Committee: | Advocacy |
Purpose: | The Advocacy Committee arranges to represent NDLA before legislative interim and standing committees considering issues pertinent to libraries: Tracks, develops, supports, and communicates library-related legislation to the organization as needed Works with the State Library on legislative matters Works with a legislative consulting firm during years when the North Dakota Library Association contracts with one Coordinates legislative priorities from NDLA sections & committees Coordinates the nomination and selection of individuals who meet the Library Champion Award criteria |
Committee Officers |
The Committee Chair is appointed by the NDLA President and may serve concurrent terms of office The President-Elect is a member of the Legislative committee during a legislative year Meetings are held on an as-needed basis |
CurrentBusinessThe NDLA Legislative Priorities for 2025 were compiled after reviewing the results of a survey sent to the NDLA general membership in the summer of 2024. | 2025 NDLA Legislative Priorities
- Work to empower and equip North Dakota libraries to educate the general public and the Legislature about the importance of intellectual freedom. - Create and maintain a contact list of library supporters that can be called upon when needed. - Work with legislators to pass and/or help start a ballot initiative to create intellectual freedom protection laws. - Monitor and address harmful legislation impacting public and school libraries. This can include sending informational packets to ND representatives informing them on library workflow/ policies regarding collection development. - Publicly oppose library censorship in all forms. This includes but not limited to, the removal, relocation, restriction, or redaction of library resources.
Support Library Funding - Work to educate the public/ Legislature on what libraries do with their funding (how we form our budgets, etc.) - Work to form relationships with legislators to increase library grants or to dedicate some excise tax revenues to libraries specifically. |