Alberta Massingill was born on July 12, 1914 in Urich, Missouri. She attended Park College where she worked at the college library, while earning a bachelor’s degree in science. Massingill earned a second bachelor's degree from the University of Denver in library science. While she was offered positions in both Flint and Grand Rapids, MI, she chose the Grand Rapids Public Library.

Massingill began working in the Grand Rapids Public Library’s fiction room in 1941. Shortly thereafter, she was named head of the circulation department. Some of her other titles included: personnel director, book purchaser, and lending services coordinator. In 1954 she won a national award for collaborating with local teachers to pioneer a remedial reading program. That same year she received her master's degree in library science from the University of Michigan.

In 1962 Massingill became the associate director of the library. Donald Kohlstedt was the director at the time but his death in 1972 led Alberta to maintain operations for 14 months. Ultimately she was nominated for the director position. The planning and construction of the Yankee Clipper branch occurred under her directorship. Although other branches were built during her tenure at the library, Yankee Clipper yielded triple the patron business. Massingill was also instrumental in establishing school libraries, which led to the initiation of services for children and summer programs. Similarly, she was sometimes referred to as the "founding mother” of the Lakeland Library Cooperative since its inception in 1971. She also held committee appointments in the Michigan and American Library Associations.

After 38 years of service, she announced her retirement in 1979. During her retirement she traveled and continued her work through Friends of the Library. She died on April 21, 2005.