Monmouth Librarians Association

The collection was donated by Elsalyn Palmisano and Frederic Pachman, Co-Archivists for the Monmouth Librarians Association, on September 21, 2011, and was assigned Accession #2011-05. A few items were added in 2012. A gavel and official stationary were donated in 2016.

The Monmouth Librarians Association (MLA) began in 1960. The first president was Marjorie Layton from the Long Branch Public Library, who served until 1963. Over the years, there have been thirty-nine different presidents from libraries all over the county.  The MLA’s main purpose is to promote cooperation between the member libraries and between local libraries and the County Library, school libraries and civic groups. The MLA’s other purposes include: supporting continuing education activities which will benefit members; fostering public awareness of libraries and their services; and working in conjunction with other organizations in support of intellectual freedom.

The Executive Board makes the executive decisions. This board includes eight individuals who have been elected, as well as the immediate past-president.  In the first few years of existence, the MLA sought to strengthen ties among all local libraries in the county in order to give better service to patrons, and to stimulate the cooperation between local libraries and the county and public school libraries.

The Association holds annual luncheons which all members may attend.  At the luncheon, there is time to discuss upcoming events and for a guest speaker.  These speakers are usually librarians from around the state or authors.  The association has also held many programs for those who were interested in learning about certain subjects. Programs have included discussions of books, tours, and lectures, as well as workshops to improve communication and library skills.

There are no restrictions on use of this collection.