ALA Council I

This blog is in reference to my role as an ALA Councilor.  For more information, see this blog

The majority of Council I was actually spent in a strategic planning session to decide what success would look like, how can we get there, and how can we (our community, ALA division, round table, etc.) help ALA get there.

The planning was focused around 3 identified priorities:
Advocacy
Information Policy
Professional and Leadership Development

You can contribute your own comments here, whether or not you're an ALA member.

Under advocacy, my group (which was 50% Californians), discussed:

• Creating an engaged membership by better outlining legislation
• Better public awareness of who we are/what we do
• Helping librarians learn how to talk to power
• Getting corporate and other types of partners that may not be directly related to the library world
• One example was PA Forward from the Pennsylvania Library Association which focuses on different "literacies" each year and provides resources, etc.
• Create form letters, guides, etc. on contacting your officials

Under Information Policy, we discussed:

• E-rate/Broadband access for all
• Navigating the ALA Washington Office website and highlighting the resources that ARE available

Under Professional and Leadership Development, we discussed:

• Affordable webinars and trainings (more of an InfoPeople model -- other state library associations also do this really well)
• Encouraging diversity within the profession and programs such as Spectrum Scholars and Emerging Leaders
• Support for mid-career librarians and retention

We were so busy discussing that my notes from this aren't great, but ALA is supposed to compile everything and I can share the info if anyone is interested.