Rewards of volunteering
Volunteers benefit by:
- Building ties with academic and research librarians around the country,
- enhancing their leadership abilities through consensus building and project management,
- sharing their experience with colleagues,
- developing new expertise or updating knowledge in a current specialization, and
- advancing the work of the association and the profession.
Volunteer requirements
Certain criteria must be met in order to serve on an ACRL committee. Volunteers must:
- be a member of ALA and ACRL for the duration of the appointment,
- be willing and able to participate in the activities of the committee, support its mission or concern, and carry out assignments in a timely manner, and
- submit an electronic appointment acceptance form.
Please limit your selections to a maximum of three committees, not including editorial boards.
Additionally, committee members should be aware of ACRL’s Conflict of Interest Policy, which can be seen in the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures, chapter 15.3.
Appointment Process
Most of these appointments are made in the spring for terms beginning immediately after the ALA Annual Conference.
Division Committees: The Appointments Committee recommends to the president-elect of ACRL the names of members who might be suitable to fill the vacancies. The vice-president/president-elect makes the final appointments for the committees.
Editorial or Publication Advisory Boards: The editors or chairs of editorial or publication advisory boards recommend to the Publications Coordinating Committee individuals to fill vacancies. The Publications Coordinating Committee is responsible for approving appointment recommendations and the vice-president/president-elect extends the appointment offer.
Sections: Section vice-chairs appoint the members of section committees.
Deadline
The online volunteer form must be completed in February. Most terms begin July 1. Check the volunteer page for specific dates.
How do I join?
ACRL members can learn more about volunteering for a committee by visiting the volunteer page on the ACRL website. Non-members must first join the Association of College & Research Libraries.