April 2018 Community Forum
Doing ALA Differently: An ALSC Conversation April 12 @ 3pm (CT)
This was a high-impact conversation about "doing ALA differently" and how ALSC members can shape the future of ALA's organizational effectiveness!
Facilitated by Division Councilor, Jenna Nemec-Loise, our April forum was guided by three questions posed during similar organizational effectiveness discussions at the 2018 Midwinter Meeting in Denver:
• What does our ideal organization do?
• What does our ideal organization look like?
• What are three ways we can get there?
Please note: This forum was not a conversation about doing things differently within ALSC. Rather, it was our initial opportunity as an ALA division to answer President Jim Neal's call to action (see background information below) and make an ALSC difference.
Background
In the November/December 2017 issue of American Libraries, ALA President Jim Neal called on members of the association to consider the 21st century effectiveness and agility of an organization whose constitution, bylaws, and policies date back over 140 years. President Neal suggested a review of ALA’s organizational effectiveness with the goal of revitalizing the association.
As detailed in Midwinter 2018 Council Document #35, the ALA Executive Board calls upon ALA Council, committees, round tables, divisions, and the myriad of communities of practice inside and outside the association to consider what it would take to align ALA’s organizational structure, policies, and rules with the Association’s 21st century values, key action areas, and strategic directions.
