ACRL College & Researc Libraries News

COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES

Report of the Subcommittee to Study the ALA Dues Structure

NEWS

No. 6, June 1969

ACRE News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries, Vol. 30, No. 3

At the Kansas City Conference the Program Evaluation and Budget Committee was confronted with a budgeting situation that presented an overwhelming problem. The request budgets developed by the Division Boards and ALA Committees, including Advisory Committees to such offices as Intellectual Freedom, and supportive services, exceeded tire estimated funds available by $655,000.

Several factors contributed significantly to this tremendous gap between requests and funds available. Among these were; (1) the balance remaining from the previous year was $160,000 less than the prior year; (2) 27.5 new positions were requested reflecting the growth of day-to-day operations as well as the implementation of new programs; (3) offices such as International Relations which were previously funded by grants were now absorbed into the general funds budget; (4) salary improvement ($108,000) was needed to bring staff salaries into line with the market; (5) division special requests were $64,000 more than the current year’s budget; and (6) operating costs, such as printing, postage, telephone, supplies and Social Security, rose by more than 10 percent.

Not only were all new program items denied, but existing programs, such as Recruiting, Research, International Relations, National Library Week, and division office support, were curtailed drastically.

After PEBCO dealt with the problem of recommending a 1968-1969 budget, it sought methods of providing increased revenue to support necessary programs at adequate levels. After learning that 10,232 Personal members were paying only $6.00 dues per year, PEBCO recommended to the Executive Board “that the ALA dues structure be revised to raise the lowest dues level to $10.00 or more.” The Executive Board in turn referred the recommendation to tire ALA Membership Committee for study.

Both the Executive Board and Council deliberations at the Kansas City Conference indicated that the entire dues schedule should be examined by the Membership Committee in order to keep that schedule in proper balance. To accomplish this purpose the Membership Committee appointed a Subcommittee to Study the ALA Dues Structure.

To insure a wide expression of opinion, five hearings were scheduled at the Midwinter Meeting in Washington, D.C., an open hearing in midweek and four closed sessions. Executive Board members. Association officers. Division presidents and Round Table and ALA Committee Chairmen were invited to speak at the closed sessions. At the open hearing close to 300 persons were in attendance.

For those members who could not attend this meeting or who wished to express themselves at length, invitations to write the subcommittee chairman were published by the ALA Bulletin and the professional press. Some 50 members wrote their considered opinions and recommendations.

The dues schedule was developed after a careful review of the statements made at the hearings and in correspondence and is designed to produce the monies necessary to support the programs and services now in effect as well as new programs and services the membership has indicated, through divisions and other units, it believes necessary. Each level of the dues schedule has been revised upward with a higher percentage upon the upper salary levels. At the other end of the scale, the minimum dues figure reflects the fact that it takes slightly more than $15 to maintain a single membership.

The members of the subcommittee recognize that this is a sharp but essential revision of the dues schedule.

In view of rising costs, ALA must continue to subject all of its programs and operations to the closest scrutiny. Fiscal improvements will no doubt be gained by the self-study of units recommended by tbe Committee on Organization and the Executive Board (Spring 1968 meeting) and the revision of the budgetary process approved by Council at Midwinter in January 1969. Even these measures, however, cannot hold basic costs to the point where creative program development can proceed without such revision of the dues schedule.

The recommended dues schedule was submitted to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee with the hope that if Council accepts the changes, the proper amendments implementing the dues increases could be acted on by Council and the Membership without delay. The Subcommittee recommendations must first be approved by Council. If approved, the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws will then present a revision of the Bylaws to implement the Membership Committee’s recommendations. The recommended dues revision appears in the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws Report.

The Subcommittee recommended that a provision be made in the Bylaws for continuous review of the ALA dues structure at least every five years, or more frequently when needed.

In conclusion, the Committee would like to thank everyone who contributed tbeir time and effort in helping to revise the ALA dues structure.