Charge and Work
To help public libraries meet community needs related to digital literacy and use of technology; to collect and disseminate information on digital literacy resources, tools and strategies which might be applied in public library operations; to advise staff and contractors on the development and promotion of PLA's digital literacy products; to provide channels of communication for sharing among public librarians about digital literacy; to serve as a liaison body with the ALA Office for Library Advocacy, the ALA Washington Office, and others as needed on issues related to the digital divide and digital literacy; and to work with PLA Board and staff toward achieving PLA strategic planning goals.
Deliverables and outcomes:
- Provide support and subject matter expertise for PLA’s digital literacy initiatives and educational offerings
- Research, identify and create tools and resources for public library staff involved in digital literacy efforts
- Increase awareness of PLA’s digital literacy initiatives and products by delivering conference presentations, webinars, workshops, and/or authoring articles
- Increase the number of DigitalLearn.org subsites
- Increase PLA’s ability to support public libraries’ digital literacy efforts by making recommendations for product improvements, programming, and professional development
Expected time commitment:
- Attend ALA Midwinter Meeting and ALA Annual Conference (4 hours/year plus travel time)
- Attend monthly virtual meetings (6–10 hours/year)
- Review and respond to emails and ALA Connect messages (2–3 hours/year)
- Provide subject matter expertise on priority projects (12 hours/year)
Desired skills, knowledge, or experience:
- Experience in providing digital instruction and/or technology services in a public library setting
- Familiarity with digital inclusion trends
- Familiarity with PLA products and digital literacy initiatives, including Project Outcome and DigitalLearn.org
- Ability to interpret and use data for decision making and advocacy
- Ability to represent the public library field and advocate for their digital inclusion needs
Roster
Displaying active committee roster as of 09/30/2023. Last retrieved on 09/30/2023. Members can log in and refresh the page to view full contact information for committee members.
Composition
This committee will consist of 1 chair and up to 10 members (minimum 1 chair and 4 members).
Origin
Created by the Board of Directors at its Spring 2017 meeting.
Get Involved
To be a thriving, vibrant organization, PLA must have committed and active committee members. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please read and fill out the online volunteer form.
- Volunteers are accepted on an ongoing basis.
- Appointments are made by the PLA President and President-Elect, primarily in the spring.
- Volunteers must be members of ALA and PLA.
Join the PLA Digital Literacy Interest Group on ALA Connect to stay up-to-date on these topics and connect with peers on similar issues. PLA personal membership is required to join.
Staff Liaisons
Larra Clark
Deputy Director, Policy
312-280-5861
lclark@ala.org
Mary-Clare Bietila
Program Manager, Programming Initiatives
312-280-5859
mbietila@ala.org