
American Library Association (ALA) President Emily Drabinski called the first Council meeting of ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition to order at 10 a.m. on June 29.
The Council rules (CD#5.1) and agenda (CD#8.4) were adopted. The minutes from ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore (CD#2.2) meetings were approved.
Interim ALA Executive Director Leslie Burger shared the Executive Board’s actions since LibLearnX (CD#15.1) and the implementation of Council Actions from the January conference (#9.1).
Cindy Hohl, ALA president-elect and Committee on Committees (COC) chair, presented the nominees for the upcoming COC and the Planning and Budget Assembly elections (CD#12). Drabinski announced the tellers for these elections (CD#12.1). Conference Committee Chair Jennifer Ferriss also shared her group’s report (CD#44.1).
During New Business and Resolutions, Councilor-at-Large Kathy Lester introduced a resolution to increase services and support for the American Association of School Librarians school library and Association of College and Research Libraries’ academic library chapters (CD#51) to more equitably match those of public library chapters from the Chapter Relations Office, Public Policy and Advocacy Office, and Office of Intellectual Freedom. Lester’s resolution calls for the creation of a task force that will “further the understanding and awareness of these inequities and … consider action steps” and that will report back to Council during ALA’s 2025 Annual Conference. The motion passed 151-5 with three voters abstaining.
With 162 affirmative votes, Council unanimously passed a resolution to reaffirm ALA’s commitment to intellectual freedom. Put forth by Executive Board Member Peter Coyl, it also included a call to action for supporters to petition their elected officials to protect, preserve, and defend the First Amendment and the right to read freely (CD#52).
In closing announcements, Burger announced that as of June 29, Annual registration reached 7,805 paid registrants (13,036 total) exceeding both ALA’s target attendance and revenue goals by more than 100%. Drabinski adjourned the meeting at 11:51 a.m.