Alexander Allain

One of Allain’s biggest contributions to fight for intellectual freedom within libraries was the work he did with ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom to co-found the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) in 1969.

Allain is recognized as one of American Libraries' “100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century” for being “a true visionary” in his battle to uphold the First Amendment; his work with the American Library Association (ALA) included helping with the creation of the Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1967 and cofounding the Freedom to Read Foundation.

According to an article in memory of Allain in Louisiana Libraries, he won many awards including: LLA’s Modisette Award for Trustees (1965), ALA’s Trustee Award (1969), the University of Illinois’ Robert B. Downs Award (1973), ALA Honorary Life Membership (1975), the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award (1979), the Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award (1989 and 1999), the Southeastern Library Association President’s Award (1990) and the LLA Intellectual Freedom Award (1991). The Franklin branch of the St. Mary Parish Library in Louisiana is named in Allain's memory.

Allain was very involved in the Louisiana Library Association (LLA) as well as the ALA. In 1964, he was the first chair of the Louisiana Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, and he continued to stay active in the state association throughout his life. He was instrumental in the formation of the Council of Louisiana Trustees (COLT), which worked to organize library trustee activity in Louisiana. He also served in numerous other capacities such as chair and vice-chair of the LLA Trustees Section.

Library trustees, along with intellectual freedom, were another area of Allain’s interest and expertise. Some of his publications in this area include, “Trustees & Censorship,” The Library Trustee: a Practical Guidebook, 1964; “Public Library Governing Bodies & Intellectual Freedom”, Library Trends, July 1970; and “The First & Fourteenth Amendment as They Support Libraries, Librarians, Library Systems & Library Development”, Illinois Libraries, January 1974.

Born in Louisiana, as a young man, Allain served as a liaison officer in the French Navy during World War II, stationed in Casablanca. After serving time in the navy, he received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 1942. In 1953, Allain was appointed to the St. Mary Parish Library Board of Control in Louisiana. It was during this time that the United States feared communism and scrutinized libraries for harboring any information that could potentially influence the public opinion. This was an influential time in Allain’s life as he went on to make intellectual freedom cases his life’s work.

Alexander Peter Allain (June 27, 1920 – January 5, 1994) was a lawyer and library advocate known for his work securing the freedom of expression. His career was devoted to securing First Amendment rights for libraries.