How to Form a Membership Initiative Group

Any current ALA member may create a petition to form a Membership Initiative Group (MIG) by following these steps:

  1. Investigate your topic of interest. Does an ALA body already exist that focuses on this interest (committees, round tables, discussion groups, etc.)? If so, contact that group and get involved! If not, proceed with steps two through six. However, before proceeding, it might be beneficial to discuss your MIG idea with an ALA staff member. If you are not sure who to contact, send your idea to the Committee on Organization (COO) staff liaison.
  2. Create an e-Petition. Once you complete the e-Petition form, a link will be sent to you that can be forwarded to ALA members for electronic signatures.
  3. Collect at least 100 electronic signatures from ALA members in good standing.
  4. Create a statement of purpose for your MIG.
  5. When 100 signatures have been collected and your statement of purpose is ready, contact the COO staff liaison, who will download the signatures, inform all relevant parties of your petition, and add your petition to the next COO agenda at either the ALA Midwinter Meeting or the ALA Annual Conference.
  6. Send a representative to the COO meeting and present your petition. COO will vote on whether or not to approve your MIG.