As members, we: The statement highlights the Association's advocacy role on behalf of the Canadian library and information community.

The executive council claims it had spent several years dealing with the difficulties of declining membership, efficiency, and financial power.

[4][5] The Canadian Library Association (CLA) was founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 1946, and was incorporated under the Companies Act on November 26, 1947.

[6][7] CLA is a non-profit voluntary organization, governed by an elected Executive Council, which is advised by over forty interest groups and committees.

CLA presented three annual awards recognizing books for young people that were published in Canada during the preceding year (and nominated by the end of November).

The Book of the Year was inaugurated in 1947, recognizing the 1943 novel Starbuck Valley Winter by Roderick Haig-Brown, and it was awarded ten times prior to 1963.