Comments on: Ye Olde Frustrating ALA

By: Meg'n

Meg'n — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 20:48:27 +0000

I was a member of ALA for two years while I was a student. I see no reason to pay ridiculously expensive dues on a public librarian’s salary to rejoin an organization that is bureaucratic, snobby, and unresponsive. Most librarians I know only pay dues to get the cheap rate for the conferences, and I’m just not interested enough in shelling out for a few days every year. I’ll stay home, talk to my patrons and local librarians, send e-mail, read blogs and articles, and otherwise work on my ideas, and somehow I think the state of librarianship will still survive.

By: library.lisle

library.lisle — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 18:44:45 +0000

It is ridiculous the way ALA is dragging its hoopskirts. They are getting really muddy. Conference attendance is prohibitive for many librarians. I work at a public library. Only the cost of early bird registration is covered, not travel, hotel or food. I see ALA conferences, and Council, becoming an organization of administrators (expenses paid) and academic librarians (most expenses paid). So much for any kind of diversity. I was usually the only public librarian at the sessions I attended last year at midwinter. I bet it’s even worse this year. I made a two-year commitment to a committee back when I got travel funds, which I have honored, but I do not intend to “re-up” in June. Of course, layoff notices came out here this morning. Even though I wasn’t laid off, I could get bumped by someone taking a demotion. But I won’t know until after midwinter. Pardon the venting.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 17:52:03 +0000

I am a new librarian, who is just trying to get my foot in the door at ALA and I am frustrated by the obtuse ideas ALA as an institution holds it members to. It is extremely cost prohibitive to attend two annual meetings a year and those who make admin salaries need to start realizing that the “little people”, who do all the grunt work, can not afford to attend everything simply for the sake of having our voices heard. Thanks for laying out what so many of us think.