Peter Hepburn
ALA Treasurer (2022-2025)
College of the Canyons
Santa Clarita, CA
To reach out to Treasurer Hepburn or other Executive Board Members, please use this form
The ALA Financial Handbook
The ALA Financial Handbook reflects current American Library Association operational regulations and procedures in regard to Association finances. Compiled by the ALA Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC), the Handbook is intended to provide assistance and background information to ALA members, Division and Round Table members and staff who are involved in the financial operations and decision-making in their respective Association units. It will be reviewed annually by BARC and staff and updated as new information becomes available. Note that selected references to important documents and information are presented as links to the ALA website. February 2015
The ALA Dollar
I am pleased to present our ALA Dollar infographics, which answer two simple but important questions for members and potential members:
1. What are ALA’s funding sources: Where an ALA Dollar Comes From (PDF)
2. What are the ALA’s funding uses: Where an ALA Dollar Goes (PDF) (PDF)
ALA funding sources include your membership dues dollars and funds generated from our publishing activities, conferences and educational programs, and the grants we receive. For roughly every $1 in membership dues revenue, the Association generates an additional $4 in other revenue.
ALA carefully uses these funds to advance our mission via the strategic directions of advocacy, literacy, diversity and equity of access, information policy and intellectual freedom, and professional and leadership development – supporting and serving our members, libraries, and the profession.
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Financial Learning
- ALA Financial Primer (PDF)
- BARC Orientation (PDF)
- ALA Endowment Fund Glossary of Terms (PDF)
- ALA Endowment FAQs (PDF)
- ALA Endowment Cost Structure Report (PDF)
- ALA Endowment Benefits Report (PDF)
- Endowment Spending/Payout Policy (PDF)
- Endowment Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Indirect Cost Study Fact Sheet (PDF)
ALA Financial Learning Series brought to you by BARC and the Finance Staff
The Governance and Finance & Accounting offices along with members of the Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC) have created the online ALA Financial Learning Series. The purpose of these webcasts is to provide the viewer with a basic understanding of ALA’s finances and how it impacts all areas/units of the Association. These webcasts are designed to expand on and support the information provided at the ALA Finance Workshop, which is an education session held by BARC at each Midwinter Meeting. Although the information provided in these webcasts is general in nature, everyone who views them can benefit – members, member leaders, funders, vendors, sponsors and the general public.
Please take the opportunity to review the webcast offerings and select those that are of particular interest to you. Note that additional offerings will be added as areas of interest are identified.
- ALA Organizational Structure & Decision Making Process
- ALA Operating Agreement
- Budget Cycle and Process
- The Long Term Investment Fund - the Endowment
- Round Tables Financial Orientation - Good Things to Know
- Budget Planning for Pre-Conferences and Other One Time Events
ALA Financial Orientation for Council
View Former ALA Treasurer Maggie Farrell's presentation, Council Financial Orientation to learn more about ALA Finances.
BARC Response to ALA Council regarding Socially Responsible Investments Resolution
At the 2018 Midwinter Meeting in Denver a proposed resolution from SRRT regarding fossil fuels and the ALA Endowment Fund was forwarded to BARC for its review for potential financial implications. The proposed resolution was reviewed at both the Midwinter and Spring Meetings of BARC. Note that BARC also reviewed the proposed resolution in consultation with the Endowment Trustees and the Finance & Audit committee.
Here is BARC’s response to ALA Council regarding the Resolution (PDF)
Endowment Fund Holdings
At the 2018 Midwinter Meeting in Denver a request was made to the Senior Endowment Trustee Rod Hersberger to provide Council with the opportunity to review the holdings in the ALA Endowment Fund. The Trustees have worked diligently to make this happen.
While some holdings are very accessible via monthly statements, others were a little more challenging for the following reasons:
- Direct links to the holdings of publicly traded mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) generally require more than several clicks in order to get to the intended information.
- Some funds/portfolios within the Endowment are proprietary in nature and are not available for review.
Here in a PDF showing the available holdings of the Endowment Fund (.PDF)
Here in an MS Excel workbook showing the available holdings of the Endowment Fund (.XLSX)
Please see Executive Board Documents page for 2020-21 & 2021-22 Financial Documents
2020 Fall Meeting
- BARC and Treasurer’s Report to ALA Council (PDF)
- Joint BARC and Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Endowment Trustees Orientation to ALA Council (PDF)
- Endowment Trustee Report to ALA Executive Board (PDF)
2020 Annual Meeting
- BARC Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Planning and Budget Assembly (PDF)
- Joint BARC and Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Endowment Trustee’s Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Membership (PDF)
- Treasurer’s Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Planning and Budget Assembly (PDF)
2020 Spring Meeting
- Endowment Trustee Report to ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Finance & Audit Report to the Executive Board (PDF)
2020 Midwinter Meeting
- BARC Report to Council, Executive Board, Membership & Planning & Budget Assembly (PDF)
- Joint BARC and Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Council Financial Orientation (PDF)
- Endowment Trustees Report (PDF)
- Treasurer’s Report to Council (PDF)
- Treasurer's Report to Council: FY 2020 Programmatic Priorities (PDF)
2019 Fall Meeting
- 5-Year Financial Plan FY20-24 Fall 2019
- Five-Year Investment Plan+Growth Assumptions Fall 2019
- Joint BARC and Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Endowment Trustee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
2019 Annual Meeting
- BARC Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Planning and Budget Assembly (PDF)
- Joint BARC and Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Council Financial Orientation (PDF)
- Endowment Trustee’s Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Membership (PDF)
- Treasurer’s Report to Council (PDF)
- Treasurer’s Report to the Executive Board, Council and the Planning and Budget Assembly (PDF)
2019 Spring Meeting
- Endowment Trustees report to the Executive Board (PDF)
- Finance & Audit Report to the Executive Board (PDF)
2019 Midwinter Meeting
- BARC Report to Council, Executive Board, Membership & Planning & Budget Assembly (PDF)
- Joint BARC and the Finance and Audit Committee Report to the ALA Executive Board (PDF)
- Council Financial Orientation (PDF)
- Endowment Trustees Report (PDF)
- Treasurer's Report to Council (PDF)
- Treasurer's Report to Council: FY 2019 Programmatic Priorities (PDF)
2018 Fall Meeting
2018 Spring Meeting
- Endowment Trustees report to the Executive Board (PDF)
- Finance & Audit Report to the Executive Board (PDF)
2018 Midwinter Meeting
- BARC Report to Council, Executive Board, Membership & Planning & Budget Assembly (PDF)
- Council Financial Orientation (PDF)
- Endowment Trustees Report (PDF)
- Treasurer's Report to Council (PDF)
- Treasurer's Report to Council: FY 2019 Programmatic Priorities (PDF)
2017 Fall Meeting
2017 Annual Conference
- BARC Report to Council and Planning & Budget Assembly (PDF)
- BARC Report to Executive Board (PDF)
- Endowment Trustees Report Presentation (PDF)
- Finance & Audit (F&A) Committee Report to Executive Board (PDF)