Alpha Beta Alpha: ABA HOME

Alpha Beta Alpha (ABA) is the Library Science fraternity at Kutztown University.

Alpha Beta Alpha was founded at Northwestern State College of Louisiana on May 3, 1950. It is the first co-educational undergraduate library science fraternity to be established.

The idea for ABA was developed at a banquet on October 30, 1945 on the campus of Northwestern State College of Louisiana. The banquet consisted of around 40 library science students, librarians, and several dignitaries, including Nora Buest, of the U.S. Office of Education, Sue Hefley, Louisiana State Supervisor of School Libraries, and Mary Harris, Assistant State Librarian. The attendees decided that there was a need for a nationwide professional development organization geared towards library science students. 

The following year on January 10, 1946, the Northwestern State College Library Club was founded. Finally, on May 3, 1950, the members of the Scharlie E. Russel Library Club founded Alpha Beta Alpha, the first co-educational library science fraternity in the United States. Two years later, on March 15 and March 16, the first Alpha Beta Alpha national convention was held at Northwestern State College of Louisiana.

Founded on November 20, 1957, the Kutztown chapter (which is the Rho chapter) is the last official ABA chapter in the United States. ABA's goal is to spread the joys of reading and to have a positive impact on the community. Our motto is "Books, People, Service, Life".

ABA meets on Friday evenings weekly in the Rohrbach Library, during which we plan community service events, hold book discussions, discuss current events in the library science field, hold games and activities, and on occasion bring in members from the library field to speak to the group. A banquet is held every year to discuss the events of the year, as well as honor special guests and graduating seniors.

Anyone with a major or minor in library science, or an interest in books and literary freedom, can join Alpha Beta Alpha. The annual fee for members is $15, or $7.50 per semester.