Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials

The Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials (SALALM) is the oldest professional Area Studies library organization for academic librarians, archivists, book vendors, scholars, and students who specialize in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Members are from at least 20 different countries. SALALM promotes better library services and purchasing power among individual members and member libraries. With the Secretariat based at New York University, it is an international non-profit professional organization with three official languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese. SALALM is an affiliate of the American Library Association. As of May 2015, the organization had 242 personal and 84 institutional members including librarians, archivists, book dealers, vendors, and university libraries.

History SALALM had its first meeting in 1956 with approximately 30 librarians and professors and one international bookseller met in Florida at Chinsegut Hill in a meeting convened by the Pan-American Union. Their discussions were “concerned with the selection, acquisition, and processing of library materials from the Latin American nations and the dependent territories of the Caribbean.” Although participants thought this meeting would be a one-time occurrence, they agreed there was a need for more study of the challenges with acquisitions and to continue the discussion by meeting for annual seminars held at the invitation of an institution or organization. Each conference has a theme, like the 57th annual conference theme, "Popular Culture: Arts and Social Change in Latin America," and plenary sessions may discuss the theme, present new research or projects related to Latin American Librarianship, or share committee reports.

Since the 1960s, SALALM has published a number of serials and monograph series including a newsletter, conference proceedings, progress reports, and bibliographies. Conference proceedings cover topics like "The Handbook of Latin American Studies: Its Automated History and a Comparison of Available Formats." The archival records of the organization are held at the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.

Since 1956, SALALM has provided a unique national and international forum that focuses on library collection development and services related to Latin American resources. SALALM was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1968, and the members adopted a constitution and bylaws and elected A. Curtis Wilgus as the first president. An Executive Board administers SALALM from the Secretariat, which, as of July 2023, is headquartered at the New York University Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (previously at the Latin American Library at Tulane University). The operational aspects are managed by several Executive Board committees. Program committees take care of intellectual and technical activities related to the resources and services of libraries with Latin American collections. The SALALM Secretariat is typically housed for three to five year periods at institutions that have strong Latin American programs. Jill Baron and Angela Carreño are the current Co-Executive Directors.

Locations of past conferences and presidents SALALM has held conferences is North and South America, Europe, and the Caribbean.Hallock, Nancy L. SALALM, the First Fifty Years : a Handlist of Publications with Author Index. New Orleans, La: SALALM Secretariat, the Latin American Library, Tulane University, 2008. In the table below, Presidents are listed with institutional affiliations, if applicable, at the time of their service during the year the end of their terms. +Table showing the ordinal number, year, institution, and location of past SALALM Conferences. Number YearHost InstitutionLocationSALALM President, and InstitutionI1956University of FloridaChinsegut Hill, Florida, USA*II1957The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas, USA*III1958University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, California, USA*IV1959Library of CongressWashington, DC, USA*V1960New York Public LibraryNew York, New York, USA*VI1961Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale, Illinois, USA*VII1962University of MiamiCoral Gables, Florida, USA*VIII1963University of Wisconsin–MadisonMadison, Wisconsin, USA*IX1964Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri, USA*X1965Wayne State UniversityDetroit, Michigan, USA*XI1966Columbia UniversityNew York, New York, USA*XII1967University of California, Los AngelesPasadena, California, USA*XIII1968University of KansasLawrence, Kansas, USA(the first president elected—term ends in 1969)XIV1969University of Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoA. Curtis Wilgus, unaffiliatedXV1970University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, CanadaCarl Deal, U. of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignXVI1971Puebla, MexicoNettie Lee Benson, U. of Texas at AustinXVII1972University of MassachusettsAmherst, Massachusetts, USAGlenn Read, Cornell U.XVIII1973University of the West IndiesPort-of-Spain, TrinidadDonald Wisdom, Library of CongressXIX1974University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas, USARosa Q. Mesa, U. of FloridaXX1975Bogotá, ColombiaEmma Simonsen, Indiana U.XXI1976Indiana UniversityBloomington, Indiana, USARosa Abella, U. of MiamiXXII1977University of FloridaGainesville, Florida, USAMary Ruth Magruder Brady, U. of SaskatchewanXXIII1978Institute of Latin American Studies, University of LondonLondon, EnglandWilliam V. Jackson, U. of Texas at AustinXXIV1979University of California, Los AngelesPasadena, California, USAAlma T. Jordan, U. of West IndiesXXV1980University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico, USALudwig "Larry" Lauerhass Jr., U. of California Los AngelesXXVI1981Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana, USALaura Gutiérrez-Witt, U. of Texas at AustinXXVII (joint meeting with LASA)1982Library of CongressWashington, DC, USABarbara Valk, U. of California Los AngelesXXVIII1983University of Kansas & University of Costa RicaUniversity of Kansas & Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica, USAJane Garner, U. of Texas at AustinXXIX1984University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina, USAJohn Hébert, Library of CongressXXX1985Princeton UniversityPrinceton, New Jersey, USADan C. Hazen, unaffiliated (formerly at Stanford U.)XXXI1986Ibero-American InstituteBerlin, GermanyIliana Sontag, San Diego State U.XXXII (joint meeting with ACURIL)1987University of MiamiCoral Gables, Florida, USAMina Jane Grothey, U. of New MexicoXXXIII1988University of California, Berkeley & Stanford UniversityBerkeley, California, USAPaula Covington, Vanderbilt U.XXXIV1989University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia, USABarbara Jon Robinson, U. of Southern CaliforniaXXXV1990Library of Congress Office, Rio & Fundação Getúlio VargasRio de Janeiro, BrazilAnn Hartness, U. of Texas at AustinXXXVI1991San Diego State University & University of California, San DiegoSan Diego, California, USADeborah Jakubs, Duke U.XXXVII1992The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas, USADavid Block, Cornell U.XXXVIII1993Feria Internacional del Libro & Instituto de Bibliotecas, Universided de GuadalajaraGuadalajara, Jalisco, MexicoPatricia Noble, U. of LondonXXXIX1994Brigham Young UniversitySalt Lake City, Utah, USANelly Sfeir González, U. of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignXL1995University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia, USARobert A. McNeil, Oxford U. (England)XLI1996New York University, New York Public Library, Columbia UniversityNew York, New York, USAPeter Stern, Rutgers U.XLII1997Library of Congress, Oliveira Lima Library, and University of MarylandRockville, Maryland, USAMark Grover, Brigham Young U.XLIII1998University of Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoGayle Ann Williams, U. of GeorgiaXLIV1999Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee, USA Richard Phillips, U. of FloridaXLV2000University of California, Los AngelesLong Beach, California, USACésar Rodríguez, Yale U.XLVI2001Arizona State UniversityTempe, Arizona, USAVictor Federico Torres, Universidad de Puergo RicoXLVII2002Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York, USADenise A. Hibay, New York Public LibraryXLVIII2003Banco de la República, Biblioteca Luis Ángel ArangoCartagena, ColombiaDarlene Hull, U. of ConnecticutXLIX2004University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan, USAAngela Carreño, New York U.L2005University of FloridaGainesville, Florida, USAPamela Howard-Reguindin, Library of CongressLI2006Stanford UniversitySanto Domingo, Dominican RepublicAdán Griego, Stanford U.LII2007University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico, USA Molly Molloy, New Mexico State U.LIII2008Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana, USA John Wright, Brigham Young U.LIV2009Ibero-American InstituteBerlin, GermanyPamela Graham, Columbia U.LV2010Brown UniversityProvidence, Rhode Island, USA Fernando Acosta-Rodríguez, Princeton U.LVI2011University of Pennsylvania and Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, USANerea Llamas, U. of MichiganLVII2012University of the West Indies, St Augustine, The National Library and Information System Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago and the Library Association of Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and TobagoLynn Shirey, Harvard U.LVIII2013University of Miami Libraries and Florida International University LibrariesCoral Gables, Florida, USAMartha Mantilla, U. of PittsburghLIX2014Brigham Young UniversitySalt Lake City, Utah, USARobert Delgadillo, U. of California DavisLX2015Princeton UniversityPrinceton, New Jersey, USALuis A. González, Indiana U.LXI2016University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia, USAPaloma Celis Carbajal, U. of Wisconsin-MadisonLXII2017University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan, USADaisy V. Domínguez, The City College of New York (CUNY)LXIII2018El Colegio de MéxicoMexico City, MexicoSuzanne Schadl, U. of New MexicoLXIV2019The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas, USAMelissa Guy, U. of Texas at AustinLXV (All but business meetings postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic)2020University of California, DavisSacramento, California, USASarah Buck-Kachaluba, U. of California San DiegoLXVI (Remote due to COVID-19 pandemic)2021New York University and New York Public LibraryNew York, New York, USASócrates Silva, Columbia U.LXVII 2022Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia, Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango, and Instituto Caro y CuervoBogotá, ColombiaAntonio Sotomayor, University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignLXVIII2023Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown University, and Library of CongressWashington, DC, USAAnne Barnhart, University of West GeorgiaLXIX2024Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, LA, USAChristine Hernandez, Tulane UniversityLXX2025New York University, New York Public Library, City University of New York, and Columbia UniversityNew York, NY, USADavid Woken, University of Chicago *Note: 1st SALALM President elected at 13th conference.

Purpose SALALM's primary mission revolves around the control and dissemination of bibliographic information about all types of Latin American publications and the development of library collections of Latin Americana in support of educational research. SALALM also promotes cooperative efforts to achieve better library service. SALALM is a forum for the unique challenges of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarians and with related professional development. In collaboration with REFORMA, SALALM also provides library materials for the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking populations in the United States. SALALM shares and disseminates the work of its member through an annual conference proceeding.

Awards and scholarships SALALM currently sponsors a series of Awards and Scholarships including the SALALM Conference Attendance Scholarship, the Dan C. Hazen SALALM Fellowship, Enlace Travel Awards, the José Toribio Medina Award, and the SALALM Award for Institutional Cooperation. SALALM also awards honorary memberships to retired members who have a long record of service to the organization combined with professional achievements.