Make your mark in American Library Association election

Contact: Steve Zalusky

Manager of Communications, PIO

(312) 280-1546

szalusky@ala.org

For Immediate Release

February 8, 2008

Make your mark in American Library Association election

CHICAGO - The American Library Association wants your vote in the 2008 election.



The polls for this year's election open March 17. All paid ALA members as of Jan. 31 are eligible to vote and free to choose either a Web or a paper ballot.



As in previous elections, there will be an extended period between the last date for requesting a paper ballot (March 3) and the last date for returning the ballots (April 24 at 11:59 p.m. CST).



Paper ballots will be sent to ALA members who do not have a valid e-mail address, or request a paper ballot prior to March 3, 2008. To request a paper ballot, please call 800-545-2433 (press 5) or send an e-mail to membership@ala.org (please state on the subject line “paper ballot request”). Paper ballot packages will be mailed between March 17 and March 24, 2008.



For the 2008 elections, all Web voters will receive electronic ballot information between March 17 and 19.



February 20 is the deadline for updating your e-mail address, while March 3 is the final date to request a paper ballot.



Election results will be announced May 2.



For more information about the ALA election and candidates, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceofficeb/electioninfo/electionschedule08.htm and http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceofficeb/electioninfo/election2008.htm.



The 2008 ballot meets all applicable W3C accessibility standards and can be read by common screen readers for people with disabilities. This allows ALA's members with visual disabilities to navigate Web sites by converting text and other visual symbols to audible speech.