It is always great to have a voice in the profession, to get to know other interesting library people, and to share your experience with others. You can do all of this by joining an ALA committee! I volunteered today, and I’m looking forward to seeing some of you there too! The information from ALA is below, for each perusal. The next annual meeting will be in Chicago, and we can get a CMLE van trip organized to transport people! Of course, also consider joining your local library groups, state groups, groups that focus on your specific professional interests – no matter what you do in the library world, there is a group for you!!
Contact:
Committee appointments will be finalized at the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting, with notifications sent out in early spring, 2017. President-Elect Neal chairs both the Committee on Appointments (responsible for ALA and joint committee appointments) and the Committee on Committees (responsible for Council committee appointments).
Volunteers are sought for the following ALA, Council, and joint committees: Accreditation; American Libraries Advisory; Awards; Budget, Analysis and Review; Chapter Relations (must be ALA chapter or divisional affiliate member, eight of 11 committee members should have state library association [chapter] leadership or committee experience); Conference; Constitution and Bylaws; Council Orientation (current or former ALA Councilors are desired); Diversity; Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services Advisory; Education; Election (members responsible for travel costs to ALA Headquarters one day per year in late April or early May); Human Resource Development and Recruitment Advisory; Information Technology Policy Advisory; Intellectual Freedom; International Relations; Legislation; Library Advocacy; Literacy; Membership; Membership Meetings; Organization; Policy Monitoring (only ALA Councilors with terms through 2019 may serve); Professional Ethics; Public and Cultural Programs Advisory; Public Awareness; Publishing; Research and Statistics; Resolutions (must have experience as an ALA Councilor or have served on a Council Committee); Rural, Native and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds; Scholarships and Study Grants; Status of Women in Librarianship; Training, Orientation and Leadership Development; Website Advisory; ALA-Children’s Book Council (joint committee – meets twice a year in NYC and members cover travel costs or may participate virtually); and ALA-Society of American Archivists- American Alliance of Museums (joint committee).
In addition to ALA, Council, and joint committees, you may also volunteer to serve on two subcommittees of the Committee on Diversity using the ALA volunteer form: the Diversity Research Grant Advisory Committee (seeking individuals with experience conducting a research project, including writing research proposals, budgets, conducting and analyzing research) and the Spectrum Advisory Committee (60% of the committee members should be alumni of the Spectrum Scholarship Program). Please note that ALA President-Elect Neal does not make subcommittee appointments. These appointments are made by the Committee on Diversity Chair in consultation with outgoing subcommittee chairs and staff liaisons. Please direct questions about the Diversity Research Grant Advisory Committee to Jody Gray (jgray@ala.org) and questions about the Spectrum Advisory Committee to Gwendolyn Prellwitz (gprellwitz@ala.org).
For technical assistance or for more information on the committee appointments process, contact Kerri Price, Committee on Appointments and Committee on Committees staff liaison (kprice@ala.org).