International Meeting Representatives
LAMA assists the ALA International Relations Committee (IRC) by
nominating candidates to the standing committees of the
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
(IFLA). IFLA elections for various section committees, divisions,
and round tables are held biennially, in odd numbered years.
Guidelines
An ALA member is nominated and officially endorsed for a four-year
term to every IFLA standing committee at each IFLA election.
Eligibility
Any ALA member may be suggested for nomination.
Qualifications
A nominee should have a working knowledge of at least one working
language of IFLA (English is a working language), and should have
reasonable expectation of attending meetings of the standing
committee without cost to IFLA or ALA. ALA divisions and sections
may seek outside funding to support the attendance of their
representatives.
Documentation
The ALA Executive Board requires that suggestions for nominations
must be accompanied by a resume and a rationale from the nominating
body or individual. If selected as a nominee by the ALA Executive
Board, the nominee should provide the following, as required by
IFLA:
A. A statement of the nominee that he/she accepts the nomination,
B. A short statement of the nominee's qualifications and present
position,
C. A statement by the nominee that he/she can fulfill the working
language and travel requirements.
Calendar for IFLA Nominations Process
This calendar has been developed in terms of "odd years" and "even
years" because the process is complex.
Odd year: Fall
Action:
ALA IRC begins process by notifying ALA units of openings on IFLA
committees;
LAMA Office forwards the information to section officers who
solicit nominees and volunteers
Even year: Midwinter
Action:
LAMA Office reports results of elections held at odd year IFLA
meeting (may be done in advance, as in a LA&M report);
Section Executive Committees review candidates;
Section Executive Committees bring recommendations to LAMA Board
for approval
Section Executive Committees also review travel funding requests
and forward recommendations to Budget and Finance Committee
Even year: Spring
Action: Recommended names forwarded to ALA IRC
Even year: Annual Conf.
Action:
ALA IRC reviews nominations
Even year: October 1
Action:
Candidates assemble required paperwork and submit to staff liaison
to ALA IRC
Even year: Fall
Action:
ALA IRC presents to ALA Executive Board (through the Board's
Personnel Subcommittee) the list of candidates ALA will be
proposing for IFLA committees
Odd year: Midwinter
Action:
Candidates recommended by LAMA in the past may apply to LAMA Budget
and Finance Committee for travel support
LAMA Board approves travel funding for upcoming IFLA conference
Odd year: February
Action: Nominations due at IFLA Headquarters
Odd year: March
Action: Election material sent to voting members by IFLA office
Odd year: July
Action:
Elections complete and new members receive orientation materials
from the IFLA Office
Odd year: August
New members attend meeting and participate in election of officers
for coming two years
This procedure requires someone or some committee to be responsible
for maintaining the list of who is on IFLA committees and for
understanding procedures the ALA IRC will be following in making
recommendations to the ALA Executive Board. The section executive
committees are responsible for soliciting candidates, making
decisions about the appropriateness of those candidates (in
accordance with previously-established guidelines), verifying that
nominees are willing to serve and understand the funding
constraints, and recommending candidates to the Board of Directors
for forwarding to the ALA IRC. Candidates are responsible for
assembling their own documentation.
Guidelines for Selection and Appointment of LAMA Members to
Represent LAMA at International Meetings
These guidelines are designed to aid the LAMA Board of Directors
and Section Executive Committees in selecting LAMA members to
represent LAMA or its Sections at international meetings. The
guidelines may also be used by individual LAMA members seeking LAMA
sponsorship for participation at international meetings.
The appointment of individuals who represent LAMA to international
organizations or who will represent LAMA at a meeting outside the
United States shall comply with guidelines established by the LAMA
Board.
Who may initiate recommendations
1. The need for representation may be expressed by the LAMA Board
itself, in which case the Board will either identify qualified
individuals and approve a ranked list of possible
representatives or delegate responsibility for these actions
to an LAMA section or subunit. In contacting possible
representatives, the LAMA Board or its designate will approach
individuals in ranked order until agreement to serve is
secured.
2. The sections and their officers may draw to the attention of
the LAMA Board of Directors the possible need for
representation at an international meeting.
3. The need for representation may be expressed by a LAMA unit to
the LAMA Board, with recommendations for possible
representatives. The Board will then consider the request for
representation.
4. Individual LAMA members may seek LAMA sponsorship for
participation at an international meeting by contacting the
appropriate Section Executive Committee.
Process
1. LAMA Section Executive Committees may select their candidates
according to the criteria listed below. The recommendation
shall be transmitted to the LAMA Executive Director for
transmittal to the Board of Directors on the request form at
least 30 days prior to the beginning of Midwinter or Annual
Conference, if possible.
2. The LAMA Board of Directors, in executive session, will:
a. Assure that the candidates meet the criteria outlined
below.
b. If two or more candidates are recommended for the same
meeting, the Board will rank them in priority order. If
two or more candidates from the same section are
recommended for the same meeting, the section must rank
them in priority order.
c. Entertain funding requests, if funds are available in the
LAMA budget, and make appropriate funding
recommendations.
3. The LAMA Board of Directors makes its final decision and
notifies the appropriate Section Executive Committee, if any,
and the candidate.
Funding
1. Funding is solely the prerogative of the LAMA Board of
Directors. It may partially or fully fund the expenses of an
LAMA representative to an international meeting in order to
further the goals of LAMA.
2. LAMA subunits (sections, committees, etc.) may recommend
appropriate funding for their candidates.
3. The following guidelines will be followed by LAMA units.
a. Requests for funding for a given fiscal year (September
1-August 31) should, in order to be guaranteed
consideration, reach the LAMA Board of Directors in
writing prior to the last Board session at the Midwinter
Meeting that occurs in the same year travel is to take
place. Subject to the availability of funds, additional
requests may be taken into consideration.
b. Travel funding, in whole or in part, is appropriate
1. to conduct official LAMA business
2. to attend meetings as an official LAMA
representative
3. to attend meetings on behalf of LAMA as an
observer.
c. Funding Levels
1. To conduct official LAMA business-all reasonable
travel expenses, within limits established by ALA
for its own staff, may be provided.
2. To act as an official LAMA representative or
observer-up to the equivalent value of a round-trip
economy airfare (major metropolitan area to major
metropolitan area) may be provided.
3. The LAMA Board of Directors has the prerogative of
making exceptions to these funding levels when
deemed appropriate.
Appeal
1. Candidates disagreeing with a recommendation or decision at
any level may request a hearing before the Executive Committee
of the appropriate Section, and if the outcome is not to the
individual's satisfaction, may appeal to the LAMA Board of
Directors.
2. Requests for hearings and appeals must be in writing and must
state the concern and reason for the hearing or appeal.
Application
A. The Section's recommendation should be in the form of an
application. These applications may be obtained from LAMA
office.
B. The application should be signed by the candidate, indicating
that he or she has read the "Responsibilities of LAMA
Representatives" (see IV below) and accepts those
responsibilities.
C. The application should be countersigned by the Section
Executive Committee Chair and forwarded to the LAMA Board. If
a section is recommending two or more candidates to attend the
same meeting, the applications should be ranked in priority
order.
D. Section Executive Committees may solicit from candidates
additional information required for their selection process,
but such data need not be forwarded with the application.
Criteria for Selecting LAMA Representatives
The criteria are grouped in three categories. The first
category-regarding membership-should be considered mandatory.
There is perhaps no individual who can fully satisfy all of the
criteria in the second and third categories;
nonetheless, this can serve as a "check list" against which
potential candidates can be evaluated. Within each group, no
attempt has been made to rank the criteria in any order of
priority. Each of the attributes is accompanied by a brief
statement of rationalization.
Membership
1. The representative shall be a member of the ALA. It is
anticipated that membership in ALA will lead to a deep
understanding of the ideals of librarianship, as exemplified
in the tenets of the ALA.
2. The representative shall be a member of LAMA. The
representative should have demonstrated interest in the
activities of LAMA, should have been active in the
Association, and should be sensitive to the general philosophy
and policies developed by the division's membership. It is
highly desirable that the person should have been active in
LAMA's deliberations for a significant period of time thereby
making him or her sensitive or attuned to LAMA' concerns so
that he or she can adequately represent the Association's
interests in international forums.
3. The representative should have been a member of, and active
in, an LAMA division or Section committee concerned with the
area being represented. The representative should have
demonstrated extensive experience in the area concerned.
Membership on Associational or Sectional committees provides
exposure to LAMA's concerns and policies regarding particular
issues.
Professional Qualifications
1. The representative should be conversant with theories
underlying the area in question. The representative should
have demonstrated his or her grasp of the fundamental
theoretical basis for the area in question. Evidence of the
possession of such expertise may be in the quality of the
contributions he or she has made to the professional
literature or to the intellectual activities of pertinent
professional associations.
2. The representative should have been engaged in operations or
activities in the area concerned for a substantial period of
time. It is important that the candidate has been
professionally involved in the area concerned. It is
desirable that he or she has had first hand experience or
knowledge in the operations or activities of that area.
3. The representative should have had experience with
standard-setting activity, and preferably contributed to such
activity. The representative should have first-hand
experience with the process of standard-setting deliberations.
He or she should also be someone who has devoted some fraction
of his or her professional energies in reflection on such
questions as well as broader questions relating to the nature
of standards.
Personal Effectiveness
1. The representative should be both articulate and persuasive.
Since the representative will be required to represent the
interests of the LAMA and the American library community in
public forums, it is essential that he or she is capable of
presenting a point of view articulately and persuasively.
2. The representative should possess demonstrated abilities in
leadership and in dealing with people tactfully. Since much
of the interaction in international forums occurs on the
interpersonal level, it is important that the representative
is skillful and effective in dealing with people.