The Storied Past of American Libraries [Madeleine Schirber, U of Pennsylvania]

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The Storied Past of American Libraries

Schirber writes about the “Kenneth E. Carpenter collection of library related materials. Carpenter, a librarian originally from Pennsylvania and an alumnus of Philadelphia’s Girard College, spent nearly 40 years working in the Harvard Libraries, eventually serving as the Assistant Director for Research Resources. Passionate about his craft, Carpenter gathered a lovely collection of materials relating to libraries primarily from the 19th and 20th centuries.”

Call for Submissions: Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award

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The Library History Round Table (LHRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) invites submissions for the Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award, named in honor of ALA’s first president, the distinguished nineteenth-century librarian, historian, and bibliographer. This award is given annually and recognizes the best essay written in English on library history. The winner will receive a certificate, a $500 cash award, and an invitation to have their essay considered for publication in Libraries: Culture, History, and Society.

Criteria

Manuscripts submitted should not be previously published, previously submitted for publication, or under consideration for publication or another award. To be considered, essays should

  • embody original historical research on a significant topic in library history
  • be based on primary sources whenever possible
  • use good English composition and superior style.

The Library History Round Table is particularly interested in works that place the subject within its broader historical, social, cultural, and political context and make interdisciplinary connections.

Applicants are encouraged to follow the submission guidelines for Libraries: Culture, History, and Society when formatting their manuscripts. Submissions should conform to the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, using the author-date system, and should not exceed thirty typewritten, double-spaced pages.

Submissions and Selection

Applicants must submit their manuscripts electronically. Applications must be received by Thursday April 30th. The application deadline is firm; submissions received after the deadline will not be forwarded to the committee.

Please upload your manuscripts electronically via the web form: LHRT Justin Winsor Award Submission Form.

Interested applicants can direct inquiries to Rachel Trnka, Justin Winsor Award Committee Chair, rachel.trnka@ucf.edu; please include “LHRT Winsor Award” in the subject line.

Reminder: ALA Library History Round Table (LHRT) Reads Event: Organizing Women: Home, Work, and the Institutional Infrastructure of Print in Twentieth Century America – April 28, 2026

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Greetings!

This is a reminder to join us online for the ALA Library History Roundtable’s (LHRT) media discussion group, LHRT Reads on Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, at 7pm Eastern Time. We will be discussing Organizing Women: Home, Work, and the Institutional Infrastructure of Print in Twentieth Century America by Christine Pawley.

Advanced registration is required. To register, please visit:  https://ala-events.zoom.us/meeting/register/SI_k_Gh9SAiZAVtvn37b2Q

Note: This event will not be recorded.

If you would like to participate but cannot access the book from a local library or afford to allocate resources towards its purchase, please email the co-organizers, Amanda Belantara and Michele Fenton. We look forward to seeing you there!

Amanda Belantara & Michele Fenton

ALA Library History Round Table (LHRT) Read

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Michele Fenton
Librarian I/Cataloger
Indiana State Library
Indianapolis, IN
mfenton@library.in.gov
(317) 234-4937
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CFP: Humanities Methods in Librarianship

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The scope of this new journal includes “Disciplinary investigations of topics significant to librarianship. Examples might include: cultural studies interpretations of library policies or debates; philosophical analyses of librarianship; or art history perspectives on library imagery or architecture”

https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/call-for-papers/section/76a3b2c7-abef-4218-b125-13489b350d0d

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