ALA Conference 2009: First ALA Membership Meeting Attracts Few
ALA Annual Conference: The first of two ALA membership meetings had more to do with ALA hard times than library hard times and attracted very few members
John N. Berry III -- Library Journal, 07/12/2009
- attendance figures low
- talk of budget cuts, layoffs
- board expenses questioned
- majority in favor of same-sex marriage
Funding for libraries
The meeting featured Patricia Wong reporting service initiatives by a few California libraries, including the Yolo County Library System she directs, to help people suffering from the economic downturn. She followed this with a pitch for a number of ALA advocacy efforts that she deemed successful—although one wonders, if they are so successful, why the stimulus packages so far fail even to mention libraries or provide any federal money to meet their critical underfunding.
Next came Chris A. McLean, a consultant with the ALA Washington Office. McLean reported that, despite the fact that libraries aren’t directly mentioned in the stimulus package, there are many opportunities for them to apply for funds, especially in the technology and broadband communications programs in the stimulus law. (LJ will have an update on this soon.)
Lynne Bradley of the ALA Washington Office said from the floor that the White House had pulled mention of libraries out of the law and that librarians should "get madder" and "get sharper elbows" to fight against the slight. Stating there were no increases slated for federal library support, she said the field's efforts had been too cautious.
Budget cuts and layoffs
ALA Treasurer Rodney Hersberger then reviewed the "challenging revenue environment" faced by the ALA, told of budget cuts, especially in ALA publishing, and of plans to lay off some ten ALA staff. Five were to be laid off from publishing and the others from ALA general fund positions, including one in conference services. Because revenues are $1.6 million below budgeted costs, cost-cutting ensued, and spending of $436,000 from reserves was authorized. The ALA budget for 2010 totals some $64,432,034.
Former ALA Treasurer Herb Biblo asked about a number of expense items, including ALA Executive Board expenses for travel. ALA Executive Director Keith Fiels, answered, essentially, that the board works very hard and deserves support for its expenses.
Speaking of the "perks" of ALA elected officers, including some lavish hotel suites, Fiels quoted one of his predecessors in ALA as saying, "An ALA suite is really a meeting room with a bed attached." Biblo's response, from the time when he was treasurer of ALA, was: "We worked very hard then, too, without all the perks," and suggested that Executive Board expenses be reviewed.
Same-sex marriage resolution
The small audience then voted in favor of a resolution in support of "the right of every person to marry, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender couples, wherever they reside." Only one or two hands were raised in opposition to the measure.
Click here for more ALA 2009 Conference News coverage from Library Journal and School Library Journal.
