ALA Chapters: Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ helps explain how the ALA and ALA Chapters partnership works and provides easy access to ALA resources for Chapters. It is also shows ways to get involved in ALA Chapters.

What Are ALA Chapters?

Each state library association is a Chapter of the American Library Association (ALA). Chapters are established by ALA’s governing body, the ALA Council.
A chapter promotes general library service and librarianship within its geographic area, provides geographic representation to the ALA Council, and cooperates in the promotion of general and joint enterprises with ALA and other library groups. For example, Chapters promote ALA membership, events, and goods at their annual conferences by sending CRO the order form Promotion Display and Table Skirt Order Form (Word) for what they need.
Each State Chapter has a councilor on ALA Council (see What is an ALA Chapter Councilor?).
ALA and Chapters currently interact through a variety of activities and services. The interests of Chapters are represented within ALA by the Chapter Relations Committee (CRC) and the Chapter Relations Office (CRO). The CRC serves as an advisory committee to the CRO (see What is the Chapter Relations Committee? and What is the Chapter Relations Office?).
Chapter leaders are subscribed to CRO business e-lists:
- Chapter Presidents, Presidents-elect, and Councilors are subscribed to alacro-l@ala.org
- Chapter editors are subscribed to chapeditor@ala.org
- Chapter Capwiz contacts are subscribed to capwiz@ala.org (see What is Capwiz?)
- Chapter Councilors are subscribed to chapcoun@ala.org and alacro-l@ala.org
- The Chapter Relations Committee is subscribed to crc@ala.org and alacro-l@ala.org
- The Chapters Executive Directors are subscribed to iclae@ala.org (see What is the International Council of Library Association Executives (ICLAE)?)

Where to find more information on ALA Chapters

ALA Chapters
ALA Chapters Directory
ALA Chapter Partnership Fact Sheet
ALA and Chapter Relationship

Where to find additional resources for ALA Chapters

ALA Contacts

Michael Dowling, Director
Chapter Relations Office
mdowling@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200

Don Wood, Program Officer
Chapter Relations Office
dwood@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 2429

ALA Resources for Chapters

Overview of ALA Resources for Chapters

Webinars

Calendars

Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters
Affiliates conference & event calendar

Legislation and Advocacy

The Chapter Relations Office supports ALA’s library advocacy efforts by tracking state and federal legislation affecting libraries and by working with the Office for Library Advocacy, the ALA Washington Office, I Love Libraries, other ALA units, and other groups.

For links to resources and other information, visit CRO’s

Social Networking

ALA Connect and a Search for Related Sources in ALA Connect
ALA Chapters Resource Wiki
Facebook
ALA CRO Twitter

What Is the Chapter Relations Committee?

Established by the ALA Council upon recommendation of the ALA Executive Board on January 11, 1967, the Chapter Relations Committee (CRC)

Develops and recognizes Chapters as integral components of ALA;
Encourages discussion, activities and programs that support the mutual interests of ALA and the Chapters;
Advises when requested on proposals and actions of other ALA units that may affect Chapters;
Provides a forum wherein Chapters can share ideas and concerns of common interest and identify common needs and goals;
Communicates these Chapter needs and goals to ALA and ALA goals, programs and priorities to the Chapters;
Encourages and maintains a cooperative and supportive relationship among ALA, its units, and the Chapters;
Formulates and reviews periodically requirements for Chapter status; and
Serves as an advisory committee to the Chapter Relations Office.
The CRC meets at each ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference.
Presents the Chapter Leaders Forum each Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference (see What is the Chapter Leaders Forum?).
CRC members are subscribed to two CRO business e-lists, crc@ala.org and alacro-l@ala.org

Where to find more information on the Chapter Relations Committee

Chapter Relations Committee
Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters
ALA Connect
ALA Chapter Partnership Fact Sheet

What Is the Chapter Relations Office?

The Chapter Relations Office (CRO)

Promotes a sense of identification between the national Association and the 57 ALA Chapters (see What are ALA Chapters?);
Facilitates communication between the Chapters and all ALA units;
Coordinates leadership development for Chapter officers, Chapter Councilors, chief paid staff members, and other Chapter leaders (see What is an ALA Chapter Councilor?);
Strengthens membership promotion activities for ALA and the Chapters;
Coordinates the ALA Student Chapters (see What are ALA Student Chapters?); and
Helps raise awareness of and sensitivity to Chapter needs throughout the ALA.
The ALA Chapter Relations Committee serves as an advisory committee to the CRO (see What is the ALA Chapter Relations Committee?).

Select CRO Projects

Student to Staff Program
Each year 40 library students are chosen to assist ALA staff during ALA Annual Conference. In exchange for working about four hours a day, these students receive free conference registration, housing, and a per diem for meal expenses. During free time, they may attend programs and participate in other conference activities. Participants are subscribed to a CRO business e-list, student2staff@ala.org
Library Advocacy
CRO provides assistance to Chapters by helping them develop and maintain their own advocacy “take action” websites (powered by Capwiz), which allows their members to contact both state and federal members of Congress. This year, during National Library Week, CRO assisted 30 Chapters to mount an alert and message on their Capwiz sites to “Let Your State Officials Know How Important Libraries Are to You!”
I Love Libraries
CRO staff are actively involved in I Love Libraries.org, a Web site designed for the people who use and love libraries. Visit ILL on Facebook

Where to find more information on the Chapter Relations Office

Chapter Relations Office
Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters
ALA Chapter Partnership Fact Sheet

What Is the Chapter Leaders Forum?

The Chapter Leaders Forum, presented by the ALA Chapter Relations Committee at each ALA Midwinter and Annual, provides a great opportunity for Chapter Leaders (especially incoming leaders) to meet together and prepares them to lead their association. The program presents topics of interest to chapter leaders, including association management, advocacy, conference planning, social media, and membership development and retention.
The forum is a separate ticketed event at both the Midwinter Meeting and the Annual Conference. There is no on-site registration.
Presenters and attendees are subscribed to a CRO business e-list, chapterleadersforum@ala.org

Where to find more information on the Forum, including links to handouts from previous workshops, as well as related resources

Chapter Leaders Forum

What Is an ALA Chapter Councilor?

The Council is the governing body of ALA. It delegates to the divisions of the Association authority to plan and carry out programs and activities with policy established by Council. Only personal members of the Association may serve on Council. Two meetings are required each year, one at the annual conference of the Association and one not less than three months prior to annual conference. (See Bylaw Article IV.) Council determines all policies of the Association and its decisions are binding unless set aside by a majority vote by mail in which one-fourth of the members of the Association have voted. Such vote by mail shall be held upon petition of one percent of the personal members as certified by the Executive Director of the Association.
Each state, provincial, and territorial chapter is entitled to one councilor to be elected by members of the chapter. Chapter representation is through state chapters unless chapters in a region choose to take representation through that regional chapter. In such case, the regional chapter shall elect one representative from each state or provincial chapter within that regional association. There is no current regional chapter representation.
Chapter Councilors are subscribed to two CRO business e-lists, alacro-l@ala.org and chapcoun@ala.org, and to one ALA business e-list, alacoun@ala.org

Where to find more information on ALA Chapter Councilors, including duties and responsibilities

ALA Chapter Councilors
ALA Chapter Partnership Fact Sheet
ALA and Chapter Relationship
See also What are ALA Chapters?

Where to find additional resources for ALA Chapter Councilors

ALA Contacts

Michael Dowling, Director
Chapter Relations Office
mdowling@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200

Don Wood, Program Officer
Chapter Relations Office
dwood@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 2429

Calendars

Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters
Affiliates conference & event calendar

Social Networking

ALA Connect
ALA Chapters Resource Wiki
Facebook
ALA CRO Twitter

What Are ALA Student Chapters?

The first ALA Student Chapter was created in 1980 at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. The most recent ALA Student Chapter was created in 2009 at Chicago State University. Each Student Chapter has its own character and purpose. ALA Student Chapters enhance students’ ALA membership by providing leadership and programming opportunities on the campuses.
Coordinated by the ALA Chapter Relations Office (see What is the Chapter Relations Office?).
See also ALA Student Chapters Frequently Asked Questions
See also What are ALA Chapters?
Student Chapter leaders are subscribed to a CRO business e-list, stuchapt@ala.org

Where to find more information on ALA Student Chapters, including how to start one, joint student memberships, etc.

ALA Student Chapters
Directory of Student Chapters

Where to find additional resources for ALA Student Chapters

ALA Contacts

Michael Dowling, Director
Chapter Relations Office
mdowling@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200

Don Wood, Program Officer
Chapter Relations Office
dwood@ala.org, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 2429

Social Networking

ALA Connect
ALA Chapters Resource Wiki
The ALA Student Chapters group on Facebook
The ALA Student Chapters fan page on Facebook
The ALA Student Member Blog
The ALA Student Members Wiki
The American Library Association Student to Staff Participants group on Facebook
The American Library Association Student to Staff Participants fan page on Facebook
ALA CRO Twitter

What Is Capwiz?

ALA currently provides support for all state chapters (and DC) to set up their own Capwiz Legislative Action Center and participate in the Capwiz affiliate program. (Capwiz•XC is Capitol Advantage's leading online legislation and advocacy tool that continues to help ALA, chapters, and Ilovelibraries send constituent messages to congressional and state legislators.)
Chapter Capwiz contacts and others interested in the program meet at each ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference. (See Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters)
To take action on federal legislation affecting libraries and to take action for libraries in your state via Capwiz, visit CRO’s Take Action for Libraries page. (The four states not participating in Capwiz link to their legislation and advocacy pages.) See also Save Libraries in Your State (CRO) and I Love Libraries.org.
Chapter Capwiz contacts are subscribed to a CRO business e-list, capwiz@ala.org

What Is the International Council of Library Association Executives (ICLAE)?

The International Council of Library Association Executives (ICLAE) is comprised of Chapter executive directors and other Chapter administrators.
ICLAE members and other interested persons meet at each ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference. (See Select ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference Schedule for Chapters)
ICLAE members are subscribed to a CRO business e-list, iclae@ala.org