Dear IRRT Members,
If you are interested in working International Relations Round Table (IRRT) committees please let me know by April First. This is a great opportunity to be involved with librarians around the nation and the globe.
Thank you.
Safi Safiullah
The IRRT Committees Need You!
The International Relations Round Table (IRRT) is inviting you to serve on its committees to uphold its mission to connect librarians around the world and strengthen global communities. The IRRT can be your home to flourish and grow your leadership skills. It is a space to engage with a community far beyond geographical boundaries and to elevate the world. Joining a committee will give you the opportunity to learn about other libraries' approaches concerning the "new normal" emerging from the pandemic and the unique service models developed to serve adapting communities. Becoming involved with the IRRT team will allow you to sharpen your skills and help create a new library community that will bridge the gap between local and global communities in the virtual era.
As library professionals, we have committed our professional lives to provide services to everyone and we have a commitment to enlighten our communities and elevate society. Patty Wong, the current ALA President, rightly said, "a lot of people are quiet leaders, and that is beautiful, I tend to be quiet myself, but when I need to, and when I remember that it's not just about me, then I feel the voice and elevation pump and it comes a little bit more naturally." Ms. Wong also stated, "it's all about the community that you want to serve and want to elevate." Whether you consider yourself a quiet or vocal individual, I am sure that you have all the necessary expertise and skills to be a leader of the IRRT team.
The IRRT Committee Appointment Process
Let's talk about how the IRRT works. Like other roundtables, the IRRT Executive Board members (composed of a chair-elect and 7 members) are voted in during the ALA elections. The chair-elect works with the current chair and the Executive Board and becomes the chair after the Annual ALA Conference, and the previous chair remains as a voting member on the Executive Board during their last term.
Every spring, the chair-elect recruits 2 co-chairs and 5 to 8 members for the IRRT's 14 committees out of the IRRT's general body membership pool. The IRRT Committee meetings are held at least 3-5 times a year to progress the groups toward their unique goals and plan activities presented during the LibLearnX and the ALA annual conferences. A designated liaison from the IRRT Executive Board will be assigned to each committee to guide and support their activities and coordinate between the Executive Board and the committees. Additionally, a designated ALA staff from the International Relations Office (IRC) will be assigned to help committee chairs align the programs with the ALA's rules and regulations and help with housekeeping tasks. The chairs of the committees also submit their 6 monthly and annual reports to the IRRT's General Body meeting during Lib-LearnX and at the Annual Conference.
I urge our members to visit the IRRT's website to find out how you can get involved in a committee to bring our vision of an inclusive global library community to life. A list of the committees, their webpages, and their goals is attached below so you can see where your interests align. We need help from many of you to make our committees the best they can be and I am sure you and your skills will be a perfect match with at least one of the 14 committees. Committee appointments last for one year or two years (depending on committee), beginning at ALA Annual (July 1 - June 30) and ending at the next ALA Annual Conference. You must be a current ALA and IRRT member to serve on a committee. If you wish to become an IRRT member or renew your membership, please visit the ALA Membership site. Please note, members can only serve on up to three committees across all of ALA during any year. Please fill out the volunteer form (by April 1, 2022) and the chair-elect will get in touch with you to bring to the committee of your interest.
The IRRT Committee Descriptions
Develops and hosts programs at annual conferences for IRRT members and librarians interested in international librarianship.
The Endowment Committee has the following responsibilities:
- Promotes donations to the IRRT Endowment Fund using the IRRT website, social media, International Leads, and other avenues.
- Manages the disbursement of the IRRT Mission Enhancement Grants by soliciting applications via a variety of communication avenues, evaluating proposals, and selecting project(s) to recommend to the IRRT Executive Board for approval.
- Maintains a list of past winners and completed reports on the IRRT Website
The IRRT International Connections Committee, formally Exchanges Committee, has as its purpose to collect information about library professionals and libraries worldwide seeking to establish study visits and exchange programs; to disseminate information to librarians about opportunities to enrich and broaden their career experience and the library profession by developing intercultural perspectives; to share educational and cultural interests, achievements, and developments in libraries and thus assist in the development of the profession and of friendly and peaceful relations with countries throughout the world.
Develops and hosts an annual pre-conference for international attendees.
Founded in 1999, the committee's charge is to encourage the scholarly exchange of ideas on library issues between U.S. librarians and their colleagues from other countries; to develop a venue that fosters discussion and the exchange of opinion; to disseminate a global view of the library profession that will enrich and broaden the views of U.S. librarians; and to encourage our foreign colleagues to learn more about our professional associations and concerns.
Locate, organize and host the international visitors reception at the ALA annual conference. Coordinate the ALA President's Citation for International Library Innovation.
Promotes Sister Library relationships with libraries and librarians throughout the world. It develops guidelines and other activities, and helps libraries to connect with each other.
The ISLD serves as a clearinghouse of sustainable community-based library projects in developing areas of the world. This group mobilizes the power of ALA librarians to raise awareness of and make significant contributions to international library development. Librarians in developing countries can tap into resources for training and projects in their libraries.
Responsible for the international visitors center which provides advice and support for all international attendees at the ALA annual conference.
The committee is responsible for developing and implementing all membership activities for the IRRT.
The Nominating Committee presents a slate of candidates for the offices of chair, vice-chair, secretary /treasurer, members-at-large and the Round Table councilor-at-large.
Organizes the orientation for international visitors at annual conferences and works closely with the ALA International Relations Office to develop a mentoring program for annual conferences.
The Committee publicizes, solicits, reviews and evaluates all international poster session submissions for annual conferences and oversees their presentation.
The role of the IRRT Publications Committee is to recommend to the IRRT Executive Board policy, as well as steps to identify and implement policy, regarding International Leads, the IRRT website, and any other publishing activity, in any format, originating with the Round Table.
If you have any questions about IRRT's committees or their work, please contact me at ssafiullah@slcpl.org or reach out to any of the IRRT's Executive Board Members. I hope you'll join us in our efforts to connect the world through librarianship and community building!
Safi Safiullah (ssafiullah@slcpl.org)
IRRT Chair-Elect
Thank you.
Safi
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Safi Safiullah
Manager
The Salt Lake City Public Library
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