American Library Association members are absorbing distressing news about the organization’s fiscal well-being.
Catching up with PW's Andrew Albanese
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Opening on Wednesday, February 26, in Nashville, the Public Library Association opens its 2020 conference as a forum for public library staff from around the country to be immersed in discussions about “innovative work and ideas that address the core challenges facing public libraries and their communities today.” A division of the American Library Association, PLA members meet every other year, and the Nashville show is the first time is set in the Southeast for the first time in 20 years.
As they head to Nashville, PLA and ALA members are absorbing distressing news about the organization’s fiscal well-being.
“At the ALA Midwinter Meeting in January, ALA Council members learned that the association is facing a serious shortfall in the its operating budget for this fiscal year,” reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.
“ALA now says that the greatest impact of the unplanned deficits are going to hit in this fiscal year, due to a liquidity issue.”
According to Albanese, division leaders and ALA members say they were not consulted properly or made aware of how dire the situation is. Nevertheless, he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally, “ALA’s endowment and net assets continue to be strong. ALA says there are no plans or no need to tap into those assets to solve the short-term cash needs.”
In a statement, says Albanese, ALA noted that the library workforce in the United States contracted significantly in the aftermath of the 2008 recession and is not likely ever to rebound to the size or staffing pattern it was prior to 2008.
“That’s a remarkable admission, although, it was certainly not a secret to anyone in the library profession,” Albanese says.
Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.
