MINNESOTA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION:

An Inventory of Its Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

OVERVIEW


	Creator:	Minnesota Library Association, creator.
	Title:	Minnesota Library Association records.
	Dates:	1891-2012.
	Language:	Materials in English.
	Abstract:	Board, division, section, round table, committee, conference, and other records of the Minnesota Library Association, a statewide association of library professionals.
	Quantity:	26.10 cubic feet (26 boxes and 1 partial box).
	Location:	See Detailed Description section for shelf locations.

The Minnesota Library Association (MLA) was organized on December 29, 1891 at the Minnesota Historical Society. William Watts Folwell was appointed its first president. The other first officers of MLA included Helen J. McCaine as vice president and J. Fletcher Williams as secretary.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection includes correspondence; minutes; financial records; division, section, round table, and committee records; annual conference and other meeting materials; newsletters; manuals; directories; subject files; scrapbooks; photographs; and other materials documenting the activities of this statewide association of library professionals.

Among the topics documented are the training and certification of librarians, regional and national library associations, librarians' salaries, development of library services to the public, the establishment of a library school at the University of Minnesota (1921), library-related legislation, National Library Week in Minnesota celebrations, the Tri State Regional Library Conference (1963), and censorship and other freedom of information-related issues.

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ARRANGEMENT

These documents are organized into the following sections:


		Background documents
		Executive Board
		Financial records
		Membership
		Conferences and meetings
		Sections, divisions, and round tables
		Committees
		National Library Week
		Subject files
		Miscellaneous files
		Photographs

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota Library Association Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 1876; 5551; 9058; 11,757; 11,849; 12,010; 12,158; 12,236; 12,362; 12,541; 12,556; 12,749; 13,474; 13,855; 15,033; 15,151; 15,296; 15,305; 15,387; 15,502; 15,609; 15,630; 15,844; 16,938; 17,848

Processing Information:

Includes material formerly cataloged as BI7/.M665.

Processed by: Lara D. Friedman-Shedlov, August 1999; additions by David B. Peterson, November 2014; and additions by Leif Kopietz, September 2021

Catalog ID number: 990017325680104294

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

Location

Box

144.F.4.8F

Articles of incorporation, constitutions, and bylaws, undated, 1898, 1925-1973, 1975-1981. 3 folders.

Manuals, 1951, 1954, 1965, 1967, 1975, 1989. 3 folders.

Miscellaneous publications, undated, 1954, 1974-1983, 2006.

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EXECUTIVE BOARD FILES

See also the miscellaneous chronological files, which contain additional minutes, correspondence, memoranda, and other board records.

Location

Box

144.F.4.8F

Meeting minutes, 1940-1984. 24 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.3.4F

Meeting minutes, 1985-1996. 19 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.6F

Meeting minutes, 1996-2009. 6 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.7B

Meeting minutes, 2009-2012. 2 folders.

Correspondence, 1942-1976. 24 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.8F

Correspondence, 1957-1985. 5 folders.

Executive director's correspondence, memoranda, and related papers, 1973-1984.

American Library Association councilor, 1970-1974.

Secretary's file, 1960.

Administrative Secretary, 1972-1973.

Miscellaneous reports, 1976.

President's memoranda, 1974-1975.

Miscellaneous board records, 1974-1977. 4 folders.

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FINANCIAL RECORDS

Location

Box

152.E.1.1B

Treasurer's record book, 1892-1922.

Location

Box

154.I.3.8F

Treasurer's reports, 1941-1974. 2 folders.

Budgets and financial statements, 1923-1937, 1939, 1944-1948, 1959-1982. 12 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

Budgets and financial statements, 1983-1991. 6 folders.

Tax forms, 1974-1982, 1986-1987. 2 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.10F

Expense reports, 1976. 2 folders.

Budget requests, 1975, 1977. 2 folders.

Receipts, 1974. 1 volume.

Disbursements, 1974-1975. 1 volume.

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MEMBERSHIP

Location

Box

152.E.2.10F

Membership committee reports, correspondence, memoranda, and related records, 1936-1941, 1950-1982. 5 folders.

Membership services, 1980-1982.

Membership handbook, 1977.

Past presidents, 1891-1982.

Board of directors officers and committee heads, 1957-1987.

Membership application forms, undated, 1972-1983.

Contributing, sustaining, and institutional members, 1962-1968. 2 folders.

Membership statistics, 1980s.

Directories, 1959-1969, 1972, 1979-1981, 1983-1985.

Some directories are for the organization as a whole and some are for academic librarians only.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

Directories, 1989-2005. 3 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.10F

Membership lists, 1988-1989.

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CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

Location

Box

152.E.1.1B

Annual conference record books, 1891-1937. 3 volumes.

Includes minutes, reports, and attendance records.

Annual conference minutes, 1914, 1934. 1 volume.

Also includes receipts (1913-1914) and a list of books used in the travelling library.

Annual conference proceedings, 1924, 1941-1942. 4 volumes.

Location

Box

152.E.2.10F

Annual conferences, 1937-1938, 1940-1942, 1944, 1946, 1948-1950, 1956-1961. 12 folders.

Includes programs, memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, press clippings, reports, and other material.

Location

Box

152.E.2.4F

Annual conferences, 1961-1965, 1968-1979. 22 folders.

Includes programs, memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, press clippings, reports, and other material.

Location

Box

152.E.2.2F

Annual conferences, 1979-1988. 8 folders.

Includes programs, memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, press clippings, reports, and other material.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

Annual conferences, 1989-2008. 2 folders.

Includes programs, memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, press clippings, reports, and other material.

Location

Box

152.E.2.2F

Conference registration book, 1938-1951. 1 volume.

Conference resolutions, 1962-1979.

Midwinter meetings, 1968-1973, 1976. 3 folders.

District meetings list, 1945-1969.

District meetings, 1945, 1947-1954, 1957-1971. 16 folders.

Includes programs, memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, press clippings, reports, and other material.

Location

Box

149.F.4.9B

Upper Midwest Regional Conferences, 1947, 1949. 2 folders.

Interstate Convention, 1960-1963.

Tri-State Regional Conferences:

Correspondence, memoranda, conference materials, and other related records, 1962-1963. 3 folders.

Iowa, 1963.

Wisconsin, 1963.

Budget, 1962-1963. 2 folders.

Exhibitors' Night Cap Party, 1963.

Call to conference material, 1963.

Exhibits, 1963.

Hospitality, 1963.

Hotels (general information), 1962-1963.

Meals committee, 1963.

Meeting rooms, 1963.

Methods session, 1963.

Program, 1963.

Post conference, 1963.

Public relations, 1963.

Registration committee, 1963.

Staffing, 1962.

Tours, 1963.

North Central Library Conference, 1967.

Midwest Library Conference, 1971.

Forum I: All Association Conference, 1981.

Forum II: All Association Conference, 1985.

American Library Association Five State Regional Conference, 1932.

Spring Institute, 1950.

Minnesota Governor's Pre-White House Conference on Library and Information, 1978-1980.

Miscellaneous meetings and conferences, 1939-1984. 4 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

MLA Leadership Institute, 2005.

Information: Minnesota's Natural Resource, Forum Conference 2, Preliminary Program, Saint Paul Civic Center, September 12-14, 1985.

Forum: All Association Conference I, Leamington Hotel, Minneapolis, April 29-May 2, 1981.

A Library Musical, Duluth, Minnesota, October 6, 1994.

Rediscovering libraries: Exploring new worlds of information, Midwest Federation of Library Associations Sixth Quadrennial Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 30-November 2, 1991.

Workshop in library leadership for Minnesota trustees, conference book, Sheraton-Ritz Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 16-17, 1982.

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SECTIONS, DIVISIONS, AND ROUND TABLES

The major subunits of the Minnesota Library Association included divisions, sections, and round tables. The purpose of the divisions was to promote the development of libraries, library services, and librarianship within and for a particular type of library. Sections were devoted to particular functions or aspects of librarianship which had relevance for more than one type of library. Round tables were formed to promote the development of types of libraries and aspects of librarianship whose representatives among the association's members were too few to form divisions or sections.

Location

Box

149.F.4.9B

Descriptions of sections, divisions, and round tables, undated.

Academic and Research Libraries Division:

First known as the College and University Libraries Section, it was renamed the Academic Libraries Section in 1965 and later became the Academic Research Libraries Division. The division was also a chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries of the American Library Association.

Constitution and bylaws, undated, 1980, 1986.

Minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, and other materials, 1940-1950.

Location

Box

149.F.5.2F

Minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, and other materials, 1951-1989. 42 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.3.1B

Minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, and other materials, 1988-1990. 15 folders.

Directories, 1956, 1958, 1959-1964/65, 1969, 1971-1973/74, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 1986-1987. 5 folders.

Membership lists, 1955, 1957/58, 1971, 1979, 1984, 1990.

Academic and Research Libraries Day, 1991-2007.

Adult Services Section, 1963-1971. 2 folders.

Consolidated with Reference Services in 1972 to become the Reference and Adult Services Section.

Catalog Section, 1940-1952.

Children and Young People's Section:

Minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, and other material, 1950-1961, 1966-1983, 1986-1989. 16 folders.

Children's Book Showcase, 1975.

Lecture fund, 1952-1978.

Youth Services: A guide for library employees, 2000.

County Section, 1941-1965.

Directors Round Table, 1986-1991.

Exhibitors Round Table, 1985-1987.

Government Documents Round Table:

1973-1974, 1978-1980, 1983-1996. 3 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

DocSoup newsletter, 1990-2000.

Interlibrary Loan Round Table, 1989-1996.

Location

Box

152.E.3.1B

Library Management Round Table, 1979-1989.

Library Research Round Table, 1979-1992. 3 folders

Media Round Table, 1978-1989.

Location

Box

152.E.2.9B

Media Services Round Table, 1991-1993.

Mobile Services Round Table, 1978-1989. 3 folders.

Outreach and Mobile Services Round Table, 1990-2000.

PALS (Pages to Library Specialists) Round Table, 1975-1987. 8 folders.

This group was originally called the Paraprofessional Round Table and changed its name to the Pages to Library Specialists Round Table (known as "PALS") in 1978. In 1986 it became the Library Support Staff Round Table.

Preservation and Conservation Round Table, 1985-1990, 1996. 2 folders.

Public Libraries Division, 1940-1989. 8 folders.

Readers Advisory Round Table, 1982-1989. 2 folders.

Reference and Adult Services Section, 1950-1989. 9 folders.

In 1972, the Reference Section merged with the Adult Services Section to become the Reference and Adult Services Section.

Social Responsibilities Round Table:

Minutes, 1972-1974.

Newsletters, 1988-2000.

In 1988, the round table began including reviews and annotations on controversial, radical, or "alternative" books, catalogs, and periodicals (including "'zines") in its monthly newsletter as well as editorials on various issues. Articles in the newsletter often provide a critical voice from within the association, often documenting dissenting opinions of some members to certain association conferences and policies. The newsletter was sent to members of the Minnesota Library Association's Social Responsibilities Round Table as well as many other subscribers across the country. Includes indexes for 1990, 1993, 1997, and 1998 issues.

Support Staff and Paraprofessional Interest Section, LinkUp! newsletter, Spring 2002.

Location

Box

143.J.1.6F

Technical Services Section, 1966-1989. 3 folders.

Self Assessment Guide for Technical Services, 1995.

Trustees Division, 1940-1972, 1977-1989. 3 folders.

Miscellaneous round tables, 1973-1984.

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COMMITTEES

Location

Box

143.J.1.6F

Academic library cooperation, 1965-1966.

Activities, 1948, 1951-1952.

Awards, 1964-1989. 5 folders.

Blue ribbon, 1974-1975.

Bylaws, 1970-1988. 3 folders.

Certification, 1965-1971. 3 folders.

Continuing education, 1976-1989. 2 folders.

Continuing education meeting, April 22, 1997.

Diversity Scholarship Committee, 2000-2003.

Executive Committee, 1994-1995.

Feasibility of publishing a quarterly task force, 1980.

Federal relations, 1949-1964, 1970-1971.

Film circuit, 1971-1972.

Finance and budget, 1951-1952, 1973-1985. 3 folders.

Governor's residence library, 1972-1987. 3 folders.

Location

Box

149.F.4.10F

Governor's residence library, 1972-1987. 4 folders.

Group flight to A.L.A. convention, 1973-1977. 2 folders.

Intellectual Freedom:

Correspondence, minutes, memoranda, clippings, and other material, 1955-1965, 1967-1973, 1976-1989. 14 folders.

Correspondence, minutes, memoranda, registration, and other material, 2004-2005.

Annual reports, 1969-1979.

Resolutions, policies, and goals, 1978-1981.

Articles, 1969-1984.

News clippings, 1977-1984.

"Intellectual Freedom in Minnesota" booklet, 1978-1979. 2 folders.

Legislature, 1973-1982. 2 folders.

Minneapolis anti-pornography ordinance, 1984.

Baker request for action, 1982.

Forest Lake, 1978.

Questionnaires, 1969-1978.

Location

Box

152.E.3.3B

Minnesota Coalition Against Censorship, 1978-1980.

Job description, 1977-1978. 2 folders.

Legal Defense Fund, Ad Hoc Committee, 1997.

Legislative Affairs:

Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and related materials, 1945-1954, 1956-1957, 1959-1964, 1967-1990. 13 folders.

ALA Washington Newsletter, 1973.

Board, 1974-1976.

Certification, 1970-1973.

Communication network, 1976-1977.

Distribution of government documents to public libraries, 1974.

ECOL (Environmental Conservation Library of Minnesota), 1974-1976.

Folklorist office, 1976.

Governor's conference, 1973.

Library funding, 1972-1979. 2 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.5B

Lobbying, 1972-1976.

Minitex, 1977.

Minnesota Information/Library Legislative Bulletin, 1982-1984.

Multi-county, multi-type, 1971.

Nuclear freeze resolution, 1983.

Obscenity legislation, 1973-1977.

Platform/consensus process, 1976.

Public library/school cooperation, 1977.

Public relations, 1973-1977.

Reports to membership, 1976-1977.

Research and design task force, 1979.

Senate - House Education Joint Subcommittee on Libraries, 1977.

Support team cards, undated.

Cards list names, addresses, phone numbers, and libraries of individuals who volunteered to contact their legislators or be part of the committee's communication network.

Location

Box

154.I.3.9B

Legislative Day, 1991-1995, 2004.

Legislative Forum, 1994-2000. 3 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Legislative Forum, 2001-2007.

Platforms, 1991-2008.

Monday Memo, 1991-1998.

Location

Box

152.E.2.5B

Library survey, 1950-1956.

Library Study Advisory Committee, 1993.

Membership, 1967, 1970-1971, 1990-2000. 2 folders.

Newsletter and publications, 1980-2003. 2 folders.

Nominating, 1945-1984. 3 folders.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Nominating, 1990-2006. 2 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.5B

Past Presidents Advisory Committee, 1983, 1996-1997.

Planning and development, 1939-1942, 1969-1973, 1975-1985. 9 folders.

Professional welfare, 1969, 1972-1984. 4 folders.

Location

Box

149.F.5.1B

Professional welfare, 1976-1989. 2 folders.

Program/lecture fund, 1954-1955, 1967, 1973, 1976-1984. 3 folders.

Public relations, 1941-1946, 1950-1965, 1969-1971, 1974, 1977-1980, 1983-1989. 4 folders.

Regional coordinating, undated, 1973.

Recruiting, 1960-1965, 1970-1971. 4 folders.

Re-evaluation, 1970-1971.

Retirement, 1965.

Scholarship, 1952-1964.

Teleconferencing task force, 1979-1980.

Miscellaneous committees, 1961-1980.

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NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK

Location

Box

149.F.5.1B

Correspondence, memoranda, and other materials, 1962-1967. 10 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.3B

Correspondence, memoranda, and other materials, 1966-1972. 7 folders.

News clippings, 1968.

Location

Box

142.F.19.5B

Scrapbooks, 1964-1966. 4 volumes.

Location

Box

142.F.19.6F

Scrapbooks, 1967-1968. 3 volumes.

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SUBJECT FILES

Location

Box

152.E.2.3B

ACRL, 1984-1986.

All-Association Forum, 1978-1983, 1985. 5 folders.

American Library Association:

Minnesota Library Association Chapter, 1959-1984.

Exhibits Round Table, 1960-1961.

Programs by state: Arkansas - West Virginia, 1934-1936. 2 folders.

Resolutions and press releases, 1932-1937.

State Citizens' Committee and Conferences; Grants in aid, 1935.

Anti-pornography bill, 1967, 1969.

Association service center proposal, 1971.

Auditor, 1984-1989.

Awards, 1964-1971, 1973. 8 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.2.7B

Certification, 1946-1953.

Children's Memorial Library, 1940s.

Christine Sweet Reads, 1985-1988.

Deferred legislative contributions, 1988-1989.

Economic vitality project, 1984-1986. 3 folders.

Four year degree, 1962.

Friends of Minnesota Libraries, 1970.

Goals for 1988.

Governor's Conference on Libraries, 1952, 1968.

J. Morris Jones Award, 1984.

Job classification study, undated.

Legislative program for library improvement in Wisconsin. Minutes, 1964.

Librarian of the Year, 1966.

Libraries in Minnesota, 1988.

Library cooperation, circa 1936.

Literacy, 1980, 1984.

Lobbyist, 1983-1984, 1986. 3 folders.

Logo contest, 1980.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Memorial resolution honoring William "Bill" Thomas De John, 2013.

Location

Box

152.E.2.7B

Midwest Federation of Library Associations, 1974-1983. 3 folders.

Minitex information, 1988.

Minnesota Association of Library Friends, 1977-1981.

Minnesota Association of School Librarians, 1946-1950.

Minnesota Department of Education Library Division, 1947-1961, 1969-1974. 3 folders.

Includes newsletters.

Minnesota Educational Media Organization, 1977-1978.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Minnesota Library Association member survey results, presented by Dianne Blake, Leilani Dick, Colleen Westerlund, June 25, 2000.

Location

Box

152.E.2.7B

Minnesota Library Trustee Association, 1973-1982, 1989-1998. 2 folders.

Location

Folder

142.G.13.1B-2

Minnesota Library Week proclamation, 1989.

Location

Box

152.E.2.7B

Minnesota Statewide Library Services Forum, 1977-1983. 2 folders.

Minnesota Union List of Serials, 1971-1972.

New board of directors officers workshops, 1978-1981.

Newsletter. Correspondence, reports, and memoranda, 1963-1964, 1969-1979, 1985.

Location

Box

152.E.2.8F

Officers elections, 1971-1976.

Ombudsman, 1974-1978.

Past presidents breakfast meetings, 1965-1966.

Printed material, 1902-1949, 1976. 2 folders.

Professional education task force, 1988-1989.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Public library/school library media center relationships, 1991.

Location

Box

152.E.2.8F

Questionnaires, 1967.

Radio scripts, 1938-1938, 1940s.

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Sanford Berman case, 1999-2003.

Location

Box

152.E.2.8F

St. Paul library activities, 1968.

Samples and forms, 1952-1963.

Story telling institute, 1950.

Storyhour workshop, 1973.

Task Force on Library Futures, 1976. 2 folders.

Task Force on Library Futures final report, 1976.

Television, 1962-1963.

University of Minnesota. Division of Library Instruction, 1942.

University of Minnesota library budget, 1978-1979.

University of Minnesota. Library School, 1958.

White House Conference, 1979. 2 folders.

Location

Box

142.F.19.5B

White House Conference proclamation from Minnesota State Governor Al Quie, 1979.

Location

Box

152.E.2.8F

World Affairs Center, 1960-1967. 3 folders.

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MISCELLANEOUS FILES

Location

Box

152.E.2.8F

Presidents' files:

Dale Carrison, 1974-1976. 4 folders.

Barbara Hughes, 1974-1975.

Gretchen Wronka, 1991.

Miscellaneous chronological files, 1918-1936. 3 folders.

Includes minutes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, clippings, and other material.

Location

Box

152.E.3.2F

Miscellaneous chronological files, 1932-1948, 1954-1976. 23 folders.

Location

Box

152.E.1.1B

Miscellaneous chronological files, 1975-1979, 1983, 1986-1991. 5 folders.

Press clippings and scrapbooks, 1892-1941. 6 volumes and 1 folder.

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PHOTOGRAPHS

Location

Box

154.I.3.10F

Event photographs, undated, 1992-1995, 1998, 2000. 3 folders.

Portrait photographs, undated, 1993-1997, 2001.

[0.3 cubic feet empty, letter size]

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RELATED MATERIALS

The following newsletters of the Minnesota Library Association are separately cataloged in the Minnesota Historical Society serials collection:

M.L.A. Peddler.

MLA Bulletin.

Bulletin of the Minnesota Library Association.

Lakeland Librarian.

North Country Librarian.

MLA Newsletter.

The papers of Miriam Eliza Carey, which include records of the Minnesota Library Association, are separately cataloged in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.

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CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:: Library meetings -- Minnesota.; Library finance -- Minnesota.; Library fund raising -- Minnesota.; Libraries and societies.; Collection development (Libraries) -- Minnesota.; Women white collar workers -- Minnesota.; Nonprofit organizations -- Minnesota.; Public libraries -- Minnesota.; Academic libraries -- Minnesota.; Library planning -- Minnesota.; Children's libraries -- Minnesota.; Library science -- Societies, etc.; Library legislation.; Library administration -- Minnesota.; Libraries -- Minnesota -- Political activity.; Libraries and gays -- Minnesota.; Pornography -- Minnesota.; Obscenity (Law) -- Minnesota.; Freedom of information -- Minnesota.; Censorship -- Minnesota.

Organizations:: American Library Association.; University of Minnesota. Libraries.; University of Minnesota. Library School.

Types of Documents:: Radio scripts.; Photographs.

Occupations:: Librarians -- Minnesota.

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