About the Archives
Established in 1973, the American Library Association Archives at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a program of the University Archives, is the official repository for ALA and maintains the records of ALA units, including the Rainbow Round Table. The Archives consists of official records, members’ papers, correspondence, publications, photographs, audiovisual recordings, oral histories, and scrapbooks.
Part of the Archives digital collection is the American Library Association Institutional Repository (ALAIR). ALAIR an open access repository, committed to collecting, permanently storing, and providing digital access to the publications and intellectual work of ALA. The Rainbow Round Table community in ALAIR is available here.
The ALA Archives is open to ALA staff and members, UIUC affiliates, and the general public. For inquiries, donations, or to schedule a visit or class, please contact the Archives at ala-archives@library.illinois.edu or (217) 333-7841.
Civil rights button from the ALA Archives.
Resource Links
- American Library Association ArchivesThe American Library Association Archives at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the official repository of the American Library Association. Founded in 1973, the Archives operates under the University of Illinois Archives.
- Rainbow Round Table ArchivesFinding aids for the archives of the Rainbow Round Table (1970-current), including links to publicly available digitized materials.
- Rainbow Round Table WebsiteThe Rainbow Round Table (RRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) was founded in 1970 as ALA's Task Force on Gay Liberation. It is the nation's first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender professional organization.
- Out of the Closet & Onto the Shelves: Librarians and the Oldest Gay Professional Organization in the U.S.A brief history of the Task Force on Gay Liberation by Sara Brewer (2018)