United We Stand; Divided We Stand Longer
Can a governing body in a democratic forum spend long stretches of time spinning its wheels in procedural mud and still forge ahead with timely action? Yes, if ALA Council’s three Midwinter Meeting sessions in San Antonio January 17, 18, and 19 are any example. Rising for votes on key national issues took no time at all, while rising to “divide the house” over housekeeping matters sometimes made it necessary to rise yet again in a vote to extend the meeting past its scheduled close.
Bringing the Association’s collective professional expertise to bear on issues as monumental as the World Trade Organization or a National Forum on Libraries and Information Services, and as picayune as who gets to quote ALA policy on letterhead paper, some 150 councilors reported to Midwinter to quibble over much, concur on more, and help set ALA’s new five-year agenda.
There was no debate and passage was by consent when it came to approving the Executive Board’s nomination of Jeanne Hurley Simon and Vartan Gregorian for honorary membership, ALA’s top award. To be presented at Annual Conference in Chicago this summer, the honorary memberships will recognize Simon’s work as chair of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and Gregorian’s service to libraries as president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, among other roles.
A proposal (CD#49) to support the concept of a third national White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services, as initiated by NCLIS, was stalled momentarily as councilors tried to determine what the financial implications for ALA might be. Since the conference would be scheduled to take place in the waning days of the Clinton administration, councilors voted to support the concept and help keep the event on a fast track.
Similar unity could be found in a resolution (CD#46) in support of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions position statements on the World Trade Organization, calling for ALA to work with other organizations to protect libraries within the WTO context. Councilor James Neal added that the resolution would be helpful to him as ALA’s representative to World Intellectual Property Organization.
Council was equally enthusiastic about a resolution (CD#57) calling for a letter to be sent from President Sarah Ann Long to all the candidates for president of the United States to urge them to include libraries in their platforms and to educate them about the critical role libraries play in their local communities. The content of the letter will be made available to the ALA membership on the Web site, through electronic lists, and in American Libraries.
Even more unified was Council’s spontaneous support of Song Yongyi, the Dickinson College librarian detained in China and accused of illegally gathering documents on behalf of foreign interests. Councilor Herb Biblo chided the International Relations Committee for coming to Council with no request for action in the matter (CD#18). A motion was made and quickly passed, asking the ALA executive director to work with IRC on a letter of protest to the Chinese government.
Chad Raymond, chair of the Committee on Legislation (CD#20), brought two action items to the floor, both of which enjoyed swift passage. The first (CD#20.1) encourages ALA members and state chapters to ask their state legislators to oppose the passage of the proposed Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) because it “would harm legitimate research and education activities and adversely impact the fair use of information.” The second (CD#20.2) calls for “the clearinghouse functions of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) for unclassified scientific and technical information (STI) to remain centralized to facilitate use by researchers and businesses to promote technological advances and economic growth.” It also urges Congress to pass legislation to transfer these functions to the Government Printing Office, which has responsibility for dissemination of government information in all formats.
A report from Steven Herb for the Intellectual Freedom Committee (CD#19) brought two more actions that slipped easily into place. The first put ALA on record in support of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (CD#19.1), which issued a statement deploring the decision of the Kansas State Board of Education to remove references to evolution and cosmology from the state education standards and assessments.
The second IFC action item (CD#19.2) offered belated gratitude to Emily Wheelock Reed, who as Alabama State Librarian in 1959 fought to retain the Garth Williams book The Rabbit’s Wedding in the agency’s collection when it was targeted in the legislature as “anti-segregationist and communistic.” A 61-year member of ALA, Reed was tenacious and made an extraordinary effort to stand up to segregationist state legislators. Her achievements were recently brought to light by researcher Patterson Toby Graham, head of special collections at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Other Midwinter tributes went to Robert Wedgeworth for his leadership as ALA executive director at the time of the building of 40 East Huron Plaza and the resultant $3-million windfall on its refinancing last year; to 1999 National Humanities Medal winner Patricia Battin, to U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Richard E. Rominger for his support of the National Agricultural Library, and to “Harry Potter” author Joanne K. Rowling for bringing “the pleasure of reading to millions of children and adults.” The Library of Congress was also recognized in a special resolution of congratulations on “200 years of service to Congress and the nation.”
When it came to discussing the issue of who speaks for ALA, the amity broke down. Upon presentation of an Executive Board document (CD#54) that merely pulls together and reiterates existing policy concerning the use of ALA’s name, ALA counsel Paula Goedert was called to the microphone to explain the policies to those councilors who perceived the document as nothing more than an effort to squelch certain activities, especially those of the Social Responsibilities Round Table.
Councilor Biblo said he found it ironic that ALA is “defending people all around the country but won’t defend the right of ALA members to speak out.”
Goedert explained that as a legal entity ALA is responsible for the actions of its divisions, committees, and round tables, which cannot sue or be sued independently. She acknowledged that ALA could “let each unit say and do anything they want on their own letterhead, but you can’t disclaim responsibility.”
Councilor Maurice Freedman countered that the job of ALA’s attorney ought to be finding ways that units can express themselves and not be in violation of policy.
Councilor Al Kagan decried the removal of a statement from the round table handbook that once provided an out by saying that letters were okay as long as they contained a disclaimer saying that they spoke only for the unit sending them. Ken Haycock replied that the statement was removed at the instruction of the Executive Board because it did not comply with policy.
Councilors again disagreed over a resolution (CD#44) requiring the master’s degree in library and information science for the ALA executive director and all strategic management-level positions at ALA Headquarters. The resolution was denounced by many, especially division councilors, as too restrictive, the subtext being that it was a reaction to the recent hiring of non-MLS-holder Emily Sheketoff as director of the Washington Office and an effort to micromanage the ALA executive director.
Engineered and enthusiastically presented by the Executive Board, the new “ALAction 2005” plan (CD#3) was ultimately endorsed by Council, but not before a number of critics scolded the board and staff for bringing the plan forward in the form of a slick, colorful brochure that made it appear as if a Council rubber stamp were all that was expected.
President Sarah Ann Long reviewed—and Council reaffirmed—the Association’s “key action areas” (diversity, literacy, intellectual freedom, equity of access, and continuing education) emphasizing, somewhat ironically as it turned out, communication. “You are being asked to endorse the four goals that have been brought before you,” Long told Council: By 2005 the Association will foster increased support for librarians and libraries, will be a leading voice for equitable access, will use technology for communication with its members, and will be a leader in continuing education for library personnel.
Councilor Sue Kamm opposed endorsement, saying Council had been given no time to examine the material. Vivian Winn said the brochure showed a “disrespect for our process.” But James Casey pointed out that the document was on the discussion list and the ALA Web site, offering ample opportunity for input.
Some councilors again complained that they had been bypassed, after Executive Director William Gordon explained recent actions he had taken to turn the Fund for America’s Libraries into a development office. He was reminded that the Committee on Organization must approve such activity. Liz Bishoff said the Budget Analysis and Review Committee had reviewed Gordon’s proposal and concurred with the direction; Gordon said a plan will be ready for the Executive Board in spring and that consultant Sandra Danforth had been hired to run the office during the transition.
Council also felt the Executive Board and staff were moving too quickly in trying to establish a separate 501(c)6 organization (CD#36, #50) that could offer postgraduate certification for librarians through continuing education. A motion by Connie Van Fleet passed, asking that no action be taken until the Committee on Education reports at Annual Conference this summer on relevant aspects and issues of certification.
The final report (CD#48) to Council from the Task Force on Foreign Credentialing was, however, well received and prompted passage of an amendment to ALA policy 54.2 to add that the appropriate professional degree for librarians is a master’s degree from a program accredited by ALA “or from a master’s level progam in library and information studies accredited or recognized by the appropriate national body of another country.”
Councilor Marcia Boosinger lost a bid to make the Membership Committee responsible for attracting a quorum to Membership Meetings. She and others had argued that the meetings had fallen short on attendance in recent years because no ALA membership body had responsibility for them. Membership Committee chair Michael Golrick said the committee did not want the responsibility and won the vote by proposing instead that a special presidential task force be formed to “coordinate the promotion, scheduling, and development of issues-oriented Membership Meetings” (CD#56).
Councilors elected Camila Alire, dean of libraries at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and Molly Raphael, director of the District of Columbia Public Library, to three-year terms on the Executive Board (CD#11, #34). In a candidate forum preceding the election, Alire said she would bring her “passion for the profession” to service on the board, along with a vision for a time when diversity is so well integrated into all ALA activities that no “special provisions” need to be made for it. Raphael said she would like “our work in ALA to have an impact on libraries” and help make them “central to the communities they serve.”
Alire and Raphael’s terms begin at the end of Annual Conference this year. They will replace outgoing board members James Neal and Robert Newlen. They defeated nominees Jennifer Jung Gallant and Nancy Davenport, as well as Mark Rosenzweig and Larry Romans, who were nominated from the floor.
Past Treasurer Ann Symons delivered the treasurer’s report (CD#13-13.4) for Treasurer Bruce Daniels, who was called home unexpectedly. She said that ALA assets had grown by an unprecedented $3 million and that the Association was in a “strong and sound financial position.” The only “dark cloud,” she said, was “our propensity to spend our money faster than we make it.”
Council received a written report from the Core Values Task Force (CD#32), which presented a draft list of principles and beliefs that guide all types of librarians and information professionals. Established as a result of ALA’s Congress on Professional Education, the task force will submit its final statement at Annual Conference this year. The report noted that the task force had received 103 comments and recommendations, some of them generated by a posting on radio talk show host and ALA nemesis Laura Schlessinger’s Web site, directing her listeners to “tell ALA what they think about the draft statement.” Among the values listed is “unfettered access to ideas,” the chief bone Schlessinger’s fans have to pick with ALA.
In other actions, Council:
—Leonard Kniffel