SRRT (Social Responsibilities Round Table)

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The Social Responsibilities Round Table works to make ALA more democratic and to establish progressive priorities not only for the Association, but also for the entire profession. Concern for human and economic rights was an important element in the founding of SRRT and remains an urgent concern today. SRRT believes that libraries and librarians must recognize and help solve social problems and inequities in order to carry out their mandate to work for the common good and bolster democracy.

Learn more about SRRT on the ALA website.

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SC Department of Education ends 50 year partnership with the SC Association of School Librarians (SCASL)

  • 1.  SC Department of Education ends 50 year partnership with the SC Association of School Librarians (SCASL)

    Posted Sep 05, 2023 05:28 PM

    Dear Colleagues,

    I thought this article would be an interest to both the SRRT and IFRT members.

    The State Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver in South Carolina recently sent a letter to the President of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL), notifying her the "SC Department of Education will formally discontinue any partnerships with SCASL as an organization, effectively immediately."

    SC Dept. of Education drops SC Association of School Librarians | wltx.com

    The letter outlines the history of South Carolina's commitment to supporting school libraries from the early 1900s to the present and the longstanding priority of "all educators and especially librarians ... to foster strong cooperative relationships with parents ..."

    Her concern is that librarians and teachers are not taking the questions, concerns, or even challenges of materials by parents seriously. Further, she states, "... a number SCASL's recent communications via its website (such as the American Library Association's Advocacy Toolkit), in testimony regarding library "censorship" before members of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Taskforce, and ... a letter sent to local school board members undermine that vital objective.

    The Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver's public letter dissolving the partnership: ed.sc.gov/newsroom/scasl-letter/

    There seems to be a disturbing trend of States withdrawing partnerships or institutional support from our national and state library associations. 



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    Derek Wilmott
    rdwilmott@gmail.com
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  • 2.  RE: SC Department of Education ends 50 year partnership with the SC Association of School Librarians (SCASL)

    Posted Sep 05, 2023 09:19 PM

    I hope there is a counter movement of SC parents in support of SCASL. In my experience it is always better to use local or state people to make a point rather than citing an expert from a different region.



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    Kathleen de la Peña McCook
    Distinguished University Professor
    School of Information
    University of South Florida
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    Original Message