About The Library Association

View the Seanad Elections Nomination Procedure.

Agreed by the Council of the Library Association of Ireland at its meeting on 23rd January 2025.

Download the Action Plan 2013-2016.

Adopted by the Executive Council 14 February 2013

The Code provides a framework of values for LAI members and defines the values of librarianship as professionalism, impartiality and integrity. The Code was developed by the Professional Standards Committee.

Download the Code of Professional Practice.

Task forces should be established in response to a perceived need, for example the need to revitalise the association’s website, or to update the association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, or to respond to employment issues, or to advise on issues of professional interest.

Task forces may arise from:

A request from a section, group, committee or panel of the association
A response to an AGM motion
An initiative of the Executive Board
A request from government or other agency.

Task forces should be:

timely
focussed
goal-oriented
operate to agreed parameters
report to the Executive Board

Task forces must be ratified by the Executive Board.

They must agree terms of reference and schedules which must be approved by the Executive Board.

The Executive Board will appoint a chair to the task force. The chair will normally be a member of the Executive Board.

Task forces must report on an ongoing basis to the Executive Board.

The minutes and documentation (electronic or hardcopy) relating to the work of the task force are the property of the association; minutes should be transferred to the Hon. Secretary of the association on sign-off by the task force chair and other documentation must be transferred on completion of the task force’s term.

On completion of the work, the task force should present a written report which may include the following:

An introduction outlining the raison d’être of the task force, terms of reference, members, chair, number of meetings etc.
An executive summary of the work and a list of the main recommendations, together with a schedule for implementation of these, as appropriate.
Section dealing with the work of the task force, interviews, case studies.
Elaboration of recommendations.
Bibliography as appropriate.
Acknowledgements.

The Executive Board, on receipt and acceptance of the report will decide on further action. This could include retention of the report as an internal working document and/or taking the report to the AGM of the association for consideration and approval, as appropriate, and/or publication of the document on the website or otherwise, as appropriate.

Guidelines

Task forces will produce different kinds of reports, depending on their focus. Some will be action driven, whilst others will be more theoretical. Some will be more time-specific than others. However, it is essential that the work which they produce is timely and relevant. For these reasons, it is advised that task forces should be relatively small, should operate on a short time line, should be task-specific and should report in a succinct and timely fashion. In general, task forces should be appointed and should report within the term of office of the Executive Board which appointed them. Exceptionally, a second term, or part thereof, may be required and this should be flagged to the Executive Board in advance of the association’s AGM.

Task forces may

co-opt additional members as needs arise;
or seek external advice or expertise, depending on the circumstances;
or propose interim recommendations or pilot studies.

However, if there are resourcing implications, financial or otherwise, Executive Board sanction will be required. It is a given that task forces should adhere to the principles of best practice, should be compliant with the Data Protection Acts and should operate in a manner which will reflect high standards of professional ethics.

Prepared by Siobhán Fitzpatrick, reviewed and adopted by the Executive Board, 17 June 2010 Issued: 24 June 2010

To review findings of the Report of Working Group on Information Literacy
To prioritise its recommendations
To progress those recommendations that appear easily achievable
To propose an action plan for other recommendations
To identify resource requirements for future work

Adopted by the Executive Board 7 April 2010

1. To review the current Memorandum and Articles of Association in terms of: The role, functions and procedures of the Association, including reviewing the following –

Membership (incl. categories)
Accreditation and education
Finance
Activities
Structure (panels, committees and task forces)
Officerships
Formalisation of FLAI and ALAI
Relationship to fraternal and to sister organizations.

2. To seek expert advice, which may include legal advice, as may be required.

3. To compile a report with suggested amendments/additions/deletions as may be deemed necessary and to present this to an AGM/EGM for ratification.

Adopted by the Executive Board 10 September 2009

The Task Force on the Website comprises members of the LAI Executive Board and reports directly to the LAI Executive Board.

Goals

To review existing LAI website and make long term and short term recommendations for the ongoing management and development of the site.
Consult with LAI members and other relevant stakeholders on the future development and use of the website.

Objectives

The Task Force will:

Ensure that the web site is maintained and that content can be added in an orderly and reliable manner.
Ensure current guidelines for the creation of content for the web site are disseminated to and understood by LAI EB and the Sections and Groups.
Identify a core group of people who can be called on to add/modify content at short notice.
Audit current website content for accuracy and relevancy and make necessary changes.
Develop a questionnaire for LAI members and relevant stakeholders to inform future website development.
Examine the websites of similar professional associations, focussing in particular on member sections and facilities.
Examine the possibility of using the website as an archive of LAI Section and Groups documentation
Examine the possibility of hosting An Leabharlann, should an electronic version become available
Examinethe possibility of getting sponsorship to cover the costs of hosting the website
Assess the feasibility of developing new functions for the web site, in particular a directory of members and a members section. All proposed solutions should include an estimate of potential costs to the association.

Adopted by the Executive Board 26 November 2009

Produce a short working document outlining what Library Ireland Week is about and identifying clear strategic goals to be reached by running the week in 2011
Provide guidelines to libraries on participation in LIW
Analyse activities of previous years to provide templates for successful activities, events, etc.
Determine how to use different types of media to market the week and raise awareness
Identify possible sponsors
Identify possible champions

Adopted by the Executive Board 17 June 2010

The establishment of a Framework document for the work of the Executive Board
The production of a Business Development Plan for the Executive Board of the Library Association of Ireland, covering the period 2011 – 2015, applying standard management methods and reporting before the end of 2010.

Adopted by the Executive Board 17 June 2010

The objective of the Communications Committee [CC hereafter] is to produce overarching policy that will offer a framework for the internal and external communications of the Library Association of Ireland.
Up to 7 members who are personal members of the LAI will form the Core Committee. Members should be drawn from all sectors where library and information professionals are employed. The Convenor will be nominated by the Executive Board,
At least 5 meetings during 2011-2012 will be held. E-work will be applied as much as possible for cost effective achievement.
In 2011-2012 the following areas are proposed as a focus for the Taskforce:

Examine best practice for application as relevant
Within the LAI
list all communications activities
source or produce if not available a map of internal communications paths [to assist groups and sections and individuals]
audit existing practice in written communications by
collecting or documenting where it is not available the objectives and procedures of existing EB based publications [1] journal [2] e-newsletter [c] Annual Report [d] annual accounts [e] occasional standalone publications
listing the extent and nature of publications of groups and sections and other committees of the LAI
source or produce if not available a guide for liaison with the media and develop a media list including but not limited to:

all national and EU politicians,
all Irish government departments, and related agencies e.g. HEA, HSE etc.,
relevant correspondents/ editors in all National and nationally distributed newspapers,
relevant presenters / producers of all TV current awareness / education/ business/ heritage programmes
editors of all regional newspapers,
newsrooms of all regional radio stations
NGOs that are potential allies, e.g. select trade unions, professional bodies, think tanks, interest groups
all library institutions on the island [a] members, [b] non members
international Library related institutions with which LAI should or already does liaise
determine a priority action plan in association with the EB
submit a draft policy document before the end of 2012

A priority is to communicate its work to all members of the LAI and to seek feedback on an ongoing basis in an appropriate way. Minutes of all meetings will be circulated to the CC members and to the Hon Sec of the Executive Board. Summary reports of the activities will be made available to LAI members on the LAI Website.

The Professional Standards Committee will be responsible for the various forms of accreditation offered by the LAI. This implies periodic reviews of:

the Associateship and Fellowship of the Association (including the modes of gaining Fellowship) and

the UCD School of Information and Librarianship diploma and degree curricula.

The Committee will manage the award of the Association’s Associateship and Fellowship to candidates who have met the requirements and the appropriate standards set by the Association.

The Committee will ensure that appropriate assessment boards and guidelines are in place for Associateship and Fellowship awards and will review the composition of said boards periodically.

1.2 The Committee will recognise CILIP-accredited courses and degrees and maintain up-to-date information relating to these on the website.

1.3 The Committee will liaise with appropriate bodies in Ireland with responsibility for the assessment and award of qualifications.

1.4 The Committee will liaise with analogous bodies internationally with a view to formalising mutual recognition of professional accreditation.

2.0 The Committee will review and articulate core competencies for professional librarians and information scientists.

3.0 The Association’s Code of Ethics will be reviewed for currency and re-posted on the website.

4.0 The Committee will review the regulatory framework in which various types of library operate and provide a checklist and information on the relevant statutory regulations and the legislative structures pertaining to libraries via the website.

5.0 Basic guidelines for new entrants to the field will be updated and placed on the website.

6.0 Building on the core competencies (2.0) and the articulation of professional standards, the Committee will endeavour to provide sufficient groundwork for the Association to advocate for the diverse and dynamic skill sets which professional library and information professionals can offer employers.

This will enable the compilation of demonstrator pieces etc. which, being more process-oriented, should form part of the remit of the Education Committee: CPD.

7.0 The Committee will articulate requirements for training of volunteers and interns, guidelines for review of their training and experience and provide a check-list of expected training outcomes for interns and volunteers.

Accepted by the Executive Board, 1 December 2011

The Taskforce will consist of no more than 6 members who are personal members of the LAI.
The members of the Taskforce should be drawn from a wide range of librarians working in the area of child literacy promotion and development.
The Taskforce shall be convened by a Chairperson who will be nominated by the Executive Board, Emer O’Brien.
The Taskforce shall hold at least 4 meetings during 2011-2012.
Minutes of all meetings will be circulated to the members of the Taskforce and to the Executive Board. Summary reports of the activities of the Taskforce will be made available to LAI members on the LAI Website.
In 2011-2012 the following areas are proposed as a focus for the Taskforce:

To create a clear picture of the family, children and school library services being provided by public library services across the country.
To extract a common list of services available in all area.
To assess the relationship between schools and/or their internal and external library services.
To examine how best to work with the teaching training colleges, the National Teacher Training Council and the regional teacher education training centres.
To assess the relationship between early childcare providers and committees and the public library service in Ireland.
To develop a line of dialogue with the Department of Education and Skill’s teacher inspector section, to explore how collaboration between schools and the public library service in Ireland can be standardised and formalised to deliver on the details of the objectives on pages 23-25 of the Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life report, 2011.

Accepted by the Executive Board 1 December 2011