Chicago Public Libraries from the ALA’s digital archives, Sjoerd Koopman Library Postcard Collection

Today in 1876, during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 103 librarians, 90 men and 13 women, responded to a call for a “Convention of Librarians” to be held October 4-6 at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. At the end of the meeting, according to Ed Holley in his essay ALA at 100, “the register was passed around for all to sign who wished to become charter members,” making October 6, 1876 to be the American Library Association’s birthday. Today it has about 58,000 members. From the 2011-2012 Annual report: “Facing fiscal challenges on all sides—local, state, and federal—public libraries strive to meet the expanding technology needs of their communities. Public computer and wifi use increased last year at more than 60 percent of libraries. Nationwide, more than 62 percent of libraries report offering the only free Internet access in their community. More than 90 percent of public libraries now offer formal or informal technology training.”