----------------------------Original message---------------------------- If you are not an American Libraries Association member you may want to hit the delete key now. Sorry for any duplication, but this could be of interest to ALA Map and Geography Round Table members Melissa Lamont Penn State ******************************************** >Date: Thu, 28 Mar 1996 09:37:25 -0600 >From: Larry Romans <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: ALA Reorganization Article >Sender: Discussion of Government Document Issues <[log in to unmask]> Below is the text of an article about ALA reorganization and its Structure Revision Task Force (SRTF), of which I am a member. It was written by SRTF chair Sarah Pritchard, with many comments from the other members of the task force. If you have e-mail comments for the SRTF, please send them to [log in to unmask] so that the entire task force will see them. Larry Romans WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALA STRUCTURE?? (also to be published in American Libraries, May 1996) by Sarah M. Pritchard Chair, ALA Structure Revision Task Force What really happened to the proposal for a new ALA structure? Amid many rumors and reports, the truth is that it was never accepted. Responding to wide objections, the ALA Council did not feel there was support for implementation, yet there are clearly areas where the organization can be more effective. The result was the new Structure Revision Task Force, whose charge is only "to further explore proposals for revised structure" and "to propose a revised structure if the task force deems one is necessary." Our new group is widely representative, with membership drawn from divisions, round tables, Council and staff. So far, the new SRTF has looked at reorganization efforts in ALA since the 1960s, and at what is being done now in divisions, round tables and staff offices. Rereading earlier consultant reports, we on the task force believe that the Association has moved rapidly to address operational issues and programmatic priorities. We will not bring back the Organizational Self-Study Committee (OSSC) "four societies" proposal, nor do we intend to propose major organizational redesign. The OSSC made over forty separate recommendations prior to the structure proposal, many of which prompted productive changes in Council, Executive Board, and committees. Though some controversial ideas were defeated by Council, they led indirectly to creative rethinking throughout the Association. Divisions like ACRL and PLA are undertaking internal reviews on their own initiative. At Midwinter, Council passed proposals to improve conference logistics and to increase training for effective participation in the Association. And the actions endorsed in Goal 2000, such as a dues increase to expand the Washington Office, have galvanized the Association with clear and shared objectives to align ALA with the public's right to a free and open information society. What are the next steps? The SRTF recognizes that governance, overlap and policy issues do exist, but we would like to hear your input as members of the Association. What do you think works well now? What ideas do you have for improving communication, the efficiency of the organization, and the substantive work of ALA? We'll report what we find and suggest alternatives based on the needs and activities of our members. Members will have plenty of notice to debate any major change: it would likely require a by-law revision, which would have to go through two rounds of voting in Council then a mail vote by the Membership. But first the SRTF needs to hear from you. This article is being posted to numerous listservs, and will be on a page under our name on ALA's World Wide Web site (http://www.ala.org). Send electronic mail for the SRTF to: [log in to unmask] Or write to Structure Revision Task Force, c/o Emily Melton, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Members of the task force are listed below, and with full addresses in the ALA Handbook and the ALA Gopher and WWW pages. Once we have more input we will distribute an outline of issues to be addressed and suggestions for possible actions, to be discussed at the Membership hearings, which will be held Sunday July 7 and Monday July 8, from 1:00 to 2:00 each day during the annual conference in New York City. Feedback forms will be available to fill out at the conference for those who can't come to a hearing. The Task Force anticipates that the outline document will be available in May; it will be posted to ALA's home page, or members may request copies from Emily Melton. Membership of the Structure Revision Task Force: Cathleen Bourdon Julie Cummins Mary Jo Lynch Susan K. Martin Regina Minudri Sarah Pritchard, Chair James Rettig Larry Romans Ann Snoeyenbos Mary Somerville Ann Symons Karen Whitney Jennifer Younger Emily Melton, ALA Staff Liaison Larry Romans, Head, Government Information Department Central Library, Vanderbilt University, 419 - 21st Ave. South Nashville TN 37240-0007 phone (615) 322-2838; FAX (615) 343-7451 internet: [log in to unmask]