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Alexander Allain
Alexander Peter Allain (June 27, 1920 – January 5, 1994) was an American lawyer and library advocate known for his work securing the freedom of expression. His career was devoted to securing First Amendment rights for libraries.
Allain is recognized as one of American Libraries' “100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century” for being “a true visionary” in his battle to uphold the First Amendment; his work with the American Library Association (ALA) included helping with the creation of the Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1967 and cofounding the Freedom to Read Foundation.
Born in Louisiana, as a young man, Allain served as a liaison officer in the French Navy during World War II, stationed in Casablanca. After serving time in the navy, he received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 1942. In 1953, Allain was appointed to the St.Mary Parish Library Board of Control in Louisiana. It was during this time that the United States feared communism and scrutinized libraries for harboring any information that could potentially influence the public opinion. This was an influential time in Allain’s life as he went on to make intellectual freedom cases his life’s work.
Allain was very involved in the Louisiana Library Association (LLA) as well as the American Library Association.. In 1964, he was the first chair of the Louisiana Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, and he continued to stay active in the state association throughout his life. He was instrumental in the formation of the Council of Louisiana Trustees (COLT), which worked to organize library trustee activity in Louisiana. He also served in numerous other capacities such as chair and vice-chair of the LLA Trustees Section.
In 1970 Allain testified at Congressional Hearings on behalf of libraries for an extension of the Library Services and Construction Act.
The Louisiana Library Association annually recognizes librarians who promote intellectual freedom in Louisiana with the Alex Allain Intellectual Freedom Award.
One of Allain’s biggest contributions to fight for intellectual freedom within libraries was the work he did with American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom to co-found the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) in 1969.
The Freedom to Read Foundation was set up in conjunction with the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom instead of as a separate entity because of the work ALA was already doing to protect the First Amendment and intellectual freedom. When the Foundation was being planned for and organized, Allain expressed concern in a letter to the Director of the Intellectual Freedom Office, Judith Krug, that ALA members would forget what the ALA has done and continues to do for intellectual freedom by covering themselves in this new umbrella of aid and assistance in the Freedom to Read Foundation . Allain felt that there should be overlap of both organizations so that the focus remained centered on intellectual freedom and could be worked on in harmony.
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Alexander Allain
Alexander Peter Allain (June 27, 1920 – January 5, 1994) was an American lawyer and library advocate known for his work securing the freedom of expression. His career was devoted to securing First Amendment rights for libraries.
Allain is recognized as one of American Libraries' “100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century” for being “a true visionary” in his battle to uphold the First Amendment; his work with the American Library Association (ALA) included helping with the creation of the Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1967 and cofounding the Freedom to Read Foundation.
Born in Louisiana, as a young man, Allain served as a liaison officer in the French Navy during World War II, stationed in Casablanca. After serving time in the navy, he received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 1942. In 1953, Allain was appointed to the St.Mary Parish Library Board of Control in Louisiana. It was during this time that the United States feared communism and scrutinized libraries for harboring any information that could potentially influence the public opinion. This was an influential time in Allain’s life as he went on to make intellectual freedom cases his life’s work.
Allain was very involved in the Louisiana Library Association (LLA) as well as the American Library Association.. In 1964, he was the first chair of the Louisiana Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, and he continued to stay active in the state association throughout his life. He was instrumental in the formation of the Council of Louisiana Trustees (COLT), which worked to organize library trustee activity in Louisiana. He also served in numerous other capacities such as chair and vice-chair of the LLA Trustees Section.
In 1970 Allain testified at Congressional Hearings on behalf of libraries for an extension of the Library Services and Construction Act.
The Louisiana Library Association annually recognizes librarians who promote intellectual freedom in Louisiana with the Alex Allain Intellectual Freedom Award.
One of Allain’s biggest contributions to fight for intellectual freedom within libraries was the work he did with American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom to co-found the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) in 1969.
The Freedom to Read Foundation was set up in conjunction with the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom instead of as a separate entity because of the work ALA was already doing to protect the First Amendment and intellectual freedom. When the Foundation was being planned for and organized, Allain expressed concern in a letter to the Director of the Intellectual Freedom Office, Judith Krug, that ALA members would forget what the ALA has done and continues to do for intellectual freedom by covering themselves in this new umbrella of aid and assistance in the Freedom to Read Foundation . Allain felt that there should be overlap of both organizations so that the focus remained centered on intellectual freedom and could be worked on in harmony.