The Library Association and the American Library Association: their first fifty years

Although the American Library Association was founded only one year before the Library Association, it was far ahead of the LA in membership, resources, and range of activities by the time it celebrated its jubilee in October 1926. Although this was due in part to the failure of the LA to attract many new members, especially assistant librarians, it was far less fortunate than the ALA in obtaining financial support for its work from philanthropic institutions. The LA was not inactive, but much of its energies were devoted to its educational work and its abortive attempts to stimulate government interest in the public library service. ALA AT 50 In the fall of 1926, the American Library Association held its annual meeting at Atlantic City and Philadelphia. It could justifiably be described as an inter-national occasion, as there were delegates from twenty-four countries. For the first time in the history of the annual meetings, the attendance exceeded 2000. Most of the proceedings took place at Atlantic City, where three large hotels on the famous Board Walk had been reserved for the delegates, but on 6 October they all entrained for Philadelphia, where there was to be a special anniversar