The group met 2-3 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 Membership Advisory Group connects members, particularly new members, to PLA as well as provides feedback through the Staff Liaison on member messaging. The group sends out initial welcome emails to new members, offering to answer any questions they might have about the organization. The group also volunteers to work at the ALA booth during conferences to assist in guiding members as requested. The Membership Advisory Group supports PLA’s strategic goals by supporting professional growth and prioritizing and aligning resources to increase membership.
Do you see opportunities to better align committee work with those goals?
The Membership Advisory Group is always seeking ways to continue to ensure that new members feel included and welcomed to PLA. While the group informs new members of opportunities to get involved, training sessions, and other professional development activities, perhaps the group could also find a way to assist new members in being more active in the social aspect of PLA through Connect. The group along with the staff liaison has brainstormed ideas in the past to make this happen but as of yet has not come up with a realistic solution. Assisting new members in feeling socially connected to PLA might assist in retaining members as well as building a platform for library workers to truly feel connected to the field at a national level.
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)
In-coming committee members should be prepared to continue the monthly welcome emails. Some members in the past have found success in connecting with new members by offering up networking through Linked-In. Additionally, there are opportunities for some presence at upcoming conferences outside of ALA Annual if in-coming committee members are available.
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?
ALA’s Membership Committee would be a great partnership for this group.
Is there anything else about your committee experience you’d like to share?
This group is for many members their first, and maybe only, connection to the organization. There could be opportunities for more networking and support with new members, but additional support would be necessary from PLA.
Submitted by Rachel Nowell and Cindy Hohl on 06/05/2023