MLA serves the interests of its members by facilitating educational opportunities, supporting strong ethical standards, providing legislative assistance, and fostering connections between the library community and various constituencies.
"[3] The Minnesota Library Association organized and held the first meeting on December 29, 1891, initiated by William Watts Folwell.
Gratia Countryman, secretary of MLA at the time, elaborated, "early in the history of the association, librarians recognized that schools and libraries should cooperate closely as the two arms of the educational system.
During and between the two World Wars, MLA made important administrative decisions that impacted its own structure, its relationships with the State of Minnesota, and with the American Library Association.
MLA adopted a new constitution that redrafted the slate of officers, changed the makeup of the executive committee, and introduced institutional memberships.
By-laws were added that named standing committees, detailed duties of the officers, and created procedures to establish sections.
[8] In 1997 when heavy rains flooded many Minnesota libraries, MLA established a Disaster Relief Fund.