The Music Library Association invites members to offer comments, suggestions or questions about the guidelines from now until end of day, November 30, 2017 by posting comments to this blog post.
All responses will be taken into consideration as the Board votes to update this important policy.
Our Values
The Music Library Association (MLA) stands with other library organizations in its opposition to any persons or groups who espouse racism, hatred, bigotry, and violence of any kind. The MLA is committed to developing and maintaining communities of practice that are inclusive, diverse, equitable, and that encourage the free exchange of ideas and information.[1] The MLA (including its chapters) holds professional meetings to provide its membership with an opportunity to engage, continue to learn, build professional networks, and discover new and interesting developments in music librarianship and beyond.
Code of Conduct
The MLA is committed to providing all participants – national and chapter members, other attendees, speakers, exhibitors, staff, and volunteers – an inclusive and welcoming conference or event experience that is free from all forms of harassment. Activities that may constitute harassment include, but are not limited to, offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, or other group identity; as well as actions such as, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Discussion or critical examination of viewpoints, as well as the use of sexual imagery or language, may not, by itself, and in the context of professional discourse, constitute harassing or hostile behavior.
The MLA does not tolerate harassment of MLA community members in any form. All participants at MLA events are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any concerns, please contact a member of the MLA staff, Board, or a designated volunteer immediately. All reports and conversations will be handled in confidence. Conference staff will assist participants in contacting hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment.
Participants at the MLA conference or any other MLA-sponsored event who are asked to stop the harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Participants who violate this Code of Conduct may be warned, expelled from the event, or have their membership suspended.
[1] https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/
Codes of conduct from the American Library Association and Digital Library Federation, in particular were used as a model for this document. The MLA Board would like to thank the Planning Committee for work on this document.