ALA/ALSC Councilor

From the ALSC Handbook of Organization: Roles and Responsibilities of Elected Officials

The division councilor is elected for a three-year term and serves as a member of the ALSC Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Division Responsibilities:

  • To fulfill the duties and responsibilities of an ALSC Board member, and an ALSC Executive Committee member.
  • To attend the Executive Committee fall division leadership meeting as well as participate on the spring Executive Committee conference call.
  • To speak for ALSC and the ALSC Board of Directors' position on ALA Council matters in Council.
  • To be aware of and bring to the attention of the ALSC Board, council trends, interests and actions which have implications to children’s services.
  • Reporting* regularly to the ALSC Board and the ALSC membership
  • Calling semi-annual caucus sessions of all Council members who belong to the ALA youth services divisions in order to elicit support for ALA Council actions that advance the cause of library services for children and young people. Responsibility for hosting these sessions rotates between AASL, ALSC and YALSA
  • Writing articles for the September and March issues of the ALSConnect newsletter (deadlines in July and February, respectively)

ALA Responsibilities

  • Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of an ALA Council member
  • Making ALA Councilors aware of ALSC positions on ALA matters

*Councilor Reports

Report to be included in the Board’s consent agenda prior to the annual conference and midwinter meeting; and also in the Executive Committee’s consent agendas for the fall division leadership meeting and spring phone call.

  • Ensures Board is aware of Council issues likely to be discussed during conferences, take notice of Council actions, and understand how these decisions impact division work.
  • Due three weeks prior to each meeting.
  • Time-sensitive issues
    • If an issue arises the week before a conference, the Councilor should share the information on the ALSC Board discussion list (forward pertinent Council discussion list emails), or send the document as an addendum to the Councilor’s Board report to the ALSC President and Executive Director.
    • If something arises on-site at a conference that requires Board discussion, the Councilor must call and brief the ALSC President, so that the issue can be added to the Board’s agenda, if necessary.
      • Email the board with any on-site conference documents; or
      • Submit any on-site conference information to the ALSC President, Executive Director, and Program Coordinator for duplication and distribution to the entire Board at start of next meeting.