Sam Helmick writes: “In 1876, 103 dreamers gathered in Philadelphia. These librarians and library advocates came to weave a vision of libraries as lanterns in the night, as havens of thought, as places where minds and hearts could be set free. From that gathering, ALA was born. Today, we stand at 150 years, a century and a half of voices lifted, stories shared, and doors opened. Through wars and unrest, through the whirlwind of change, ALA has held fast to a simple truth: Knowledge belongs to all, and all who seek it deserve to find it.”