History of ETLA
The East Tennessee Library Club was founded in December 1944 when sixty-two librarians representing public, academic, special and school libraries came from Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Lenoir City, Maryville, Clinton and Oliver Springs to form an organization to support East Tennessee libraries and librarians.
Support is not limited to the geographic region, however. In 1945, the club supported the Tennessee Library Association's request for statewide aid for public libraries from the Tennessee Legislature. It is an effort that continues to this day.
In 1949, the Boone Tree Library Association was created by librarians in Upper East Tennessee to cover that geographical area. By 1972, the East Tennessee Library Club had become an association and voted to affiliate itself with the Tennessee Library Association.
For a list of Past Presidents of ETLA, click here.
For a list of Past Rothrock lectures, click here.