Core Authority Control Interest Group

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last person joined: 25 days ago 

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Portraits of three Core members with caption Become a Member: Find Your Home: Core.

 

  • 1.  Important Update: ALA Connect Interest Groups Becoming Member-Only Benefit

    Posted 20 days ago

    We're writing to inform you of an important update to ALA Connect that will enhance the value of your ALA membership. 

    What's Changing: Effective January 23, 2025, ALA Connect Interest Groups will become an exclusive member-only benefit. Only current ALA members will be able to view and participate in Interest Group community content. 

    What This Means for You:

    ·       ALA members: you will continue to enjoy full access to all Interest Groups in ALA Connect.

    ·        Non-ALA members: you will soon receive an email from us containing a special discount code to join ALA and Core at a reduced rate. We invite you to take advantage of this offer so you can continue to engage with your professional community.

    o   Please Note: If you have unsubscribed from emails from ALA, we invite you to reconnect with us at this time so that you can receive our special discount code to join ALA and Core. To request that you be resubscribed, please write to core@ala.org and we will resubscribe you. This change will allow you to receive emails from ALA and announcements from Core about events and activities such as free events hosted by our Interest Groups.

    Why This Change: This change is part of ALA's deliberate, multi-year organizational renewal process aligned with our new strategic plan. Throughout our 150-year history, ALA has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of libraries and their communities-today's transformation is the most recent chapter in our legacy of adaptation. 

    By establishing consistent policies-like making Interest Groups member-only across all divisions-we're:

    ·        Responding to member feedback about organizational clarity

    ·        Reinforcing what makes ALA membership valuable by ensuring that resources of the organization are supported by dues paying members.

    ·        Aligning practices with ALA Forward.

    Important: Interest Groups will still be able to offer events outside of ALA Connect (such as town halls, virtual discussions, etc.) that the wide professional community (members and non-members) can take part in.

    Questions? Contact our Member Relations team at [contact info] or visit [help page URL]. 

    Best regards,

    Cory Stevenson

    Associate Director, Community Engagement and Experience

    Member Relations & Services

    American Library Association

    cstevenson@ala.org



    ------------------------------
    Todd Ross
    Membership and Communications Specialist
    Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures
    He/Him/His
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  • 2.  RE: Important Update: ALA Connect Interest Groups Becoming Member-Only Benefit

    Posted 19 days ago
    Dear Core Community,

    I am stunned by this decision. I think it is outrageous to deliberately exclude our colleagues who might not be able to afford ALA membership or may fear having a membership because of political repercussions in some states. For library staff (paraprofessionals) who get no employer support, this is one of their few entry points for participation. 

    This decision will make it more difficult to recruit new members to ALA and new leaders to the interest groups. I would bet money that some folks have joined ALA after participating in interest groups.

    Additionally, some LIS students are following the interest groups to keep abreast of discussions. These are probable future members who will join when they can get a job that allows them to afford the membership dues. (I know it's $40, that's still A LOT of money on student budgets.)

    This decision leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. I urge ALA and Core to reconsider this exclusionary tactic. 


    Bobby Bothmann

    -- 

    Bobby Bothmann MLIS, MS (he/him)
    Professor, Catalog & Metadata Librarian

    Resource Management Coordinator

    Minnesota State University, Mankato

    email: bobby.bothmann@mnsu.edu
    phone: 507-389-2010

    Schedule a research appointment. 

     




    Original Message