In the Beginning
In The Beginning
1890 – Mrs. Ada North, former State Librarian, then librarian of the State University Library at Iowa City, came up with the idea to organize library workers in the state into a society. The Iowa Library Society was formed during a meeting of seventeen librarians and several citizens, at the State Library on September 24th. The object was to promote the library interests of the state of Iowa.
1893 – The Iowa Library Society decided to hold meetings at the same time as the State Teachers’ Association, thinking its influence might be extended.
1894 –The Iowa Library Society became a section of the State Teachers’ Association.
1896 – The Iowa Library Society withdrew from the State Teachers’ Association, adopted their own articles of incorporation which included, “the object of the association shall be to encourage the establishment and formation of public libraries”, and became the Iowa Library Association (ILA).