PLA E-Newsletter
May 23, 2003
Volume 6, Number 8
This newsletter is also available online under the News section of PLA's web page, www.pla.org
The Public Library Association is seeking PLA members to volunteer staff our portion of the ALA Joint Division Information Booth during the upcoming ALA Annual Conference. While the time slots are not firmed up yet, we will need volunteers for roughly the following times: Friday evening 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.; 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Monday morning from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Please send an email to khughes@ala.org if you are interested in staffing the booth for a one or two hour time slot. Thanks!
Award-winning Canadian author Margaret Atwood will be the keynote speaker for the Public Library Association's gala President's Program and Awards Reception. The reception, hosted by PLA President Jo Ann Pinder, will be held on Monday, June 23, from 4-7 p.m., at the Fairmont Royal York, Canadian Room and Ballroom. PLA's prestigious service awards also will be distributed at this event. PLA thanks Ingram Library Services for its support of this event.
Atwood, whose novel "The Handmaid's Tale" will serve as the subject of this year's "One Book, One Conference" initiative, is the author of more than 30 books, novels, short stories, poetry, literary criticism, social history, and books for children. Her novels include "The Handmaid's Tale," "Cat's Eye," "The Robber Bride," and "Alias Grace." Her latest novel is "Oryx and Crake." The PLA President's Program and Awards Reception is open to all PLA members, with no advance registration required.
PLA also is sponsoring two preconference workshops, "Librarians and Trustees: Teamwork for the Community's Benefit" and "How Libraries Add Real Value in a Warp-Speed World." Preconference programs require advance registration and a separate fee. The ALA has extended its advance registration deadlines. ALA members and guests can register at the advance rate through June 13. Visit www.ala.org for the online registration form.
In addition to the programs listed above, PLA is providing more than twenty educational programs targeted at public librarians, in conjunction with the Toronto conference. Visit www.pla.org for more information about any of these events.
One Book, One Conference: Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Join us in the first conference-wide read! All conference attendees are invited to read "The Handmaid's Tale," participate in daily discussion groups, and attend a presentation by Margaret Atwood at the Public LibraryAssociation (PLA) President's Program.
Be sure to pick up your "One Book, One Conference" buttons and wear them proudly at conference. Buttons will be available at registration and at the Public Programs Office booth (#4544) in the South Exhibition Hall. Also, stop by the Public Programs Office booth or one of the discussion sessions and enter to win one of the more than 100 copies of Margaret Atwood's new book "Oryx and Crake." Books donated by "Doubleday/Nan A. Talese, a division of Random House, Inc.
"The Handmaid's Tale" Discussion Sessions
Whether you want to air your views, share your reaction, delve into themes, or just listen, be sure to join in on one of the six discussion sessions devoted to "The Handmaid's Tale." These are not your average discussion groups - where else will you have the opportunity to sit down and talk about a book with fellow librarians from across North America? Sessions will be held at the following times and lead by librarians with extensive experience in leading book discussion programs.
Saturday, June 21, 10:30 a.m. - Noon
Facilitator: Lori Coryell, Ypsilanti (Mich.) District Library
Location: Crowne Plaza, Niagara Room
Saturday, June 21, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Frances Ashburn, North Carolina Center for the Book
Location: MTCC 710
Sunday, June 22, 10:30 a.m. - Noon
Facilitator: Mildred Larson, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Location: Metro Toronto Convention, Centre (MTCC) 71
Sunday, June 22, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Margaret Clark, Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library
Location: MTCC 201E
Monday, June 23, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Facilitator: Wicky Sleight, Kirkwood (Mo.) Public Library
Location: MTCC 704
Monday, June 23, 10:30 - Noon
Facilitators: Sharron Smith, Readers' Advisory Librarian, Kitchener (Ontario) Public Library, and Maureen O'Connor, Public Service Librarian, Brampton (Ontario) Public Library
Location: MTCC 201E
Planning to attend a One Book, One Conference session? Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to publicprograms@ala.org. Please include your name and the date and time of the program you wish to attend.
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What is an ALA Membership Meeting?
ALA Membership Meetings are an opportunity for ALA members to make things happen in the American Library Association. ALA members can bring important issues on libraries and librarianship to the floor and advocate how they might be addressed within ALA.
When are ALA Membership Meetings held?
A Membership Meeting is held during the first two days of the Annual Conference and at other times that may be set by the Executive Board, Council or by membership petition. (Bylaws, Article II, Sec. 4) Membership Meetings are not held during the Midwinter Conference. This year's schedule: Membership I, Saturday, June 21, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m., MTCC, Room 801A/B. Membership II, Monday, June 23, 11:00 a.m. - Noon, MTCC, Constitution Hall.
Who may attend ALA Membership Meetings?
Voting members of the Association, in other words, any one who is a personal member of ALA. You do not need to be registered for the conference to attend these meetings. (Bylaws, Article I, Sec. 2 & Article II, Sec. 4)
Who may vote at ALA Membership Meetings?
All personal members of ALA.
How is the agenda for the meetings set?
The only agenda requirement is that agendas of membership meetings give priority to the discussion of membership resolutions. (ALA Policy Manual, 7.4.7). For membership meetings in 2000 through 2002 the Presidential Task Force on Membership Meetings developed suggested agendas that include some "hot" discussion topics to draw ALA members to the meeting. In the past, the ALA President developed agendas. The ALA members present at the meeting can change the proposed agendas at any time. Any discussion topics suggested by the Task Force, or others, are given second place to resolutions proposed by ALA members.
Who makes membership resolutions? YOU make membership resolutions.
The resolution can be on any topic or issue that falls within the resolution guidelines (see back). It is important to remember that resolutions brought by members must be submitted for review by the Council Committee on Resolutions at least 6 hours prior to the membership meeting. Resolutions can easily be submitted well in advance of the ALA Conference to the committee by sending email to: Monika J. Antonelli, chair, mantonel@library.unt.edu . During the conference a resolutions desk is set up in the ALA Office area with times listed in the ALA Conference Program. Start working on your resolutions now, and they can easily be placed on the agenda for the first ALA Membership Meeting. There will also be time between Membership Meetings, because we usually hold two meetings, to prepare resolutions.
All resolutions approved by the membership are presented to the next meeting of ALA Council. "The presiding officer of Council calls for Council's guidance on the disposition of each membership item in turn." (Policy 7.4.7)
A final thought. This meeting is YOUR meeting. Members control the content of all membership meetings. Any member may speak on any topic by standing at a microphone. When the microphone number is called, you state your name, say "ALA Personal Member" and then speak to the topic on the floor. There is a bit of formality about this process, but it doesn't take more than a few minutes of observation to understand how things work.
Remember, this is your opportunity to help set ALA's direction.
Guidelines for Preparation of Resolutions for Membership Meetings
A resolution should be complete so that, upon passage, it becomes a clear and formal expression of the opinion or will of the assembly. The resolution must indicate the names of the mover and seconder, and their local telephone numbers. The resolution should address only one topic or issue. The terms used in a resolution should be readily understandable or have specific definition. The intent, objective, or goal of the resolution should be clear to all. The resolution form should state whether the resolution sets forth a general policy, an ALA viewpoint, or a specific call for action. All ALA position statements shall set forth their relationship to libraries and library service. If the resolution calls for a specific action or course of action in certain circumstances, the resolution should specify the resources needed to carry out the directive. If the resolution calls for specific action or program with a timetable, the timetable shall be clear and achievable. If the resolution is addressed to or refers to a specific group or groups, it shall name the group or groups in the "resolved" clause.
The mover of a resolution shall state on the resolution form whether the resolution amends or creates policy and shall identify the policy being changed and/or indicate the portion of the resolution to be cited as policy. If a policy set forth conflicts with another policy, provision to resolve the conflict shall be made. Any member of the American Library Association may prepare and submit for consideration resolutions at any membership meeting. All resolutions, except those from ALA committees, to be considered by the ALA Membership must be submitted for review by the Council Committee on Resolutions at least 6 hours prior to the convening of the membership meeting in order to allow time for reproduction and distribution. Members assembled at any membership meeting may waive the submission time requirements by a majority vote. All resolutions approved by the membership will be presented to the next meeting of Council by the chair of the Resolutions Committee. The chair will indicate which membership resolutions are clearly policy matters. The presiding officer of Council will call for Council's guidance on the disposition of each membership item in turn.
Note: Consistent with parliamentary authority, an item that is not completed at the membership meeting(s) of an Annual Conference lapses, but then may be reintroduced as a new item at a subsequent convention.
If a quorum is not present for a called Membership Meeting, those members who are present may convene themselves into a Membership Forum for the purpose of discussing matters of concerns. The person who would have presided at the Membership Meeting may appoint a member to preside at the Membership Forum. Those members attending the Membership Forum shall determine their own agenda of matters to be discussed.
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The EX LIBRIS ASSOCIATION cordially invites you June 21, 2003, 6:30-9:30 pm to Captain John's Harbour Boat Restaurant, One Queen's Quay West, Toronto, for the Commemoration of the return of books to the Toronto Subscription Library, 1813.
Cash bar from 6:30 p.m.
Buffet dinner served from 7:30 p.m.
The enactment takes place at 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29.00 U.S. or $39.00 Canadian
The year 2003 is the 190th anniversary of a little known international occurrence that took place at the harbour of Toronto (then called York) in 1813. The Toronto Library was a private subscription library founded on Dec. 9, 1810. William Chewett was the librarian and its books were kept in Elmsley House.
The Ex Libris Association (Canada's very active association of retired librarians) will present a brief commemorative presentation of the return of the Toronto Library books. Everyone will receive an extract from the Kingston Gazette of August 20, 1813 dealing with the American naval visit to York. A small display of Toronto in 1813, and its later growth in libraries up to the 20th century will also add to your experience.
A dinner ticket for this event can be purchased on the Ontario Library Association web site at:
http://www.accessola.com/site/showPage.cgi?page=education/edinst02/exlibris.html
Or you can phone toll free 1-866-873-9867 from anywhere in North America. Use MasterCard orVISA.
For more information, you can also e-mail us at welcometotoronto@accessola.com
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PLA is a division of the American Library Association. Copyright Statement.
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