A collection of ALA policy applicable to issues related to virtual membership.
ALA Policy 6.3.2 Policy Functions
As noted in the ALA Constitution, Article VI, and the Bylaws, Article VII, three bodies — Council, the divisions, and the membership — have authority to determine and act for ALA in matters of policy.
ALA Policy 4.5 Requirements for Committee Service
With the exception of virtual members, members of all ALA and unit committees are expected to attend all meetings. Failure to attend two consecutive meetings or groups of meetings (defined as all meetings of a committee that take place at one Midwinter Meeting or Annual Conference) without an explanation acceptable to the committee chair constitutes grounds for removal upon request by the chair to and approval of the appropriate appointing official or governing
board.
6.16 Virtual Members
1) Definition of Virtual Members:
Virtual members of committees or task forces have the right to attend meetings, participate in debate, and make motions. Virtual members are not counted in determining the quorum nor do they have the right to vote. [An “average Joe” member can attend all open meetings, so being a “virtual member” is not a huge bump up from general rights and privileges.]
2) Appointment of Virtual Members to Standing Committees of the Association:
Virtual members of standing committees of the Association are appointed in accord with the provisions of the ALA Bylaws, Article VIII, sec. 2(a)(i). Inclusion of virtual members on a standing Committee of the Association requires the recommendation of the Committee on Organization and the approval of Council. No more than one third of the membership on a standing committee may be virtual members. [This reminds me of this tidbit from military history: prior to the 1980s, the U.S. armed forces capped female enlistments at 2%. Of course, an argument in favor of the one-third rule is that virtual members can’t establish quorums or vote — but that’s like the kid who kills his parents and then pleads for the court’s mercy because he’s an orphan.]
3) Appointment of Virtual Members to Standing Committees of Council:
Virtual members of Committees of the Council are appointed in accord with the provisions of the ALA Bylaws, Article VIII, sec.2(b). Inclusion of virtual members on a Committee of the Council requires the recommendation of the Committee on Organization and the approval of the Council. No more than one third of the membership of a Council committee may be virtual members.
4) Appointment of Virtual Members to Committees of Round Tables and Divisions:
Virtual members of division or roundtable committees are appointed in accord with each respective division’s or roundtable’s appointment procedures for committee members. No more than one third of the membership of a round table or division committee may be virtual members.
7.4.11 Purpose of Midwinter Meetings
[An important paragraph to study. I find the “assemblies of groups of individuals” an interesting clause. How could we use this?]
The ALA Midwinter Meeting is convened for the primary purpose of expediting the business of the Association through sessions of its governing and administrative delegates serving on boards,committees, and Council. Programs designed for the continuing education and development of the fields of library service shall be reserved for Annual Conference except by specific authorization of the Executive Board acting under the provisions of the ALA Constitution. Hearings seeking membership reactions and provisions for observers and petitioners at meetings of Council, committees, and boards are to be publicized; programs of orientation or leadership development to Association business are encouraged; assemblies of groups of individuals for information sharing vital to the development of Association business shall be accepted as appropriate to the purposes of the Midwinter Meeting. (See ‘‘Current Reference File’’: 1989–90CD #30.)
7.4.10 Membership Meetings
A membership meeting shall be held during the first two days of the Annual Conference, excluding days when pre-conferences are held, and at such times as may be set by the Executive Board, Council, or by membership petition, as provided for in Article II, Section 4 of the Bylaws. Agendas of membership meetings shall provide priority to discussion of membership resolutions. Memorials, tributes, and testimonials shall be introduced at the beginning of the last Membership Meeting. [These f2f membership meetings are typically grossly underattended–even though at present, as the policy stands, they have a very low bar for establishing a quorum; approximately 75 members “count.” More on these later if anyone’s interested.]
Bylaws, Article II
Sec. 2. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Executive Board, and shall be called by the President on request of not less than five percent of the voting members of the Association as of the previous July 1, such request to be filed with the executive director at least ninety days before the proposed meeting. At least one month’s notice shall be given, and only the business specified in the call shall be transacted. [I assume this means of the entire association–like an additional conference.]
Sec. 4. Membership Meetings.
A membership meeting consists of the voting members of the Association with authority to act as set out in Article VI, Sections 4(a) and 4(c) of the Constitution. A membership meeting shall be held during the annual conference and at such other times as may be set by the Executive Board, Council or by membership petition as provided for in Article II, Section 2, of the Bylaws.
ALA Policy Manual
7.4.1 Meeting [defined]
A meeting is an official assembly, for any length of time following a designated starting time, of the members of any board, committee, task force, commission, etc., during which the members do not separate except for a recess and in which the assembly has the capacity to formalize decisions. Conference calls, Internet chat sessions (and their equivalents), and in-person meetings are recognized as meeting subject to the open meetings policy (ALA Policy 7.4.4). (Asynchronous electronic discussions by electronic mail or other asynchronous communication methods do not constitute meetings because they are not an official assembly with a designated starting time.) [It’s puzzling that ALA policy recognizes work can be conducted electronically, but finds so many means to limit it.]
7.4.2 Meetings Outside of Annual Conference and the Midwinter Meeting
Notice of meetings held outside of Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting must be announced ten days prior to the meeting and the results of the meeting must be made public no fewer than 30 days after the meeting’s conclusion. Reports of meetings held outside of Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting should convey a summary of the discussion of each item considered by the assembly and the decision made. [A single web page for announcements would satisfy this need.]
7.4.4 Open Meetings
All meetings of the American Library Association and its units are open to all members and to members of the press. Registration requirements apply. Closed meetings may be held only for the discussion of matters affecting the privacy of individuals or institutions. (See also ‘‘Current Reference File’’: Interpretive Statement on Open Meetings Policy.) [Note that the definition of “open” is left, well, open.]
Posted on this day, other years:
- Retrospective Subversion - 2009
- Righteous Pate at Tallahassee's New Leaf Market? - 2008
- Librarians Want to Know... - 2003
So, any *synchronous* online event [of/for/by] a properly constituted ALA sub-unit equates to a f2f meeting according to 7.4.1 — and when this event follows the process in 7.4.4 to make it an open meeting the outcomes of the event are officially acceptable.
There are only two teeny tiny steps left, then.
1. Specifically [allow/define] meetings in an *asynchronous* medium with a “with a designated starting [and ending] time[s]” as acceptable.
2. After we see that the world doesn’t end with point 1 (above) in place, remove any meeting limits via online communications media.
By the way, I’ve seen *official* R/T and Divisional business conducted via email as I describe here — it’s already being done. Therefore I’d love to see us jump right to my step 2 (above).
I think we still have to tackle “members who do not attend f2f meetings are ‘virtual’,” at least as I read it. But thanks for reading this. I hoped someone would. You’re welcome to copy it to a wiki or whatever 🙂
[…] interestingly, the ALA Policy Manual doesn’t actually define what it means by open. From this rather dry extraction of ALA documents comes the sum total of Policy 7.4.4: All meetings of the American Library Association and its units […]