Member Communities

In addition the array of administrative and programmatic committees reporting to the ALA Council, the committees in the divisions of the American Library Association and in its round tables, the American Library Association also offers its members options for meeting with others interested in or working on particular aspects of librarianship.

 

  • Assemblies gather individuals or representative from other ALA units and subunits to share information or be a resource to the ALA Council Committee working in that area.
  • Divisions of the American Library Association offer both discussion groups, which are informal groups that allow discussion of topics of common interest, and  interest groups, which are sub-bodies established to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences.  The latter may sponsor formal conference programs, institutes, and seminars, or prepare publications.  Please review the sub-sites for the division of interest to identify these groups. 
  • Membership Initiative Groups are short-term structures to enable a group of ALA members sharing a common concern or interest about librarianship which falls outside the delegated responsibility of a single division, roundtable, or unit, to address the concern or interest.
  • ALA Connect is a centralized  online space where official ALA groups and member communities of all types can work together.  The work of discussion groups, interest groups and membership interest groups may be found in ALA Connect.