Dear ALA Members,
[apologies if you are receiving this message multiple times; it is being posted in multiple places]
We are writing to invite you to show your support for a Resolution on ALA Financial Sustainability and Leadership Accountability that will be presented at the ALA Membership Meeting at the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago this June.
This resolution addresses years of mounting financial concern, including cumulative deficits exceeding $25 million across fiscal years 2024 and 2025, a $7 million deficit budget approved for FY2026, declining membership, and persistent losses in conferences and publishing, and calls for meaningful leadership accountability and corrective action.
The resolution also calls for the restoration of transparency, member inclusion, and the autonomy of ALA's divisions and units, values central to who we are as an association and that align directly with the ALA Strategic Plan, particularly around financial sustainability and organizational accountability.
Importantly, per ALA Policy Manual, Section A, Chapter 16 (https://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/policymanual), a resolution requires only a mover and a seconder to be brought forward for a vote. Your signature is not required. However, we welcome your endorsement as a demonstration of broad member support for the principles this resolution represents.
To add your name to this resolution, please complete the linked form below. You will be asked to provide your name and ALA member number. Please note that signatories should be current members of the association.
Link to form: (If the link does not work, point your browser to https://forms.gle/MTAFHU8TUQVCpKcM8)
Thank you for your continued commitment to ALA and to the profession we all serve. The strength of this association has always come from its members, and your voice matters now more than ever.
In solidarity,
Beth McNeil
Trevor A. Dawes
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Trevor A Dawes
Newark DE
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