ALA-APA Governance Task Force
Topic 8—Divisions and Round Tables

Prepared by Pat Wand
May 3, 2002

Guiding principles

• American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) is legally a separate organization from the American Library Association (ALA).

• ALA continues in its Internal Revenue Status as 501(c)(3). ALA-APA is a new organization with IRS status of 501(c)(6).

• ALA-APA is a service organization to ALA. ALA-APA will initially not be a membership organization.

• The structure, organization, and operation of ALA-APA will be as simple as possible.

• The impact of ALA-APA on ALA will be minimized.

• Two issues in particular will be addressed by the newly formed ALA-APA 501(c)(6) during the transition period:

  • Certification of professionals has been raised by 3 divisions: Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), Public Library Association (PLA).

  • Pay equity is the focus of several committees within ALA and the divisions.

• A transition period of 2 – 3 years will allow ALA-APA to address the pressing issues of certification and pay equity in the new governance structure and the new IRS status.

Report regarding ALA-APA and divisions and round tables

1. Overview and scope of the topic assigned. To review the charges and activities of ALA divisions and round tables to determine the effects on them of the implementation of ALA-APA, particularly during the transition period.

2. Issues related to the topic. Some of the questions divisions and round tables will address include the following:

   1. Will any existing committees or sections in the divisions or round tables be affected by the implementation of ALA-APA 501(c)(6)?

   2. Will new committees or sections need to be created to accomplish the goals of certification or pay equity and to comply with the regulations of the new 501(c)(6)?

   3. How will division and round table staff be assigned to support the ALA-APA activities and how will they account for their time?

   Other divisions or round tables may now or in the future have activities that fall appropriately into the purview of ALA-APA.

3. Recommendations how to deal with the issues and move forward. Widely publicize the “guiding principles” so that they can be understood by the membership. Send a letter to all division and round table leaders and staff with a draft report of the task force and a list of questions that they should consider for the transition period. Notify divisions and round tables that if they anticipating any committees or sections within their division or round table being affected by the implementation of ALA-APA 501(c)(6), they should notify ALA-APA Council via their division or round table Councilor.

— May 3, 2003 Pat Wand