Message from the ASCLA Executive Director, Susan Hornung

Dear ASCLA Members:

Have you ever thought that a group on reading needs for disabled children or incarcerated young adults is needed? Or perhaps a group on accessibility basics for public librarians, or a group for independent or solo librarians to network or maybe a discussion group on emerging trends in state libraries?

If so, we have terrific news for you! The voters in the Spring 2011 elections gave approval to a reorganization of ASCLA, which featured a key transition from sections to interest groups. Here’s what’s so great about interest groups:

  • Interest groups provide a great way for ASCLA members to form communities around important emerging issues and to increase opportunities for involvement within the organization.
  • ASCLA interest groups are very fluid and can be quickly formed in response to environmental changes.
  • Interest groups can also consist of any ALA member; they are not restricted to ASCLA members – any ALA member may join.
  • Interest groups may plan and sponsor programs at conferences, may sponsor pre-conferences, create discussion groups, and/or prepare publications.

I encourage all ASCLA members to follow their passion and create an e-petition (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclasections/interestgroups/index.cfm) for a new ASCLA interest group. Only 10 signatures are needed from ASCLA members to start a new interest group. All ASCLA interest groups will go through a quick and efficient approval process by the ASCLA Interest Group Coordinating Committee and then be announced to the membership.

Current Interest Groups: Several interest groups have already been established and we expect to have more every month. Browse through the list below or join by simply clicking on the link below, logging in to ALA Connect and then clicking on “join” on the right side of the Connect page for the group to become an instant member. Here are the current ASCLA interest groups:

ASCLA ICAN Consortium Management Discussion Interest Group

ASCLA ICAN (InterLibrary Cooperation & Networking) Collaborative Digitization Interest Group

ASCLA ICAN (InterLibrary Cooperation & Networking) Interlibrary Cooperation Interest Group

ASCLA ICAN (InterLibrary Cooperation & Networking) Physical Delivery Interest Group

ASCLA LSSP (Libraries Serving Special Populations) LSSP Library Services to People with Visual or Physical Disabilities that Prevent Them from Reading Standard Print Interest Group

ASCLA SLA (State Library Agencies)/LSTA Coordinators Interest Group

(a list of all current ASCLA interest groups can always be found here: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclainterest/list.cfm)

More Information: To find out everything you ever wanted to know about ASCLA interest groups, go here: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclainterest/index.cfm. 

E-Petitions Made Easy: Create an e-petition to start a new interest group here: https://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/Security/Login.cfm. You must be a current ASCLA member and login first using your ALA login.

Remember this: ASCLA is only as successful as the sum of all its parts. That means we want all members to be engaged, active, and show their passion about their interests, and ASCLA interest groups are a perfect way to accomplish this!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the ASCLA office at ascla@ala.org.