Committees and Communities of Practice (CoPs)
Reflecting the change in PLA's bylaws, there will now be Communities of Practice (CoPs) in addition to Committees. CoPs will primarily meet online at PLAspace.org. Log in to PLAspace to join an existing CoP or contact Doug Dawson for details about how to become the administrator of a new CoP.
To be effective, PLA must have committed and engaged committee members. If you are interested in volunteering to serve on a committee, please go to the Committee Volunteer Form (you will need your ALA login). Feel free to call the PLA office (1-800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA) for more information.
Standing Committees, Advisory Groups and Task Forces
Standing Committees:
- Awards Juries:
- Advancement of Literacy Award
- Allie Beth Martin Award
- Baker & Taylor Entertainment AV Award
- Charlie Robinson Award
- DEMCO new Leaders Travel Award
- EBSCO Excellence in Small &/or Rural Public Library Service Award
- Polaris Innovation in Technology John Iliff Award
- Gordon M. Conable Award
- Highsmith Library Innovation Award
- Institutional Scholarships Award (2006 Pilot Project)
- Bylaws and Organization Committee
- Budget and Finance Committee
- Nominating Committee
- National Conference Committee
- Local Arrangements Subcommittee
- Program Committee
- National Conference Program Subcommittee
- Spring Symposium Program Subcommittee
- Annual Conference Program Subcommittees (2 based on year)
- Publications and Products Committees
- Public Libraries Advisory Committee
- Public Libraries Data Statistics (PLDS) Committee
- PLA Monographs work groups (as needed)
Advisory Groups:
- Intellectual Freedom
- Legislative
Special Committees:
- Endowment Task Force 2008-2009
- Every Child Ready to Read Evaluation Task Force 2007-2009
- Leadership Task Force 2007-2009
Established CoPs on PLAspace:
- Technology in Public Libraries
- Reader’s Advisory
- Cataloging
- Rural Libraries
- Urban Libraries
- Branch Libraries
- Small and Medium Sized Libraries
- Public Library Systems
- University Press Books for Public Libraries
- Advocacy
- Public Library Services for Children - combination of Services to Elementary School Age Children and Caregivers and Services to Preschool Children and Their Caregivers committees
Former PLA Committees:
These committees are able to be transitioned to CoP’s. (Current chairs are encouraged to identify with their committee interest in moving forward as a CoP; please notify Doug Dawson if interested in transitioning.)
- Metropolitan Libraries
- International Relations
- Basic Education and Literacy Resources and Services
- Public Policy in Libraries
- Research and Statistics
- Marketing Public Libraries
- Audiovisual