CoPA Group Breakdown

ACRL Division-level Committees are created by the Board to do the work of the Board. ACRL offers three additional communities of practice for member engagement.

Communities of Practice	SECTIONS	INTEREST GROUPS	DISCUSSION GROUPS
OVERVIEW	ACRL sections develop committee, task force, and discussion group structures to provide programming, preconferences, discussion lists, recognition, as well as standards, guidelines, and other publications on their specialized topics.	ACRL interest groups address new and evolving areas of interest in academic and research librarianship. They provide members with informal networks for exchanging ideas and problem-solving.	ACRL discussion groups provide informal and flexible way for members with like-minded interests to discuss current issues facing the profession.
MEMBERSHIP	Membership rosters maintained. ACRL personal members may elect membership in any or all sections. Paid section members are automatically subscribed to the section ALA Connect space. Non-members can create an ALA Connect account and join section ALA Connect spaces.	Membership rosters are not maintained. ACRL members and non-members can join interest group ALA Connect spaces.	Membership rosters are not maintained. ACRL members and non-members can join discussion group ALA Connect spaces.
CREATION	Created from Interest Groups that have maintained membership of 400+ for three years after first renewal.	Created by petition signed by 75 ACRL members	Created by petition signed by 25 ACRL members
CONTINUANCE	Must maintain a membership level of 400 for continuance. (Sections which fall below 400 members for a consecutive 3-year period will dissolve or transition.)	Must petition for continuance every 3 years and maintain a membership of 75. Must have 3 convener positions in place each year.	Must meet virtually or face-to-face at least once a year. Must have one convener in place each year.
FUNDING	Receive a basic service allowance of $1,000 for first 400 members plus .75 for each additional member above 400.	Receive a budget of $150 per year	None
SPONSOR ONSITE ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAMS	Yes	Yes	No; but their discussion forums often include brief presentations.
MEETINGS / DISCUSSION FORUMS	Can conduct virtual and/or face-to-face discussion forums and meetings	Can conduct virtual and/or face-to-face discussion forums and meetings	Can conduct virtual and/or face-to-face discussion forums
ELECT OFFICERS	Yes ,through ALA Ballot	Select conveners using their own process.	Select conveners using their own process.
OFFICER POSITIONS	Chair, Vice-Chair, Past-Chair, Member-at-Large, Secretary/Archivist (Must have all positions each year in accordance with Governance Procedures)	Convener, Incoming Convener, Past-Convener (Must have all 3 positions each year)	Convener (May serve unlimited 1-year terms)
SUB GROUPS	Can create committees, discussion groups, task forces and make appointments	Can create informal working groups (but do not make formal appointments tracked through the ALA membership database)	None