What is the purpose of the MLA?

The MLA, or Modern Language Association of America, is a professional organization; the largest block of its members are teachers of English and American literature at colleges and universities. It also, as a professional organization, has some influence over curriculum development, employment conditions, etc. It publishes a fat quarterly journal about scholarly research as well, but its main function is its huge annual conference, held each year in a large American city the week between Christmas and New Year's.