Discussion Groups

Designed to respond quickly, discussion groups address hot topics. These flexible groups gather together to discuss the issues and provide members with the always-important informal networks for exchanging ideas and problem-solving.

Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Studies
The group represents librarians and specialists in the field of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern area studies and advises ACRL, in cooperation with other professional groups, in those areas of library service that require knowledge of Asian, African and Middle eastern languages and cultures.

Assessment
A forum for assessment librarians – and those with responsibility for, and interest in, library assessment – to discuss methods, training, results, impact, institutional needs and challenges, and seek solutions to common problems faced by the library assessment community.

Balancing Baby and Book
A discussion forum for academic librarians on the challenges and opportunities present in being or preparing to become a parent while continuing to work and/or maintain a career track.

Copyright
A forum to discuss copyright issues that confront those working in academic and research libraries.

First Year Experience
A platform for discussion and idea exchanges related to the library's role in the new student's first year experience in higher education.

Heads of Public Services
A forum and opportunity for academic librarians to openly discuss and explore common issues, ideas, problems, and opportunities associated with the administration, management and delivery of public services in academic libraries..

Human Resources and Organizational Development 
This group of administrators, who are direct reports to the library director, will meet to discuss topics of interest related to their role within their library and their institution.

Language and Linguistics
To provide a forum for discussion of current trends, practices, and challenges related to working with non-English language services, vernacular resources, and linguistics materials in academic libraries.

Leadership
A forum for conversation, communication and collaboration about leadership and management issues important to academic librarians.

Librarians From Very Small Academic Institutions
To provide a forum for the discussion of issues as they relate to very small libraries, including dealing with small staff, scaling library trends and initiatives to tiny institutions, budget limitations, and other professional topics.

Librarianship in For-Profit Educational Institutions
A forum for librarians in for-profit educational institutions to network, share knowledge, and collaborate on tasks, direction, and issues specific to their roles within the for-profit education industry.

Library EDI Committees Discussion Group
To provide a forum for practitioners, especially members of Library Diversity committees, discuss EDI topics in academic libraries, share resources useful to library workers engaged in EDI initiatives in libraries, and to support both library workers who are thinking about starting a diversity initiative and diversity committees that are already established.

Library Marketing and Outreach Discussion Group
A forum for discussion regarding effective digital and print methods to disseminate information about the value of their respective academic and research libraries in the United States and around the globe, and the services and events they offer.

Research Assessment and Metrics Discussion Group
To provide a forum for discussion of trends and developments in the field of research metrics and scholarly impact, and the many ways academic librarians can support their faculty, administrators and students to understand, measure and extend the contributions of their research to their fields and the world beyond academia.

Scholarly Communication
Supports advocacy efforts designed to transform the scholarly communication landscape.

Training & Equity in Library Work Discussion Group
To discuss, research, and envision the many pathways to satisfying and equitable library work. At the outset, our interest is multi-pronged:practices or programs for making the MLS/MLIS experience more accessible and authentic, particularly for underrepresented and marginalized populations; parallel pathways to (or alternative credentialing for) librarian positions; and increasing equity between library worker classifications (in terms of compensation, benefits, professional development funding, institutional and disciplinary power, & etc.).