ALA Council I: Round Table Dues Standardized

Executive board nominations announced, virtual membership meetings to continue

By Megan Bennett | January 29, 2023

American Library Association (ALA) President Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada called the first ALA Council meeting of the 2023 LibLearnX Conference to order at 2:30 p.m. on January 28.

The Hybrid Council rules (CD#5) and agenda (CD#8.2) were adopted, and the minutes from the Hybrid Council meeting during the June 2022 ALA Conference (CD#2) were approved.

ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall reviewed Executive Board actions since the June 2022 Hybrid Council meeting (CD#15) and the implementation report on ALA Council Actions (CD#9) taken at the 2022 hybrid annual conference.

Emily Drabinski, chair of the Committee on Committees, presented the nominations for the elections to the Executive Board (CD#11). The candidates for election to three-year terms (2023–2026) on the ALA Executive Board are Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Stephanie Chase, Maria F. Estrella, Dorcas Hand, Sophia Sotilleo, and Steven Yates.

Pelayo-Lozada also announced the tellers for the Executive Board elections (CD#11.1): Ramin Naderi as head teller, Lynn Johnson, Tashia Miller, and Daniella Smith.

Membership Committee chair Miranda Bennett presented the committees report (CD#44) and several motions. Motions to approve an extended timeline for the current ALA membership model until FY25 (CD#44.1), and a five-year approval beginning in FY24 to allow for the Executive Board to make annual dues adjustments (CD#44.2), both passed. #CD44.3, which recommended standardized dues structure for round tables starting in FY24 prompted extended debate, was passed after Council passed an amendment to keep round table membership free for international members of the International Relations Round Table. Council also passed the Membership Committee’s motion outlining a three-year transitional period for the round tables as they adjust to the new structure.

Andrew Pace, chair of the Committee on Organization, proposed two actions (CD#27): to modify the charge of the Information Technology Advisory Committee and modify the composition of the Code of Conduct Committee from eight to 11 members. Both passed.

Karen G. Schneider, chair of the Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC), presented the committee’s report and proposed resolution (CD#33-33.1) to continue virtual access to ALA membership meetings, which had been referred to BARC during the June 2022 Annual meeting for fiscal review. The resolution passed.

Sandy Hirsh, chair of the Committee on Education, proposed action relating to approve a 2022 Revision of the ALA Core Competencies of Librarianship to reflect revised language about ALA accreditation (CD#41), which passed.

In an update on its work (CD#40), past ALA Operating Agreement (OA) Working Group co-chairs Pace and Maggie Farrell said a proposed policy will be available for review and vote at the Council meeting during the 2023 Annual Conference.

Hall presented an update on LibLearnX registration numbers. At the time of the Council meeting, the conference had 2,622 total registrants.

Pelayo-Lozada adjourned the meeting at 5:03 p.m.

MEGAN BENNETT is an associate editor at American Libraries.

Tagged Under

Council II: Council Forum Dissolved

Revisiting ALA’s Core Values and Core Competencies

Council I: Resolutions and Governance Policy

TAG Action Item #1 passes as amended

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