Council II: Resolutions and Organizational Effectiveness

By Amy Carlton | January 28, 2019

American Library Association (ALA) President Loida Garcia-Febo called the second ALA Council meeting to order at 10 a.m. on January 28.

Policy Monitoring Committee (PMC) Chair Gladys Smiley Bell presented the PMC report (CD#17) with three action items. Motions to insert a new interpretation of Library-Initiated Programs as a Resource into B.2.1.11 of Library Bill of Rights, a new interpretation on Services to People with Disabilities into B.2.1.21 of the Library Bill of Rights, and the insertion of revised text on Council Resolutions: Guidelines for Preparation of Resolutions to Council into the ALA Policy Manual as A.4.2.3 all passed.

Shali Zhang, chair of the Committee on Organization, presented a report (CD#27) with four action items. A motion to revise the charge for the Committee on Legislation passed. A motion to revise the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services Advisory Committee composition to remove the Sustainability Round Table and add the Committee on Education passed. A revision to the charge of the Committee on Literacy passed, as did a revision to the Literacy Assembly charge.

Robin Kear, chair of the International Relations Committee (CD#18), reported that 162 librarians from 24 countries were attending Midwinter and gave updates on the 2018 International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions World Library and Information Congress in Malaysia, the Library Map of the World project, and the Sharjah Library Conference. More than 700 libraries from 104 countries are participating in ALA’s Libraries Transform initiative.

Committee on Accreditation Chair Loretta Parham reported on the ALA accreditation program and proposed a revision (CD#36) to MLIS standard element V.3 in response to a letter from the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CD#36.1). The motion passed.

Charles Brownstein, president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FRTF), gave an update on the foundation’s activities since the 2018 Annual Conference (CD#22), including pending legislation and developing issues. FRTF celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019—initiatives include a crowdfunded published book and a reception and celebration at ALA’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

Susan L. Jennings, chair, presented a proposal from the ALA Awards Committee (CD#31) to change the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity to the Penguin Random House Library Award for Innovation Through Adversity because of new sponsorship. The motion passed.

Councilor-at-Large Peter Hepburn proposed a resolution to eliminate monetary fines as a form of social inequity (CD#38). The motion passed.

Lessa Pelayo-Lozada, chair of the Steering Committee for Organizational Effectiveness, and a consultant from Tecker International presented their report, Designing 21st Century Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness Remodeling Options (CD#40). More conversations will take place at Midwinter and virtually in February.

Garcia-Febo adjourned the meeting at 12:05 p.m.

AMY CARLTON is a senior editor of American Libraries.

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