Tag Archives: Government Relations

Summer 2025

Government Relations Committee Annual Report – 2024-25

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REPORT SUMMARY:

This report summarizes the activities of the GRC in 2024 – 2025 and plans for 2025 – 2026.

2024 – 2025 COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

I wish to thank the CALL board for the opportunity to serve as GRC chair this year.  This opportunity has provided me with the opportunity to better understand some of the challenges that libraries and librarians are facing from a policy perspective.  I also wish to thank the other members of the committee, namely past president Sally Holterhoff and Ross Prolic.

The highlight of the year was the webinar on librarian advocacy that GRC co-sponsored with the Continuing Education committee.  Over 80 individuals signed up for the webinar which included a panel made up of Dave McFadden from Southwestern Law School and current AALL Government Relations Committee Chair, Elizabeth Lynch from the Addison Public Library, Amanda McKay of the Effingham Public Library and Laura Long of the Freemont Public Library.  Elizabeth, Amanda and Laura provided unique perspectives on the challenges that public librarians and libraries face in the current political and social climate.  In addition to these perspectives, the attendees were given practical actions they can take to support the public libraries in their home locations.

In addition to the webinar, the committee endeavored to keep the CALL membership informed on state legislation that impact libraries, publishers and authors.

The committee undertook to draft a statement of support for the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  That statement is under review by the board and hopefully will be released sometime in 2025.

PLANS FOR 2025 – 2026

The committee will continue to monitor state and federal legislation affecting libraries, librarians, authors and intellectual freedom.  The committee will also endeavor to hold another webinar in early 2026.  This topic is to be determined and would welcome guidance and suggestions from the board and the Continuing Education committee as to topics that should be covered.

In addition, the committee will work to get Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias to speak at an in-person CALL meeting.

The committee also hopes to publish the statement of support for IMLS in 2025.

Spring 2025

Government Relations Brings Public Libraries to the Fore with CALL Webinar

On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the CALL Government Relations Committee welcomed public librarians from around Illinois and the AALL Government Relations Committee Chair for a virtual panel. The panel focused on challenges public libraries face and the advocacy efforts at state and national levels to counter them. Amanda McKay from the Effingham Public Library, David McFadden from Southwestern Law School, Elizabeth Lynch from Addison Public Library, and Laura Long from Fremont Public Library shared their experiences and discussed concrete ways to advocate for libraries on a local, state, and national level.

Continue reading Government Relations Brings Public Libraries to the Fore with CALL Webinar →

Summer 2018, Government Relations

CALL Government Relations Committee 2017-2018 Annual Report

Members: Sally Holterhoff, Jeff Meyerowitz, Keely Ward

CALL Board Liaison: Todd Ito

The Government Relations Committee held a survey this year to get a better sense of CALL member’s representation and pertinent policy interests to CALL members.  The policies were taken from AALL’s public policy initiatives,

The survey lasted three weeks and yielded 35 responses. Continue reading CALL Government Relations Committee 2017-2018 Annual Report →