Since we have had some discussion recently about SRRT resolutions, I think it might be a good time to remember what we have accomplished over the years. Below is the analysis that I published in my book, Progressive Library Organizations: A Worldwide History (page 202-203). This only covers 1970 to 2012, and it was based on our Resolutions Archive at the time (which was not complete yet, and probably included about 90% of what SRRT passed).
SRRT Resolutions
From 1970 to 2012, SRRT has advocated 199 resolutions, about an average of 4.6 per year. Of the total, 9 were on SRRT's internal affairs, leaving a total of 190 addressing ALA, the profession, and the world at-large. 69 of these were either passed by the ALA Council or amended and passed by the Council, or implemented in whole or in part by other means. Of these, one was passed by the Council and later withdrawn.[i] One was included as part of a larger report passed by ALA Council.[ii] Two were effectively passed by the ALA membership.[iii] The ALA Executive Board implemented one without Council action.[iv] The initiating groups implemented two.[v] And one had a significant impact on the profession without other ALA action.[vi] There is one important caveat to this analysis. Some SRRT resolutions were never sent to the ALA Council for various reasons.
Remarkably, 35% of SRRT's resolutions were approved in the original form or amended and passed by the ALA Council, or implemented in some other way. Of course, many of the amendments either weakened or partially undermined SRRT's intent.
Most of the resolutions (65%) can be categorized into five large topics: ALA governance (18%), war/peace/militarism and surveillance in the US (16%), international human rights (11%), intellectual freedom and access to information (10%), and labor (10%). Another grouping on domestic human rights comprises 18%: women's rights (6%), gay/lesbian/bisexual rights (5%), affirmative action/equal opportunity (4%), and civil rights (3%).
Other resolution topics in order of importance were: SRRT governance, alternative press, outsourcing/privatization, environment, poor people's services, cataloging, health care, privacy, corporate funding, library education, and preservation.
There were high success rates for the domestic human rights grouping: affirmative action/equal opportunity 71%, civil rights 60%, women's rights 58%, and gay/lesbian/bisexual rights 44%. The success rates for the five major topics were lower: international human rights 38%, ALA governance 34%, war/peace/militarism and surveillance in the US 32%, intellectual freedom and access to information 26%, and labor 21%.
SRRT was most prolific in the 1990s advancing 69 resolutions, followed by the 1970s with 44, then 2000s with 41, and the 1980s with only 35 resolutions.
Chronologically, the most successful decade was the 1980s when SRRT succeeded 49% of the time, followed by the 2000s with a 44% success record. SRRT resolutions were only successful 30% of the time in the 1970s, and 29% of the time in the 1990s. Only 1 out of 10 resolutions succeeded from 2010 to 2012.
Although the number of resolutions advocated varied greatly, about the same numbers (17-20 resolutions) were passed in all the decades except the 1970s (13 resolutions). By the numbers, the two most successful periods were 1990-1994 (17 resolutions) and 1980-1984 (15 resolutions). There is no obvious pattern that explains this distribution; the topics were widely varied throughout all the periods. Considering the turmoil in the early 1970s, one might expect a better success rate for that period, and this is indeed true. For 1970-1971, SRRT advocated 9 resolutions and won 5 of them.
[i] The resolution on Censorship in Israel and the Occupied Territories was passed at the Midwinter 1993 meeting and revoked at the 1993 Annual Conference.
[ii] The 2004 resolution on ending restrictions on US travel to Cuba.
[iii] The 1993 resolution against ceasing publication of the Council voting records was passed at the ALA Membership Meeting. The 2001 resolution on reducing the ALA Membership Meeting quorum was revised and passed in a 2005 ALA membership referendum.
[iv] Domestic partnership benefits for ALA staff.
[v] The initial Spectrum Initiative brochure omitted representation of large ethnic groups. The brochure was soon revised. The Endowment Trustees implemented a policy of investing 1% of ALA's endowment in socially responsible investments.
[vi] The 1994 resolution on revising the Library of Congress Subject Headings concerning class and poverty was partially implemented by the Library of Congress.