Membership, Promotion, Diversity and Recruitment Committee (MPDR)

Committee Charge

The purpose of the Membership Promotion Diversity and Recruitment Committee is to promote membership and encourage diversity in NMRT and ALA. MPDR accomplishes this mission by promoting a positive image of the New Members Round Table and attracting minority librarians and library school students for membership in ALA and NMRT.

The MPDR committee incorporates the work of the Diversity Committee and serves as a liaison to the ALA Office of Diversity.


Committee History

The Membership Promotion Diversity and Recruitment Committee was created in 2007 by combining the Membership, Promotion and Relations Committee and the Diversity Committee. Documentation is scarce for the history of the Membership Promotion and Relations Committee and needs further investigation. The Diversity Committee was created in 1981 as the “Minority Recruitment Committee”, it became a standing committee January 17, 1987. Its charge was focused on the recruitment and retention of minority librarians. In 1996, a motion was made and passed to change the committee name. This committee was renamed the Diversity Committee, and its charge expanded to reach broader groups of underrepresented people. The responsibility of welcoming new members was added due to the May 2009 disbanding of the Membership Relations Committee.


Major Responsibilities

  1. Welcome new members to NMRT (responsibility added due to the disbanding of the Membership Relations committee)
  2. Maintain a current membership promotion brochure that can be made available for membership promotion by the committee, NMRT members, the state affiliates, the ALA Membership Committee, and ALA headquarters. Make brochures available at ALA conferences.
  3. Create promotional materials that encourage membership in ALA and NMRT from librarians, library school students, and library supporters from traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, persons with disabilities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
  4. Send a welcome letter or email message to all new NMRT members with information on NMRT programs, committees, and opportunities for involvement.
  5. Develop other promotional programs as opportunities become available.

Committee Members

2019-2020 Committee Roster:


Recent Work

Annotated Bibliography Style Guide