North Dakota Library Association Catch-up with ALA

March Issue

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:23:09 GMT

Hello from your ALA representative! I hope you have all had a great start to 2023 so far.

I wanted to talk a little about LibLearnX and some of the happenings both during the conference and at the Council meetings.

First of ALA’s LibLearnx had around 2,600 attendees. Numbers haven’t been broken down into those who attended virtually and those who attended in person. It is a little down attendance wise from it’s predecessor ALA Midwinter, but again, this is only the 2^nd year of LibLearnX. There were also many great speakers and sessions. Keynote speakers included Ani Di Franco, Ibram X. Kendi, and Nic Stone. There were learning labs, shoptalks, places to exchange ideas, exhibitors, etc. If you attended LibLearnX either virtually or in-person, I would like to hear your experience.

Some highlights:

There were three Council meetings that took place over the weekend. A lot of work has been done on ALA’s Constitution and Bylaws. At this meeting, Councilors were asked to look over the changes and to have the Constitution and Bylaws Committee make any housekeeping changes. The Resolution on Human Rights and Freedom of Speech and Expression in Iran was passed by Council. FY 2024 ALA Budget priorities include rebuilding membership base and developing new budget metrics.

ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee reported on the creation of a Challenges to CRT and Diversity Training Toolkit. “The Challenges to CRT and Diversity Training Toolkit subgroup, under the able leadership of Rhonda Evans, has nearly completed the final draft of the toolkit. The toolkit will be an aid to library workers addressing censorship resulting from challenges to "critical race theory" claimed to be in school and university curricula, as well as challenges to anti-racist materials and staff trainings addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion. The subgroup will present their draft to the Intellectual Freedom Committee for review and approval at ALA’s Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois.”

Check out my weekly updates for more information!

Next year’s LibLearnX will be held in Baltimore, Maryland.

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

December Issue

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 02:37:32 GMT

Greetings from Your

American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Councilor!

Last year ALA started a new type of conference experience, called LibLearnX. This replaced ALA midwinter. LibLearnX depended highly on input from those working in the field of librarianship, and it was hoped that this new type of conference would be a place where library professionals could learn and connect with one another. Over 2100 participants attended and there were 110 events offered.

LibLearnX also focused on social justice, equality, and advocacy issues. Speakers included Angeline Boulley, Cicely Lewis, Mariko Tamaki, Jaqueline Woodson, and Molly Shannon. Colin Kaepernick closed out LibLearnx with a thank you message to librarians for being “community anchors” and unshakable stewards of knowledge.”

This year’s LibLearnX will be held January 27-30 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Again, it is hoped that library professionals will collaborate, network, and celebrate. Several different formats such as “learning labs” and “idea exchanges” will encourage library professionals to learn and collaborate in a fun way! There will also be a digital option to attend. Through this option, users will also have access to content through February 28th, 2023. Look for more updates on speakers and content at this site: https://www.2023.alaliblearnx.org/

Please let me know if you have any questions, and have a great rest of your 2022!

Sara Westall

ALA Chapter Councilor

August Issue

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 20:44:02 GMT

Greetings from Your American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Councilor!

News from ALA ...

Hello everyone! I hope that you all are having a great summer! Did you attend ALA Annual, either virtually or in-person? If so, I would really like to hear your thoughts on the conference! I attended via the digital experience and am still working through sessions. Of note, I believe there were over 13,000 attendees split between the digital experience and in person. Once I receive the final numbers, I will send them out via the listserv.

I want to remind you about ALA’s Issues and Advocacy link for information on topics such as: advocacy and public policy, EDI, banned books, intellectual freedom, literacy, privacy, and public awareness.

I believe I already sent this out in a weekly update, but I encourage you to take a look at the State of America’s Libraries Special Report: Pandemic Year Two.

As a final note, I have had such a great time being the ALA representative for NDLA. However, if anyone else would like to give it a try, I encourage you to think about it and ask me questions! My term ends in 2023, and while I would be happy to serve again, I want to be sure that others have an opportunity as well.

Have a great summer!

Sara Westall

ALA Chapter Councilor

On the run up to ALA Conference Pt 2

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 13:35:32 GMT

Good morning!

It’s officially the 2022 ALA Annual Conference! How many of you are attending, either virtually or in-person? I’d like to hear about your experiences and what your favorite session was.

Here are some of the updates from the listserv. These include webinars, podcasts, ALA press releases, surveys, etc. Council meets over the weekend and into Monday, so I hope to be able to provide updates then.

Register to Watch the Notable Children’s Book Discussion

Don't miss the Notable Children's Books discussion! The discussion is open for all who wish to observe. It will take place virtually, July 12, 2:00-5:00 ET on Zoom. Click here to register.

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A Call to Action on Climate Change for Libraries

For Immediate Release Wed, 06/22/2022

Contact: Melanie Welch, Director, Public Programs Office, American Library Association mwelch@ala.org

CHICAGO – Climate change is the single greatest threat to global health and this generation's grandest challenge, but many library leaders feel overwhelmed, even paralyzed about where to start. "Sustainability in Libraries: A Call to Action," a new briefing from the ALA Council Committee on Sustainability, is here to focus attention on how the library community can accelerate their understanding and action, in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Readers will learn:

· Why ALA has adopted the "triple bottom line" definition of sustainability as a core value of the profession;

· How libraries can take the lead on climate adaptation;

· Why climate justice work is equity, diversity, and inclusion work;

· How many in our field are already answering the call for leadership on the topic of sustainability;

· How ALA, as an association, is living its values out loud on this topic; and

· Simple, practical steps anyone can take to get started.

ALA President Patty Wong focused on sustainability during her presidential year, noting in her kickoff American Libraries column about this topic, "This is the time to stand together in solidarity…to meet the enormous challenges of the climate crisis and summon the effort to deal with its impact. Climate change is a unifying issue for libraries across the globe, and we must commit to doing all we can to prepare our communities for its effects."

The authors of the briefing, members of the new ALA Council Committee on Sustainability, represent public, school and academic libraries and have strong ties to the ALA Special Task Force on Sustainability, the Sustainability Round Table, the Sustainable Libraries Initiative and the Executive Board of ALA.

This briefing is free to download through the new LibGuide on Sustainability, curated by ALA Librarian & Archivist, Colleen Barbus.

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Writing Workshop Recording (ICYMI) Alice Faye Duncan

Dear Literacy Leaders:

Do you aspire to write picture books? Some of you requested a recording of my recent writing workshop. Here goes! If you find this free program inspiring and resourceful, please share it with others.

When we learn, we must teach. Ultimately, knowledge is seed. Plant what you know...it will grow.

Sending Abounding Gratitude!

Sincerely,

Alice Faye Duncan www.alicefayeduncan.com; www.aesopwriters.com

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REMINDER! Carterette Webinar | 06.22.2022 | Advice for First Time Managers / Am I Doing This Right? Advice for First Time Managers

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

2pm Eastern (11am Pacific | 12pm Mountain | 1pm Central)

Cost: Free

Description: Becoming a manager is an exciting but also daunting transition. As first-time managers, we are faced with many new opportunities which may seem more like challenges, especially if we are new to the library system, have recently received a promotion, or struggle with imposter syndrome. In this webinar we will discuss strengths-based leadership, how and what to delegate, strategies for self-care, time management tips, and more.

About the Presenters:

Kaya Burgin (kaya.burgin@chpl.org) is the Branch Manager at Avondale Branch Library of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library. In 2015, Kaya was named an ALA Emerging Leader. Kaya is passionate about the role libraries play in enriching their communities.

Sondra Presley (Sondra.presley@chpl.org) is Senior Branch Manager of the Price Hill Branch Library at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. In 2021, Sondra was awarded the OLC Diana Vescelius Emerging Leader Award which recognizes Ohio's library leaders of tomorrow. While she loves books, her focus is supporting and developing staff to ensure they can serve customers of all backgrounds and socio-economic experiences.

To register for the online event

1. Go to registration page: tinyurl.com/carterettewebinar062222

2. Complete and submit the form.

3. A URL for the event will be emailed to you immediately after registration.

4. If asked for a password to attend the webinar use 0000.

Can't make it to the live show? No worries! The session will be recorded and available on the Carterette Series Webinars site for later viewing.

Please contact me or a member of the Carterette Series planning team with questions or programming suggestions!

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Second Call: Invitation to Participate in Research Study on Racial Equity and Allyship in LIS

Hi
Are you interested in the concepts of Allyship and what it means to be an ally? Would you be willing to talk to me about it?
I am working on research with my colleague, Dr. Erin DeCurtis, that is considering the understanding and definition of Ally and Allyship in LIS. The first stage was a survey sent out in Fall 2021. As we are finishing the analysis of our survey data, we are beginning the next stage of research by conducting individual interviews regarding perceptions, definitions, and understandings of Ally and Allyship, and how these are applies in the LIS professions. The interview should be no more than 30 minutes.

I will be at ALA Annual from June 23^rd – 28^th. If you are attending and willing to be interviewed, please email me at lisa.hussey2@simmons.edu.

If you are not attending ALA Annual, but are still willing to participate, please email me and we will set up a time to talk over Zoom or over the phone.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Lisa Hussey, Associate Professor
School of Library and Information Science
Simmons University lisa.hussey2@simmons.edu

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Ibram X. Kendi & Alice Faye Duncan (Juneteenth Interview)

Alice Faye Duncan

Happy Juneteenth!

Listen ---> HERE!

ALA Demystified

Hello,
Others said this was a good introduction to ALA

Last month I gave a 46 minutes presentation called American Library Association (ALA) Demystified at a DC academic library group meeting. Here is the link to the YouTube American Library Association (ALA) Demystified

You are free to use my slides, they are CC:BY,NC,SA
ALA and You Please share with anyone you think can benefit.

See you next week.

Jennifer Boettcher

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More information on resolutions and committee reports as they come up during ALA.

Have a great weekend!

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

In the days leading up to the ALA conference...

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 13:14:22 GMT

FYI- there may be several items coming from me in the next few days leading up to ALA Annual. Today, I wanted to share some of the upcoming happenings and notifications:

A good overview of ALA from Jennifer Boettcher, ALA Councilor at Large - American Library Association (ALA) Demystified (46 minutes). Presentation was shared at a DC academic library group meeting. Here is the link to the YouTube American Library Association (ALA) Demystified. Of equal use are the slides - free to use! They are CC:BY, NC, SA ALA and You. Please share with anyone you think can benefit.

__________________________________________________________________

Social Responsibilities Round Table at ALA Annual 2022

ALA Membership Meeting

The Membership Meeting is an opportunity for all ALA members – whether registered for the conference or not – to participate in the governance of the association. Your participation is key if resolutions introduced by SRRT are to be sent to ALA Council. Recent examples of successful resolutions include the Resolution Calling for Student Loan Cancellation, passed at the May 2022 virtual membership meeting, 2020's Resolution Ensuring Intellectual Freedom and the Right to Peacefully Assemble at ALA Conferences and Meetings and the 2019 Resolution on Renaming the Melvil Dewey Medal (see them all here www.ala.org/rt/srrt/resolutionsarchive).

SRRT-endorsed resolutions that need your support at annual 2022

· Continuing Virtual Access to ALA Membership Meetings

· Damage and Destruction of Libraries, Schools, and Other Cultural Institutions in Ukraine

· Defense of the Right to Engage in Political Boycotts

__________________________________________________________________

Smithsonian National Education Summit

Quick share of a free mini conference that will be right on the heels of Annual (but totally has virtual options). Feel free to share and attend as your leisure.

Smithsonian National Education Summit: Registration is Live!Q

Come together July 27–28 for the Smithsonian National Education Summit! You'll hear from museum experts and teacher practitioners in 30+ free online and in-person skill-building workshops across subject areas, and leave with a toolbox full of classroom-ready ideas: s.si.edu/EducationSummit2022

#SmithsonianEdu

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Athina Livanos-Propst
alivanospropst@pbs.org
Digital Librarian & Editorial Services Manager
PBS Education
Membership Chair, FMRT
Chair, Imagineering Interest Group

________________________________________________________________
Writing for publication and looking for some first-draft feedback?

Dear colleagues,

Is writing for publication or a proposal on your summer to do list? The Library Writing Cooperative's First Draft Matchmaker program is looking for authors who would like feedback on their work!

As an author, you'll receive supportive and nonjudgmental feedback on your first draft, generally within 2-3 weeks. Sign up here to have your work reviewed. We invite and encourage participation from those new to writing for the library and information science profession and those who have previously authored works. No prior publication experience is necessary. (Not ready to submit a draft yet? Fill out the form now, and we'll reach out again later.)

Reviewers can give your op-ed, essay, article, case study, research papers or conference proposals a thoughtful read and offer suggestions. Please keep in mind that our reviewers are not able to review lengthy manuscripts, such as entire books or multiple articles.

If you have any questions, please stop by our website or contact us at libwrtcoop@gmail.com, and please add libwrtcoop@gmail.com to your contacts so you don't miss any of our messages.

We look forward to connecting with you!

All the best,
Amanda Izenstark
on behalf of the Library Writing Cooperative

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Comic Studies and Practices Symposium, July 18-19, 2022 (Virtual Registration Now Open)

We are excited to announce that registration is now open for the inaugural Comic Studies and Practices Symposium (CSPS)!

Hosted by the University of San Diego's Copley Library, the 2022 Comic Studies and Practices Symposium is an event featuring panels, presentations, posters, and keynote addresses from leaders in comic studies, comics publishing, authors, scholars, and more. We use the terms comics & comic studies to encompass comics, graphic novels, manga, webtoons, and other sequential arts. CSPS is designed to provide a higher education-focused space for LIS professionals, scholars, & graduate students to discuss comic studies and practice.

The symposium will be held July 18-19, 2022, using the Zoom Events platform. We have some excellent speakers and presentations planned, including keynote addresses by Dr. Chesya Burke (Critically Acclaimed Author and Assistant Professor of English at Stetson University, Florida) and John Jennings (Eisner Award-Winning Graphic Novelist and Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside).

You can see the full program agenda here:

https://digital.sandiego.edu/csp-symposium/2022/

All sessions will be recorded and available to registrants after the symposium

Special note: This event is generously funded by a SCELC Project Initiatives Fund (SPIF) Grant. If you are a Librarian or Archivist employed within a SCELC library or organization, we have free early bird registration for the Symposium. The first 200 SCELC registrants is will be awarded this promotion.

General attendee ticket - $50

If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to csps@sandiego.edu

Registration closes Friday, July 15 at 12 noon (PST).

We look forward to seeing you virtually!

Thank you,
Millie Fullmer and V. Dozier

___________________________________________________________________

Have a great weekend!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

June Issue

Tue, 31 May 2022 14:08:45 GMT

Greetings from your American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Councilor!

First, I hope you are doing well. ALA Annual is coming up in June in Washington, DC. Can't make it? You can experience ALA from your home/office by registering for the ALA Digital Experience. This features: 4 main stage sessions, 42 education sessions, and 14 news-you-can-use sessions. Those registering for the ALA Digital Experience will also have access to conference content through August 31, 2022. For more information... OR the list of 2022 ALA Annual conference speakers

Second up! The state of America’s Libraries Report has been released. Read it here! View the previous yearly reports at the same link.

And finally, ALA has recently announced the 2022 Youth Media Award winners. The announcements of the winners took place during LibLearnX, and were selected by committees made up of librarians and other literature and media experts. See the announcement here

Want more? You can view ALA in the news! I will continue to send out weekly ALA updates. If you are attending the ALA Annual Conference either virtually or in-person, I would like to hear about some of your favorite sessions! OR If you have any questions on any of the content that I have shared, please feel free to reach out to me.

Have a great summer!

Sara Westall

ALA Chapter Councilor

March 2022 Issue - Good Stuff

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 18:38:59 GMT

Greetings from your American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Councilor!

I have been sending out weekly updates to membership and I hope that those are helpful. A lot of things are happening throughout ALA and so I try to make sure that I get the most pertinent information out to everyone. I do plan to continue the weekly updates and eventually these updates will also be available as a blog on NDLA’s new website.

This year was ALA’s first LibLearnx! The conference took the place of ALA’s Midwinter and offered learning, as well as networking, opportunities in a variety of formats. During LibLearnx, the Council had three meetings in which reports were reviewed by committees and roundtables. Resolutions that have been brought forth are also voted on in these meetings. However, the Council ran out of time to properly discuss and vote on several resolutions. There will be another meeting in March to discuss and finalize the vote on resolutions that were not able to be voted on during LibLearnx.

For now, I wanted to share a few more ALA resources with you:

ALA toolkits and other useful resources - challenge support, community relationships, and many others
ALA also has a variety of awards, grants, and scholarships.
And last, there are eight divisions of ALA that you can join when you become a member. Check them out!

If you have any questions on any of the content that I have shared, please feel free to reach out to me.

Sara Westall

ALA Chapter Councilor

P.S. If you attended LibLearnx, I would like to hear more about your overall experience to share with the ALA Council.

Parades, funding and CE...oh my!

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:48:03 GMT

Good morning,
I am passing along some information that I have received via the ALA Council listserv.
Virtual Bookmobile Parade- Call for submissions
Take part in the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) 2022 Virtual Bookmobile Parade by submitting a photo of your bookmobile or outreach van (no book bikes -- they have their own celebration later in the year!) The virtual parade will take over ABOS social media platforms the week of April 4-8, 2022. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 25, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/...Follow the Virtual Bookmobile Parade on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/abosoutreach Twitter: twitter.com/abos_outreach Instagram: www.instagram.com/abos.outreach
Yours in outreach,
David Kelsey
2022 ABOS Past President
New funding opportunity to attend PLA 2022
Are you a librarian interested in improving health programs and digital health information services for your community? Do you want to connect with other librarians with similar goals? Apply for an NNLM All of Us PLA Professional Development Award!
The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us National Program is pleased to offer funding for up to twenty-five (25) public library workers to attend the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference taking place in Portland, Oregon March 23-25, 2022.   Funding will be provided directly to the individuals as a cost-reimbursement and can be used for: PLA Registration (virtual or in-person) and travel, lodging, and dining (per diem). Individuals who have already registered for the conference are eligible to apply.
Amount: Up to $3,000 
Number of Awards Available: Up to 25 
Application Deadline: End of Day, March 4th, 2022
For More Information and To Apply: allofus.nnlm.gov/pla-2022-professional-development-awards
More questions? Email us at lib-nnlmallofus@uiowa.edu

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Veronica Leigh Milliner
Engagement Specialist
NNLM All of Us Community Engagement Center
Network of the National Library of Medicine
She/Her/Hers
Course on privacy literacy in libraries
Privacy Literacy in Libraries: From Theory to Practice
More information and registration: libraryjuiceacademy.com/shop/course/...
Dates: March 7 - April 3
Dates: March 7 - April 3
Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
This course builds librarians' knowledge in privacy theory and current events, fosters self-efficacy in teaching privacy literacy (PL) topics, offers access to instructors' CC-licensed lessons and PL toolkit, and provides opportunities to collaboratively develop and build implementation-ready privacy programming and learning activities for participants' local contexts. Instructors define PL as "a suite of knowledge, behaviors, and critical dispositions regarding the information constructs of selfhood, expressive activities, and relationships" in past presentations and manuscripts. Responding to the 2019 addition of Article VII to the Library Bill of Rights, this course highlights the emerging strategies of academic library workers in educating and advocating for privacy, as well as protecting it. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Articulate the positive case for privacy by applying privacy theory and current events knowledge
Evaluate the limitations of privacy literacy approaches that focus solely on technological solutions
Identify privacy literacy programming opportunities and create original learning activities / materials to implement in their local context
Maintain current awareness in privacy and privacy literacy, both within and outside of library and education contexts.

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Sarah Hartman-Caverly
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Penn State Berks Campus Thun Library
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Have a great weekend, everyone!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

PLA PSA... and LlLi webinars

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:30:39 GMT

Hello fellow NDLA members!
I hope you all have had a great week so far. Here are the most recent ALA updates.
I was asked by the Marketing and Membership Manager of PLA to share that the advanced registration rate for both the virtual and in-person PLA conference ends today. You can save $20-$45 by taking advantage of the advanced registration rate. PLA is March 23-25 in-person in Portland or you can join virtually.
Register here: https://www.placonference.org/registration.cfm
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Lifelong Information Literacy (LILi) has several free show and tell presentations (webinars). Here is one that is coming up:
Taylor Worsham: Assisting Seniors with Technology
March 9, 2022
10:00am - 11:00am Pacific
Assisting seniors with their technology needs can be a challenging endeavor. In this session, Marketing and Adult Programming Coordinator for Gunnison County Libraries (CO), Taylor Worsham will share her experience in advancing digital literacy through instructional sessions at the local senior center. From planning to execution, Taylor will share techniques on how to make topics such as, the Google Suite, electronic library resources, and mobile photography basics, more accessible and easier for senior audiences to understand and implement into their lives.
Register at Taylor Worsham - Assisting Seniors with Technology

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Mid-February Update

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 16:39:02 GMT

Hello all,

Apologies for the delay in getting out the ALA updates for last week.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is pleased to host its first-ever Virtual Forum, scheduled for March 8 & 10, 2022. The Forum Theme is "Reference and User Services Re-engaged"

Opening Keynote Session - Using Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) to provide Reference and User Services A panel of ALA leaders will discuss the role of EDI in their organizations. We will hear directly from Tracie Hall, Julius Jefferson Jr. and Patty Wong as they share their perspectives of EDI and how it applies to reference and user services. Don't delay! Register today and save $20! Early-bird discount ends February 15^th

^{_____________________________________________________________________________________________}Here is the most recent edition of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom blog https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/intellectual-freedom-news-2-11-2022/
_____________________________________________________________________________
The Emerging Leader Group for the Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC) is interested in finding out if any ALA Chapters are engaging LIS students through your Children's Services sections, or any type of activity that connects students studying to be children's librarians with state chapter associations. If your library does connect LIS students who are studying to be children’s librarians or if you have more information on this, please contact me sara.westall@und.edu.

Have a great rest of your Monday!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Tidbits

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 22:21:35 GMT

Hello fellow NDLA members,
I hope that you all had a great week so far! Here are some updates from ALA that I wanted to bring to your attention.
There is a webinar series on eligibility and how to apply for the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver. Here is the link to sign up for those webinars: https://pslfcoalition.org/temporary-waiver/. Also, here is ALA’s press release if you would like more information: TEPSLF
ALA has recently released a resource that showcases emerging models for small business programming in libraries called Libraries Build Business Playbook. The purpose of this playbook is to be a supportive tool for libraries who are interested in creating small business and entrepreneurship programs with a focus on programming for underserved communities. Thirteen libraries were selected to receive grants to start or build on current programming. ALA will host a conversation on Instagram live on Monday, February 7^th @ 12 CST, where cohort members will share their experiences.

Have a great Friday everyone!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

ALA Governance Review Process

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 22:19:17 GMT

Good afternoon,
ALA Council was unable to finalize voting on several resolutions, and we are supposed to have a meeting to finalize the voting sometime in February. Once I hear more about when this meeting is to occur, I will again send out the resolutions that ALA Council will be voting on. Both of the resolutions I had mentioned in a prior email were part of the resolutions that need to be voted on yet.
For about 5 years, several committees have worked on looking at current governance structure and developing recommendations to Council for a vote. At the last ALA Annual, the Transforming Governance Task Force was appointed by the ALA Executive Board to establish a governance review process. Currently, Council is the policy making body and there are 185 Councilors that make up this governing body. There were two models proposed where the Board of Directors/Executive Board would be the policy making body and Council would be either part of an assembly or advisory body.
The first model would have Council become and advisory body to the Board of Directors/Executive Board (there would also be a reduction in number of Councilors to 89, this does not include a reduction in Chapter Councilors).
The second model would have 4 assemblies become the advisory body to the Board of Directors/Executive Board (there would be 103 members of this advisory committee).
There was a lot of discussion about moving forward with either of these models, and concern about Council potentially no longer being the policy making body. There really wasn’t enough time to debate and to fully understand how the proposed models would work, and so there will be another Council meeting in February to discuss the future of ALA’s governance structure.
At Council meeting II there were two questions asked during the Committee on Legislation report. Question one had to do with the status of opt-outs for individuals in the CASE Act and question two had to do with the status of moving the US Copyright Office out of the Library of Congress. This is the response that Council received from the chair of the committee:
Hi everyone, I wanted to make sure to follow-up on two questions that were asked following the Committee on Legislation report at Council II.

· Regarding the status of opt-outs for individuals in the CASE Act: In the fall, ALA and ACRL, as a part of the Library Copyright Alliance, submitted comments with the US Copyright Office strongly objecting to the proposed preemptive opt-out ineligibility for library employees. We are currently awaiting for the US Copyright Office to issue a final rule, and will provide an update once this occurs.

· Regarding the status of moving the US Copyright Office out of the Library of Congress: There are some informal discussions about such legislation. ALA is involved in the discussions, but we don't expect anything to move in this Congress, though introduction of a bill is always possible. ALA continues to advocate to keep the US Copyright Office in the Library of Congress under the purview of Dr. Hayden.

There are more updates to come next week. Have a great weekend!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

ALA Resolutions

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:17:42 GMT

Hello fellow NDLA members,
As promised here are this week’s ALA Council updates:
There are several resolutions that have been brought forth for discussion and voting at the ALA Councilor meetings next week. These are two resolutions that the Resolutions Committee have received:

1. Resolution to Promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Efforts in AASL While Addressing Historical Effects of Racism from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

2. Resolution to Support School and Youth Services Librarians Facing Increased Intellectual Freedom Challenges

There will be further information on resolutions when Council meets and votes during the three Council meetings. Councilors also have the option to attend Council Forms (which I usually try to do) as these are opportunities to learn more about the resolutions and ask questions.
As I mentioned last week, ALA’s LibLearnX is virtual and will be held from January 21-24. Registration is still open for the conference. If you have registered, I would like to hear what sessions you plan on attending!
I haven’t seen a new post yet today, but again- ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has a blog called Intellectual Freedom News which is updated weekly on Friday. The purpose of the blog is to raise awareness on news related to intellectual freedom, such as censorship, access, net neutrality, information literacy & disinformation, and other areas. You can also subscribe to the blog.
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Have a great rest of your Friday!

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

New Year Resolution

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 22:14:57 GMT

Hello fellow NDLA members,

I thought it might be best if I gathered ALA happenings and sent out a weekly email to membership, instead of sending out multiple long emails! It is my hope to send out updates on Fridays, but if there is something time sensitive, I will do my best to get that to all of you as soon as possible.
Only two more weeks until ALA’s first LibLearnX conference. Just a reminder that LibLearnx has taken the place of ALA Midwinter. This conference is entirely virtual, and there is still time to register. LibLearnX will feature many great speakers, including Angeline Boulley, Cicely Lewis, and Molly Shannon. There will be many opportunities for attendees to learn, network, and engage in discussions.
ALA Council will meet during LibLearnX, and I will be sharing outcomes from those meetings.
ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has a blog called Intellectual Freedom News which is updated weekly on Friday. The purpose of the blog is to raise awareness on news related to intellectual freedom, such as censorship, access, net neutrality, information literacy & disinformation, and other areas.
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

North Dakota Library Association Catch-up with ALA

March Issue

December Issue

August Issue

On the run up to ALA Conference Pt 2

In the days leading up to the ALA conference...

Have a great weekend!Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

June Issue

March 2022 Issue - Good Stuff

Parades, funding and CE...oh my!

PLA PSA... and LlLi webinars

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Mid-February Update

Hello all,

Apologies for the delay in getting out the ALA updates for last week. The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is pleased to host its first-ever Virtual Forum, scheduled for March 8 & 10, 2022. The Forum Theme is "Reference and User Services Re-engaged"

Have a great rest of your Monday!Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Tidbits

Have a great Friday everyone!Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

ALA Governance Review Process

There are more updates to come next week. Have a great weekend!Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

ALA Resolutions

Hello fellow NDLA members,As promised here are this week’s ALA Council updates:There are several resolutions that have been brought forth for discussion and voting at the ALA Councilor meetings next week. These are two resolutions that the Resolutions Committee have received:

Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

New Year Resolution

Have a great weekend!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Apologies for the delay in getting out the ALA updates for last week.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is pleased to host its first-ever Virtual Forum, scheduled for March 8 & 10, 2022. The Forum Theme is "Reference and User Services Re-engaged"

Have a great rest of your Monday!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Have a great Friday everyone!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

There are more updates to come next week. Have a great weekend!
Sara Westall, ALA Chapter Councilor

Hello fellow NDLA members,
As promised here are this week’s ALA Council updates:
There are several resolutions that have been brought forth for discussion and voting at the ALA Councilor meetings next week. These are two resolutions that the Resolutions Committee have received: