Sunday, January 25, 2009
Budget Analyisis & Review Committee (BARC) Report CD #33
Revenues
2008 $57,799,373
2007 $48,419,344
Three Month Highlights
Total ALA Revenue - $11.1 million
Total ALA Expenses – 12.6 million
ALA Net Revenue - $-1.5 million (This is the typical revenue/expense net pattern for this time period)
Cash & Investments - $19.3 million
Endowment Fund - $22.6 million
Down from $31.3 million (27.7%)
General stock market down 38.5%
General Fund Revenue $4.8 million
General Fund Expenses:
Less than budget by $658,210 (-9.7%)
More than the same time FY07 by $30,235 (0.5%)
Annual Conference expenses are under budget by $111,850 (-53.1%)
Midwinter meeting expenses are under budget by $103,525 (-31.6%)
Professional services are over budget by $190,794
Salary saving for the period total $480,312, which compares to savings (attrition) budgeted at $156,694
Endowment Trustees Report to Council CD #16.0
For the twelve months ended 12-31-08 the value in the ALA Endowment fund declined by $7.8 million from $31.2 million to $23.4 million. An switch to investing some funds in covertible bonds to add further diversity to the portfolio was approved in policy by the executive board and approved for implementation by the trustees.
Report of 2009 ALA Nominating Committee CD#21
Slate of candidates for president-elect and councilors-at-large was presented along with a brief description of the committees work and suggestions for future nomination committees.
ALA Presidents Report CD#21
Was presented by President, Jim Rettig. The full report can be found on the ALA web site at
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/council/index.cfm. He also showed a video that has been developed to encourage members to join Council, starring a number of current Council members.
Midwinter Meeting Registration (as of Saturday)-Keith Michael Fiels
7,689 registrants
2,161 exhibitors
9,850 total
ALA-APA Information Session
President Jim Rettig noted that Librarian Salary Survey responses are needed. He also mentioned that National Library Workers Day will be held Tuesday, April 14, 2009. Nancy Bolt discussed the positive response to the Library Support Staff Certification Programs.
ALA Council I
Nominations for the Council Executive Board Election were announced (CD #11). From the floor two additional nominations were made; Ling Hwey Jeng & Marilyn Hinshaw. Both candidates accepted.
Advocacy Committee report was presented by Carol A. Brey-Casiano. (CD#7). The establishment of the new LAC was approved at the 2008 Midwinter Meeting "to support the efforts of advocates for all types of libraries; to develop resources, networks and training materials for advocates at the local, state and national levels with particular emphasis on the grassroots level; to work closely with the Office for Library Advocacy in collaboration with the Public Awareness Committee, the Chapter Relations Committee, the Committee on Legislations, and other ALA offices, divisions, and roundtables as well as external groups to integrate advocacy efforts into the overall planning, priorities and policies of the association; and to cultivate future leadership in order to sustain and enhance the advocacy efforts of the association."
Constitution & Bylaws Committee
The committee proposed changes which remove the specific dues amounts from the bylaws so that the bylaws would not need revision every time a dues category change. The committee also recommended that the various categories of membership listed along with dues information be removed.
Motion to amend was made to change the time for renewing from one to two months due to the impact on international members who cannot utilize credit card renewal. Amendment was approved. Original motion as amended was approved.
Executive Director's Report-Keith Michael Fiels
American Libraries is producing a special "Tough Economy" issue of American Libraries Direct, scheduled to mail January 20.
Tough economy toolkit is available at www.ala.org/tougheconomytoolkit.
ALA and Univision Radio partnered on a PSA campaign to target Latinos. The stations running the ads reach 75% of Latinos in the top 20 Latino markets. Focusing on interpersonal relationships and building trust, the campaign presents the librarian as a trusted provider of information and support, capable of providing access to the wide range of opportunities represented by the local library. The primary message is "Yo te puedo aydar." ("I can help you.")
There was discussion about Council not receiving the Executive Director's Report two weeks in advance of meeting. Bylaws state that this information should be received at least two weeks in advance of meeting.
ALA-APA Council Monday, January 26, 2009
Salary Survey
The ALA Office staff will resume the duty for data collection & research. Initial estimates of the necessary funding and staff needed to complete this task were not accurate and APA realized it does not have the resources necessary to complete this function. Thus, APA will prepare the analysis and publication and pay royalties to ALA for the technical information. Jennifer Grady is going to work for both ALA and APA.
Treasurer's report
Net revenue- $-19,969. Salary surveys didn't get out as planned/on time. Did not realize expected sales.
CPLA-Certified Public Library Administrator Program
Total course enrollment is 557 students, an increase of 46% from the 2008 annual conference. Of this total, 313 of the students or 56% have been CPLA candidates. Numbers are below projections. Comments from participants continue to be positive.
Standing Committee on Salaries & Status of Library Workers
No action items. Will have two at Annual in Chicago--overtime pay protection & an outsourcing resolution.
Council II Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Treasurer's Report (CD#13)-Rod Hersberger
2008
Total-Revenue $57,799,373
General Fund- $28,026,732
Primary revenue sources are: Dues, publishing, meetings & conferences, and grants.
FY 2010 Programmatic Priorities
Diversity, equitable access to information and library services, education & lifelong learning,
intellectual freedom, advocacy for libraries & the profession, literacy and organizational excellence.
Freedom to Read Foundation Report-Judith Platt
Child Online Protection Act (COPA) has been overturned. FTRF filed amicus briefs at each stage of the litigation arguing that COPA placed an unconstitutional burden on protected speech between adults and that filtering technology administered by parents is a more effective, less intrusive way of protecting minors than criminalizing First Amendment-protected speech on the Internet.
Another legal victory involved a decision that places some limits on the government's ability to impose a gag order when it uses National Security Letters to obtain information. It held that the government must show there is a reasonable likelihood of harm or criminal interference, and that the burden of proof is on the government rather than on the individual challenging the gag order. The court recommended that the government put in place a notice procedure that would inform NSL recipients of their right to ask for judicial review.
For further information see ftrf.org
Library Education Task Force Report-Michael Gorman (in place of Carla Hayden)
The group looked at what every librarian should know upon graduating from an ALA accredited program of Library Science. Suggestions have been incorprated in this draft.
ALA's Core Competences of Librarianship
- Foundations of the Profession
- Information Resources
- Organization of Recorded Knowledge and Information
- Technological Knowledge & Skills
- Reference and User Services
- Research
- Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning
- Administration & Management
ALA Council III Wednesday, January 28
Council Tellers Report CD #11.2
The three new ALA Executive Board members elected are Patricia M. Hogan, Stephen L. Matthews and Courtney Young.
ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee Report
The office for Intellectual Freedom is working with ALA Editions toward publication of the 8th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual. Publication is tentatively planned to coincide with the 2010 annual conference.
Revisions to policies on challenged materials, restricted access to library materials, and services to persons with disabilities were proposed and accepted
ALA Committee on Legislation
National Library Legislation Day will be held this year on May 11th and 12th.
Resolution commending Barak Obama for recognizing the importance of openness, transparency, and accountability in government by signing an executive order on presidential records and presidential memorand on the Freedom of Information Act and Transparency and Open Government on his first day in office and looks forward to continuing to work with the Administration to advance public access and the public's right to know. Passed.
Resolution that the ALA urges the United States Congress to reauthorize the Library Services and Technology Act in a timely manner. Passed.
International Relations Committee Report to Council
Proposed resolution calling for "the protection of libraries and archives in Gaza and Israel, and urges the U.S. Government to support the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield in upholding the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict; and calls on the U.S. Government to work for a permanent peace in the region; and transmits this resolution to the U.S. President, Secretary of State, all members of the Congress, the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, and other appropriate individuals and organizations." Passed with revision of "U.S. Government continue to work for a permanent peace" vs. "U.S. Government to work for a permanent peace."
Committee on Organization
Proposal to change the name of the ALA Library Advocacy Committee (LAC) to ALA Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA). Passed.
The name of the Orientation, Training, and Leadership Development Committee (OTLD) be changed to the Training, Orientation and Leadership Development Committee (TOLD) and the charge be revised as follows; "To plan and coordinate training, orientation, and leadership development for member leaders at all levels across the association; to inventory training and orientation modules in divisions, round tables, and other Association groups; and to coordinate the ALA internship program." Name change and charge were approved.
Council approved the proposal for a new division which combines the current ALA Division, Association for Library Trustees & Advocates (ALTA) and Friends of the Libraries USA (FOLUSA) to be created and named the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF). Council also approved this new division's statement of responsibility which has been approved by the members of ALTA.
Recommendation was made to expand the Committee on Legislation from 10 to 15 members. Approved.
COO also drafted and presented guidelines for assemblies, interest groups, forums and membership initiative groups in their report. CD#27.
ALA Resolutions Committee
The committee changed the language of the guidelines for preparing ALA Membership Resolutions to parallel the ALA resolution process. The proposed changes were approved.
ALA Website Advisory Committee
Motion to apply high priority funding levels to the web site for accessibility review and a web code cleanup project to the public web presence of the American Library Association was proposed. Treasurer suggested that Council not micromanage and allow this proposal to be considered along with other budget requests. Council voted to approve the motion.
Task Force on Electronic Member Participation, CD#35
(continued from Council II)
Concerns were expressed that yesterdays vote on CD #35.4 [Eliminate policy 6.16 (virtual members). In its place, enable appointment of full committee members who may attend meetings virtually only by Jan. 2009] was not completely clear. A motion to reconsider was approved. After considerable discussion and amendments CD #35.4 was approved.
CD # 35.5-Attendance at meetings may be in person or through other means that enable synchronous communication.
In accordance with the recommendation of the parliamentarian, items #35.6-#35.16 will be discussed for a specified amount of time and then referred to Exec. Board for further consideration.
Resolution on Understanding Gaza – One Conference, One Book, One Read presented by Elaine Harger was defeated.
Resolution on Accessible Computer Workstations at ALA Annual Conference and Midwinter Meetings by Melora Ranney Norman passed.
High Speed Internet Wireless Access at Conference Hotels by Ria Newhouse was defeated primarily due to budgetary concerns.
Resolution on Access for Physical Mobility Impaired Conference Attendees
Passed
This resolution was passed to address the issue of people with mobility impairments having to locate and get to the ALA Conference Office. Instead mobility devices will be available in or near the main registration area.
Resolution added the following paragraph to the end of policy #7.1.3, Conference Arrangements for Participants with Disabilities:
"Assistive devices for attendees with physical mobility impairments shall be made available by reservation. Devices not reserved in advance shall be made on a first-come, first-served basis. Using whatever means necessary, these devices shall be located adjacent to the conference center's main entrance or to the primary registration area for pick-up and delivery."
Note: For complete copies of the wording of all resolutions and action items from Council visit the ALA Web Site http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/council/index.cfm
Midwinter Attendance Figures: 7,905 Registrants and 2,315 exhibitors for a total of 10,222.
On a very sad note two librarians from Connecticut who attended ALA Midwinter were killed in an automobile accident when their airport shuttle was struck by another vehicle driven by a suspected drunk driver.
