CALL Government Relations Committee 2019-2020 Annual Report

The Government Relations Committee was Eugene Giudice, Sally Holterhoff, Sarah Reis, and Sarah Walangitan (chair). The Board Liaison was Joe Mitzenmacher. The GRC met via conference call on 9/6/2019. The Chair met with the Board on 1/13/2020.

Committee Charge

Government Relations Committee keeps apprised of library-related government activity and provides information to the CALL community. In particular, stays informed of the work of the AALL Government Relations Committee and the Washington Affairs Office.

Committee Accomplishments

  • Alongside the Mentorship & Leadership Development and Continuing Education committees, helped to plan and promote a CALL event at the Seventh Circuit History Museum.
  • Sent a Letter to the Editor of the Chicago Tribune in response to an editorial about net neutrality. The letter was drafted with input from the AALL GRC and submitted by Joe Mitzenmacher, CALL Past President.
  • Informed CALL members about progress on IL HB-4210, a bill that expands access to coroner records by reducing the fees to obtain them.
  • Sponsored Eugene Giudice’s attendance at the Illinois Library Association’s Legislative Meet-Up on 3/6/2020. Eugene submitted a report to the Board on the event and made recommendations for future CALL involvement in advocacy efforts in the wider Illinois library community. (Cost of attendance: $45)

Began a project to update CALL’s 2012 publication Finding Illinois Law: A Librarian’s Guide for Non-Lawyers. Coordinated with the Mentorship & Leadership Development Committee to find new chapter authors and editors. Discussed a new web presence with the Public Relations Committee. The project will be continued into the new CALL year