The Politics of an Emerging Profession: The American Library Association, 1876-1917

Wiegand examines the development of ALA from 1876 to 1917 in this masterful tale. He looks at the issues that existed during those years, the conflicts, and the changing characteristics of ALA's Executive Board, and succeeds in giving us a particularly revealing picture of the nature of the profession. He analyzes the three elements of Dewey's motto, 'The best reading for the largest number at the least cost,' and how they characterized ALA's development as the leaders sought to accomplish those goals. Wiegand makes his points carefully in this story of a 'struggle to accommodate shifting pressures and power groups within the world of librarianship. This is a perceptive, reliable recounting of our early history, and will stimulate a great deal of discussion. Wiegand's book deserves a wide audience. Wilson Library Bulletin