Vote yes to approve changes to ACRL bylaws
C&RL News, March 2008
Vol. 69, No. 3
by the ACRL Board of Directors
This spring there will be two important bylaws changes on the ACRL ballot: the first concerns creating “Communities of Practice” and the second addresses editorial/procedural changes designed to increase organizational efficiency.
Finding a “home” in ACRL
Your feedback in recent surveys and focus groups has emphasized the need for more avenues for networking and discussion of issues related to your areas of interest. To meet that need, the ACRL Board is proposing the creation of interest groups. These groups will be complements to discussion groups and sections under the umbrella term “Communities of Practice.” Interest groups are designed to be fluid, flexible, and easily formed and easily disbanded in response to environmental needs.
The goal is to provide a more flexible and dynamic system for members to form groups focused on important emerging issues and to increase opportunities for involvement within our organization.
In the most recent membership survey, some members said that finding an ACRL group that aligns with their current needs can be challenging. Despite being able to select two sections without additional charge as part of ACRL’s annual dues, nearly 12 percent of ACRL members do not belong to any section. Of those who are currently members of sections and discussion groups, 63 percent expressed interest in being more actively engaged with ACRL. Interest groups will provide leadership opportunities for more members, while offering another entry point for ACRL members who are seeking a good match for their interests. For example, members have expressed interest in ACRL supporting groups that would focus on management of digital resources, technology issues, support staff, libraries in for-profit schools, and technical services. The creation of interest groups would provide more opportunity for academic and research librarians to find a home within ACRL and connect with colleagues around issues of mutual interest.
The new groups can be formed simply by submitting a petition with 25 ACRL member signatures to the Board for approval. The Board will review all petitions to ensure that proposed interest groups do not duplicate existing groups. Interest groups will be reviewed every three years to ensure that each group remains active and relevant. Interest groups will be governed by a steering committee consisting of a convener, incoming convener, and past convener. Each interest group will determine the mechanism for selecting its conveners.
The work of an interest group can be accomplished virtually and in face-to-face meetings at ALA Midwinter and Annual Conference, although attendance at ALA conferences will not be a requirement for participation. Electronic newsletters, discussion lists, online communities, and other electronic communications will be supported by ACRL. We want to create engagement opportunities for members who cannot travel long distances to conferences.
Increasing organizational efficiency
The second bylaws issue on the ballot is a series of procedural and editorial changes to the ACRL bylaws to increase organizational efficiency and agility. For example, a change in Article VII eliminates the requirement that the Budget and Finance Committee Chair have prior experience on the committee, thus opening that Board position to members who have demonstrated their leadership and competence in other areas of ACRL.
We urge you to vote “yes” on these changes so that ACRL can offer more opportunities for member engagement and enhanced organizational efficiency.