American Library Association
The ALA Constitution states the purpose of ALA as, “The object of the American Library Association shall be to promote library service and librarianship.” The stated mission is, “To provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
ALA’s activities are shaped and guided by a series of governing documents. The Association’s first official document was the Charter of 1879, which was revised in 1942. ALA’s Constitution and Bylaws are approved by the ALA Council and voted by the membership. The ALA Council also adopts the Association’s Policies.
YALS, Young Adult Library Services, the official journal of YALSA and is sent to each member as a benefit. It is also available by subscription to nonmembers. Each volume includes articles from the field about issues of interest to those working with teens, and comes out four times a year.
Professional Development includes: Annual and Division Conferences, Workshops, Training, On-Demand Learning, and meetings.
Alabama Library Association
The mission of the Alabama Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, advocacy, and improvement of library and information services and to promote the profession of librarianship, in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
"Divisions of the Association promote library service and librarianship within and for a particular type of library, or as it relates to a particular type of library activity." -- Alabama Library Association Handbook, Chapter 14, p.73. Also included in the Alabama Library Association Handbook are the divisions' handbooks in Appendix F and the divisions' bylaws Appendix G. Dues for additional division memberships above one are $5.00. ALLA has three divisions:
The Association, or ALLA (pronounced "al - luh"), supports its members through a variety of means such as Divisions, Roundtables, and Committees. The Annual Convention held every April is the culmination of each year's hard work and provides an opportunity for members to gather for professional development, networking, outreach, and social interaction.
Alabama Public Library Service
The Mission of the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) is to promote
and support equitable access to library and information resources and services
to enable all Alabamians to satisfy their educational, working, cultural, and
leisure-time interests. These resources and services will be provided through
APLS's statewide programs and through direct grants and assistance to libraries
and library systems to meet user's needs.
Resources:
http://www.worldcat.org/
http://www.homeworkalabama.org/
http://www.avl.lib.al.us/
Publications:
A Plan for Excellence
Alabama Public Library Standards
APLS Annual Report 2007
Archived Annual Report
Public Library Association
The Public Library Association (PLA), with more than 11,000 members is one of the fastest growing divisions of the American Library Association (ALA), the oldest and largest library association in the world. PLA’s core purpose is to strengthen public libraries and their contribution to the communities they serve.
Founded in 1944, PLA is a member-driven organization that exists to provide a diverse program of communication, publication, advocacy, continuing education, and programming for its members and others interested in the advancement of public library service.
PLA Organization
PLA Governance
PLA Partners & Sponsorship
PLA Guide
PLA Strategic Guide
Every other year, PLA members from across the country—and across the globe—come together for the American Library Association's largest conference devoted to public librarianship. The PLA National Conferences have developed a reputation for excellence. Each offers you more than 100 top-quality continuing education programs from which to choose, several social events, and a bustling exhibits hall, providing you with an excellent opportunity to see the latest in products and services. Upcoming PLA Conferences include:
PLA offers its members resources for career advancement, problem solving, continuing education, and library information, in articles and monographs written by public librarians and public library staff members specifically for public librarians and public library staff members. Whether it's through top-seller books like "The Public Librarian's Guide to Providing Consumer Health Information," hot topic articles in Public Libraries, or resource guides like the PLDS Statistical Report, PLA publications deliver the information you need to perform at your greatest potential.
Library and Information Technology Association
The Library and Information Technology Association is the leading organization reaching out across types of libraries to provide education and services for a broad membership. The membership includes new professionals, systems librarians, library administrators, library schools, vendors and anyone else interested in leading edge technology and applications for librarians and information providers. Programs are offered for everyone from absolute beginners to hi-tech professionals. Continuing education is provided through workshops, institutes, and an annual National Forum. Guidelines offering practical experience with various technologies are published regularly. The Information Technology and Libraries journal provides peer reviewed articles assuring the quality of this member benefit. Through LITA’s Web presence you will discover a variety of services addressing trends and practical applications.
Upcoming Conferences
Publications
- LITA Blog
This is the official blog for the Library and Information Technology Association.
- Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL)
Contains the table of contents, abstracts and some full-text of ITAL, a refereed journal published quarterly by the Library and Information Technology Association.
American Association of School Librarians
The mission of the American Association of School Librarians is to advocate excellence, facilitate change, and develop leaders in the school library media field.
AASL works to ensure that all members of the school library media field collaborate to:
- provide leadership in the total education program
- participate as active partners in the teaching/learning process
- connect learners with ideas and information, and
- prepare students for life-long learning, informed decision-making, a love of reading, and the use of information technologies.
The American Association of School Librarians is:
· A proactive organization that addresses issues, anticipates trends, and sets the future agenda for the profession;
· An advocate for the indispensable role of school library media programs with school library media specialists, for best practices in school librarianship, and for the core values and ethics of the library profession;
American Theological Library Association
For more than 40 years ATLA maintained separate boards to oversee its indexing program and its preservation microform programs. In 1991 the boards overseeing those programs were merged with the Association board to form one Board of Directors to oversee all of the Association’s activities. The Board of Directors developed policies by which the Association was to be guided and hired an Executive Director to manage the Association’s financial and organizational affairs.
The mission of the American Theological Library Association is to foster the study of theology and religion by enhancing the development of theological and religious libraries and librarianship. In pursuit of this mission, the Association undertakes:
1. To foster the professional growth of its members, and to enhance their ability to serve their constituencies as administrators and librarians;
2. To advance the profession of theological librarianship, and to assist theological librarians in defining and interpreting the proper role and function of libraries in theological education;
3. To promote quality library and information services in support of teaching, learning, and research in theology, religion, and related disciplines and to create such tools and aids (including publications) as may be helpful in accomplishing this; (and)
4. To stimulate purposeful collaboration among librarians of theological libraries and religious studies collections; and to develop programmatic solutions to information-related problems common to those librarians and collections.
Association of Christian Librarians
The mission of the Association of Christian Librarians is to empower evangelical librarians through professional development, scholarship, and spiritual encouragement for service in higher education.
We pursue these strategies in support of our mission...
· Provide opportunities for members to grow spiritually, develop professionally, and learn and exhibit leadership skills by encouraging members' interaction and support as well as encouraging members to write, present, and publish scholarly materials.
· Strengthen the strategic direction of the Association.
· Expand the effectiveness and influence of the Association.
· Assimilate and deepen the involvement of members in the community of ACL.
· Inspire ACL members with a vision and equip them with the practical skills to provide assistance and training for librarians in Christian institutions of higher learning.
· Create and promote quality materials and projects for the benefit of libraries and of Christian academic librarians.
ACL is a non-profit organization governed by a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, an executive director, and six directors-at-large. The home office staff are responsible for the daily operations of the Association. Multiple teams develop and direct programs that carry out the mission of ACL.
Special Library Associations
Vision
The Special Libraries Association is the global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners.
Mission
The Special Libraries Association promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives.
Core Values
Leadership
Strengthening our roles as information leaders in our organizations and in our communities, including shaping information policy.
Events & Conferences
We're Taking Information to NEW HEIGHTS.
It's no secret that with today's changing technology and more demanding management expectations, information professionals must be able to demonstrate that they're having a positive impact on assisting their organization's elevation to new heights.
Info pros do this not just by being great researchers and managers, but also by helping their organizations put knowledge to work as a strategic asset across the enterprise.
By attending SLA's Annual Conferences & INFO-EXPO we'll learn from the experts, service providers, and each other.
Association of Research Libraries
ARL influences the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations. (2006)
Guiding Principles
The following principles guided the ARL Strategic Planning Task Force in its work. The “we” in these statements refers to the Association. (2005)
Distinctive Mission
· We complement and build on the strengths of other organizations.
· We rethink historic assumptions.
· Our policy positions guide our strategies.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.