ALA-APA Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 What is the ALA-APA?
Q2 Why does ALA need an allied professional association?
Q3 Why not just make ALA a professional association instead of an educational/charitable organization?
Q4 What does ALA-APA do?
Q5 How does certification work?
Q6 What is the relationship between ALA and ALA-APA?
Q7 What impact does the establishment of ALA-APA have on ALA finances and operations?
Q8 How is ALA-APA financially supported?
Q9 Is ALA-APA a union?
Q10 How is ALA-APA work accomplished?
Q11 How can I learn more about the ALA-APA?
Q12 How have ALA members been involved?
Q13 What are the current activities of ALA-APA?
A1 The ALA Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) was created to enable certification of individuals in specializations beyond the first professional degree, and to work for better salaries, pay equity and increased status for librarians and other library workers. It is a legally separate entity, tied to ALA through an interlocked Board and Council. It’s informal name is ALA-APA: the Organization for the Advancement of Library Employees.
Q2 Why does ALA need an allied professional association?
A2 ALA members -- and all librarians and library workers -- have critical interests in certification, pay equity, status and salaries. In accordance with current IRS regulations, those interests are appropriately addressed by an organization with a tax-exempt status of 501(c)6 - a professional or trade organization. ALA is tax-exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue code - the section applicable to educational and charitable organizations.
Q3 Why not just make ALA a professional association instead of an educational/charitable organization?
A3 ALA's current status makes it clear that ALA speaks on behalf of the millions of people who use libraries of all types. It also allows ALA to raise funds as a charitable organization. As a professional [501(c)6] organization, ALA-APA can aggressively promote the status of librarians and other library workers, speak out on pay equity and work for higher salaries. ALA and ALA-APA will each perform those functions that are appropriate to its tax-status. The field will benefit by the broadened scope of activity and interest available through this alliance.
A4 ALA-APA concentrates on two important areas: certification in specializations beyond the initial professional degree, and better salaries, pay equity and other issues related to the status of librarians and other library workers.
ALA-APA certifies individual in specializations beyond the initial professional degree. ALA accredits programs of education, but may not certify individual graduates.
ALA-APA advocates - directly or through coalitions - for measures whose primary impact is on "librarians and other library workers" -better salaries, pay equity, comparable worth, higher status.
ALA-APA produces a variety of information resources to support the efforts of library managers, employee organizations and others interested in improving salaries, pay equity and comparable worth.
A5 Standards for professional practice (including the defined body of knowledge and necessary experience) in various specialties have been and will be developed by ALA divisions within their Council-delegated areas of responsibility. (Where a specialty falls outside an area of divisional responsibility, the standards are established by the ALA Council, based on the recommendation of the proposing group.) Recommendations for certification programs are developed in cooperation with the ALA Committee on Education. The initial standard - for a public library administrator - was developed by jointly by three ALA divisions: PLA, LAMA and ASCLA.
Appropriate standards developed by ALA units will then be adopted by the ALA-Allied Professional Association as the basis for certification of individuals in areas of specialization beyond the first professional degree. The Board of Directors of the ALA-APA will appoint a Certification Review Committee to oversee the development of each proposed certification program. Each program will have its own Certification Review Committee, enabling committee appointments to reflect the area of specialization. Certification will be awarded by the ALA-APA to those individuals who seek such certification and meet all requirements.
Individuals seeking certification may take continuing education courses from a variety of approved sources. Specifically targeted courses will be developed and offered by the ALA divisions that developed the standards for professional practice in that specialty. Courses may also be offered by other ALA groups, state or regional associations, state library agencies, LIS programs, and other providers.
Due process is a fundamental requirement for any accreditation or certification program. Just as ALA has a process for appealing accreditation decisions, the ALA-APA 's certification program(s), as implemented, include a process for appealing certification decisions. These processes are part of all certification programs and are well-documented. The specifics will depend on the final nature of the process.
A Certification Program Committee oversees the certification programs for ALA-APA. This committee is charged to (1) encourage and promote development of certification programs, (2) monitor and evaluate the progress of such programs, (3) encourage individuals to seek certification through such programs of the ALA‑APA, and (4) make recommendations to the ALA‑APA Board of Directors for general improvements to ALA‑APA certification, based on evaluations and trends in certification practice. The committee shall consist of 5 individuals, including the chair.
A6 ALA and ALA-APA are two separate organizations. The governance bodies of these two organizations are completely "interlocked." According to the ALA-APA Bylaws, members of the ALA-APA Council are "those individuals who are concurrently serving as members of the ALA Council; members of the ALA-APA Board of Directors are "those individuals who are concurrently serving as members of the ALA Executive Board." Bylaws and policies of the ALA-APA may not conflict in any material way with the ALA Constitution and Bylaws - ensuring consistency in critical areas such as accessibility, diversity, and open meetings. The ALA-APA Council and Board of Directors meet in conjunction with the regularly-scheduled meetings of the ALA Council and Executive Board.
Decisions about the future directions and priorities of ALA-APA are be made by the ALA-APA Council and ALA-APA Board of Directors - whose members are the same individuals elected by ALA members to the ALA Council and ALA Executive Board. Thus, the ALA members have ultimate control over both organizations, through their elected representatives.
A7 ALA will continue to do those things for which it has been valued by its members, the profession and the public - advocate for library funding, for policies that promote equitable access to information resources, and for first amendment rights.
Under IRS regulations, ALA may not financially support the ALA-APA. ALA has made an allowable, fair-market startup loan to ALA-APA to enable it to begin work, with loan repayment beginning in year five. Ongoing ALA-APA work will be supported through fees for products and services and through voluntary contributions.
A8 Ultimately, ALA-APA must be a self-sustaining organization. While ALA cannot legally support ALA-APA operations on an ongoing basis, it can make an initial loan to the ALA-APA to enable it to establish itself; that loan must be repaid, with interest. The ALA-APA Business Plan, accepted by the ALA-APA Board of Directors in November 2002 on the recommendation of BARC and the Finance & Audit subcommittee, includes revenues from five sources: (a) voluntary contributions, (b) certification applications, (c) consulting services related to comparable worth studies, (d) statistical research reports, and (e) a monthly, electronic newsletter.
Under the Business Plan, the ALA-APA becomes self-sufficient in year four and begins loan repayment to ALA in year five. The ALA-APA will utilize some ALA services (e.g. accounting), for which ALA will receive an "indirect cost" or overhead payment. ALA-APA will also pay rent to ALA for office space utilized.
A9 No. ALA-APA is not a bargaining unit. It does not represent any specific group of workers in labor/management negotiations. Unions operate under a different section of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
ALA-APA advocates, both generally and legislatively, for "the mutual professional interests of librarians and other library workers." It collects and disseminates information about salary and other status-related issues, and about successful strategies for achieving pay equity, increased status, and better salaries. ALA-APA is positioned to work with both employers and employee groups toward the goals of better salaries, pay equity and higher status.
A10 Currently, there is a full-time Director and a part-time Research Associate. Eventually, in accordance with the ALA-APA Business Plan and need, the staff will expand to include a part-time administrative assistant, coordinating with a professional certification body retained by the ALA-APA.
The ALA-APA Bylaws, as proposed for adoption by the ALA-APA Council, include provisions for a certification review committee for each certification program that may be proposed and for a better salaries and pay equity committee. There is also a Certification Program Committee, approved by Council at the 2004 ALA Annual Conference, to oversee all certification programs. Members of ALA-APA’s other committees, the Salaries and Status of Library Workers, Promotion and Fundraising, Publishing and SirsiDynix Award, contribute by fulfilling their respective missions.
A11 There are several ways to learn more about the ALA-APA. Current ALA-APA documents and an extensive ALA-APA document archive are available on the web at: http://www.ala-apa.org. Call 800-545-2433, x2424 or email info@ala-apa.org to ask questions and request brochures and promotional materials.
Q12 How have ALA members been involved?
A12 At the 2002 Midwinter Meeting, the ALA Council approved starting Bylaws for the ALA-APA. At the same meeting, the ALA Council authorized appointment of a Transition Team of ALA members, to guide the establishment phase.
Currently, ALA members serve on ALA-APA committees, make financial contributions, subscribe to the Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today’s Leaders newsletter, and participate in ALA-APA-sponsored programs at ALA conferences. They also celebrate National Library Workers Day, inaugurated on April 20, 2004 and celebrated on the Tuesday of each National Library Week. Current committees and members may be found on the ALA-APA Web site.
A13 Activities and Products
Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today’s Leaders
ALA-APA publishes a monthly electronic newsletter, which informs readers about issues - career advancement, certification, human resources practice, pay equity, recruitment, research, work/life balance - that concern all library workers. Subscriptions are included as a benefit of ALA Organizational membership and are $35.00 for ALA members.
Certification
ALA-APA manages the Certified Public Library Administrator Program and is collaborating with library groups that are investigating a certification for support staff and librarian specialties.
SirsiDynix – ALA-APA Award for Promoting Salaries and Status for Library Workers
Beginning in 2005, the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) annually awards the SirsiDynix-ALA-APA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Salaries and Status for Library Workers. The award is given to an individual, group of individuals or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to improving the salary and status of library workers in a local, regional or national setting. The recipient receives $5,000 and is recognized at the ALA-APA Networking Breakfast at the ALA Annual Conference.
The recipient of the award does not have to be an ALA member or a current or past library staff member. The sole requirement is that the award recipient’s achievement(s) has been notable.
Advocacy Video – For Love or Money
ALA-APA has produced a 10.5-minute video (close-captioned DVD and VHS) featuring library workers describing the importance of their work in their communities and why it is important to advocate on our own behalf. The video is a gift with a $25 donation to ALA-APA. Information is available on the ALA-APA Web site at http://www.ala-apa.org/salaries/4loveormoney.html.
Salary Surveys and Other Publications
ALA-APA publishes the Librarian Salary Survey and Non-MLS Salary Survey, both of which are issued annually and sold through the ALA Online Store, as well as a database of library salaries. ALA-APA will also produce guides in support of its mission, such as how to conduct a salary survey and how to prepare for certification.
National Library Workers Day
The first Tuesday of each National Library Week is designated as National Library Workers Day, which was inaugurated on April 20, 2004. ALA-APA sponsors NLWD and provides resources for celebrations and media relations.
Outreach
ALA-APA conducts outreach campaigns to address name, mission and service recognition for the ALA-APA within the library community.
Website
The ALA-APA Website (http://www.ala-apa.org) has relevant documents and information on certification, pay equity issues, professional concerns, and other issues important to library workers.
March 2007
|
