Representatives from 10 of ALA’s 11 divisions, along with seven members of the Executive Board, assorted staff, and ALA legal counsel, held a closed meeting in Chicago May 16 to discuss the anti-ALA, anti-library crusade being conducted by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. The radio talk-show host has attacked the Association for encouraging open access to the Internet for minors.
The stated objective of the meeting was “to find a win-win approach to defend our intellectual freedom values, maintain a positive image of ALA and its name, and be responsive to our various internal and external publics.” The group concluded that a task force should be established to recommend policies and practices for ALA Web-page links to outside organizations, especially when they are challenged, and to examine the purpose of the site, especially with regard to the public.
The Library and Information Technology Association chose not to send a representative. The division’s president, Michael Gorman, said such discussions should occur at ALA conferences “in well-publicized meetings with clearly stated agendas, maximizing the ability of all to be heard.”
Posted May 24, 1999.