Section 5 – Sections and Interest Groups

ALP will incorporate Sections representing library sectors (public, school, special, academic, archives), members of which are represented in the Senate. It also supports the formation of special interest groups, dedicated to pursuing activities pursuant to ALP’s mission in terms of promoting neutrality, free inquiry, and freedom of speech.

1. Established Sections of the ALP shall be: Public, Academic, School, Special, and Archives. The Chair of each Section will be elected by the membership of his or her Section for a term of two years.  A Section Chair may serve two consecutive terms if re-elected at the time of initial election, but must take a break of at least one (1) year before serving as chair again and may not serve consecutive terms upon subsequent election.  Upon the recommendation of the President and ratification by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the ALP Senate a new section may be created or a previously existing section may be dissolved.  Any dissolved section must relinquish any and all existing segregated funds, records, and other property to the ALP.

2. Interest Groups may be built around functions, perspectives, or services.

a. Functions-based interest groups may be formed around particular job functions or roles (e.g., library advocacy, scholarship, cataloging, assessment, reference, directors, retirees, students, trustees, friends, etc.),

b. Perspectives-based interest groups may include those built around belief systems or approaches (e.g., Christian librarians, Muslim librarians, conservative librarians, liberal librarians, etc.),

c. Services-based interest groups may include those built around ways to meet the needs of particular library user groups (e.g., international students; children & youth; users with disabilities; local history & genealogy; etc.).

d. The formation of interest groups oriented toward political and social action in the interest of identity categories of library workers themselves (e.g., race, color, sex, sexuality, lifestyle, national origin, disability, genetic condition, etc.), is prohibited.

3. New interest groups may be recognized by ALP following a written application to the Senate outlining the name and purpose of the group, plus the signatures of at least five (5) initial members.  Approval will be determined by a simple majority vote.

4. The planning of meetings and other activities of these groups will be at the discretion of  the members.  Support from ALP will include providing dedicated pages on the ALP website and resources as needed and requested for events planned by such interest groups that may be of interest to the general membership (e.g., webinars or training).  Requests for financial support for such events must take the form of proposals submitted to the Senate for approval no later than 90 days prior to the intended date.