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When it comes to supporting people’s love of libraries, the American Library Association (ALA) has been instrumental in fulfilling that goal since 1876. Today, an initiative; Ilovelibraries, is an online component to expand that support. Each year they sponsor various awards, such as the I love my librarian, Library Champions and Youth Media Awards (YMA) to those who exemplify love my library through public service throughout our national libraries. 

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Neighborhood Information Center Helps Everyone (NICHE) was a community oriented initiative that was run by Montclair (New Jersey) Public Library from 1974-1977. The program was funded by a nearly $100,000 federal grant, the goal of which was to provide information to the underserved and minority community members as a catalyst for social change. The kiosk was located in a store front and contained books, magazines, and pamphlets on crisis topics such as alcoholism, planned parenthood, food stamps, legal aide, mental health, and more. By 1979, the outcomes and techniques of the program were fully incorporated into the normal operations of Montclair Public Library.

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In 1993, the American Library Association, American Women in Radio and Television, and Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. joined forces to launch a campaign against sexual harassment in the workplace. It began when several men and women at ABC were troubled by the lack of resources available to the public on the topic of sexual harassment so they produced a 30-second PSA. The announcement explored what sexual harassment is and directed viewers to their local public library to read the “Stop Sexual Harassment” resource booklet.

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The National Library of Canada was established by Parliament in 1953. The mandate of the Library was to preserve, promote and provide access to the published heritage of Canada. The Library worked to facilitate access to their collection of Canadiana as well as to assist other libraries with identifying Canadian material through the creation of a national bibliographic database. In 2004, the National Library of Canada merged with the National Archives of Canada to become Library and Archives Canada.

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The Black Caucus of the American Library Association works to promote and improve library services in African American communities and provides leadership and recruitment for the professional development of African American librarians. In 1969, E.J. Josey was appointed to the ALA Nominating Committee. In 1971, it was decided that the ALA was not serving the needs of black librarians and library professionals; a Black Caucus was formed to address these issues. Josey was elected chairman of the Caucus; the first two goals of the Caucus was to submit a formal statement of concern to the ALA and a resolution to the ALA that would censure libraries that provided services to private segregated schools that were formed to avoid integration.

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In April, 2009, members of New York City’s three library unions, Queens Library Guild Local 1321, Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482, and New York Public Library Guild Local 1930 held a rally at City Hall Park to protest the withholding of raises from the City’s budget simply because of an oversight by the City Counsel for not passing a budget modification for a budget that had already been approved. Local union presidents joined the DC37 Political Action Department on the steps of City Hall where they handed out buttons to City Council members as they arrived for work.

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“Justice You Can Bank On” is the slogan of the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE), which was founded in 1979. NCPE is a coalition of women’s and civil rights organizations; labor unions; religious, professional, legal, and educational associations, commissions on women, state and local pay equity coalitions and individuals working to eliminate sex- and race-based wage discrimination and to achieve pay equity. Their purpose is to close the wage gap that still exists between women, as well as people of color, and men. Pay equity – evaluating and compensating jobs based on their skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions, and not on the people who hold the jobs – is a solution to eliminating wage discrimination and closing the wage gap. Among NCPE's many member organizations is the American Library Association.

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Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis won the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1988. Dukakis, the son of Greek immigrants, was the first Greek-American to be nominated for president. He was defeated by incumbent Vice-President George Herbert Walker Bush in the general election. After his governorship ended in 1991, Dukakis remained active in the Democratic party, contributing to the success of Deval Patrick's gubernatorial and Elizabeth Warren's senatorial campaigns. 

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The Banned Books Week Coalition is a group of diverse organizations, including the American Society of Journalists and Authors, that work together to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the right to read. In September, the Coalition tries to engage various communities and encourage them to read banned books through advocacy and education. In 1981, the ASJA staged a "read-in" on the steps of the New York Public Library to protest censorship of books. The following year, the ASJA joined with the American Library Association (ALA) to found Banned Book Week, which is usually held in September. Every September, members of the ASJA wear their "I Read Banned Books" buttons to show their support of the First Amendment. 

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Brodart has been selling library supplies since 1939. The company was established when founder Arthur Brody invented the plastic book jacket by washing the emulsion off some film and then wrapping the film around a book for extra protection. In the 1950s, the company expanded into book distribution as well as the manufacturing of furniture for libraries.