Governance

Library community stands together to address uptick in racially fueled violence and abuse in U.S. communities

CHICAGO - American Library Association (ALA) and its professional affiliates, including the American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), Joint Council of Librarians of Color, Inc. (JCLC, Inc.) and REFORMA: the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, will donate funds to libraries that are on the front lines of defending equity, diversity and inclusion.  

PLA names Clara Bohrer as first fiscal officer

CHICAGO — Today, the Public Library Association (PLA) officially announced the appointment of Clara Nalli Bohrer, director of the West Bloomfield Township (Mich.) Public Library, as its first fiscal officer. Through a ballot initiative approved by the members earlier this year, the position of fiscal officer was added to the PLA Board of Directors. In her capacity as immediate past-president, board member Pam Sandlian Smith selected Bohrer for the fiscal officer role. Bohrer will serve a three-year term on the PLA Board, ending in 2022.

2019 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition—Sending a message of advocacy for libraries

CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) hosted its 138th Annual Conference & Exhibition (https://2019.alaannual.org), June 20-25, in Washington, DC. The conference was attended by more than 21,400 librarians, library workers and library supporters (including more than 6,800 exhibitors) from across the world.

PLA announces changes to Board of Directors

Salazar begins one-year term as PLA president, Jeske as president-elect

CHICAGO – The Public Library Association's (PLA) Board meeting on June 22 officially marked the end of the 2018-2019 service year, which brought several important changes to the composition of the PLA Board of Directors.

ALA and US library associations affirm commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) and several library associations in the United States have pledged their commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Six trustees elected to the Freedom to Read Foundation Board

CHICAGO — Six people were elected to two-year terms on the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) Board of Trustees in the annual FTRF election held this past April. Current FTRF Vice President Emily Knox and Executive Committee member Robert Holley were both re-elected to the board. Peter Coyl, Sara Dallas, Eldon Ray James and Cyndi Robinson were newly elected. The candidates will join the FTRF Board of Trustees following the June Freedom to Read Foundation meeting in Washington, DC. Learn more about the candidates:

ALA welcomes Raymond Garcia to ALA Governance Office

CHICAGO  — The American Library Association (ALA) welcomes Raymond Garcia as a Communications Assistant in the ALA Governance Office. He began April 9.

He previously worked as a Journalism Intern for the Public Library Association (a Division of the American Library Association). He helped managed one of PLA’s sites, Public Libraries Online and oversaw a group of contributing writers. During his time with PLA, he helped PL Online reach 60,000 monthly views, a record for the site. He also revamped PL Online’s social media accounts.

2019-2020 President-Elect of RUSA Announced

CHICAGO- Courtney McDonald, Learner Experience & Engagement Librarian and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Libraries, has been elected the 2019-20 President-Elect of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). McDonald will serve her Presidential term during 2020-21.

Evviva Weinraub Elected 2020-21 LITA President

Evviva Weinraub, Associate University Librarian for Collections & Technologies at Northwestern University, has been elected as the 2020-2021 President of the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA). She will serve as Vice-President during 2019-20.