Dear MLA,
As you may have noticed, the board and newsletter editor decided (a few years ago) to have a regular feature devoted to reporting out from the board of directors and officers. Last issue you heard from Casey Mulllin, our Fiscal Officer (Member-at-Large). This issue, I’m pleased to report on my first quarter as MLA President. Firstly, I will say that it’s an immense honor to serve in this role and with such a dedicated and talented board. The president and board work very much as a team.
Thanks to Susannah Cleveland’s excellent leadership, MLA weathered an extraordinarily difficult year (2020) and our organization came through in good health and stability (no small accomplishment). I’ve been fortunate to learn from Susannah as she makes the transition to Past President. MLA benefits from a structure wherein a new President-Elect / Vice President has a full year to learn the ropes, and then a full year with a Past President / Vice President to advise them (this ensures smooth transition and support). So, a four-year term for President consists of one year as President-Elect, two years as President, and one year as Past President. The Vice and Past Presidents also serve as liaison to regional chapters.
We all enjoyed a hugely successful MLA/TLA conference in the Zoom-and Remo-sphere. I know we all eagerly anticipate meeting in-person in Salt Lake City, while we appreciate the tremendous job done by the program team, convention managers, and the technical help team for the fully virtual 2021 meeting. Bravo and job well done under challenging circumstances. I know we will strive toward more such partnerships with our closely-allied associations on a regular basis. In fact, TLA and MLA have just agreed to team up again for another MLA/TLA conference in 2023 (St. Louis).
During the spring, I’ve worked on the many appointments that are in progress and listservs and rosters should be updated by the end of summer. A few highlights from this process (new developments):
– A Committee Recruitment Task Force has been assembled, and will be led by Erin Conor, to produce recommendations in 2022 for greater transparency, organization, and inclusivity in our committee structure and practices. Members include Jessica Abbazio, Carolyn Dow, Mary Huismann, Mallory Sajewski, Kristin Wolski, and Zachary Tumlin.
– A MLA 2022 Annual Meeting Task Force has also been formed to analyze the feasibility of hybrid virtual/in person modality for our Salt Lake City conference. We will share news following their recommendations later this summer. This task force is led by the program chair and convention manager, and comprises the convention managers, MLA business office and MOUG representatives, administrative officers, web managers, and assistant planning and reports officer.
– The board voted recently to create a combined conference travel awards committee (handling the Freeman award and the new Paraprofessional / Public Librarians award) and also recently combined the Carol June Bradley and Walter Gerboth committees into one research awards committee (Epstein remains a separate committee).
Advocacy work is another area of focus this spring:
– The board authored a letter sent to Dartmouth’s provost and president, in support of the music department’s proposed alternative to the closure of Paddock Music Library (this was published in newsletter 209).
– The board authored a statement opposing anti-Asian violence and supporting AAPI colleagues and community (see banner on website).
– The board authored a statement (for the newsletter) about the situation at St. Olaf College (concerning Ellen Ogihara’s resignation), urging MLA members to look inward and reflect upon how we can take action to support anti-racism and be better allies. We will be ready to take action as supportive allies to a new hire (by enabling mentoring and partnerships).
Strategic planning is underway, for 2022-2030. Holling Smith-Borne and the strategic planning task force met with the board’s planning committee, president, and past president to set a path forward for drafting and implementation. We are looking forward to working with DeEtta Jones & Associates in the coming months. Watch for save-the-date announcements soon for town halls during the summer, focused on shared values brainstorming.
I attended the CAML fiftieth anniversary conference and congratulated them on behalf of MLA and our board (their tribute video featured IAML and MUSCAN salutations, as well). Look for IAML North American regional sessions in late July during IAML’s annual meeting. MLA board is working with the CAML board to organize a session featuring a Canadian-Mexican scholar-librarian, and a followup post-COVID workshop, co-led by Mallory Sajewski (we hosted one last summer, so this allows us a “before/after” perspective as we all plan to reopen physical spaces and greet patrons).
In closing, I wish you all a happy 90th anniversary of MLA — we will celebrate belatedly in Salt Lake City and in the virtual sphere! If you have questions about fuller background to any points in this article or questions for the board, do feel free to get in touch with us: https://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/page/Board.
Watch this space for columns featuring rotating board members.
Sincerely,
Liza Vick, President
Music Library Association