ALCTS LLAMA LITA Alignment Discussion

  • 1.  A couple questions

    Posted Jun 19, 2018 09:15 AM
    Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this proposal. I have several questions, but I'll start with these two:

    1. Why isn't RUSA part of this discussion? Do the leaders of ALCTS, LITA, and LLAMA think that user services should be included in initiatives to promote synergies across the functional divisions of ALA?

    2. If the proposal is adopted, what steps will be taken to ensure that content and programs don't get watered down? While it's certainly true that the 3 divisions have overlapping interests, it's also true that they have distinct areas that do not overlap.

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    David Shumaker
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  • 2.  RE: A couple questions

    Posted Jun 20, 2018 02:08 PM

    Great questions, David!

    We actually did have some early discussions with RUSA about the possibility of being part of a new division, but at the time, RUSA sections were not ready to start moving forward as a unified whole. Leadership of all four divisions agreed that while ALCTS, LITA and LLAMA would move forward to capitalize on momentum, we would keep RUSA in the loop about new division activities, with the possibility of their joining us in the future.

    Regarding your second question, there are a lot of "unknowns" at the moment, especially so early in the proposal phase. The structure of the new division is one of those unknowns, but the end goal is a more agile, responsive, and effective organization that serves the needs of ALL its community members. I imagine there will be a mix of content and programs aimed at the general group and others more narrowly focused on the specific needs and interests of library technologists, technical services personnel, and managers and leaders.

    Thanks for your questions and comments. We appreciate your input on this process!



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    Joel Tonyan
    Systems and User Experience Librarian
    University of Colorado Colorado Springs
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