The background to this issue of the ALJ begins with the ARLIS International Conference at Sussex University in 1976. For a number of years Judy Hoffberg, at that time Executive Secretary of ARLIS/NA, had been envisaging the formation of an international art libraries organisation and this Conference gave interested librarians from a number of different countries the opportunity to discuss the matter. A decision was made to form a committee of international representatives appointed by the various national groups to formulate the structure of ARLIS/International. This committee was to report its findings within one year.