The ALS is an umbrella organisation for literary societies in the UK. Formed
in 1973, they currently have over 100 member societies. TARS is a member
and through that, all members of TARS are also members. They provide
support and advice on a variety of literary subjects, for example, this year
they will run a webinar on copyright and intellectual property and also they
are exploring ways of addressing offensive terminology and culture in
literature.
They promote cooperation between member societies. Each year
they have an AGM weekend event hosted by a different member society. In
2024 TARS will be hosting this event. It is a wonderful opportunity to
showcase AR’s writing to other societies.
There are two newsletters a year. They contain a mixture of literary society
news, resources and also campaigns of a literary nature. When the Friends of
National Libraries was attempting to save the Honresfield library from being
sold and leaving the UK, the ALS through it’s membership raised awareness
and this collection of outstanding literary significance (Scott’s working
manuscript of Rob Roy, Burns’ poems and letters, seven of Charlotte Bronte’s
‘little books’, Emily Bronte’s holograph notebook of 31 poems and some
letters from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra) was saved.
There is also an annual journal comprised of contributions from any society
members on a specific topic. This year it is ‘Better drowned than duffers’.
Adventures by Land, Sea, Air and Imagination, and the ALS is inviting
members of their associated societies to submit articles. For further details on
this and all that the ALS does, see https://allianceofliterarysocieties.wordpress.com/
