International Relations Committee (IRC)

Charge

To have full responsibility for the association's international relations programs and initiatives; to work with the international relations round table, division international relations committees, and other units of the association in promoting the exchange of professional information, techniques and knowledge, as well as personnel and literature between and among libraries and individuals throughout the world; to advocate the recognition of the international aspects of the library profession and its priority within ALA; to recommend international relations policy for council approval and to take the necessary steps for implementation; to make recommendations to the ALA executive board for appointments or nominations to international organizations (IFLA, etc.) And other agencies concerned with international library and information services (IREX, etc.); to administer programs of the association focused on international relations (awards, recognition, exchanges); to promote program and publication activities on international relations by the association and its divisions and committees; to maintain communication, when appropriate, with other library and information service organizations concerned with international relations; to represent the association's view to organizations and agencies outside the ALA that are concerned with international relations of libraries; to encourage active participation by U.S. librarians in the work of international organizations.

Categories:

Roster

Mr. Julius C. Jefferson, Jr.
(Chair, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Mr. John H. Barnett
(Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Mr. Buenaventura B. Basco
(Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Vivian Bordeaux
(Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Dr. Hong Cheng
(Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Mr. John Andrew Clexton
(Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Dr. Karen E. Downing
(Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Ping Fu
(Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Ms. Aubrey Iglesias
(Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Mr. Mike L. Marlin
(Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Ms. Tina Thomas
(Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Amy Spence Lappin
(Executive Board Liaison, July 1, 2023, to July 2, 2024)
Mrs. Jessica C. Lewis Marshall
(Committee Associate, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Mr. Ahmad Ali Shah
(Committee Associate, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Michael Dowling
(Primary Staff Liaison, July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2030)
Delin Guerra
(Staff Liaison, July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2030)

Displaying active committee roster as of 07/01/2023. Last retrieved on 11/03/2024. Refresh now.

Resources

IFLA Congress - The 2024 IFLA Congress has been canceled. For more information, please visit https://www.ifla.org/news/wlic-2024-withdrawn/ For all other registrations, the ALA membership number to use for your IFLA Conference registration is US-0002.

Composition

Created in 1923. Functions approved by Council in 1931. Made a Board Committee in 1942 and continued as a standing committee under the reorganization of 1956. Became a Council Committee in 1972. Charge revised June 1993. Size changed from 8 members to 12 members, June 1993. Committee composed of 11 members with two-year staggered terms, with chair appointed annually.

Subcommitees and Task Forces

Created in 1923. Functions approved by Council in 1931. Made a Board Committee in 1942 and continued as a standing committee under the reorganization of 1956. Became a Council Committee in 1972. Charge revised June 1993. Size changed from 8 members to 12 members, June 1993. Committee composed of 11 members with two-year staggered terms, with chair appointed annually.

ALA Divisions with International Relations Committees
  • ACRL - Academic Library Services to International Students Interest Group
  • ALCTS - International Relations Committee

International Relations Committee Documents

Follow us...

Follow the International Relations Office on Facebook and for recent updates on Twitter. (opens a new window)

****También puede seguirnos en nuestra página de Twitter en español. ****

Flickr - Take a look at some of the pictures that our members have taken throughout the years, including the International Librarians Reception and IRRT's 60th Anniversary Celebration. (opens a new window)

Related Sites

Staff Liaison

Michael Dowling, Director, International Relations Office, tel/fax: 312-280-3200, email: mdowling@ala.org

Get Involved

The ALA International Relations Committee encourages all ALA members to serve on a committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please go to the Committee Volunteer Form (you will need your ALA login). For membership questions or having problems login in, please call the ALA Customer Service Office 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5) for more information.