Diversity Council, a subcommittee of the Committee on Diversity

The Diversity Council serves as a representative body for the committees and organizations within the American Library Association (ALA) that promote the needs of traditionally underrepresented constituencies. Members are appointed to Diversity Council by the Committee on Diversity (COD) Chair, with recommendations from the Presidents/Chairs of the stakeholder committees and organizations. These groups include the ethnic caucuses: American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT), and The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA).



The Diversity Council is charged to fulfill the following roles: (1) Diversity Council will provide a forum to communicate the needs and concerns of the above groups to COD, and thus to the ALA Council; (2) To bring together the constituent groups for mutual support in recognition of their similar goals and missions and to promote their common interests; and (3) To recommend to COD strategic actions and initiatives contributing to the diversification of leadership within the ALA and the profession, thus reflecting the diversity of the communities we serve, and to support the programs and activities of COD toward this end.