[4] He grew up on a family farm and was related to Benjamin Milam, known for leading troops into San Antonio in the "settlers' 1835 revolt against Mexico".

[8] Milam attended New York State Library School, established by Melvil Dewey, after he completed a major in English at the University of Oklahoma.

[14] Camp libraries were set up for those serving overseas, and librarians agreed that they played a pivotal role in educating the public and establishing national identity.

[16] Milam proved to be a central figure in the wartime effort, and the Library War Service did much for librarians in the areas of exposure and funding.

[17] Following the war, Milam wanted to ensure that the progress and exposure libraries and librarianship had gained would remain, and he became director of the "Enlarged Program" in 1919.

[18] He worked with a number of individuals to provide figures which illustrated that the field of library science would be able to employ many librarians and ex-servicemen and women following the war.

[19] Milam proved to be a pivotal figure in the American Library Association, not only because of his long career there, but because ALA presidential terms only lasted a year.

[21] Peggy Sullivan outlines that many of Milam's ideas or proposals would end up in the minutes of executive meetings, followed by the statement "at the recommendation of the secretary.

[24] He was eventually nominated for president of the ALA in the year following his resignation, 1949, but the whole situation would prove to be an embarrassment due to the previous criticisms, and he was not elected.