American Libraries for America's Librarians

White illustration of the statue of liberty with white stars and red and white stripes on a blue background with white text

The American Library Association (ALA), which started back in 1876, is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Its focus has always been on strengthening library services and standing up for librarians as essential to democracy and education. Over time, the ALA has tried different ways to get that message across, including handing out promotional items like pinback buttons. One example is a button tied to the ALA and its magazine American Libraries that read, “American Libraries for America’s Librarians.” The design combined the Statue of Liberty—representing knowledge, freedom, and democracy—with a red and white wave that echoed the U.S. flag, paired with bold, simple lettering for accessibility. These kinds of buttons were often given out at conferences, campaigns, or membership drives, especially during the 1970s and 1980s, when the ALA and American Libraries were trying to reach wider audiences. They worked as both a symbol of pride for librarians and as a tool to advocate for the profession, supporting the larger goal of showing how vital public, school, academic, and special libraries are.