Alpha Beta Alpha () is an American honorary library fraternity that is dedicated to serving college and university library science majors at the undergraduate level, although membership privileges have been expanded in recent years to allow all undergraduate students who support their goals. The fraternity has two active chapters, after the reinstatement of its Alpha chapter at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana in 2018. Rho chapter, which for many years was the only active chapter, is situated at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

History Alpha Beta Alpha was founded at Northwestern State College, now known as Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana on . It was the first co-educational undergraduate library science fraternity to be established.

The idea of such an organization was first discussed at a banquet hosted by Eugene P. Watson at Northwestern State College on . The event was attended by some forty library science students and librarians, along with Nora Buest of the U.S. Office of Education; Sue Hefley, Louisiana State Supervisor of School Libraries; and Mary Harris, Assistant State Librarian. Attendees spoke of the need for a nationwide professional development organization for library science students.

The following year, on , the Northwestern State College Library Club was founded. Finally, on , the members of the Scharlie E. Russel Library Club founded Alpha Beta Alpha, the first co-educational library science fraternity in the United States. The purpose of ABA is to support interest in librarianship, to maintain a sense of respnsitiby for the profession, and to deveope a sympathy and understanding for the problems and work of people.

The charter members of Alpha Beta Alpha were:

Alpha Beta Alpha held its first national convention at Northwestern State College on March 15 and 16, 1952. Nearly fifty chapters were chartered at colleges across the United States.

The Alpha chapter is one of two active chapters of Alpha Beta Alpha and is located at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. This group hosts biweekly meetings to discuss and plan upcoming events, brainstorm service and informational events, nominate members of the week, and collaborate with Eugene P. Watson Memorial Library and other registered student organizations that promote reading & literacy. Past events have featured advocating against banning books & censorship, preserving oral histories and traditions centered around Louisiana culture, fun educational trivia, presentation of statistics, and speakers in fields that deal closely with books.

The Rho chapter is the second active chapter of Alpha Beta Alpha and is located at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. The group holds weekly meetings where they plan and organize various service events on and off campus, discuss current events in the library science field, and bring in library and academic professionals to talk about library-related topics, and job opportunities around the United States. Recently, the organization has offered more social activities and events than just purely academic pursuits. Alpha Beta Alpha on the campus holds an annual banquet where they discuss the year's events as well as honoring special guests and graduating seniors.

Enrollment for chapters used to be strictly restricted to Library Science undergraduate majors but both of the current chapters have since opened up enrollment to all undergraduate students who are interested in reading and literary freedom

Symbols The Alpha Beta Alpha badge is in the shape of a closed book, behind which a quill pen is placed vertically; diagonally across the book are the letters , and . The pledge button is shaped like a shield and crossed by a diagonal line. The blazon of the official coat of arms is as follows: Arms: purpure [purple], on a bend argent [silver], three Greek letters , of the first between; in chief, a white rose-leaved vert; and in base, the reproduction of the key. Crest: on a wreath of the colors, a candle holder argent holding a candle purpure, flamed and resplendent, or [gold]. The motto is Books, People, Service, Life. The fraternity colors are purple and white. The official flower is a white rose. The official seal is round with a reproduction of the badge in the center, the fraternity's name, and the date encircling the badge.

Chapters Following are the 37 chapters of Alpha Beta Alpha, with. active chapters noted in bold and inactive chapters in italics.

ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha – 20xx ?; 2018–presentNorthwestern State UniversityNatchitoches, LouisianaActiveBetaMississippi University for WomenColumbus, MississippiInactiveGammaIndiana State UniversityTerre Haute, IndianaInactiveDeltaUniversity of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaInactiveEpsilonMurray State UniversityMurray, KentuckyInactiveZetaConcord UniversityAthens, West VirginiaInactiveEtaTexas Woman's UniversityDenton, TexasInactiveTheta – 1970Arizona State UniversityTempe, ArizonaInactiveIota1953–1968San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CaliforniaInactiveKappa – 1972Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PennsylvaniaInactiveLambdaLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LouisianaInactiveMuIllinois State UniversityNormal, IllinoisInactiveNu – 1975Marshall UniversityHuntington, West VirginiaInactiveXi – 1971University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IowaInactiveOmicronFlorida A&M UniversityTallahassee, FloridaInactivePi – 1967Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio, TexasInactiveRhoKutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PennsylvaniaActiveSigma – 1971Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MichiganInactiveTau1958–May 1964Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, IllinoisInactiveUpsilonShepherd UniversityShepherdstown, West VirginiaInactivePhi – 1970Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MichiganInactiveChi – 1973University of North TexasDenton, TexasInactivePsiSoutheast Missouri State UniversityCape Girardeau, MissouriInactiveOmega – 1968University of TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeInactiveAlpha AlphaJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VirginiaInactiveAlpha BetaNicholls State UniversityThibodaux, LouisianaInactiveAlpha GammaMorehead State UniversityMorehead, KentuckyInactiveAlpha DeltaOklahoma State University–StillwaterStillwater, OklahomaInactiveAlpha EpsilonUniversity of North AlabamaFlorence, AlabamaInactiveAlpha ZetaShippensburg University of PennsylvaniaShippensburg, PennsylvaniaInactiveAlpha EtaEast Carolina UniversityGreenville, North CarolinaInactiveAlpha Theta1966Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LouisianaInactiveAlpha Iota1968Rowan UniversityGlassboro, New JerseyInactiveAlpha Kappa1968University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OklahomaInactiveAlpha Lambda1969Edinboro University of PennsylvaniaEdinboro, PennsylvaniaInactiveAlpha Mu1969Northwest Missouri State UniversityMaryville, MissouriInactiveAlpha Nu1969Radford UniversityRadford, VirginiaInactiveAlpha Xi1969Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IllinoisInactiveAlpha Omicron1969West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannon, West VirginiaInactiveAlpha Pi1970Mansfield University of PennsylvaniaMansfield, PennsylvaniaInactiveAlpha Rho1970Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TennesseeInactiveAlpha Sigma1970Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TexasInactiveAlpha Tau1970Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaSlippery Rock, PennsylvaniaInactiveAlpha Upsilon1970University of Central ArkansasConway, ArkansasInactiveAlpha Phi1970Jackson State UniversityJackson, MississippiInactiveAlpha Chi1972University of Wisconsin–WhitewaterWhitewater, WisconsinInactiveAlpha Psi1972Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, IllinoisInactiveAlpha OmegaSouth Carolina State UniversityOrangeburg, South CarolinaInactive"New Frontiers", South Carolina Librarian vol. 18, no. 2 (Spring/1974), pp. 33-34.

See also Honor society Professional fraternities and sororities

References