Dear ACRL Leaders,
The ACRL committee volunteer form for section and division-level appointments is now open!
Please visit http://www.ala.org/acrl/membership/volunteer/volunteer for a link to the form.
Please encourage your colleagues and committee members to consider volunteering for the 2019-2020 appointment cycle by forwarding this message, as appropriate. You are welcome to personalize the message for your audience.
The deadline to volunteer is February 15, 2019, for appointments that begin July 1, 2019.
Best,
Allison Payne
ACRL Program Officer
Make a Difference: Connect, Contribute, Collaborate
Volunteer for division and section committees and editorial boards
Thank you for volunteering to contribute your time and expertise to ACRL. We rely on the time, energy, and talent of our member volunteers to carry out the work of the Association. I'm delighted, as President-elect, to invite you to work with ACRL.
In the interests of creating an appointment process that is as transparent as possible, I will issue a statement informing the membership of the number of opportunities and volunteers, the number of appointments of first-time members, and other relevant information, after the appointments process is complete. This year, I would particularly like to draw your attention to the core commitment that ACRL has made to equity, diversity, and inclusion, when considering your recommendations for appointments.
Thank you again for your dedication to ACRL.
Sincerely,
Karen Munro
ACRL Vice-President/President-Elect
The rewards of volunteering
Volunteering offers many benefits and opportunities. You can:
- connect with others in the profession who are passionate and committed to academic librarianship,
- learn from those who share similar professional concerns and interests,
- network with information professionals in higher education,
- become part of a community of academic and research librarians,
- gain insights into the profession,
- enhance your leadership skills through group facilitation and project management,
- discover new ways to work,
- expand your awareness and understanding of the value of academic libraries in higher education,
- influence and advance the work of the association and the profession, and
- promote excellence within the profession.
The appointment process
Appointments are made at the division and section level, and through the editorial board process (see editorial board section below). Section vice-chairs are responsible for committee appointments for the year they will serve as chair. The ACRL vice-president is responsible for committee appointments at the division level for the year she serves as president. The ACRL Appointments Committee assists the vice-president in an advisory capacity. Division-level committees are created to conduct the work of the Board, and each committee crafts an annual work plan in consultation with their Board and Staff liaisons to accomplish the charged activities and responsibilities.
Current committee members whose terms conclude at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference should submit a new volunteer form if they wish to be considered for re-appointment. The online volunteer form closes February 15 and most committee appointment offers will be sent in April and May 2019.
Onsite attendance at the ALA Midwinter Meeting and the ALA Annual Conference is not a requirement of committee service. However, members of all ACRL committees, task forces, and similar bodies are expected to fully participate in the work of the group whether it be working virtually or face-to-face.
Factors influencing appointment
Although the appointment process may reflect the priorities of the vice-president/president-elect and section vice-chairs, several factors are always considered:
- Evidence of interest and expertise. Have prospective volunteers attended the meetings, visited and/or posted to the committee's ALA Connect community, and introduced themselves to the chair? Do they have knowledge and/or previous experience that relates to the work of the committee? Have they indicated their interest on the volunteer form?
- Demographics and composition of committee. A balance is sought with respect to type of library (community college, college, or university), geographic representation, ethnic diversity, and gender. Those who have not had the opportunity to serve on an ACRL committee are encouraged to volunteer.
- Recommendation of the current committee chair. Current committee chairs are asked to suggest prospective members.
- Willingness to participate in the work of the committee. While attendance at the American Library Association conference is not required to serve on a committee, volunteers should be prepared to engage in the committee work year-round.
The final appointments are the prerogative of the ACRL president-elect and the section vice-chairs.
How to apply
- Identify the committees that interest you.
ACRL committees and their charges are listed on the ACRL Directory of Leadership (http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/committees). Check out the committee's space in ALA Connect, where documents, discourses, and the work of the committees are posted. Attend face-to-face (or virtual) committee meetings at the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference to decide if their activities interest you. Talk with committee members. Express your interest to the committee chair. Ask about current projects and explain how you might contribute to the work of the committee.
- Submit a volunteer form (Internet Explorer is the preferred browser for accessing the form).
Volunteer forms should be submitted by February 15, 2019. You will be asked to login using your ALA member ID and the password you created. Be sure that you are a current ALA/ACRL member before attempting to login.
To volunteer for a division-level committee, visit http://www.ala.org/CFApps/volunteer/form.cfm for more detailed instructions.
To volunteer for a section committee, complete the online volunteer form at http://www.ala.org/CFApps/volunteer/form.cfm.
3. Volunteer again and check out other opportunities.
If you are not appointed, volunteer again next year. In addition, continue to explore ACRL's many opportunities to network and connect at http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/getinvolved Review the many discussion and interest groups. Each group selects a new leader in the spring outside of the volunteer process described above. If you'd like to start a new discussion or interest group, contact Mariel Colbert at mcolbert@ala.org.
ACRL division-level committee appointments
ACRL committees (and their charges) can be found on the ACRL website (http://www.acrl.org, select "Directory of Leadership" from the menu bar).
Appointments to ACRL standing committees are made in the spring for terms beginning immediately after the ALA Annual Conference. The Appointments Committee sends appointment recommendations to the ACRL president-elect. The president-elect makes the final appointments for the committees.
Questions about division-level appointments may be directed to the chair of the Appointments Committee, Erin L. Ellis, Associate Dean for Research and Learning Services and Associate Librarian, Indiana University, elliser@iu.edu.
If you have any questions about using the volunteer form, please contact ACRL Program Officer Allison Payne for division committees at apayne@ala.org or (312) 280-2519 or ACRL Program Officer Megan Griffin for section committees at mgriffin@ala.org or (312) 280-2514.
ACRL section appointments
ACRL sections help members customize their ACRL experience through newsletters, electronic discussion lists, specialized programming, preconferences, recognition, and various initiatives. To learn more, visit: http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/sections.
Section vice-chairs appoint members to section committees. Most appointments are made in the spring for terms beginning immediately after the ALA Annual Conference.
If you wish to be considered for a section committee appointment, complete the ACRL volunteer form at http://www.ala.org/CFApps/volunteer/form.cfm by February 15, 2019. (Internet Explorer is the preferred browser for accessing the form). For more information about section appointments, please contact section vice-chairs:
Anthropology and Sociology Section: Jill Conte, New York University, jill.conte@nyu.edu
Arts Section: Sha Towers, Baylor University, sha_towers@baylor.edu
College Libraries Section: Alexia Hudson-Ward, Oberlin College and Conservatory, ahudsonward@gmail.com
Community and Junior College Libraries Section: Jose Aguiñaga, Glendale Community College, jose.aguinaga@gccaz.edu
Digital Scholarship Section: Hannah Scates Kettler, University of Iowa, hannah-s-kettler@uiowa.edu
Distance Learning Section: Natalie Haber, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, natalie-haber@utc.edu
Education and Behavioral Sciences Section: Ericka Arvidson Raber, University of Iowa, ericka.raber@gmail.com
European Studies Section: Heidi Madden, Duke University, heidi.madden@duke.edu
Instruction Section: Susanna Eng-Ziskin, California State University – Northridge, susanna.eng@csun.edu
Literatures in English Section: Nancy Foasberg, Queens College, City University of New York, nancy.foasberg@qc.cuny.edu
Politics, Policy and International Relations Section: Elizabeth White, University of Georgia, elwhite1@uga.edu
Rare Books and Manuscripts Section: Verónica Reyes-Escudero, University of Arizona, reyesv@email.arizona.edu
Science and Technology Section: Tim Klassen, University of Alberta, twklasse@ualberta.ca
University Libraries Section: Amanda Peters, University of Michigan, arforres@umich.edu
Women and Gender Studies Section: Tara Baillargeon, Marquette University, tara.baillargeon@marquette.edu
Editorial boards
ACRL has eight editorial/advisory boards for its publications: Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey Editorial Board; Choice Editorial Board; College & Research Libraries Editorial Board; College & Research Libraries News Editorial Board; New Publications Advisory Board; Publications in Librarianship Editorial Board; RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage Editorial Board; and Resources for College Libraries Editorial Board.
Appointments to editorial boards are made after the Midwinter Meeting for terms that begin immediately after the ALA Annual Conference. The editors recommend the names of individuals to fill vacancies. The Publications Coordinating Committee approves the recommendation and the ACRL vice-president/president-elect makes the appointment.
If you would like to be considered for appointment to an editorial board, contact the editor of the editorial board early in the fall or indicate your interest on the ACRL online volunteer form.
Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey Editorial Board chair: Georgie Lynn Donovan, William & Mary; phone: (757) 221-1561; email: gldonovan@wm.edu.
CHOICE editor: Mark Cummings, Choice; phone: (800) 347-6933 x29; email: mcummings@ala.org.
College & Research Libraries editor: Wendi Arant Kaspar, Texas A&M, phone: (979) 862-6310; email: warant@tamu.edu.
College & Research Libraries News editor: David Free, ACRL; phone: (312) 280-2517; email: dfree@ala.org.
New Publications Advisory Board chair: Rebecca Kate Miller, Pennsylvania State University Libraries; phone: (814) 865-3064; email: rebeccakate.miller@gmail.com
Publications in Librarianship chair: Daniel Mack, University of Maryland Libraries; phone: (301) 404-9264; email: dmack@umd.edu.
RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage editor: Richard Saunders, Southern Utah University; phone: (435) 865-7947; email: rsaunders@suu.edu
Resources for College Libraries chair: Neal Baker, Earlham College Lilly Library; phone: (765) 983-1355; email: bakerne@earlham.edu.
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Allison Payne
Program Officer
American Library Association/Association of College and Research Libraries
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