The Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) is the Massachusetts, United States professional library association that "advocates for libraries, librarians, and library staff, defends intellectual freedom, and provides a forum for leadership, communication, professional development, and networking to keep libraries vital." MLA publishes standards for library services to Massachusetts children and young adults. MLA sponsors an annual conference, as well as continuing education programs and organizational reports of interest. The current President of MLA is Esme Green, Director of the Goodnow Library in Sudbury.[1]
MLA was founded in 1890 as the "Massachusetts Library Club".[2] The gavel that has been passed down from president to president is said to be made from the wood of the USS Constitution.[3][4] The MLA had a committee called The Art Club that created sets of photographs for travelling art exhibits that would rotate through Massachusetts member and associate libraries as early as 1900.[5]
In 1962 MLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee gave testimony before the Massachusetts Obscene Literature Control Commission opposing the suppression of Henry Miller's book Tropic of Cancer supporting Massachusetts residents' freedom to read.[6][7]
MLA has acted as both a publisher of authors such as Robert Frost as well as an author on many state standards for library services to different populations.
The gavel and block of wood were presented to the Massachusetts Library Club in 1929. The wood is from the USS Constitution.
Other locations that have a USS Constitution gavel include: the Governor's office of Massachusetts, the Maine Maritime Museum, Bath Maine, the Daytona Beach, Florida American Legion, the Rochester, New Hampshire chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the president of the Massachusetts Library Association, the Osterville Men's Club of Osterville Massachusetts and the Masonic Lodge of Kinston, North Carolina.
