Milestones of the Library Support Staff Movement

1971

The
Ohio College Online Library Center (OCLC) goes online. Many in the profession liken the emergence of library support staff to the emergence of automated library catalogs.

1976

(Council on Library/Media Technicians) becomes an affiliate of the
American Library Association. Affiliate status means that both organizations recognize each other's value to the library community.

1977

The first statewide clerical conference in New York State is held at the State University of New York at SUNY Oswego.

1982

COLT first provided assistance with the revision of the standards for the
S-1411 (Library Technician) series for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. COLT also provides input into the revisions of the

Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Department of Labor.

1985

Lucy Schweers becomes the first paraprofessional to be elected vice-president/president elect of a statewide library association (Colorado Library Association). She served as president in 1986/87.

1987

The New Jersey Association of Library Assistants (NJALA)
becomes the first independent statewide library assistant association.

1988

On 10 June 1988, the
New York State Library Assistants' Association (NYSLAA) constitution was ratified. NYSLAA becomes the second independent statewide library assistants' association in the United States.

1989

John Berry's editorial "The Other Librarians" appears in the July issue of
Library Journal (114:4).

In July, the
North Carolina Library Paraprofessional Association is organized.

Library Mosaics , the magazine for support staff, begins publication.

1991

On 13 January 1991, the Membership Initiative Group of the American Library Association--the forerunner of the ALA Support Staff Interest Round Table--conducts its initial meeting.

Larry Oberg's guest editorial "Paraprofessionals: Shaping the New Reality" appears in the January issue of
College & Research Libraries.

The
World Book/ALA Goal Award Project on Library Support Staff publishes the infamous ten
"Issue Papers". These papers are the result of nationwide focus groups which identify support staff issues and concerns.

COLT
becomes incorporated.

The first

National Directory of Library Paraprofessional Associations is published in September.

1992

In January, the
Oregon Library Association Library Support Staff Round Table is established.

Larry Oberg's article "The Emergence of the Paraprofessional in Academic Libraries: Perceptions and Realities" appears in the March issue of
College & Research Libraries.

In May, "The Role, Status, and Working Conditions of Paraprofessionals: A National Survey of Academic Libraries" authored by Oberg, Mentges, McDermott, and Harusadangkul, appears in
College & Research Libraries.

In September, LIBSUP-L, the discussion list for library support staff, is created.

In October, the
Washington Association of Library Employees (WALE), a division of the Washington Library Association, conducts its first statewide conference for library support staff.

1993

The Support Staff Interests Round Table
of the American Library Association is officially formed.

On March 5, the
Southeastern Library Association (SELA) Paraprofessional Round Table is formed.

Donetta Sheffold, a paraprofessional, is elected Secretary to Oregon Library Association Board.

Stephany Liptak, a paraprofessional, is elected President of the Colorado Library Association.

1994

In July, the first issue of

ASSOCIATES: the Electronic Journal for Library Support Staff is published.

1995

In February, the first
Soaring to Excellence teleconference for support staff is broadcast by satellite around the world. Host site: College of DuPage, Illinois.

The winter 1995 issue of the
Journal of Education for Library and Information Science (36:1) is devoted entirely to library support staff.

In February,
NYSLAA implements its "Certificate of Achievement" Program.

The entire Spring 1995 issue of the
Southeastern Librarian (45:1) was coordinated by the
SELA Paraprofessional Round Table.

During the entire month of June, a workshop entitled "The Library Support Staff Movement: the Milestones, the Vision and the Road Yet Travelled" was conducted online via LIBSUP-L.

The Library Support Staff Resource Center web site officially opens.

1996

The second
Soaring to Excellence teleconference is held.