Dear SRRT people,
As promised, below is the text of the resolution I drafted that we were not able to discuss at today's Action Council meeting. It is also attached as a PDF.
Any and all questions, comments, concerns, additions, corrections, etc. are welcome. Please send to me at eharger at drizzle dot com.
I look forward to your input!
Elaine
BEGIN TEXT
Resolution Concerning the United States of America in Crisis
DRAFT
Whereas the moral and constitutional foundations of the governing structures of the United States of America are collapsing;
Whereas, at the same time, every part of the planet is witnessing manifestations of ecosystem collapse brought about by an economic system that refuses to acknowledge any need for change in light of the climate crisis;
Whereas the power structures that have allowed the development of these two threats to humanity are propped up by propaganda, mis- and dis-information, the use of physical violence, relentless fear mongering, and hypocritical assertions of piousness; and
Whereas educational, scientific, and cultural institutions of the United States have long laid claim to being seekers of knowledge, cornerstones of democracy, great equalizers, and advocates for social justice;
Whereas, as one of these institutions, librarianship has a history both of complicity with forces of oppression and as an ally to movements of liberation and is now facing an unprecedented wave of ideological, legal, and policy attacks to which some are succumbing;
Whereas the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association was founded on the principles of democracy and transparency in governance, on intellectual freedom, on the library as a space for and in service to all, and on the broad social responsibilities of librarianship
…in terms of the contribution that librarianship can make in ameliorating or solving the critical problems of society; support for efforts to help inform and educate the people of the United States on these problems and to encourage them to examine the many views on and the facts regarding each problem; and the willingness of ALA to take a position on current critical issues with the relationship to libraries and library service set forth in the position statement [ALA Policy Manual A.1.1].; and
Whereas the crises the United States is both facing and causing in the world today are in full evidence given the following examples:
- unconstitutional use of force against immigrants, people of color, and protesters
- threats to acquire Greenland as a U.S. territory
- theft of Venezuelan oil tankers
- uncritical adoption of new technologies especially artificial intelligence
- complicity in the genocide of Palestinian people
- devolution of news media into infotainment
- abandonment of environmental protections
- growth in the wealth of billionaires at the expense of everyone else
- elimination of jobs and careers in every sector
- attacks on inclusive education
- spread of falsehoods regarding elections and voting
- banning of books; now, therefore be it
Resolved that the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association
- shares these grave concerns with other units of the Association and with its governing Council; and
- urges library workers across the country to counter all these developments in ways that best suit and support their communities.
Mover: Elaine Harger
Seconder:
Draft Version #3: 2.4.2026
END TEXT
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Elaine Harger
Librarian (retired)
She/Her/Hers,we/all
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