Rise and Fall of Iran's First Association of Librarians (1966-1980)

In this study the reasons for the emergence and then decline of Iran's first Association of Librarians (AKTA) is reviewed. Pierre Bourdieu’s Social Field Theory is applied as the theoretical framework of the analysis.Design/Methodology/Approach: Original documents related to the AKTA during 1966-1980 have been used for obtaining basic data. The basic data have been supplemented by interviewing available AKTA members. This research uses the method of compilation of oral history through interviews. This study illustrates that the AKTA was formed in a stable political situation and under the moderately prosperous economic condition of Iran in the 1960s. The AKTA used public resources provided by the newly established Ministry of Higher Education and improved its publication and educational activities. Until a year after the Islamic Revolution of Iran (1979) AKTA continued its academic and professional work. After the Islamic Revolution, the newly appointed members of the AKTA led the activities of the Association towards union activities with some special political interests. These ideological activities of new members caused many of the library professionals to reduce their cooperation with the Association. In addition, the budget of the Association was cut. The Association gradually lost its academic prestige, which caused a wide pessimism about it among its supporters. This process continued to the extent that after the second group of members of the Association after the Islamic Revolution, there were no volunteers to participate in the Association activities. So it was dissolved without any official announcement.