Honorary Membership conferred by the American Library Association is the Association's highest award.[1] "Honorary membership may be conferred on a living citizen of any country whose contribution to librarianship or a closely related field is so outstanding that it is of lasting importance to the advancement of the whole field of library service. It is intended to reflect honor upon the ALA as well as upon the individual."[2] The Honorary Membership award was established in 1879.
The first Honorary Memberships were bestowed in 1879 to Charles William Eliot, President of Harvard University and Frederick O. Prince Trustee of the Boston Public Library. [3]
Honorary Membership | Date | Major accomplishments | |
---|---|---|---|
Dolly Parton | 2023 | Founder, Imagination Library, award-winning singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist. Longstanding support and commitment to inspiring a love of books and reading. | |
Maureen Sullivan | 2022 | President, American Library Association, President Association of College and Research Libraries, President, Library Leadership and Management Association. | |
James G. Neal | 2022 | President and Treasurer, American Library Association | |
Robert Wedgeworth | 2021 | Executive Director, American Library Association, President, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions | |
No Awards | 2019–2020 | ||
Carla Hayden | 2018 | Librarian of Congress | |
Ann K. Symons | 2017 | President and Treasurer, American Library Association | |
No Award | 2015–2016 | ||
Patricia Glass Schuman | 2014 | President and Treasurer, American Library Association, Joseph W. Lippincott Award, Founder, Neal-Schuman Publishers. | |
No Award | 2013 | ||
Jack Reed | 2012 | U. S. Senator, (D. RI)[4] | |
Betty J. Turock | 2011 | President, American Library Association, ALA SPECTRUM founder,[5] Professor & Dean, Rutgers School of Communication and Information. | |
Yohannes Gebregeorgis | 2011 | Founder of Ethiopia Reads | |
No award | 2010 | ||
Judith F. Krug | 2009 | Director, Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, Director Freedom to Read Foundation | |
Pat Mora | 2008 | Poet, author, founder of El día de los niños, el día de los libros[6][7] | |
Effie Lee Morris | 2008 | President, Public Library Association, pioneering public library services for minorities and the visually-impaired.[8] | |
Peggy Sullivan | 2008 | President, American Library Association, executive director, American Library Association, library historian. | |
David Cohen | 2007 | Contributions to multicultural librarianship and intellectual freedom[9] | |
Alice L. Hagemeyer | 2007 | Passionate, lifelong interest in promoting information about the language, culture and achievements of deaf individuals.[10] | |
Anita R. Schiller | 2007 | Groundbreaking efforts to enhance the status of women in librarianship.[11] | |
Alphonse F. Trezza | 2007 | Executive Director of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Director of the Illinois State Library.[12] | |
Robert D. Stueart | 2006 | President, Association for Library and Information Science Education, Beta Phi Mu Award.[13] | |
Lotsee Patterson | 2005 | Professor, founder of the American Indian Library Association, Beta Phi Mu Award.[14] | |
Nettie Barcroft Taylor | 2005 | Director, Maryland State Library, Command Librarian for the U.S. Army in Heidelberg, Germany, Maryland Women's Hall of Fame[15] | |
Sanford Berman | 2004 | For his accomplishments as a cataloging theorist and practitioner and for his commitment to making catalog records accessible to library users.[16] | |
Norman Horrocks | 2004 | Director, School of Information Management, Dalhousie University, Officer of the Order of Canada.[17] | |
Barbara Gittings | 2003 | Lifelong commitment to developing positive images of gays and lesbians in the literature and on library shelves and to ensuring equal access to information for all people.[18] | |
Samuel F. Morrison | 2003 | Director, Broward County Library, founded the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, Chief librarian Chicago Public Library oversaw design and construction, Harold Washington Library Center.[19][20] | |
Lucille Cole Thomas | 2003 | Notable contributions to the profession as a librarian, educator and library trustee, her leadership role at the local, state, national and international levels, and unstinting contributions to the education of children and young adults.[21][22] | |
E.J. Josey | 2002 | President, American Library Association, President Black Caucus of the American Library Association[23] | |
Seymour Lubetzky | 2002 | Cataloging theorist ranked among the greatest minds in library science. Groundbreaking work devoted to modern cataloging in the 20th century place him with Antonio Panizzi and Charles Cutter.[24] | |
Arnulfo Trejo | 2001 | Founder of REFORMA, Professor, University of Arizona, Founder Trejo Foster Foundation for Hispanic Library Education. | |
Jeanne Hurley Simon | 2000 | Chairperson of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.[25] | |
Vartan Gregorian | 2000 | President, New York Public Library.[26] | |
No Award | 1999 | ||
Wendell Ford | 1998 | U.S. Senator (D, KY). Library champion. Quote, “If information is the currency of democracy, then libraries are the banks.”[27] | |
Bill Gates | 1998 | Funding free, public computer and Internet access in public libraries.Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[28] | |
Melinda Gates | 1998 | Funding free, public computer and Internet access in public libraries. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[29] | |
K. Wayne Smith | 1998 | President and CEO of OCLC, CEO at World Book Encyclopedia.[30] | |
Sidney R. Yates | 1998 | U.S.Congress (D,IL).Yates, Champion of libraries and arts.[31] | |
Henriette Avram | 1997 | Developed the MARC format (Machine Readable Cataloging), Associate Librarian for Collections Services, Library of Congress.[32] | |
Oprah Winfrey | 1997 | Oprah's Book Club | |
Eileen D. Cooke | 1996 | Director, ALA Washington Office, 1972–1993.[33] | |
Mark Hatfield | 1996 | U.S. Senator (R,OR) | |
Nancy Kassebaum | 1996 | U.S. Senator (R,KS) | |
Paul Simon | 1996 | U.S. Senator (D, IL), Champion of public's access to government information.[34] | |
Pat Williams | 1996 | U.S.Congressman (D-MT), | |
No Award | 1995 | ||
Jimmy Carter | 1994 | U.S. President 1977–1981, spoke at White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services.[35] | |
Virginia Mathews | 1994 | Director, National Library Week, developer of Sesame Street, co-founded American Indian Library Association,organized 1979 and 1991 White House Conferences on Library and Information Services[36] | |
Robert G. Vosper | 1993 | Director, libraries at the University of California, Los Angeles, President, American Library Association, President, Association of College and Research Libraries. | |
Joseph Becker | 1992 | Library networking pioneer. Award of Merit - Association for Information Science and Technology.[37] | |
Miriam L. Hornback | 1991 | Secretariat to the American Library Association Council and executive board for 47 years. Attended 80 ALA Conferences.[38][39] | |
Robert W. Frase | 1991 | Executive Director of American National Standards Institute Z39;[40]Library Funding and Public Support.[41] | |
Barbara Bush | 1990 | First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy | |
No Award | 1989 | ||
Ralph E. Ellsworth | 1988 | Director of libraries and professor of bibliography at the University of Colorado, author- Academic Library Buildings : A Guide to Architectural Issues and Solutions[42][43] | |
Spencer Shaw | 1988 | Professor, Information School of the University of Washington, (1970–1986), president, Association for Library Service to Children.[44][45] | |
Eric Moon | 1987 | Editor-in-Chief, Library Journal, President, American Library Association.[46] | |
Major Owens | 1987 | U.S. Congressman (D, NY), librarian - Brooklyn Public Library.[47][48] | |
Frederick Gale Ruffner Jr. | 1987 | Founder, Gale Research, Decorated World War II veteran.[49] | |
No Award | 1986 | ||
Virginia G. Young | 1985 | Library Trustee, author- The Library Trustee.[50][51] | |
Lester Asheim | 1984 | Director, International Relations and Director. Office for Library Education, American Library Association. Professor, University of Chicago Graduate Library School and UNC School of Information and Library Science, Beta Phi Mu Award.[52] | |
William D. Ford | 1984 | U.S. Congressman (D, MI) | |
Johnny Carson | 1983 | Tonight Show, books and authors.[53] | |
Jack Dalton | 1983 | Dean, Columbia University School of Library Services, Director Office of International Relations, American Library Association.[54][55] | |
Clara Stanton Jones | 1983 | Director Detroit Public Library, President, American Library Association.[56] | |
Claiborne Pell | 1983 | U.S. Senator (D, RI) | |
George Aiken | 1982 | U.S. Senator (R, VT) | |
Carl A. Elliott | 1982 | U.S. Congressman (D, AL) | |
Virginia Haviland | 1982 | Founder, Center for Children's Literature, Library of Congress, chair, Newbery-Caldecott Award Committee, author.[57] | |
Frederick G. Kilgour | 1982 | President of OCLC;Legion of Merit for intelligence work during World War II, “History of Library Computerization.”,[58] Award of Merit - Association for Information Science and Technology. | |
John Brademas | 1981 | U.S. Congressman (D, IN) | |
Jacob Javits | 1981 | U.S. Senator (R, NY) | |
Lawrence Clark Powell | 1981 | University Librarian, UCLA Library, President Bibliographical Society of America, author, professor in Residence University of Arizona.[59] | |
Bessie Boehm Moore | 1980 | Served on Arkansas Library Commission for 38 years, member National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, | |
Lowell A. Martin | 1979 | Educator, author,[60] consultant.[61][62] | |
Frances Neel Cheney | 1978 | Reference expert reviewed over 6,000 books for Wilson Library Bulletin, author- Fundamental Reference Sources.[63][64] | |
Fred C. Cole | 1978 | President, Council on Library Resources, President, Washington and Lee University, Special Commendation of Surgeon General, U.S. Navy.[65][66] | |
William S. Dix | 1978 | Librarian, Princeton University, President, American Library Association, primary author of The Freedom to Read statement.[67] | |
No Award | 1977 | ||
Robert B. Downs | 1976 | University Librarian, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, President, American Library Association, President, Illinois Library Association, author.[68] | |
Mary V. Gaver | 1976 | President, American Library Association, President American Association of School Librarians, Beta Phi Mu Award. | |
Virginia Lacy Jones | 1976 | Dean, Atlanta University School of Library Sciences,[69] President, Association for Library and Information Science Education, Beta Phi Mu Award. | |
Edmon Low | 1976 | Head librarian, Oklahoma State University 1940–1967 named in his honor: Edmon Low Library, President, Association of College and Research Libraries. | |
Herman Liebaers | 1976 | Director general of the central Belgian Royal Library[70] | |
Allie Beth Martin | 1976 | President, American Library Association, Director, Tulsa City-County Library, Oklahoma; author- A Strategy for Public Library Change[71] | |
Daniel Melcher | 1976 | President, R.R. Bowker Company; chairman Gale Research Company, and trustee, Montclair Public Library.[72] | |
Mary U. Rothrock | 1976 | Supervisor, Tennessee Valley Authority libraries, President, Tennessee Library Association and Southeastern Library Association, President, American Library Association.[73] | |
Jesse H. Shera | 1976 | President, Association for Library and Information Science Education, library historian,[74]Beta Phi Mu Award, Award of Merit - Association for Information Science and Technology.[75] | |
Alex P. Allain | 1975 | Intellectual Freedom advocate, Founder Freedom to Read Foundation, chair Louisiana Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, liaison officer in the French Navy during World War II[76] | |
Augusta Baker | 1975 | Coordinator of Children's Services at New York Public Library, storyteller, known for contributions to children's literature, especially regarding the portrayal of Black Americans. Storyteller-in-Residence University of South Carolina.[77] | |
William O. Douglas | 1975 | U.S. Supreme Court Justice | |
Carl D. Perkins | 1975 | U.S. Congressman (D, KY) | |
No Award | 1974 | ||
Germaine Krettek | 1973 | Director. American Library Association, Washington Office 1957–1972, secured funding for rural library service authorized under the Library Services Act.[78] | |
David Horace Clift | 1972 | Executive Director, American Library Association, President, Connecticut Library Association, U.S. Army, Office of Strategic Services during World War II.[79] | |
Luther H. Evans | 1972 | Librarian of Congress and Director-General of UNESCO. | |
Charlemae Rollins | 1972 | Head librarian, children's department, Chicago Public Library, President, Association for Library Service to Children, winner of Coretta Scott King Award in 1971 for Black Troubadour: Langston Hughes | |
Frank Francis | 1971 | British Museum Director.[80] | |
Ralph R. Shaw | 1971 | Director, U.S. National Agricultural Library, Dean, Rutgers University Department of Library and Information Science, Founder, Scarecrow Press[81] | |
Elizabeth Homer Morton | 1970 | Founding director of the Canadian Library Association. Order of Canada, 1968.[82] | |
No Awards | 1968–1969 | ||
Verner Warren Clapp | 1967 | Library of Congress- many positions including Acting Librarian of Congress,[83] author,[84] founder of the United Nations Library,[85] President of the Council on Library Resources. | |
John E. Fogarty | 1966 | U.S. Congressman (D,RI).[86] | |
No Award | 1965 | ||
Joseph Lewis Wheeler | 1964 | Director, Enoch Pratt Free Library, author[87] Library War Service during World War I. | |
Edwin C. Austin | 1963 | Chicago Attorney, American Library Association Trustee | |
Keyes DeWitt Metcalf | 1963 | Director, Harvard Library,[88] President, American Library Association, author.[89] | |
John Miller Chancellor | 1962 | Committee on Library Extension, Adult Education Specialist, author- The Library in the TVA Adult Education Program;[90]Helping Adults to Learn.[91] | |
No Awards | 1957–1961 | ||
Lister Hill | 1956 | U.S. Senate (D, AL) | |
No Award | 1955 | ||
Charles Harvey Brown | 1954 | Director, Iowa State University Library, U.S. Navy, World War I, founder Association of College and Research Libraries[92] president, American Library Association. | |
Linda A. Eastman | 1954 | Head Librarian, Cleveland Public Library, president of the American Library Association. | |
Carleton B. Joeckel | 1954 | Director, Berkeley Public Library, Captain in World War I-Silver Star, President, California Library Association and Michigan Library Association, Professor, University of Chicago Graduate Library School, author.[93][94] | |
Carl Hastings Milam | 1954 | Executive Director, American Library Association, Library War Service in World War I, Director, United Nations Library.[97] | |
No Award | 1953 | ||
Harry Miller Lydenberg | 1952 | Director, New York Public Library, President, American Library Association, author.[98][99] | |
William Warner Bishop | 1951 | President, American Library Association, President, International Federation of Library Associations, advisor to the Vatican Library.[100] | |
Helen E. Haines | 1951 | Author of Living with Books,[101] editor,[102] lecturer.[103] | |
Robert MacDonald Lester | 1951 | Carnegie Foundation administrator.[104][105] | |
Louis Round Wilson | 1951 | Dean, University of Chicago Graduate Library School-golden age of library education-.[106] The Louis Round Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina named for him. President, American Library Association | |
No Award | 1950 | ||
David H. Stevens | 1949 | Professor, University of Chicago,[107] Director, Humanities Division of the Rockefeller Foundation, Advisor to Chicago Mayor's Commission | |
No Awards | 1946–1948 | ||
Frederic G. Melcher | 1945 | "The greatest all-round bookman in the English-speaking world,"[108] President, R.R. Bowker, Originator Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal for children's literature.[109][110] | |
Halsey William Wilson | 1945 | Publisher, founder of the H. W. Wilson Company, creator of the Readers' Guide, the Cumulative Book Index, and the Book Review Digest. | |
No Awards | 1943–1944 | ||
Theodore S. Chapman | 1942 | American Library Association Attorney | |
Frederick Paul Keppel | 1942 | President, Carnegie Corporation[111] | |
No Award | 1941 | ||
Frank Pierce Hill | 1940 | Director, Newark Public Library, Chief Librarian Brooklyn Public Library, President, American Library Association. | |
Herbert Putnam | 1940 | Librarian of Congress, Librarian, Boston Public Library, President, American Library Association.[112] | |
John H. Finley | 1939 | Professor of Polities at Princeton University, and Commissioner of Education of the State of New York | |
Ross A. Collins | 1938 | U.S. Congressman (D, MO). | |
No Awards | 1934–1937 | ||
Richard Rogers Bowker | 1933 | Editor, Publishers Weekly and Harper's Magazine, and founder, R. R. Bowker Company.[113] | |
William L. Clements | 1933 | "One of the great Americana collectors of his or any other generation.",[114] est. Bay City Public Library,[115] Benefactor to William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan.[116] | |
Wilberforce Eames | 1933 | "Dean of American bibliographers,"Chief of the American History Division at the New York Public Library.[117] | |
Charles Evans | 1933 | Founder of the American Library Association, Bibliographer-American Bibliography,[118][119][120] Director Indianapolis Public Library | |
Daniel Berkeley Updike | 1933 | Printer who was "one of the finest representatives of the Arts and Crafts movement in American book arts,"[121] historian of typography, founder Merrymount Press, author of Printing Types: Their History, Forms and Use.[122] | |
No Awards | 1931–1932 | ||
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge | 1930 | Benefactor, worked with Library of Congress to construct Coolidge Auditorium.[123] | |
Herbert Clark Hoover | 1929 | U.S. President, 1929–1933. | |
No Award | 1928 | ||
Charles Alexander Nelson | 1927 | Bibliographer, cataloger of the Astor Library[124][125] | |
No Awards | 1920–1926 | ||
Frank A. Vanderlip | 1919 | Library War Council Chairman, Founder, Federal Reserve System, Founder, first Montessori school in the United States,[126] | |
No Awards | 1900–1918 | ||
Andrew Carnegie | 1899 | Industrialist and philanthropist. Funded 1,681 public library buildings in 1,412 U.S. communities between 1889 and 1923.[127] | |
Bishop John H. Vincent | 1898 | Founder, Chautauqua Institution | |
No Awards | 1896–1897 | ||
Willard Fiske, Daniel Coit Gilman, Edwin H. Grant, S. Hastings Grant, Reuben Aldridge Guild, Edward Everett Hale, Ezekiel A. Harris, Charles W. Jencks, and Anson Judd Upson. | 1895 | At the 1895 conference "all survivors of the Librarians Convention of 1853" were elected to honorary membership.[128] | |
No Award | 1894 | ||
Henry Barnard | 1893 | U.S. Commissioner of Education.[129] | |
No Awards | 1880–1892 | ||
Frederick O. Prince | 1879 | Mayor of Boston, Trustee and President, Boston Public Library advocated and oversaw construction of the library's McKim Building in Copley Square. | |
Charles William Eliot | 1879 | President, Harvard University[130] |
References