Monday, June 30, 2014

Chapter Council Forum

Chapter Council Forum
Monday, June 30, 2014 4pm

July 15 is deadline for career counseling deadline for applicants.  Only 11 chapters have applied.  There are 25 spots.

Alaska - Labeling and Rating System Interpretation in the Bill of Rights - This issue will be coming before Council III tomorrow morning.  On one hand the interpretation is saying that you cannot expunge the rating system from the material, but you also cannot add this information to the catalog description.  The request is to take this one issue out of the interpretation and keep the rest of the interpretation in-tact.  The publication of the upcoming Intellectual Freedom Manual is one of the reasons that the committee is looking to pass the entire package now. RDA allows for a statement a bout the intended audience.  There is a lack of consistency about how this issue should be handled.  There was a discussion about Lexile scores, should that information be included in the catalog record?  Are Lexile scores a rating system?  There are questions about how we are using the rating system - not that there is a labeling system noted.  Does the library bill of rights represent the ideal or what is actually happening in libraries.

New York - National Literary Landmark Project - United for Libraries has a program called Literary Landmarks.  Children's Book Week - there is a plan to have 7 landmarks around the country for Children's Book Week - these are all around the country.  They are landmarks for children's authors.  They can be in any state.  Landmarks are a site with a connection with an author or a book or a group of authors.  There is information available on United for Libraries Website.

California - IFLA declaration before vote tomorrow - The report will come before Council III tomorrow.  Asking ALA to become signatories on the declaration of access to information.  This will be a resolution tomorrow.  IFLA will be in Columbus, OH in 2016.

New Mexico - Attracting millennials -

  • Young members or new members round table - they are the cutting edge of conference with late night socials.  Librarian games.  Fun more than professional.  
  • TLA has a new members roundtable.  New members are automatically enrolled.  The President sponsors new event for library students and newly hired people.  Pre, pre conference for new members.  They are told about the structure of the organization.  The officers come and talk to them about volunteering and getting involved.  Maureen Sullivan has spoken at this even with high level of attention.  
  • Oklahoma - ambassadors are in larger libraries who contact new hires to introduce them to association.  "Each one reach one" - each person in the organization reaches out to one new person to ask them to join.  Sometimes the outreach person paid the new person membership.  Personal introduction is the best way.  
  • Tennessee Library Association.  New member social on the first night of the conference.  This has had a good turnout.  Very specifically asked long-time members not to come - this is really for new new members.  Not an intimidating social.  Just the president of the organization came, but few other long-time members. 
  • Another state looked at how the organization was organized.  Looked at new structure with interest groups.  Looked at individual libraries to get their specific people to join - who are their new movers and shakers.  These new people are bringing new ideas to conference and bring new things from social media.  In a small state like NM there are few people to donate time.  
  • What value are associations bringing to professionals?  What is the value of the association beyond the tradition?  The social part is very important for all of us.  
  • California struggling with membership.  Success has been through leadership development institute.  That group has cohorts that has taken ownership of programs.  
  • Hawaii, look at library schools and online programs.  Discount for students.  Have cheep memberships for students and first year attendees.  Get their foot in the door.  Social media.  New members need to be empowered in the organization and do work for the organization and opportunities for leadership.  Encourage poster sessions to get them presenting at conference.  
  • KY - Just ask them - just ask them to do leadership things - personal contact.  Recent graduate discounts are also important.  
  • OK - How many have joint state and ALA membership for students?  There are associations that have joint membership for ALA and NMLA.  
  • Make the projects small.  Part of the association without taking on something really heavy - project oriented.   


Attracting retired librarians - Ways to engage people after retirement.  New York - There is a retiree roundtable like ALA.  Travel is part of what this group is doing.  Literary destination travel for these members.  Alaska - Ask them to join and participate.  Have programming on retirement.

ALA  - Bring ALA specialists to conferences to present programs. They are good about and ALA pays for some travel.  The council rep makes the initial contact and then works with the conference committee to plan.  Michael Dowling has spoken at several conferences (including NMLA's last annual conference).  Barbara Stripling, ALA President has also done some speaking at chapter conferences.  New York has a standing invitation to the ALA President and the ALA President comes most years.  Immediate past-presidents are also good presenters for conferences.

Disconnect between states and ALA.  It is too expensive to send members to ALA meetings.  It is expensive for people to pay their own way.  Part of our role as a council member is to communicate about the value of ALA.  Act as a filter to ALA information - not too much - and the things that are most interesting.  Holding virtual meetings to save funding for members.  Go to "making the case" on the ALA website for attending conference.

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