The Congregational Library Association - National Capital & SuburbanArea

Founded in 1960 - Affiliate of The Church and Synagogue Library Association

Remarks by  Church & Synagogue Library Association President Marjorie Smink at the April 30, 2001 Membership Luncheon for The Congregational Library Association.

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

 

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the members of the Church and Synagogue Library Association, I bring to you, members of the Congregational Library Association formerly the Church Library Council, congratulations on the occasion of your 50^th anniversary.  (In many your organization is the parent of CSLA which is only 44 years old.)  You have a rich history which starts with being one of the first groups in the United States to come together and establish an organized interdenominational group of church librarians.  At that time your group was called the Church Library Council, and it is heartwarming to note that your name has changed along with the scope of the organization to Congregational Library Association.  The original purpose of your group was communication – sharing of ideas for church library development and maintenance – a purpose which remains today.  The best way for teaching these skills has been and remains holding workshops led by a person who has developed expertise in a certain area of congregational librarianship. Nowadays in our technological age these workshops may be either actual or virtual.

 

From the beginning, your own Ruth Smith has been most instrumental in the success of your organization.  In the 1950s she created an outstanding library at Bethesda United Methodist Church.  Then she and her co-workers decided that they should share their knowledge by helping others learn how a well run church library could serve their respective faith communities.  Ruth’s library had lots of visitors.  In 1959 in order to provide more communication among church librarians in the Washington, D.C. area she began holding meetings of representatives of these libraries.  These meetings became more formalized and by 1961, governing documents, a Constitution and Bylaws, were written and accepted.  Ruth Smith became the first elected president and the first church library workshop day was held.  At least four chapters in the D.C. area were established and by 1967 the interdenominational, interracial membership included representatives from 65 churches.  Also non-denominational support materials for congregational librarians were produced.

 

The Church Library Council helped lay the foundation for the formation of a national Church and Synagogue Library Association in 1967 and Ruth Smith became its first president, a tribute to her vision and leadership.  The Church Library Council became an affiliate of CSLA and has kept that status over the years.  Thank you to CLA for serving as a model for the congregational library movement in the United States.