Cognotes 2018 Midwinter Meeting Denver Highlights - 4

COGNOTES

DENVER

MIDWINTER MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Council II Discusses ALA Reorganization Ideas
ALA Council II gathered to discuss a variety of issues during Midwinter Meeting &
Exhibits, ranging from special interest groups
and inaccessibility to reorganization.
Susan Considine from the Committee
on Organization brought CD #27 to the
ALA Council for approval on February 12.
Item one: Approve dissolution for the Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table
(FAFLRT) and its subsequent merger with
Association of Specialized and Cooperative
Library Agencies (ASCLA) to create the Association of Specialized, Government, and
Cooperative Library Agency (ASCGLA).
Merger date is set for September 1, 2018.
Brian Green, member of FAFLRT, spoke in
favor of the amendment, as did Mike Marlin, executive board, council-at-large. Trevor
Dawes, member of the executive board; Pat
Hogan, council for the small round table; and
current treasurer of FAFLRT Richard Huffine
all spoke in favor of the merger. CD #27 Item
one passed. Item two: resolving the dissolution
of the Joint Committee on Archives, Libraries,
and Museums also passed.

Martin Garnar briefed council as a representative of the Committee on Diversity, CD
#14 on their charge to encourage and facilitate
diversity in ALA membership and the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce in
the profession.
As part of CD #22 Martin Garnar briefed
council on the activities on the Freedom to
Read Foundation (FTRF). FTRF assisted students in the Tucson Unified School Program
in that they were awarded legal counsel for
their fight against the elimination of Mexican
American studies and the banning of related
books.
The second victory for FTRF came when
the Animal Legal Defense Fund challenged
Idaho's agricultural gag law. District court in
Idaho ruled a ban on recording violated the
First Amendment. Idaho was singling out one
mode of speech (video). Garner also addressed
education as a major initiative of the foundation and its work to expand partnerships for
professional education.
Council held small group discussions on
how ALA might organize itself to continue

to fulfill its mission into the 21st century.
ALA President Jim Neal said. "Nothing has
been decided. We are at the very beginning
of the conversation and need thoughts and
guidance."
Groups of eight to 10 individuals discussed:
What does our ideal organization do? What does
our ideal organization look like? What are three
ways we can get there? Participants were given
a structured format for capturing recommendations. After discussions, individuals were
allowed 15 minutes to complete their forms.
Anyone who wished to do so shared their
thoughts on the discussion. Participants shared
that an ideal organization would look out
for the greater good and go beyond special
interest groups. Another noted that council
is perceived as inaccessible and needs to do a
better job of demystifying council and mak-

ing it more accessible. Participants suggested
that council keep the communication going,
use Connect, and get those represented by
council involved, and report out the progress.
Participants also discussed governance at ALA,
a need to simplify, and the difficulty of becoming involved as a new member. Recommendations were made to invest in technology and
virtual meetings, advocate more for members,
consider an organizational effective consultant
that specializes in in different types of organizations, lower dues, and find a way to help new
members find their way into divisions and
round tables.
The conversations started at this meeting
will be used to bring a report with recommendations forward at Annual in 2019. Neal
thanked everyone for their participation in the
start of this important process.

Every Person Matters

COGNOTES

ISSN: 0738-4319 * Volume 2018 Issue 6
Publisher/Managing Editor
Deb Nerud Vernon
Assistant Editor
Kacee Anderson
Photography
Curtis Compton
Armando Solares
Michael Buxbaum
Alexandra Buxbaum

Production
Tim Mercer
Jenn Waters
CustomNews, Inc.

Video Editor/
Videographer
Andrew Franks
Guido Ronge

Media Manager
Fiona Soltes

ALA Liaisons
Paul Graller
Donna Hunter

Ad Sales
Rich Widick
rwidick@heiexpo.com

Attendees join hands to sign "We Shall Overcome" during the annual Martin
Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration on February 12.
By Sanhita SinhaRoy, American Libraries

EXHIBITS HIGHLIGHTS

Criminal Justice reformer
keynotes King Sunrise
Celebration
"Where Do We Go from Here?" was the
theme of the 19th annual Martin Luther King
Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration, held every Monday at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.
An estimated 230 people attended the 6:30
a.m. celebration in Denver on February 12,
joined by more than two dozen library leaders
who read passages, made short speeches, and
recited poems that recognized King's legacy
and advocated for peace and social justice. The
event was sponsored by the American Library
Association's Office for Diversity, Literacy and
Outreach Services; the Social Responsibilities
Round Table; and the Black Caucus of the
ALA.
Keynote speaker Anthony Graves spoke
of perseverance and hope. Graves spent more
than 18 years imprisoned - including 12
years on death row - after being wrongfully
convicted of murder in Texas. "I was a man
with his dreams just like any other man," he
said. "It all changed in a second."
During his time in prison, Graves was twice
given an execution date. They asked what he
» see page 14

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cognotes 2018 Midwinter Meeting Denver Highlights