ALA Divisions About ALA

To demonstrate this commitment, the ALA and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for study in a master’s degree in library and information studies from an ALA accredited program, or for a master’s degree with a specialty in school librarianship that meets the ALA curriculum guidelines for a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredited unit. See the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) website for the list of Nationally Recognized CAEP/AASL Reviewed & Approved School Librarianship Education Programs. On November 29, the Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) and the boards of directors for ALA’s eight divisions issued a joint statement regarding the increase in book challenges and removals from libraries and schools around the US.

ALA’s Executive Board, staff, and member leaders reaffirm not only the principles of the Freedom to Read Statement but also the daily practices that ensure it continues to inform the profession and that library workers and library trustees have the training, information, tools, and support they need to celebrate and defend their communities’ right to read and to learn. In support of mission outreach provided to veterans, military, and their families by over 600,000 volunteers, the Development Division bridges the gap between what veterans need and what the monies from membership dues can provide. Additional support is made possible through donor contributions to both the American Legion Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation.

Donations from Auxiliary members and supporters help make scholarships, youth mentoring, support for disabled veterans, and emergency funds for unexpected tragedies a reality. The children’s division ALSC administers the Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Batchelder Award, Belpré Awards, Geisel Award, and Sibert Medal, all annual book awards;[95] the Odyssey Award for best audiobook (joint with YALSA), and the (U.S.) Carnegie Medal and for best video. There are also two ALSC lifetime recognitions, the Children’s Literature Legacy Award and the Arbuthnot Lecture. Intellectual Freedom Committee Chair Julia Warga gave an update on the committee’s activities (CD#19.6–19.10), including recent censorship and challenges and recognition of the 50th anniversary of the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund.

1. Committee on Legislation Chair Rob Banks presented that committee’s report highlights (CD#20.3), including updates on ALA’s advocacy and legislative efforts in response to COVID-19.
2. Each division is represented on the ALA Council and in the Planning and Budget Assembly.
3. The official purpose of the association is “to promote library service and librarianship.” Members may join one or more of eight membership divisions that deal with specialized topics such as academic, school, or public libraries, technical or reference services, and library administration.
4. Falsely claiming that these works are subversive, immoral, or worse, these groups induce elected and nonelected officials to abandon constitutional principles, ignore the rule of law, and disregard individual rights to promote government censorship of library collections.
5. Be sure to check the requirements of the specific scholarship for which you are applying because you may need to mail additional documents.

Working collaboratively with ALA national leaders, we ensure the needs — no matter how great or small — of our military and veteran population are met. Through “boots on the ground” implementation of the ALA’s mission by our nationwide network of ALA ala divisions volunteers, we serve veterans, military, and their families throughout every stage of their lives. A vital part of the ALA’s mission delivery is the face-to-face training, idea sharing, and process development that happens at ALA national events.

During World War I the ALA Executive Board initiated by Walter Lewis Brown established the Library War Service Committee to supply books and periodicals to military personnel at home and overseas.[17] The American Library in Paris was founded as part of this effort. International Relations Committee Chair Emily Drabinski noted in her report (CD#18.2) that 85 international colleagues registered for ALA Virtual. ALA’s International Relations Round Table Webinar Committee hosted a series of webinars on best practices from libraries around the world on reopening. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ 2020 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin has been canceled. Committee on Legislation Chair Rob Banks presented that committee’s report highlights (CD#20.3), including updates on ALA’s advocacy and legislative efforts in response to COVID-19.

An annual directory of awards from state library agencies, national and state library associations, local libraries, academic institutions, and foundations. ALA has incorporated specialized sections and divisions from its early existence, beginning with the college and reference librarians (1889), the trustees (1890) and catalogers (1900). Today ALA is home to eleven membership divisions, each with a type-of-library or type-of-library-function specialization.

PLA Membership Statistics, 2000-2019

The Reference and User Services Association awards include annual lists of “Notable” and “Best” books and other media.[100]
The Reference and User Services Association awards also include the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, Dartmouth Medal, Sophie Brody Award and Schneider Book Awards. Ben Hunter, chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, brought several proposed changes to the ALA Constitution (CD#25.1). A motion to add language to the constitution to clarify that both Council and membership meetings may be held electronically and that voting may take place at those meetings passed, as did a motion to change the requirements for a quorum in the bylaws to make them consistent with the requirements in the constitution. Applications and reference forms (which must be submitted on-line) are available during that time period.

Some of these groups even resort to intimidation and threats to achieve their ends, targeting the safety and livelihoods of library workers, educators, and board members who have dedicated themselves to public service, informing our communities, and educating our youth. ALA has eight divisions, the membership units that focus on types of libraries, such as public or academic; on types of services, such as children’s, technical, or user services; or on particular areas of interest, such as information technology or management. Established December 1, 1967, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials.

Customize your ALA experience by joining one of our eight Divisions where you can network and collaborate with a targeted focus on your library environment and your professional role. Through career development, specialized resources, opportunities to lead and learn — ALA Divisions will connect you to the professional community you want. A second vote on officially dissolving ALA divisions is required by the bylaws; that vote will take place during a special meeting after Council III on June 27.

RUSA Membership Statistics, 2020-Present

Often working behind the scenes, members of the National Headquarters event team are responsible for the logistics of national events, including registration, vendor coordination, and complete travel management. Whether it is for ALA Mission Training, board meetings, or our National Convention, these expert project managers ensure success through the 12-month cycle of events, reaching almost every corner of our nation. The ALA helps to provide a total of 29 scholarships (over $300,000 annually), a list of which can be found on their website.[90] National Library Week, the second week of each April, is a national observance sponsored by the ALA since 1958.[91] Libraries across the country celebrate library resources, library champions and promote public outreach. The American Library Association (ALA) is committed to promoting and advancing the librarian profession.

A resolution condemning police violence against Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), protesters, and journalists passed. Libraries manifest the promises of the First Amendment by making available the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and ideas, so that every person has the opportunity to freely read and consider information and ideas, regardless of their content or the viewpoint of the author. This requires the professional expertise of librarians who work in partnership with their communities to curate collections that serve the information needs of all their users. Promoting Service Not Selfand assisting the national Membership Committee with retention and recruitment strategies are key priorities of the Membership Division.

Human Resources

ALA is home to eleven membership divisions, each with a type-of-library or type-of-library-function specialization. ALA divisions publish journals, books, newsletters, and other materials; provide continuing education in a variety of venues and formats; offer awards and scholarships; sponsor institutes and conferences; and maintain networks of affiliates, chapters, and other collaborative relationships. Divisions are membership units that focus on types of libraries, such as public or academic; on types of services, such as children’s, technical, or user services; or on particular areas of interest, such as information technology or management. Divisions offer programs and publications; collect membership dues; hold national conferences, institutes, and workshops; and elect or appoint their own governance structure, committees, task forces, and discussion groups as outlined in Policy 6.4. ALA divisions publish journals, books, newsletters and other materials; provide continuing education in a variety of venues and formats; offer awards and scholarships; sponsor institutes and conferences; and, maintain networks of affiliates, chapters and other collaborative relationships.

The official purpose of the association is “to promote library service and librarianship.” Members may join one or more of eight membership divisions that deal with specialized topics such as academic, school, or public libraries, technical or reference services, and library administration. Members may also join any of the nineteen round tables that are grouped around more specific interests and issues than the broader set of ALA divisions. OIF and ALA divisions and offices provide tools and resources for libraries, including challenge support; consulting and training; and awareness campaigns like Banned Books Week and the annual Top 10 Most Challenged Books list. Other support for library workers facing book challenges includes the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund, devoted to the support, maintenance, and welfare of librarians whose employment is threatened because of discrimination or because of their defense of intellectual freedom.

In addition to answering hundreds of questions daily and providing support to members nationwide, this division is charged with the national member database (ALAMIS) and assisting departments and units in membership processing, annual renewal notices and membership cards, membership statistics, Paid Up For Life (PUFL) memberships, unit and district/county charters. ALA-Accredited programs can be found at schools in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. Theses programs offer degrees with names such as Master of Library Science (MLS), Master of Arts, Master of Librarianship, Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS), and Master of Science. To be accredited, the program must undergo an external review and meet the Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies. There are currently 62 accredited programs, and two that are candidates seeking accreditation. The annual awards roster also includes the John Cotton Dana Award for excellence in library public relations, and the I Love My Librarian award in concert with the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Public Library.

The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries. With the freedom to read under threat, the ALA, including its Executive Board, divisions, round tables, and other units, stand firmly with our members, the entire library community, allied organizations, and all those across this country who choose to exercise their right to read and access information freely, and we call on others to do the same. One of the organization’s most visible tasks is overseen by the Office for Accreditation, which formally reviews and authorizes American and Canadian academic institutions that offer degree programs in library and information science.

This group called themselves the Organizing Committee for the ALA Round Table on Social Responsibilities of Libraries. This group drew in many other under-represented groups in the ALA who lacked power, including the Congress for Change in 1969.[25] This formation of the committee was approved in 1969 and would change its name to the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) in 1971. After its inception, the Round Table of Social Responsibilities began to press ALA leadership to address issues such as library unions, working conditions, wages, and intellectual freedom. In recent months, a few organizations have advanced the proposition that the voices of the marginalized have no place on library shelves. To this end, they have launched campaigns demanding the censorship of books and resources that mirror the lives of those who are gay, queer, or transgender or that tell the stories of persons who are Black, Indigenous, or persons of color. Falsely claiming that these works are subversive, immoral, or worse, these groups induce elected and nonelected officials to abandon constitutional principles, ignore the rule of law, and disregard individual rights to promote government censorship of library collections.

Emily Knox, president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), provided an update (CD#22.1) on FTRF’s recent activities, including current litigation and continuing education opportunities. The 2020 FTRF Roll of Honor Award recipient is Kelley L. Allen, director of books at the gaming site HumbleBundle.com. We are committed to defending the constitutional rights of all individuals of all ages to use the resources and services of libraries. We champion and defend the freedom to speak, the freedom to publish, and the freedom to https://simple-accounting.org/ read, as promised by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Each division is represented on the ALA Council and in the Planning and Budget Assembly. In 1953, when confronted with comparable threats to our democratic values, the American Library Association issued the Freedom to Read Statement, a declaration in support of the freedom to think or believe as one chooses, the freedom to express one’s thoughts and beliefs without fear or retaliation, and the right to access information without restriction.