Association of Library Boards of Ontario

• ALBO

Association of Library Boards of Ontario was a political organization that promoted the preservation and expansion of the province's library sector before the Ontario Government.

With the economic downturn of 1978-1981 and the reduction of library funding, there was a concern amongst library boards at their lack of a political voice before the provincial government. Drawing its first executive from a cross-section of municipally-funded library boards, the Association of Library Boards of Ontario (ALBO) was formed to be more politically pro-active than the Ontario Library Association (OLA) was seen to be at that time.

Starting with the provincial Inflation Restraint Act of 1984, the ALBO pressured Ontario politicians for increased cultural grants and resisted the restrictions imposed by reorganization of Ontario's library system or from new copyright and censorship legislation. However, after almost a decade of political consciousness raising, the need driving the ALBO's existence began to falter as the larger OLA grew more politically active and long-term supporters moved onto newer challenges. Despite still having a substantial membership across Ontario, at their 1990 Annual General Meeting, the ALBO voted to merge with the Ontario Public Libraries Association and Ontario Library Trustees Association, both members of the Ontario Library Association.

Like the OLA, the Association attempted to segment itself into four sections dealing with large, medium, small / rural, and Aboriginal library boards but this internal division was more cosmetic than being actually meaningful to its operation.

Added Apr/12.