The Virginia Library Association (VLA) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is "to develop, promote, and improve library and information services, library staff, and the profession of librarianship in order to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to information in the Commonwealth of Virginia ." The VLA is divided into six regions. It maintains the VLA Jobline, a list of jobs available in libraries throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
7-468: The VLA was founded in 1905 when John Pendleton Kennedy , who served as Virginia State Librarian from 1903 to 1907, organized a meeting in Richmond to discuss forming a statewide library association. The state library was selected as the home of the new organization. VLA membership is open to any person, organization, or library. Honorary Life Memberships may be bestowed upon nominated individuals selected by
14-636: A civil engineer in Wheeling, West Virginia. From 1898 to 1903 he was employed at the Library of Congress . In 1903, he was called to Richmond, Virginia to lead the State Library of Virginia . At the State Library, he introduced the concept of a " traveling library " and established a Department for history and archives. Kennedy was responsible for publishing a number of volumes of historical manuscripts that illuminate
21-559: A strong advocate in support of adequate funding for libraries, convincing the Virginia General Assembly to appropriate $ 50,000 for public libraries in the first such law to establish state aid in 1942. In the 1950s and 60s, the VLA took a stand to combat censorship and support intellectual freedom . In the 1970s, the VLA encouraged its members to become involved in letter writing campaigns to legislators and began participating in
28-637: The Virginia Tech Digital Library and Archives Electronic Journals website. The VLA Newsletter was published from 1987 through 2010. Archived copies from February 1995 through 2010 are located on the Virginia Library Association website. The VLA sponsors an Annual Conference and a Paraprofessional Annual Conference. The VLA sponsors several awards, to include the following: John Pendleton Kennedy (librarian) John Pendleton Kennedy (May 17, 1871 - February 23, 1944)
35-742: The Awards and Recognition Committee, approved by the Executive Committee, and affirmed by VLA members on the annual ballot. The Council of the Virginia Library Association is the governing body of the organization. A quorum consists of one half of the voting members of the Council plus one. The elected officers of the VLA comprise the Executive Committee. Those positions include: President, Vice President/President-elect, Second Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Executive Committee designates an Executive Director. The VLA has been
42-472: The annual Library Legislative Day, when members travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate concerns to congressmen and senators. Virginia Libraries was launched in April 1928 and initially served as the unofficial vehicle of the Virginia Library Association. It is now recognized as the official publication of the association and continues to be published quarterly. Archived copies from 1996 to the present are located on
49-762: Was the first State Librarian for the Commonwealth of Virginia . He also served as the first President of the Virginia Library Association , which was organized in the first State Library building in Capitol Square on December 6, 1905. Kennedy graduated from the German Lutheran school in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1888. After graduation, he spent five years in the Corps of Engineers and in 1895 he went to work as
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