ALA Council

• American Library Association. "The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights". https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/universalright
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF condemns the UK High Court's decision allowing for Julian Assange's extradition to the US, and calls for his immediate release https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-condemns-uk-high-courts-decision-allowing-julian-assanges-extradition-us-and-calls-his-immediate
• PEN International: PEN Centres Condemn Decision to Allow the Extradition of Julian Assange
  https://pen-international.org/news/uk-usa-pen-centres-condemn-decision-to-allow-the-extradition-of-julian-assange
• American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Comment on Julian Assange Extradition Ruling
  https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-comment-julian-assange-extradition-ruling
• Amnesty International: "Travesty of justice" as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/us-uk-travesty-of-justice-as-extradition-appeal-fails-to-recognise-that-it-would-be-unsafe-for-julian-assange-to-be-sent-to-the-us/
• International Federation of Journalists: Assange can be extradited to the US, London court rules
  https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/assange-can-be-extradited-to-the-us-london-court-rules.html

Hi,

Regarding this resolution, it does not look like Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or Committee on Legislation (COL) were asked to look at it and provide constructive feedback.  This resolution does have legislative impact, if we are asking ALA staff to spend time, resources, and political capital (i.e. leverage relationships) to contact the White House and US Department of Justice on an issue that does not seem to directly impact libraries or librarians, or relate to the ALA legislative agenda priorities.  Before anyone jumps on me about First Amendment concerns, I see those – but I am also very aware that ALA has finite resources and a defined scope of areas that ALA can directly impact and influence, which is outlined in the annual legislative agenda.  

Given the emphasis COL has communicated about coalition building over the past year, specifically to SRRT, I am perplexed why SRRT has not approached this from a coalition standpoint, which would be a more effective use of ALA resources and staff since there are other organizations (mentioned in the resolution) that can/should take the lead here. Those organizations also seem to have more extensive resources to "move the needle" on this issue than ALA does alone. 

I raise these concerns here, before we get to Council floor, so that perhaps the resolution can be withdrawn prior to Council III and presented to these two committees for review and feedback before going back to Council for a vote either at a spring virtual meeting or in June at Annual. 

Full disclosure – I am a member of COL, but since the committee has not been asked to review this resolution, there is no COL position on this.  My personal opinion is that this resolution should not go forward in Council until it has been reviewed by IFC and COL.

Lori, NH Chapter Councilor

• American Library Association. "The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights". https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/universalright
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF condemns the UK High Court's decision allowing for Julian Assange's extradition to the US, and calls for his immediate release https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-condemns-uk-high-courts-decision-allowing-julian-assanges-extradition-us-and-calls-his-immediate
• PEN International: PEN Centres Condemn Decision to Allow the Extradition of Julian Assange
  https://pen-international.org/news/uk-usa-pen-centres-condemn-decision-to-allow-the-extradition-of-julian-assange
• American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Comment on Julian Assange Extradition Ruling
  https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-comment-julian-assange-extradition-ruling
• Amnesty International: "Travesty of justice" as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/us-uk-travesty-of-justice-as-extradition-appeal-fails-to-recognise-that-it-would-be-unsafe-for-julian-assange-to-be-sent-to-the-us/
• International Federation of Journalists: Assange can be extradited to the US, London court rules
  https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/assange-can-be-extradited-to-the-us-london-court-rules.html

Hi,

Regarding this resolution, it does not look like Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or Committee on Legislation (COL) were asked to look at it and provide constructive feedback.  This resolution does have legislative impact, if we are asking ALA staff to spend time, resources, and political capital (i.e. leverage relationships) to contact the White House and US Department of Justice on an issue that does not seem to directly impact libraries or librarians, or relate to the ALA legislative agenda priorities.  Before anyone jumps on me about First Amendment concerns, I see those – but I am also very aware that ALA has finite resources and a defined scope of areas that ALA can directly impact and influence, which is outlined in the annual legislative agenda.  

Given the emphasis COL has communicated about coalition building over the past year, specifically to SRRT, I am perplexed why SRRT has not approached this from a coalition standpoint, which would be a more effective use of ALA resources and staff since there are other organizations (mentioned in the resolution) that can/should take the lead here. Those organizations also seem to have more extensive resources to "move the needle" on this issue than ALA does alone. 

I raise these concerns here, before we get to Council floor, so that perhaps the resolution can be withdrawn prior to Council III and presented to these two committees for review and feedback before going back to Council for a vote either at a spring virtual meeting or in June at Annual. 

Full disclosure – I am a member of COL, but since the committee has not been asked to review this resolution, there is no COL position on this.  My personal opinion is that this resolution should not go forward in Council until it has been reviewed by IFC and COL.

Lori, NH Chapter Councilor

• American Library Association. "The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights". https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/universalright
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF condemns the UK High Court's decision allowing for Julian Assange's extradition to the US, and calls for his immediate release https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-condemns-uk-high-courts-decision-allowing-julian-assanges-extradition-us-and-calls-his-immediate
• PEN International: PEN Centres Condemn Decision to Allow the Extradition of Julian Assange
  https://pen-international.org/news/uk-usa-pen-centres-condemn-decision-to-allow-the-extradition-of-julian-assange
• American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Comment on Julian Assange Extradition Ruling
  https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-comment-julian-assange-extradition-ruling
• Amnesty International: "Travesty of justice" as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/us-uk-travesty-of-justice-as-extradition-appeal-fails-to-recognise-that-it-would-be-unsafe-for-julian-assange-to-be-sent-to-the-us/
• International Federation of Journalists: Assange can be extradited to the US, London court rules
  https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/assange-can-be-extradited-to-the-us-london-court-rules.html

Hi,

Regarding this resolution, it does not look like Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or Committee on Legislation (COL) were asked to look at it and provide constructive feedback.  This resolution does have legislative impact, if we are asking ALA staff to spend time, resources, and political capital (i.e. leverage relationships) to contact the White House and US Department of Justice on an issue that does not seem to directly impact libraries or librarians, or relate to the ALA legislative agenda priorities.  Before anyone jumps on me about First Amendment concerns, I see those – but I am also very aware that ALA has finite resources and a defined scope of areas that ALA can directly impact and influence, which is outlined in the annual legislative agenda.  

Given the emphasis COL has communicated about coalition building over the past year, specifically to SRRT, I am perplexed why SRRT has not approached this from a coalition standpoint, which would be a more effective use of ALA resources and staff since there are other organizations (mentioned in the resolution) that can/should take the lead here. Those organizations also seem to have more extensive resources to "move the needle" on this issue than ALA does alone. 

I raise these concerns here, before we get to Council floor, so that perhaps the resolution can be withdrawn prior to Council III and presented to these two committees for review and feedback before going back to Council for a vote either at a spring virtual meeting or in June at Annual. 

Full disclosure – I am a member of COL, but since the committee has not been asked to review this resolution, there is no COL position on this.  My personal opinion is that this resolution should not go forward in Council until it has been reviewed by IFC and COL.

Lori, NH Chapter Councilor

• American Library Association. "The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights". https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/universalright
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF condemns the UK High Court's decision allowing for Julian Assange's extradition to the US, and calls for his immediate release https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-condemns-uk-high-courts-decision-allowing-julian-assanges-extradition-us-and-calls-his-immediate
• PEN International: PEN Centres Condemn Decision to Allow the Extradition of Julian Assange
  https://pen-international.org/news/uk-usa-pen-centres-condemn-decision-to-allow-the-extradition-of-julian-assange
• American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Comment on Julian Assange Extradition Ruling
  https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-comment-julian-assange-extradition-ruling
• Amnesty International: "Travesty of justice" as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/us-uk-travesty-of-justice-as-extradition-appeal-fails-to-recognise-that-it-would-be-unsafe-for-julian-assange-to-be-sent-to-the-us/
• International Federation of Journalists: Assange can be extradited to the US, London court rules
  https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/assange-can-be-extradited-to-the-us-london-court-rules.html

Hi,

Regarding this resolution, it does not look like Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or Committee on Legislation (COL) were asked to look at it and provide constructive feedback.  This resolution does have legislative impact, if we are asking ALA staff to spend time, resources, and political capital (i.e. leverage relationships) to contact the White House and US Department of Justice on an issue that does not seem to directly impact libraries or librarians, or relate to the ALA legislative agenda priorities.  Before anyone jumps on me about First Amendment concerns, I see those – but I am also very aware that ALA has finite resources and a defined scope of areas that ALA can directly impact and influence, which is outlined in the annual legislative agenda.  

Given the emphasis COL has communicated about coalition building over the past year, specifically to SRRT, I am perplexed why SRRT has not approached this from a coalition standpoint, which would be a more effective use of ALA resources and staff since there are other organizations (mentioned in the resolution) that can/should take the lead here. Those organizations also seem to have more extensive resources to "move the needle" on this issue than ALA does alone. 

I raise these concerns here, before we get to Council floor, so that perhaps the resolution can be withdrawn prior to Council III and presented to these two committees for review and feedback before going back to Council for a vote either at a spring virtual meeting or in June at Annual. 

Full disclosure – I am a member of COL, but since the committee has not been asked to review this resolution, there is no COL position on this.  My personal opinion is that this resolution should not go forward in Council until it has been reviewed by IFC and COL.

Lori, NH Chapter Councilor

• American Library Association. "The Universal Right to Free Expression: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights". https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/universalright
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF condemns the UK High Court's decision allowing for Julian Assange's extradition to the US, and calls for his immediate release https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-condemns-uk-high-courts-decision-allowing-julian-assanges-extradition-us-and-calls-his-immediate
• PEN International: PEN Centres Condemn Decision to Allow the Extradition of Julian Assange
  https://pen-international.org/news/uk-usa-pen-centres-condemn-decision-to-allow-the-extradition-of-julian-assange
• American Civil Liberties Union: ACLU Comment on Julian Assange Extradition Ruling
  https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-comment-julian-assange-extradition-ruling
• Amnesty International: "Travesty of justice" as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/us-uk-travesty-of-justice-as-extradition-appeal-fails-to-recognise-that-it-would-be-unsafe-for-julian-assange-to-be-sent-to-the-us/
• International Federation of Journalists: Assange can be extradited to the US, London court rules
  https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/assange-can-be-extradited-to-the-us-london-court-rules.html

Hi,

Regarding this resolution, it does not look like Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or Committee on Legislation (COL) were asked to look at it and provide constructive feedback.  This resolution does have legislative impact, if we are asking ALA staff to spend time, resources, and political capital (i.e. leverage relationships) to contact the White House and US Department of Justice on an issue that does not seem to directly impact libraries or librarians, or relate to the ALA legislative agenda priorities.  Before anyone jumps on me about First Amendment concerns, I see those – but I am also very aware that ALA has finite resources and a defined scope of areas that ALA can directly impact and influence, which is outlined in the annual legislative agenda.  

Given the emphasis COL has communicated about coalitio