The dorms are a great idea! I had no idea ALA used to provide that as an option.
For those of you interested in learning more about Plain Language, I recommend checking out the fantastic website from the Federal Government. I'd love to see an ALA where our policies, toolkits, and website were written so that any interested person can gain access to the information they need. Having tools for library workers that are easy to understand and approachable would go a long way towards disrupting the notion that ALA is only for bigger libraries with lots of resources.
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Original Message:
Sent: 7/7/2024 3:43:00 PM
From: Anchalee Panigabutra-Roberts
Subject: RE: Future of ALA discussion at Council 2
Thanks so much, Laverne, for sharing the notes on the future of ALA above.
And I concurred on great seeing everyone at the Council meetings and hearing some of your voices via the virtual meetings.
On this item of the future of ALA, I did speak in Council II on providing more affordable housing options for conference attendees; specifically to re-introduce the dormitory housing options on college campuses for housing at ALA annual conferences in the future.
I could not have been able to engage with ALA earlier in my membership years with ALA, had it not been for the dorm housing options.
Given this time of less-generous travel budgets from the members' institutions and rising costs of travels, I do hope that this housing option will be considered.
With this option, I hope it will encourage more participation from our members and also attendance at the conferences.
Thank you ALA Executive Board and Councilors for your consideration.
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Anchalee Panigabutra-Roberts
Head of Cataloging
University of Tennessee Libraries
She/Her/Hers
ALA Councilor At-Large
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Original Message:
Sent: Jul 05, 2024 10:51 AM
From: Laverne Mann
Subject: Future of ALA discussion at Council 2
It was great to see some Councilors again, meet a few more, and enjoy San Diego.
Posting my quick notes from the speed comments at Council 2 on the one thing ALA should focus on. Perhaps other Councilors can add their thoughts to this discussion here.
Any mistakes are mine. Missed a few comments also.
Future of ALA discussion at Council 2- limit to one minute
Why this discussion?
Emily:
Structure of change at ALA
ED Director set for August
New ED board structure
Financial operating agreement
Role in right to read
Librarians in practice
Aaron- We are ALA - leadership need to build opportunities 40k 50k members
Broad grassroots outreach
Only do…focus - funding, IF
Show ALA value to libraries
Access to digital materials
Plain language - ALA docs hard find or understand
Info Tech comm reach out Itach in ALA
New website
New managed services vendors IT area
American Indian Lib Assocs
Active tribal libs- ALA not useful to them
Not just tribal, small comm
No money for conference or PD
More Engagement
CO- better explain value
Better state and Ala communication
OH- ongoing operating agreement
Recognize next stages
Difficult convos w leaders
Holistic more nimble
Going to be hard not just individual units
Louisiana-
Improve public perceptions
librarians called Evil, groomer, indoctrination
Anti library legislation in LA
2 yrs prison for attending ALA just blocked
MA-
Much better job support school librarians
C at Large-
Forward Together, surveyed and centralized goals after survey
Build capacity and strat plan and goals
Andrew Pace-
Fiscally knowledgeable Ala future
Occasionally deferential to board,
Not for profit but not for losses
More money in,
Jim Neal-
attended 104 consecutive conf
Legal status
APA
Freedom to read
Get dirty in political…other orgs do it and well, attention for it
( others like EveryLibrary doing this work)
NY Nick Buron- need non library advocates, public influencers
150 anniversary kickstart that
School librarians
Librarians lost jobs
need more Ala help on ground
Storytelling helps
Leslie Burger, Acting ED- "getting input helps inform work at org level"
Better notes should be found in Minutes
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Laverne Mann MLIS
NJLA Chapter Councilor
Director
Cherry Hill Public Library, NJ
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