About DLA: Delaware Library Association

Members

DLA is a small, all-volunteer organization. There are 213 personal members and 9 organizational members. DLA has 4 divisions; the Public Library Division has the largest number of members.

	CRLD	65
	DSLA	63
	PLD	82
	YSD	31

For more information, see the DLA Membership Profile , September 2011.

Organization

DLA is governed by an Executive Board and includes divisions reflecting types of libraries or other common interests.

The Association is a chapter of the American Library Association.

Goal and Objectives

The goal of the Delaware Library Association is to promote the profession of librarianship and provide library information and media services to the people of Delaware by developing a unified library association. The following objectives are integral to the achievement of the goal of the Association:

1. Provision of library information* and media services and resources for all the people of Delaware in order to increase their opportunity to participate in society, to learn, to achieve self-fulfillment, to pursue careers, and to obtain information needed for research.

2. Provision of leadership for interlibrary cooperation leading to a state-wide information delivery

3. Provide a system which equalizes access to information resources.

4. Cooperation to achieve increased access to library information and media resources throughout the region and the nation.

5. Support of intellectual freedom as expressed in the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read statement and support of librarians, trustees, or libraries whose defense of these principles is challenged.

6. Development and support of library personnel and trustees through affirmative action, education, personal welfare, and training.

(*) Information as used here includes ideas, the product of humankind's creative endeavors, facts, and data.

Adapted from the ALA Handbook of Organization 1976-1977, p. 1.

History

The Delaware Library Association was organized on January 18, 1934. Children's Services Division (CSD) was formed in 1980.

The members of Delaware School Library Media Association (DSLMA) voted to join DLA as a Division in 1980.

DLA will celebrate its 80th birthday in 2014.

DLA is totally volunteer operated and depends on the participation of its members.