Kent Slade, Chair
January 21, 2007
New staff liaison, Louisa Worthington, presented a written membership report as well as the new PLA marketing plan and marketing efforts, and information on the ALA new member marketing group.
The committee decided to undertake a mentoring program, asking each committee member to contact a few new members to help them get involved in PLA and answer other questions they might have about PLA. This includes recommendations that PLA include an automatic e-mail to committee chairs as members volunteer for committees (understanding that final appointment is made later by the PLA President). This mentoring project will be evaluated at Annual Conference.
The committee also recommended that PLA market to library school Deans and proferssors in order to reach out to prospective student members.
Members present: Kent Slade, Susan Mann, Tapley Trudell, Stephen Klein, Anthony Loumm, Danis Kreimeier, Jamie VanAuken
Members absent: Margaret N. Smith, Albert Tovar
Albert Tover, Chair
January 16, 2005
The meeting was called to order by Albert Tovar, chair. He went over the agenda and the committee’s mission. Kathleen Hughes reported that we 10,434 members currently which is great for a non-conference year. Albert reported that we have an intern, Shirley Johnson. According to PLA staff, she will be a nonvoting member of the committee. Albert asked about the best ways to communicate and the consensus was e-mail marked as FYI or as Needs Committee Action. Also, see attached points brought up at orientation for committee chairs.
ALA Manager for Membership Promotion, John Chrastka joined the meeting and offered to create a recruitment toolkit using the results of current research. It was also suggested that ALA student membership should include PLA as an option. The committee felt that the library schools and the ALA Chapter relations liaisons could play a critical role in promoting membership in PLA.
Kathryn Robinson agreed to work with Albert Tovar on the feedback/response to ALA’s Strategic Plan Ahead to 2010. Albert will send the plan to all members by e-mail.
Albert Tovar then asked members to work on an outline of actions for the coming year. Kent Slade suggested recruitment of Library School students should be our focus. Perhaps state associations would help. Kathryn Robinson suggested that we get the message out about programs being offered at conference to make PLA relevant to new members. In her experience, once new employees find out about the programs they want to attend the conference and become members. Albert said we can all make a difference within our own sphere of influence. Committee member A. Loum said the importance of public library services needs to be promoted to library school students. There is a bias towards academic libraries.
Albert Tovar concluded by saying that the committee will focus on the Advocacy and Recognition as well as the Staffing and Recruitment goals consistent with the PLA long range plan.
Albert Tovar met with intern Shirley Johnson to discuss her role on the committee.
Minutes recorded by Committee Member Laurel Best.
Members present: Albert Tovar, Laurel Best, Shirley E. Johnson, Anthony Loum, Kathryn Robinson, Kent Slade, Margaret Smith
Members absent: Jose Aranda, Caryn Katz, Patricia Owens, Cynthia Roach
Visitors: Kathleen Hughes, PLA; John Chrastka, ALA; Sylvie Deliencourt, Canadian Library Association, sdeliencourt@cla.ca
Claudia Sumler, Chair
Kathleen Hughes reported that membership numbers are stable, but that there will probably be an increase as we get closer to the National Conference. There were targeted mailings to ALA but not PLA members living in western states. She also reported that it is now possible for Committees to post information about who they are and what they do on the PLA website.
The Committee planned the orientation for new members at PLA National Conference which will take place on Wednesday evening from 6-7. Speakers will include PLA president, president-elect, executive director, and conference chair.
After reviewing the PLA strategic plan, the Committee agreed that a proposal should be made to the PLA Board to seek special dues offerings to members of other sections including ALTA, RUSA, YALSA, ALSC. This would need to be approved by both the PLA Board and ALA. (NOTE: At the ALA Membership meeting on Monday afternoon, it was suggested that special dues offers be made to entire boards of trustees. There will also be a proposal developed at targeting one person libraries)
Also, the committee agreed that a more aggressive marketing campaign be targeted at western states since the next PLA National will be in Seattle. The recent effort was focussed on ALA members who were not in PLA. This time, the Committee agreed that the target should be people in public libraries who are listed in Bowker's directory of libraries.
In addition, it was agreed that more visible effort should be made to market PLA at state conferences. People in PLA who live in western states should be contacted to staff or coordinate staffing a table at their state conference. Last of all, there will be a PLA booth at National Conference. Since there will be no board or committee meetings, all PLA officers, Board members and committee chairs who go to Phoenix should be able to work an hour in the booth. There will not be a booth in exhibits in Atlanta, but PLA will be part of a table set up in the registration area and it will need to be staffed.
Robb Morss who is on both Membership and Recruitment reported that the Recruitment Committee has developed a brochure. It is not available yet, but should be out shortly.
Members Present: Claudia Sumler, Chair, Fran Freimarck, Steven Hargrove, Caryn Katz, Robert Morss, Nicola Stanke, Kathleen Hughes (staff)
Members Absent: Barbara Flynn, Richard Brown
Visitors: None