Past Annual Conferences, 1876-Present
Annual Conferences of the Association are an Association-wide activity pertinent to all members regardless of divisional affiliation. The ALA Annual Conferences shall be devoted primarily to providing a range of program activities for its membership and to conduct the business of the Association.
(ALA Policy Manual, 7.4.9)
2000s | 1990s | 1980s | 1970s | 1960s | 1950s | 1940s | 1930s | 1920s | 1910s | 1900s | 1890s | 1880s | 1876-1879
ALA Annual Conferences, 2021-2029
| Year | Dates | Location | Conference Participants* |
| 2023 | June 22-27 | Chicago, IL | 15,851 |
| 2022 | June 23-28 | Washington, DC | 14,003 |
| 2021 | June 23-29 | Virtual | 9,448 |
* Conference participant totals include onsite and virtual attendees, plus exhibitors.
ALA Virtual - Community Through Connection, 2020
| Year | Dates | Location | Conference Participants* |
| 2020 | June 24-26 | Virtual | 8,000 |
* Conference participants totals include attendees and exhibitors.
Annual Conferences, 2010-2019
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Participants* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | June 20-25 | Washington, DC | 21,460 |
| 2018 | June 21-26 | New Orleans |
17,599 |
|
2017 |
June 22-27 | Chicago | 23,485 |
|
2016 |
June 23-28 | Orlando |
16,597 |
| 2015 | June 25-30 | San Francisco |
22,696 |
| 2014 | June 26 - July 1 | Las Vegas |
18,626 |
| 2013 | June 27 - July 2 | Chicago |
26,362 |
|
2012 |
June 21-26 | Anaheim | 17,642 |
|
2011 |
June 23-28 | New Orleans | 20,186 |
| 2010 | June 24-29 | Washington, DC | 26,201 |
* Conference participants totals include attendees and exhibitors.
Annual Conferences, 2000-2009
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | July 9-15 | Chicago | 22,762 |
| 2008 | June 26 - July 2 | Anaheim | 22,047 |
| 2007 | June 21-27 | Washington, DC | 28,499 |
| 2006 | June 22-28 | New Orleans | 16,964 |
| 2005 | June 23-29 | Chicago | 27,962 |
| 2004 | June 24-30 | Orlando | 19,546 |
| 2003 | June 19-25 | Toronto (ALA-CLA joint) | 17,570 |
| 2002 | June 13-19 | Atlanta | 21,130 |
| 2001 | June 14-20 | San Francisco | 26,820 |
| 2000 | July 6-12 | Chicago | 24,913 |
Annual Conferences, 1990-1999
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | June 24-30 | New Orleans | 22,598 |
| 1998 | June 25 - July 1 | Washington, DC | 24,844 |
| 1997 | June 26 - July 2 | San Francisco | 19,339 |
| 1996 | July 4-10 | New York | 18,027 |
| 1995 | June 23-28 | Chicago | 19,146 |
| 1994 | June 23-30 | Miami Beach | 12,627 |
| 1993 | June 24 - July 1 | New Orleans | 17,165 |
| 1992 | June 25 - July 2 | San Francisco | 19,261 |
| 1991 | June 29 - July 4 | Atlanta | 17,764 |
| 1990 | June 23-28 | Chicago | 19,982 |
Annual Conferences, 1980-1989
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | June 24-29 | Dallas | 17,592 |
| 1988 | July 9-14 | New Orleans | 16,530 |
| 1987 | June 27 - July 2 | San Francisco | 17,844 |
| 1986 | June 29 - July 3 | New York | 16,530 |
| 1985 | July 6-11 | Chicago | 14,160 |
| 1984 | June 23-28 | Dallas | 11,443 |
| 1983 | June 25-30 | Los Angeles | 11,005 |
| 1982 | July 10-15 | Philadelphia | 12,819 |
| 1981 | June 26 - July 2 | San Francisco | 12,555 |
| 1980 | June 28 - July 4 | New York | 14,566 |
Annual Conferences, 1970-1979
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | June 23-29 | Dallas | 10,650 |
| 1978 | June 24-30 | Chicago | 11,768 |
| 1977 | June 17-23 | Detroit | 9,667 |
| 1976 | July 18-24 | Chicago (centennial) | 12,015 |
| 1975 | June 29 - July 5 | San Francisco | 11,606 |
| 1974 | June 7-13 | New York | 14,382 |
| 1973 | June 24-30 | Las Vegas | 8,539 |
| 1972 | June 25 - July 1 | Chicago | 9,700 |
| 1971 | June 20-26 | Dallas | 8,087 |
| 1970 | June 28 - July 4 | Detroit | 8,965 |
Annual Conferences, 1960-1969
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | June 22-28 | Atlantic City | 10,399 |
| 1968 | June 23-29 | Kansas City, MO | 6,849 |
| 1967 | June 25 - July 1 | San Francisco | 8,116 |
| 1966 | July 10-16 | New York | 9,342 |
| 1965 | July 4-10 | Detroit | 5,818 |
| 1964 | June 28 - July 4 | St. Louis | 4,623 |
| 1963 | June 14-20 | Chicago | 5,753 |
| 1962 | June 17-23 | Miami Beach, FL | 3,527 |
| 1961 | July 9-15 | Cleveland | 4,757 |
| 1960 | June 19-24 | Montreal (ALA-CLA joint) | 4,648 |
Annual Conferences, 1950-1959
|
Year |
Date |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | June 21-26 | Washington, DC | 5,346 |
| 1958 | July 13-19 | San Francisco | 4,400 |
| 1957 | June 23-29 | Kansas City, MO | 2,953 |
| 1956 | June 17-23 | Miami Beach, FL | 2,866 |
| 1955 | July 3-9 | Philadelphia | 4,412 |
| 1954 | June 20-26 | Minneapolis | 3,230 |
| 1953 | June 21-27 | Los Angeles | 3,258 |
| 1952 | June 29 - July 5 | New York | 5,212 |
| 1951 | July 8-14 | Chicago | 3,612 |
| 1950 | July 16-22 | Cleveland | 3,436 |
Annual Conferences, 1940-1949
|
Year |
Date |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Regional Conferences * | ||
| 1948 | June 13-19 | Atlantic City | 3,752 |
| 1947 | June 29 - July 5 | San Francisco | 2,534 |
| 1946 | June 16-22 | Buffalo | 2,327 |
| 1945 | No Meeting | ||
| 1944 | No Meeting | ||
| 1943 | No Meeting | ||
| 1942 | June 22-27 | Milwaukee | 2,342 |
| 1941 | June 19-25 | Boston | 4,266 |
| 1940 | May 26 - June 1 | Cincinnati | 3,056 |
*As an experiment, ALA decided to have Regional Conferences in place of the single Annual Conference.
Annual Conferences, 1930-1939
|
Year |
Date |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | June 18-24 | San Francisco | 2,869 |
| 1938 | June 13-18 | Kansas City, MO | 1,900 |
| 1937 | June 21-26 | New York | 5,312 |
| 1936 | May 11-16 | Richmond, VA | 2,834 |
| 1935 | June 25-30 | Denver | 1,503 |
| 1935 | May 20-30 | Madrid, Spain (international) * | 42 ** |
| 1934 | June 25-30 | Montreal, Canada | 1,904 |
| 1933 | October 16-21 | Chicago | 2,986 |
| 1932 | April 25-30 | New Orleans | 1,306 |
| 1931 | June 22-27 | New Haven, CT | 3,241 |
| 1930 | June 23-28 | Los Angeles | 2,023 |
*The Second International Congress of Libraries and Bibliography
**American attendance
Annual Conferences, 1920-1929
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | June 15-30 | Rome and Venice (international) * | 70 *** |
| 1929 | May 13-18 | Washington, DC | 2,743 |
| 1928 | May 28 - June 2 | West Baden, IN | 1,204 |
| 1927 | September 26 - October 1 | Edinburgh (international - British Library Association Jubilee) ** |
82 *** |
| 1927 | June 20-27 | Toronto, Canada | 1,964 |
| 1926 | October 4-9 | Atlantic City, Philadelphia | 2,224 |
| 1925 | July 6-11 | Seattle | 1,066 |
| 1924 | June 30 - July 5 | Saratoga Springs, NY | 1,188 |
| 1923 | April 23-28 | Hot Springs, AR | 693 |
| 1922 | June 26 - July 1 | Detroit | 1,839 |
| 1921 | June 20-25 | Swampscott, MA | 1,899 |
| 1920 | June 2-7 | Colorado Springs | 553 |
*The world Library and Bibiliographical Congress. It is at this meeting that the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) was created.
**The 50th anniversary of the founding of the British Library Association
***American attendance
Annual Conferences, 1910-1919
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | June 23-27 | Asbury Park, NJ | 1,168 |
| 1918 | July 1-6 | Saratoga Springs | 620 |
| 1917 | June 21-27 | Louisville | 824 |
| 1916 | June 26 - July 1 | Asbury Park, NJ | 1,386 |
| 1915 | June 3-9 | Berkeley, CA | 779 |
| 1914 | May 25-29 | Washington, DC | 1,366 |
| 1913 | June 23-38 | Katterskill, NY | 892 |
| 1912 | June 26 - July 2 | Ottawa, Canada | 704 |
| 1911 | May 18-24 | Pasadena, CA | 582 |
| 1910 | June 20 - July 6 | Mackinac Island, MI | 533 |
| 1910 | August 25-31 | Brussels (international) * | 46 ** |
*This was actually two conferences: the first was for those interested in bibiliography and documentation, the second was for librarians and archivists.
**American attendance
Annual Conferences, 1900-1909
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Conference Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | June 28- July 3 | Bretton Woods, NH | 620 |
| 1908 | June 22-27 | Lake Minnetonka, MN | 658 |
| 1907 | May 23-29 | Asheville, NC | 478 |
| 1906 | June 29 - July 6 | Narragansett Pier, RI | 891 |
| 1905 | June 4-7 | Portland, OR | 359 |
| 1904 | October 17-22 | St. Louis | 577 |
| 1903 | June 22-27 | Niagara Falls, NY | 684 |
| 1902 | June 14-20 | Boston and Magnolia, MA | 1,018 |
| 1901 | June 3-10 | Waukesha | 460 |
| 1900 | June 6-12 | Montreal | 452 |
Annual Conferences, 1890-1899
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 | May 9-13 | Atlanta | 215 |
| 1898 | July 5-9 | Lakewood-on-Chatauqua | 494 |
| 1897 | July 3-16 | London (International) * | 94 ** |
| 1897 | June 21-25 | Philadelphia | 315 |
| 1896 | September 1-8 | Cleveland | 363 |
| 1895 | August 13-21 | Denver and Colorado Springs | 147 |
| 1894 | September 17-22 | Lake Placid, NY | 205 |
| 1893 | July 13-22 | Chicago | 311 |
| 1892 | May 16-21 | Lakewood, Baltimore, Washington DC | 260 |
| 1891 | October 12-16 | San Francisco | 83 |
| 1890 | September 9-13 | Fabyans (White Mountains) | 242 |
*This was the second International Conference of Librarians. Again, this was not sponsored by ALA, but was greatly influenced by ideas from America.
**American attendance
Annual Conferences, 1880-1889
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1889 | May 8-11 | St. Louis | 106 |
| 1888 | September 25-28 | Catskill Mountains, NY | 32 |
| 1887 | August 30 - September 2 | Thousand Islands, NY | 186 |
| 1886 | July 7-10 | Milwaukee | 133 |
| 1885 | September 8-11 | Lake George, NY | 87 |
| 1884 | no meeting | ||
| 1883 | August 14-17 | Buffalo | 72 |
| 1882 | May 24-27 | Cincinnati | 47 |
| 1881 | February 9-12 | Washington, DC | 70 |
| 1880 | no meeting |
Annual Conferences, 1876-1879
|
Year |
Dates |
Location |
Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 | June 30 - July 2 | Boston | 162 |
| 1878 | no meeting | ||
| 1877 | October 2-5 | London (international) * | 21 ** |
| 1877 | September 4-6 | New York | 66 |
| 1876 | October 4-6 | Philadelphia | 103 |
The 1878 meeting was eliminated by the Executive Board in favor of a meeting in Boston in 1879 to which foreign librarians would be specifically invited.
*This was the International Conference of Librarians. It was not sponsored by the ALA, but "the idea of holding a Conference of Librarians originated in America...." (Holley, Edward G. Raking the Historic Coals; The A.L.A. Scrapbook of 1876. [Pittsburgh]: Beta Phi Mu, 1967.)
