Committee on Aims & Objectives Report

May 10, 2009

 

The Committee on Aims & Objectives reviewed APLA’s objectives as outlined in the Memorandum of Association and indentified these goals: develop and support APLA’s new web infrastructure to improve both internal and external communication, continue to enhance the support and promotion of Interest Groups, and encourage collaboration between the membership, the Executive and its committees, and other associations.   

 

Through the year a number of issues arose related to the Aims and Objectives of the Association including membership in other associations and the development of joint memberships with other associations.

 

 

A)    Standing Order 9.01

During the Fall meeting (October 27, 2008) of the Executive the Treasurer noted that the Association had not paid dues for institutional memberships in either the CLA or ASTED for a number of years and as a result was in contravention of Standing Order 9.01.

 

“9.01 The Atlantic Provinces Library Association shall be an institutional member of the Canadian Library Association and l'ASTED.”

 

This may have been as a result of financial constraints or some other reason.  The Executive felt that paying for institutional memberships in other Associations was irregular [we do not have memberships in any other library associations, nor do other library associations have memberships in APLA] and so we bring this matter to the attention of the APLA membership for discussion and direction. Based on direction from the membership APLA will either pay for institutional memberships in the Associations identified in Standing Order 9.01 or the Executive will bring forth an amendment to the Standing Orders at the 2010 APLA Ordinary General Meeting in St. John.

 

B) Joint Memberships

One of the three objectives of APLA is “to cooperate with library associations and other organizations on matters of mutual concern” and to that end the Executive has been investigating and/or piloting joint memberships with library associations in the region.

 

Joint or affiliate memberships have been discussed within the Association for a number of years. In the May 2006 Bulletin Jennifer Richard stated that “one of APLA's latest initiatives is the idea of joint memberships with all four of the provincial library associations in our region”.  Discussions begun in 2007/8 with the Nova Scotia Library Association about a potential joint membership that would benefit members of both Associations resulted in a pilot project in January 2008. Donna Bourne-Tyson (APLA President at that time) and Lynn Somers (NSLA President at that time) announced a Discounted Joint Association Membership on the APLA Listserv and further discussions of joint memberships were raised at the 69^th Ordinary General Meeting of the Association. Started as a pilot project, both Associations have found this initiative to be of benefit and would like it to continue.

 

The Executive recognizes that this means a change in the fee structure and it will require a change to Standing Order 2.02. A similar pilot project with the Nova Scotia Association of Library Technicians (NSALT) was announced on April 29, 2009 on the APLA Listserv, and discussions with the Newfoundland and Labrabor Library Association (NLLA) are underway.

 

The Executive seeks the consent of the APLA membership to continue with these joint membership fees for the coming year; and the Executive will bring a revised Standing Order, for the membership’s consideration to the APLA 2010 Ordinary General Meeting in St. John, NB.