California Library Association

Shawn ThrasherGenesis HansenGary ShafferWebsitewww.cla-net.org

Established in 1895, the California Library Association (CLA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.[1] Members of CLA include library staff members, professional librarians, library and information science graduate students, and those individuals "interested in the development, promotion and improvement of library services"[2] in the state of California.

The California Library Association traces the impetus of its founding to the American Library Association (ALA) conference in 1891 in San Francisco in 1891.^[1][2] This was ALA first West coast conference. At that time, there was interest in forming a regional library association on the west cost, because it was felt that the American Library Association's was focused more on the development of East coast libraries.^[3] CLA was formed in 1895 at "a meeting of representatives of eight northern California libraries."[3] This creation was spearheaded by George Clark, Arthur Jellison, and Joseph Rowell.^[4]

CLA quickly took its role of advocating for libraries in California seriously. In the early 1900s, CLA worked on collaborations and mutual support with the California State Library and State Librarian James Gillis.[4] In 1912 the organization advocated for the building of schools, including the California State Library School, to train librarians and to expand libraries throughout the state.^[3][5][6]

At the 1914 annual meeting of the Association, it was voted to affiliate the California Library Association with the American Library Association.^[7] This gave the CLA representation within the national association's Council.^[8]

In 1941 the organization published guidelines for the roles of professional and non-professional librarians in college and university libraries.^[9]

The organization has a history of advocating against censorship,^[10][11] discrimination,^[12][13][14] and government interference.^[15][16][17] In 1984, the organization received national attention when it rescinded its invitation to a noted Holocaust denier and antisemite,^[18] David McCalden, to speak at their convention.^[19][20][21] "When [McCalden's] request to display his books during Banned Books Week was denied by the Torrance (California) Public Library, McCalden was invited by the California Library Association in 1984 to operate a booth and participate in a presentation at its annual conference. The uproar by both politicians and the press when this became public led the CLA to cancel McCalden’s exhibit and program."[5] McCalden sued CLA and his lawsuits were dismissed by the courts.^[22][23]

The organization's original focus was on traveling libraries and interlibrary loan, creation of a state library commission and state library standards, and library training and copyright depositories in the state of California. The CLA operated as the de facto state library commission promoting library services to underserved areas until the California State Library took over those roles.^[3]: 92 Currently its stated mission is to provide "leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library services, librarianship and the library community."[6] The organization also gives awards to programs that encourage reading and education, including the PBS show California Gold with Huell Howser.^[24][25]

CLA provides resources to its members and to California libraries of all types, including educational opportunities, library job listings, and advocacy efforts. Members including individual members (including library students), public and academic libraries, and library-related businesses.[7] CLA organizes an annual conference which brings library workers and supporters together to learn and network, as well as to attend to the organizational business of the association.^[26]

CLA operates according to its bylaws and standing rules.[8] The association is managed by a board of directors, consisting of 15 members. The members are elected for a term of 3 years, and elections are conducted every year for 2 or 3 positions.^[27]

CLA partners with the California State Library to create the California Public Library Trustees Toolkit, Lunch at the Library, a program to serve lunch to children in the summers, and California Libraries Learn (CALL), continuing education for staff in public, school, special, or academic libraries in California.^[28][29][30]