALA0002059.jpg 522w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-3012'>\n\t\t\t\tFound in Record Series 5\/1\/1, Box 1.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/0201011a_ArticlesOfOrganization_1879-751x1024-1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/0201011a_ArticlesOfOrganization_1879-751x1024-1-220x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-3909\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/0201011a_ArticlesOfOrganization_1879-751x1024-1-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/74\/2016\/10\/0201011a_ArticlesOfOrganization_1879-751x1024-1.jpg 751w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-3909'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Articles of Organization, found in Record Series 2\/1\/11, Box 1.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The 1876 conference successfully organized the American Library Association. The 1877 conference was the\u00a0first official A.L.A. conference. Then it was just two more years when the ALA officially incorporated in Boston, Massachusetts,\u00a0on October 6, 1879.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/5-1876-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: the 1876 Conference<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode sh-col-span-3 sh-pb-3\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/\">Introduction<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/1-curators-note\/\">Curators\u2019 Note<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/2-1853-conference\/\">The 1853 Convention of Librarians<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/3-1853-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: the 1853 Convention of Librarians<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/4-1876-conference\/\">The 1876 Conference<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/5-1876-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: The 1876 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/6-1926-conference\/\">The 1926 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/7-1926-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: The 1926 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/8-1951-conference\/\">The 1951 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/9-1951-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: The 1951 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/10-1976-conference\/\">The 1976 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/140-years-ala-conference-planners\/11-1976-conference-sources\/\">In the Archives: The 1976 Conference<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It was March 18, 1876, in the London-based periodical The\u00a0Academy, when an anonymous correspondent wrote to advocate the need for a congress of librarians to support public and private librarianship. On April 22, 1876, Frederick Leypoldt&#8217;s Publishers&#8217; Weekly\u00a0\u00a0reprinted the letter and Boston Athenaeum librarian Charles Cutter March 1876. May Early professional library organizers include\u00a0Frederick Leypoldt [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":578,"featured_media":0,"parent":2829,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2878","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/578"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2878"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2878\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7313,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2878\/revisions\/7313"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/ala\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}