The following ALSC members are candidates standing for election in spring 2023. We thank them sincerely for their time and commitment to ALSC.
Many thanks also to the 2023 Nominating and Leadership Development Committee, including Chair Anna Taylor, Sophia Kenney, Hanna Lee, Susan Dove Lempke, and Cecilia McGowan.
ALSC Vice-President/President-Elect
Robert Bittner
Lecturer (unaffiliated)
Langley, British Columbia
(Photo courtesy of candidate)
ALSC Division Councilor
Julie Roach
Cambridge Public Library
Cambridge, MA
(Photo courtesy of candidate)
ALSC Board of Directors
Learn more about each candidate for the board of directors.
Tanya DiMaggio
St. Tammany Parish Library
Covington, LA
(Photo credit: St Tammany Parish Library)
Esmeralda Majors
Retired
Shelby, NC
(Photo courtesy of candidate)
Katie Lawrence
Grandville Public Schools
Grandville, MI
(Photo credit: Karen Lawrence)
Allison Knight
Dayton Metro Library
Dayton, OH
(Photo credit: Andy Snow)
Danielle Jones
Multnomah County Library
Portland, OR
(Photo credit: Matt Cartwright)
Stephanie Prato
Simsbury Public Library
Simsbury, CT
(Photo credit: Dolph Fusco)
Proposed Bylaws Amendments
The ALSC Board of Directors approved placing the following proposed ALSC Bylaws changes on the 2023 ALSC ballot. Below are details, including rationale and background, regarding the two sets of amendments that will appear on the ballot.
1 - Membership Dues
Voting Instructions: Change language in the bylaws so the amount of personal member dues shall be determined by the ALSC Board of Directors. Annually, the Board of Directors will review and may authorize a dues adjustment not to exceed the percentage change in the most current Consumer Price Index (CPI) rounded to the nearest dollar. Increases in excess of an annual CPI adjustment are subject to the approval of the membership in a mail or electronic vote. Organizational and corporate member dues shall be determined by the ALSC Board of Directors.
Vote Yes or No
Rationale: In 2018, the ALSC Board of Directors approved a proposed Bylaws change to be included on the ALSC ballot, seeking to update ALSC Bylaws Article III: Membership and Dues. The proposed changes would allow the Board greater flexibility to make fiscally responsible adjustments to membership dues in a timely manner, allowing ALSC to continue effectively supporting and developing initiatives, programs, and services.
The last dues increase of $5, in 2013, occurred after 17 years without any dues increases. At this time, giving the ALSC Board of Directors flexibility to authorize a dues adjustment not to exceed the CPI (Consumer Price Index) would result in occasional, modest dues increases as opposed to large jumps in dues at any one given time. In addition, this change would more closely align ALSC practice with that of ALA and other Divisions.
In 2018-19, ALA leadership was discussing possible changes to ALA Bylaws, and consequently the ALSC Board held the proposed changes to Article III: Membership and Dues from the 2019 ballot (and subsequent ballots until this year), anticipating that results of the ALA discussion could further affect ALSC Bylaws.
APPROVAL OF ALSC BYLAWS AMENDMENT
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE III: Membership and Dues, Section 2
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
[The ALSC may charge additional fees in accordance with the ALA Bylaws Article VI, Sec. 6(d), when approval of such fees has been given by the membership by mail vote. ]
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The amount of personal member dues shall be determined by the ALSC Board of Directors. Annually, the Board of Directors will review and may authorize a dues adjustment not to exceed the percentage change in the most current Consumer Price Index (CPI) rounded to the nearest dollar. Increases in excess of an annual CPI adjustment are subject to the approval of the membership in a mail or electronic vote. Organizational and corporate member dues shall be determined by the ALSC Board of Directors.
2 - Language and Process Alignment
Voting Instructions: Change language in the bylaws to align with the 2022 member approved changes to Bylaw X, Nominations and Elections, Section 2, which affect other areas of the Bylaws that now need to be updated to reflect these changes and establish consistency and also to align with more current practice.
Vote Yes or No
Background: In 2022, the ALSC Membership voted to approve changes to Bylaw X, Nominations and Elections, Section 2, which affected the number of candidates and award committee positions on the election slate. The changes approved by membership vote in 2022 are as follows (deleted language appears in brackets; replacement language is bold and underscored):
- The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate to consist of: at least one candidate [two (2) candidates] for every anticipated Board vacancy (The Board shall consist of thirteen members: president, vice-president (president-elect); immediate past-president, division councilor, fiscal officer, new to ALSC director and seven directors-at-large). In years when multiple director-at-large vacancies are anticipated the slate shall include at least [twice] as many candidates as there are slots.
- … [sixteen (16) candidates for eight (8) Newbery Award Committee members-at-large; sixteen (16) candidates for eight (8) Caldecott Award Committee members-at-large; ten (10) candidates for five (5) Sibert Award Committee members-at-large; six (6) candidates for three (3) Children's Literature Legacy Award Committee members-at-large;] and candidates to fill vacancies as approved in Article V, Sec. 3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will report the slate of candidates to the ALSC Executive Committee in writing by October 1, for the Fall Division Leadership Meeting in the year of the Nominating Committee’s appointment.
The above revisions affect other areas of the Bylaws, which now need to be updated to reflect these changes and establish consistency.
APPROVAL OF ALSC BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE IV: Board of Directors, Sec. 3.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
A vacancy in the membership of the directors-at-large and New to ALSC director of the Board of Directors shall be filled by appointment of the president with approval of the Board of Directors. The appointee shall hold office until the next annual election, when [nominees] shall be presented to the membership for election to complete the unexpired term as provided in Article X, Sec. 2.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
A vacancy in the membership of the directors-at-large and New to ALSC director of the Board of Directors shall be filled by appointment of the president with approval of the Board of Directors. The appointee shall hold office until the next annual election, when at least one nominee shall be presented to the membership for election to complete the unexpired term as provided in Article X, Sec. 2.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE VIII: Committees, Sec. 2
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Sec. 2. The Newbery Award Committee, the Caldecott Award Committee, the Sibert Award Committee, the Legacy Award Committee, and the Notable Children's Books Committee:
[ a) The Newbery Award Committee shall consist of the following fifteen (15) members: Eight (8) members to be elected annually from a slate of no fewer than sixteen (16), a chairperson appointed by the president, and six (6) members appointed by the president.
b) The Caldecott Award Committee shall consist of the following fifteen (15)k members: Eight (8) members to be elected annually from a slate of no fewer than sixteen (16), a chairperson appointed by the president, and six (6) members appointed by the president.
c) The Sibert Award Committee shall consist of the following nine (9) members: Five (5) members to be elected annually from a slate of no fewer than ten (10), a chairperson appointed by the president, and three (3) members appointed by the president.
d) The Children's Literature Legacy Award Committee shall consist of the following five (5) members: Three (3) members to be elected annually from a slate of no fewer than six (6), a chairperson appointed by the president, and one (1) member appointed by the president.
e) The Notable Children's Books committee shall consist of the following eleven (11) members: a chairperson appointed by the president and ten (10) members appointed by the president.
f) ] No individual may serve on either Batchelder Award, Caldecott Award, Geisel Award, Newbery Award, Sibert Award, Legacy Award or Notable Children's Books Committees more often than once every four years. The four year period shall begin from the last year of the term of service regardless of length of term. This guideline will apply to Batchelder Award, Caldecott Award, Geisel Award, Newbery Award, Sibert Award, Legacy Award or Notable Children's Books Committees only. This guideline will not apply to the selection of nominees for Chair. This guideline will not apply to other ALSC committees.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Sec. 2. The Newbery Award Committee, the Caldecott Award Committee, the Sibert Award Committee, the Legacy Award Committee, and the Notable Children's Books Committee.
a) No individual may serve on either Batchelder Award, Caldecott Award, Geisel Award, Newbery Award, Sibert Award, Legacy Award or Notable Children's Books Committees more often than once every four years. The four-year period shall begin from the last year of the term of service regardless of length of term. This guideline will apply to Batchelder Award, Caldecott Award, Geisel Award, Newbery Award, Sibert Award, Legacy Award or Notable Children's Books Committees only. This guideline will not apply to the selection of nominees for Chair. This guideline will not apply to other ALSC committees.
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Background: In closely reviewing the ALSC Bylaws to identify the necessary revisions above, inconsistencies between the Bylaws and current ALA/ALSC practice, and within the Bylaws themselves, were discovered. Consequently, additional revisions to the Bylaws are needed to establish consistency.
APPROVAL OF ALSC BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
Background: Various Bylaws articles currently reference the officers of the association, but these references are not consistent throughout the Bylaws. Each of the following positions is mentioned at least once in the current Bylaws as being an officer of the association: president; vice-president/president elect; immediate past president; executive director; ALSC/ALA councilor; and fiscal officer. Every reference within the Bylaws to the officers of the association should include all these positions for consistency and clarity.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE IV: Board of Directors, Sec. 1.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the Association[;] the immediate past-president[;] the ALSC/ALA Councilor[;] the fiscal officer; eight additional directors, which will include a "New to ALSC" director, three to be elected each year for a term of three years each, except beginning in 1977 and every third year thereafter when two shall be elected for a term of three years each.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the Association: the president, the vice-president (president-elect), the immediate past-president, the ALSC/ALA Councilor, the fiscal officer, and the executive director (ex-officio); and eight additional directors, which will include a "New to ALSC" director, three to be elected each year for a term of three years each, except beginning in 1977 and every third year thereafter when two shall be elected for a term of three years each.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE V: Officers and Duties, Sec. 1.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The officers shall be president, a vice-president who shall also be president-elect, a fiscal officer, and an executive director. The vice-president (president-elect) shall be elected annually. The fiscal officer shall be elected beginning in 2006 and every third year thereafter for a term of three years. The executive director shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the American Library Association with the approval of the ALA Executive Board and the concurrence of the Board of Directors of ALSC.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The officers shall be president, a vice-president who shall also be president-elect, the immediate past-president, an ALSC/ALA Councilor, a fiscal officer, and an executive director (ex-officio). The vice-president (president-elect) shall be elected annually. The ALSC/ALA Councilor shall be elected every third year for a term of three years. The fiscal officer shall be elected beginning in 2006 and every third year thereafter for a term of three years. The executive director shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the American Library Association with the approval of the ALA Executive Board and the concurrence of the Board of Directors of ALSC.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE V: Officers and Duties, Sec. 2.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The president, vice-president (president-elect), fiscal officer, and executive director shall perform the duties pertaining to their offices and such other duties as may be approved by the Board of Directors.
a) The president shall preside at all meetings of the ALSC, the Board of Directors, and of the Executive Committee; shall be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees except the Nominating Committee; and shall be responsible for the Association program at the annual conference of the American Library Association.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The president, vice-president (president-elect), the immediate past-president, the ALSC/ALA Councilor, fiscal officer, and executive director (ex-officio) shall perform the duties pertaining to their offices and such other duties as may be approved by the Board of Directors.
a) The president shall preside at all meetings of the ALSC, the Board of Directors, and of the Executive Committee; shall be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees except the Nominating Committee; and shall be responsible for the Association program at the annual conference of the American Library Association.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE X: Nominations and Elections, Sec. 2.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate to consist of at least one (1) candidate for every anticipated Board vacancy (The Board shall consist of thirteen members: president, vice-president (president-elect)[;] immediate past-president, division councilor, fiscal officer, new to ALSC director and seven directors-at-large). In years when multiple director-at-large vacancies are anticipated the slate shall include at least as many candidates as there are slots; and candidates to fill vacancies as approved in Article V, Sec. 3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will report the slate of candidates to the ALSC Executive Committee in writing by October 1, for the Fall Division Leadership Meeting in the year of the Nominating Committee’s appointment.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate to consist of at least one (1) candidate for every anticipated Board vacancy (The Board shall consist of thirteen voting members: president, vice-president (president-elect), immediate past-president, division councilor, fiscal officer, new to ALSC director and seven directors-at-large. The ALSC Executive Director serves as ex-officio on the Executive Committee and the Board.) In years when multiple director-at-large vacancies are anticipated the slate shall include at least as many candidates as there are slots; and candidates to fill vacancies as approved in Article V, Sec. 3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will report the slate of candidates to the ALSC Executive Committee in writing by October 1, for the Fall Division Leadership Meeting in the year of the Nominating Committee’s appointment.
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Background: Over the years as ARTICLE VIII, Sec. 2 evolved and more award committees were added to the section, specific award committee names were added to the “subhead” language at the opening of the section. However, all committees added to the body of the section over time were not consistently added to the opening “subhead.” Including the additional award committees to this opening sentence will provide a complete rundown of the committees addressed within the section.
Please note: ARTICLE VIII, Sec. 2 also is addressed previously in these proposed changes—as other language in this section was affected by the 2022 Membership-approved changes to Bylaw X, Nominations and Elections, Section 2.
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE VIII: Committees, Sec 2.
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Sec. 2. The Newbery Award Committee, the Caldecott Award Committee, the Sibert Award Committee, the Legacy Award Committee, and the Notable Children's Books Committee
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Sec. 2. The Newbery Award Committee, the Caldecott Award Committee, the Batchelder Award Committee, the Geisel Award Committee, the Sibert Award Committee, the Legacy Award Committee, and the Notable Children's Books Committee.
___________________________________
Background: Currently, there are no ALSC award committees on which members serve overlapping terms.
Current practice for ALSC standing committees, with the exception of award committees, is to appoint two co-chairs, one leading and one learning, whose two-year terms are staggered.
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE VIII: Committees, Sec. 4
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Appointments.
c) Members of Standing Committees, except [Nominating,] Newbery, Caldecott, and Sibert shall be appointed for overlapping terms.
d) Designation of [chairpersons] of Standing Committees shall be made annually.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Appointments.
c) Members of Standing Committees, except Newbery Award, Caldecott Award, Legacy Award, Batchelder Award, Geisel Award, and Sibert Award, shall be appointed for overlapping terms.
d) Designation of co-chairs of Standing Committees shall be made annually. A lead co-chair and a “learner” co-chair are appointed in alternating years to each committee; co-chairs serve a staggered, two-year term. This does not apply to the Newbery Award, Caldecott Award, Legacy Award, Batchelder Award, Geisel Award, and Sibert Award committees whose chairpersons are appointed annually.
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Background: In 2020, the name of the Organization and Bylaws Committee was changed to Organizational Effectiveness Committee.
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE IX: Discussion Groups, Sec. 2
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Discontinuance. The Board, upon the recommendation of the Committee [on Organization and Bylaws], or upon recommendation of the Group itself, may discontinue a discussion group when in its opinion the usefulness of the group has ceased.
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
Discontinuance. The Board, upon the recommendation of the Organizational Effectiveness Committee, or upon recommendation of the Group itself, may discontinue a discussion group when in its opinion the usefulness of the group has ceased.
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Background: These days electronic mail is a common and universal mode of business communication. It is not effective or time efficient to require special authorization from the Board of Directors to use it.
Text to be deleted appears in brackets under “Current Bylaw Language” section. Replacement text to be approved is bold and underscored in the “Proposed Bylaw Language” section below.
ALSC Bylaws ARTICLE XI: Amendments, Sec. 3
CURRENT BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The proposed amendment must be sent to the membership not less than one month before the vote on it shall be taken. It may be sent to the membership by inclusion in an official publication of ALSC, the American Libraries, or by direct mail [or electronically when so authorized by the Board of Directors].
PROPOSED BYLAW LANGUAGE:
The proposed amendment must be sent to the membership not less than one month before the vote on it shall be taken. It may be sent to the membership by inclusion in an official publication of ALSC, the American Libraries, or by direct mail (print or electronic).