PLA Members:
Several years ago, the PLA Board began a strategic planning process with the goal of determining how to become a more nimble organization that is highly responsive to member needs. At the 2008 Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, the PLA Board of Directors discussed and debated proposed changes to the PLA bylaws that would effectively reshape the structure of the organization. These changes were shared with members and other interested parties at an open Leadership Forum on Saturday, January 12, and at the All-Committee Meeting on Sunday, January 13. You can view the proposed changes in their entirety here.
Major components of the bylaws changes include:
The PLA Board will be reduced in size to facilitate decision-making and provide greater access by members to their elected representatives. The smaller board will meet four times per year.
The PLA Executive Committee will be disbanded, flattening the governance structure of the organization and empowering the Board to make binding decisions without the need to go to the Executive Committee. This will allow the Board to focus on membership needs and make quicker decisions regarding the organization.
Communities of Practice will replace many of the PLA Committees. Communities of Practice will be virtual groups that are interest-focused and member-driven. Members will have the power to create groups, as well as morph and/or disband them at their discretion. This will allow all 11,000+ members, many who are not able to travel to in-person committee meetings, to get involved with the organization and the public library issues they care about most. Communities of Practice, should the members choose, will still be able to meet in-person at ALA Annual Conference and Midwinter.
As your President-Elect, I felt it was important to alert you to these proposed changes to PLA structure. These changes will provide members with opportunities to become more engaged with the organization in an environment that is convenient to their schedules and resources. You, our members, are the heart of the organization, and we want to ensure that all who are interested in actively participating in PLA are able to do so.
I hope that after reviewing the proposed changes to the Bylaws, you will vote yes when you receive your ballot later this spring. Stay tuned for additional information and opportunities to hear more about the changes at PLA 2008 in Minneapolis. In the meantime, any member of the Board is happy to answer questions or address concerns that you may have. Feel free to respond to this blog post or to contact me via email at .
I look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis!
Carol L. Sheffer
PLA President-elect
Queens Library
From the President column – Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Public Libraries
View the PLA Bylaws FAQ
View the current PLA Bylaws.
View the PLA Reorganization Timeline.
