# Alpha Beta Alpha

Alpha Beta Alpha (ΑΒΑ) is an American honorary library fraternity that is dedicated to serving college and university library science majors at the undergraduate level. The fraternity has two active chapters, after the recent reinstatement of its Alpha chapter at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana in 2018. Rho chapter is situated at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. It has installed 37 chapters, two of which are currently active.

## History

Alpha Beta Alpha was founded at Northwestern State College, now known as Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana on May 3, 1950. It was the first co-educational undergraduate library science fraternity to be established.
The idea of such an organization was first discussed at a banquet hosted by Eugene P. Watson at Northwestern State College on October 30, 1945. The event was attended by some forty library science students and librarians, along with Nora Buest of the U.S. Office of Education; Sue Hefley, Louisiana State Supervisor of School Libraries; and Mary Harris, Assistant State Librarian. Attendees spoke of the need for a nationwide professional development organization for 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. The purpose of ABA is to support interest in librarianship, to maintain a sense of respnsitiby for the profession, and to deveope a sympathy and understanding for the problems and work of people.
The charter members of Alpha Beta Alpha were:
* Helen Belisle
* Marguerite Bozeman
* Lucille Carnahan
* Agnes Clark
* Billie June Corry
* Randall Detro
* Mary Alice Driscoll
* Julia Duke
* Patsy Eason
* Bobbie Elkins
* Ruth Ann Ellender
* Yvonne Ewing
* Myrtle Freeze
* Sue Gilmore
* Maurine Gray
* May Hammett
* Sallie Harper
* Katherine Hopkins
* Audrey Jo King
* Dorothy Keyser
* Mrs. Johnnie Mallory
* Irene Pope
* Olive Roberts
* Freida Squyres
* Charles Thigpen
* Warren Tracy
* Tommie Jean Tullos
* Eugene Watson
* Mrs. Ora Williams
* Avis Jean Windham
Alpha Beta Alpha held its first national convention at Northwestern State College on March 15 and 16, 1952. Nearly fifty chapters were chartered at colleges across the United States.
The Alpha chapter is one of two active chapters of Alpha Beta Alpha and is located at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. This group hosts biweekly meetings to discuss and plan upcoming events, brainstorm service and informational events, nominate members of the week, and collaborate with Eugene P. Watson Memorial Library and other registered student organizations that promote reading & literacy. Past events have featured advocating against banning books & censorship, preserving oral histories and traditions centered around Louisiana culture, fun educational trivia, presentation of statistics, and speakers in fields that deal closely with books.   The Rho chapter is the second active chapter of Alpha Beta Alpha and is located at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. The group holds weekly meetings where they plan and organize various service events on and off campus, discuss current events in the library science field, and bring in library and academic professionals to talk about library-related topics, and job opportunities around the United States. Recently, the organization has offered more social activities and events than just purely academic pursuits. Alpha Beta Alpha on the campus holds an annual banquet where they discuss the year's events as well as honoring special guests and graduating seniors.

## Symbols

The Alpha Beta Alpha badge is in the shape of a closed book, behind which a quill pen is placed vertically; diagonally across the book are the letters Α, Β and Α. The pledge button is shaped like a shield and crossed by a diagonal line. The blazon of the official coat of arms is as follows:
* Arms: purpure [purple], on a bend argent [silver], three Greek letters ΑΒΑ, of the first between; in chief, a white rose-leaved vert; and in base, the reproduction of the ΑΒΑ key.
* Crest: on a wreath of the colors, a candle holder argent holding a candle purpure, flamed and resplendent, or [gold].
* The motto is Books, People, Service, Life.
* The fraternity colors are purple and white.
* The official flower is a white rose.
* The official seal is round with a reproduction of the badge in the center, the fraternity's name, and the date encircling the badge.

## Chapters

Following are the chapters of Alpha Beta Alpha, with. active chapters noted in bold and inactive chapters in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | May 3, 1950 – 20xx ?; 2018–20xx ? | Northwestern State University | Natchitoches, Louisiana | Active |
| Beta | December 2, 1950 | Mississippi University for Women | Columbus, Mississippi | Inactive |
| Gamma | February 3, 1952 | Indiana State University | Terre Haute, Indiana | Inactive |
| Delta | January 10, 1953 | University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Inactive |
| Epsilon | January 17, 1953 | Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | Inactive |
| Zeta | April 11, 1953 | Concord University | Athens, West Virginia | Inactive |
| Eta | May 6, 1953 | Texas Woman's University | Denton, Texas | Inactive |
| Theta | May 23, 1953 – 1970 | Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | Inactive |
| Iota | 1953–1968 | San Jose State University | San Jose, California | Inactive |
| Kappa | April 12, 1954 – 1972 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Millersville, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Lambda | April 14, 1954 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Mu | February 25, 1956 | Illinois State University | Normal, Illinois | Inactive |
| Nu | April 15, 1956 – 1975 | Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | Inactive |
| Xi | May 26, 1956 – 1971 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Inactive |
| Omicron | April 5, 1957 | Florida A&M University | Tallahassee, Florida | Inactive |
| Pi | April 13, 1957 – 1967 | Our Lady of the Lake University | San Antonio, Texas | Inactive |
| Rho | November 20, 1957 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, Pennsylvania | Active |
| Sigma | March 22, 1958 – 1971 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Inactive |
| Tau | 1958–May 1964 | Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | Inactive |
| Upsilon | November 1, 1958 | Shepherd University | Shepherdstown, West Virginia | Inactive |
| Phi | January 16, 1960 – 1970 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Inactive |
| Chi | March 31, 1960 – 1973 | University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | Inactive |
| Psi | May 22, 1960 | Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau, Missouri | Inactive |
| Omega | November 17, 1960 – 1968 | University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Tennessee | Inactive |
| Alpha Alpha | April 8, 1961 | James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Inactive |
| Alpha Beta | April 14, 1961 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Alpha Gamma | November 10, 1962 | Morehead State University | Morehead, Kentucky | Inactive |
| Alpha Delta | October 17, 1963 | Oklahoma State University–Stillwater | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Inactive |
| Alpha Epsilon | November 20, 1963 | University of North Alabama | Florence, Alabama | Inactive |
| Alpha Zeta | May 14, 1965 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Eta | April 29, 1967 | East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | Inactive |
| Alpha Theta | 1966 | Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Alpha Iota | 1968 | Rowan University | Glassboro, New Jersey | Inactive |
| Alpha Kappa | 1968 | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, Oklahoma | Inactive |
| Alpha Lambda | 1969 | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Mu | 1969 | Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville, Missouri | Inactive |
| Alpha Nu | 1969 | Radford University | Radford, Virginia | Inactive |
| Alpha Xi | 1969 | Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, Illinois | Inactive |
| Alpha Omicron | 1969 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | Buckhannon, West Virginia | Inactive |
| Alpha Pi | 1970 | Mansfield University of Pennsylvania | Mansfield, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Rho | 1970 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, Tennessee | Inactive |
| Alpha Sigma | 1970 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Tau | 1970 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Upsilon | 1970 | University of Central Arkansas | Conway, Arkansas | Inactive |
| Alpha Phi | 1970 | Jackson State University | Jackson, Mississippi | Inactive |
| Alpha Chi | 1972 | University of Wisconsin–Whitewater | Whitewater, Wisconsin | Inactive |
| Alpha Psi | 1972 | Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois | Inactive |
| Alpha Omega | October 28, 1973 | South Carolina State University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | Inactive |