The group met 4-6 times this reporting period.
After reviewing the current PLA Strategic Plan, please tell us:
Describe the current work of this committee and how it supports our strategic goals. Include work accomplished, decisions made, and any recommended follow-up actions.
The EDISJ Committee continues to advance PLA’s strategic goals by supporting equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice across public library practice, programming, and professional development. During this reporting period, the committee focused on conference programming, listening and engagement opportunities, and resource development. Key efforts include accepted EDISJ-related PLA Conference sessions; planning and facilitation of in-person and virtual EDISJ Listening Sessions at PLA and ALA conferences; development of a living, publicly available EDISJ resource list by state; and ongoing work to curate training resources for library workers. The committee also contributed to PLA programming, including planning the “Managing ICE at Your Library” webinar, which responds directly to current needs in the field.
Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
Yes. The committee sees continued opportunity to align its work with PLA’s strategic goals by strengthening feedback loops between member listening sessions and tangible resources, webinars, and guidance for libraries. The Listening Sessions in particular offer a valuable mechanism for grounding future EDISJ initiatives in lived experiences shared by library workers.
What recommendations do you have for in-coming committee members? Are there particular streams of
work in progress to be carried over into the new committee year? (January–June reporting period only)
Incoming committee members are encouraged to build on existing project work, including maintaining and expanding the EDISJ resources-by-state document, supporting ongoing training and professional learning efforts, and continuing to host Listening Sessions at PLA and ALA events. There is also momentum around EDISJ-focused programming and webinars, including follow-up learning opportunities connected to the ICE-related work.
What specific activities will this committee undertake over the next six months to support that alignment? (July–December reporting period only)
Are there other PLA or ALA committees whose partnership and collaboration would accelerate meeting PLA strategic goals?
The committee has benefited from collaboration with other PLA and ALA groups, including MEAAG and other EDI-focused committees and round tables. Continued cross-committee collaboration would strengthen alignment and reduce duplication of effort across the association.
Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
The committee remains highly engaged and responsive to emerging issues facing public libraries, particularly those related to equity, safety, and access. Members value the opportunity to connect listening, learning, and action in ways that are practical and supportive of library workers nationwide.
Submitted by Oscar Gittemeier and Erica Freudenberger on 02/03/2026