Association for Library Trustees and Advocates
Voice of America’s Library Trustees and Advocates
FACT SHEET
Founded in 1890 as the American Library Trustee Association, today’s Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) is the only division of the American Library Association (ALA) dedicated to providing resources, programs, publications and services to America’s public library trustees and advocates.
Membership
With a membership of over 1,200, ALTA represents library trustees, advocates, volunteers and friends throughout United States and Canada. Members receive a quarterly newsletter, discounts on publications, reduced conference registration fees, opportunities to network with trustees from across the country, and a subscription to American Libraries, the magazine of the American Library Association.
Professional Education
Through annual meetings and preconferences, divisional conferences, regional institutes, and local seminars, ALTA and ALA provide trustees and advocates with the resources they need to take the lead on today’s critical issues – library advocacy, intellectual freedom, funding, and public policy development.
Awards
ALTA presents several awards each year including: the ALTA Literacy Award, to a trustee or individual who through volunteer efforts has made a significant contribution to reducing illiteracy; the ALA Trustee Citation, to two public library trustees in recognition of distinguished service to library development; the ALTA Major Benefactors Honor Award, to individuals or corporations who have provided a major benefaction to a public library; and the ALTA/GALE Outstanding Trustee Conference Grant, to two trustees in support of attendance at the ALA Annual Conference. And beginning in 2000, ALTA and ALA began honoring extraordinary library advocates from the state and local level through the National Advocacy Honor Roll.
ALTA On The Web
www.ala.org\alta offers information on library issues, advocacy updates, as well as information about membership and the structure of ALTA.
ALTA Milestones & History
February 1999,
ALTA underwent a name change in February 1999 from the American Library Trustee Association to the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates, in order that ALA members, other divisions and units of ALA, the profession at large, and the general public will understand the important role of advocacy for libraries that ALTA plays.
June 2000,
ALTA held its first National Advocacy Honor Roll Banquet in Chicago. The purpose of the first banquet was to honor advocates from the last half of the twentieth century.
Spring 2004,
ALTA partnered with ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano and the ALA Public Information Office to receive a 10K World Book Award to launch Advocacy Institutes in conjunction with the Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting. The Institutes will provide peer-to-peer modeling to support grassroots advocates as they affect and sustain change in their communities.
June 2005
ALTA hosted the Second National Advocacy Honor Roll Banquet in June 2005, which honored three advocates from each of the fifty states who have been active throughout the past five years.
* For more information, contact the ALTA office at 800-545-2433, ext. 2161.
AN OVERIVEW OF ALTA WITHIN ALA
ALTA Mission Statement
The Association for Library Trustees and Advocates promotes and ensures outstanding library service through educational programs that develop excellence in trusteeship and actions that advocate access to information for all.
ALTA Vision Statement
The Association for Library Trustees and Advocates will educate and empower library trustees to advocate for and adopt policies that promote the highest quality library and information services and ensure access to information to all.
---While ALTA has its own Bylaws, policies, and staff, it is dependent on the whole of ALA to carry out its business. ALTA is one of 11 ALA divisions established by ALA Council under Article VI of the ALA Bylaws. The financial and organizational relationship between ALA and Divisions is governed by the Joint Operating Agreement. ALTA is one of three Divisions which has a small membership base and receives a substantial subsidy each year to offset the cost of providing membership services.
--ALTA’s interaction with the following ALA offices is particularly important:
Chapter Relations/Membership Marketing
This office manages the reporting of ALA/Division membership statistics, annual renewals, ALA membership campaigns, etc. ALTA receives monthly reports of membership activity which are then acted upon according to ALTA procedures.
Conference Services
This unit contracts for meeting space and manages room assignments for all Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting space. ALTA staff submits Meeting Request Forms to ensure space for all committee meetings and events; however, final space assignments are managed solely by Conference Services. The only exceptions to this are special ALTA events such as the annual fundraiser or Gala; these events are contracted by ALTA staff in coordination with the appropriate committees. Also, ALTA staff contracts and manages space for other national meetings such as the ALSC/ALTA/RUSA National Institute.
Customer Service Center (CSC)
This unit is the central processing point for membership requests/renewals, meeting registration forms, and member inquiries. Ticket requests for ALTA events are managed through this unit.
Finance and Accounting
ALTA’s budget is part of the overall ALA budget and must conform to all policies and guidelines defined by ALA. Each year, ALTA staff, in coordination with the ALTA Executive/Budget Committee, prepares a budget and supporting materials to be presented to the ALA Budget and Review Committee (BARC), Executive Committee, and ALA Council. It is during this process that funding for programs, the budgetary ceiling, the ALA overhead rate (the amount Divisions pay to ALA for general services such as Accounting), the small Division subsidy, etc., is determined.
Information Technology & Telecommunication Services (ITTS)
This unit installs and maintains all ALA computer and telephone systems. Divisions interact with this unit for membership reports, hardware and software needs, training, and other special technical initiatives such as the new ALA Distance Education program.
Future ALA/ALTA Conference Dates:
2006
Jan. 20-25 - San Antonio
June 22-28 - New Orleans
2007
Jan. 16-21 - Seattle
June 21-27 - Washington
2008
Jan. 25-30 - Philadelphia
June 26-Jul 2 - Anaheim
2009
Jan. 23-28 - Denver
June 9-15 - Chicago