Council III: Inquiry into Conference Date Changes Approved

Council also addresses Dubai selection for 2024 WLIC

By Megan Bennett | June 26, 2023

American Library Association (ALA) President Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada called the third and final Council meeting of ALA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago to order at 9:06 a.m. on June 26. The agenda (CD #8.8) was adopted.

The meeting began with memorial resolutions honoring Josephine Maria (Riss) Fang (M-#8); David Goodman (M-#9); Chris Cottrill (M-#10); Jen Angel (M-#11); Bill Ott (M-#12); Kristen A. Cooper (M-#13); Esperanza Bravo de Varona (M-#14); Helene Lafrance (M-#15); James Henry Jacobs, Jr. (M-#16); Paul Cappuzzello (M-#17); Patricia A. Wand (M-#18); David S. Baugh (M-#19); Rebecca Taylor Bingham (M-#20); Terrilyn Chun (M-#21); Eleanor M. McKnight (M-#22); Joyce Meskis (M-#23); Tracey J. Hunter Hayes (M-#24); Daniel Ellsberg (M-#25); Aletta Seales (M-#26); Charles L. Blockson (M-#27); Susana Hinojosa (M-#28). Pelayo-Lozada also read a tribute resolution honoring the 50^th Anniversary of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (T-#2).

ALA Treasurer Peter Hepburn presented a budget update (CD #13.3), as well as financials from the first seven months of FY23 (CD #13.4) and a revised budget schedule for FY24 (CD #13.5).

Head Teller Tarida Anantachai announced the results of the Committee on Committees (COC) and Planning Budget Assembly (PBA) elections (CD #12.2). Fannie Cox, Ed Garcia, Nadia Mira Orozco-Sahi and Jules Shore were elected for the 2023-2024 COC. Keturah Cappadonia, Emily Northcutt, and Ziba Peréz will serve as PBA chapter councilors from 2023-2025, and Sharaya Olmeda and Hong Yao will be at-large councilors.

Athena Salaba, chair of the Committee on Accreditation, presented the committee’s report (CD #30) on its proposed revisions to the ALA Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies. Revisions were designed to include more language about equity, diversity, and inclusion standards that programs need to meet.

Julius C. Jefferson, chair of the International Relations Committee (IRC), presented IRC’s report (CD #18.1) and a resolution on ALA’s objection to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) choosing Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the location for IFLA’s 2024 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) because of the city’s criminalization of homosexuality.

Council approved several amendments to IRC’s resolution that clarified ALA’s disapproval of the location unless IFLA can assure the protection of LGBTQ participants from prosecution and the unfettered inclusion of LGBTQIA+-related programming, or otherwise find a new location in the region. The amendments also call to revisit discussions about ALA’s participation in IFLA WLIC during the first council meeting at LibLearnX 2024. The motion with its amendments passed.

Council heard reports from Committee on Legislation chair Ed Garcia (CD #20.1), Intellectual Freedom Committee Chair Lesliediana Jones (CD #19.1), and Freedom to Read Foundation president Peter Coyl (CD #22.1).

A resolution from councilor Erin Berman also passed, calling for ALA to investigate the possibility of changing dates for future Annual Conferences, noting LGBTQ members regularly have to miss their local Pride events (CD #59) to attend. Both Annual and many cities’ Pride celebrations have traditionally been held during the fourth week of June. The resolution also calls for gathering input from membership, particularly LGBTQ members, about potential alternatives.

Pelayo-Lozada recognized retiring councilors and Executive Board members (CD #49), and ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall announced the conference’s final attendance totals of 15,842 registrants (9,459 paid).

Council adjourned at 11:44 a.m.

MEGAN BENNETT is an associate editor at American Libraries.

Tagged Under

Council II: Condemning Discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ Community

Amendments to ALA Policy Manual approved

ALA Council I: Reports and Resolutions

New prison library standards passed, new Executive Board appointments discussed

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