Committee on Committees | The American Library Association Archives

The ALA Committee on Committees was established in 1921 at the suggestion of President Alice S. Tyler (ALA President, 1920-21) (1).  The Committee, in conference with the ALA president, made recommendations to the Executive Board regarding the creation of discontinuance of committees according to the needs and requirements of the Association (2).  In 1940, the evaluation of ALA Boards was added to the committee's responsibilities and consequently, it was renamed the Committee on Boards and Committees (3).  On June 21, 1956, the Committee on Boards and Committees was discontinued and, by action of the ALA Council, was replaced by the Committee on Organization (4).  This new committee not only made recommendations relating to the establishment or discontinuance of committees but also ALA divisions and round tables (5).

In 1972, an ALA Council Committee on Committees was created to make appointments to Council committees and to nominate candidates for the Executive Board (6).  However despite its name, this committee is not related to the original Committee on Committees or its successors.

1.  ALA Bulletin, Vol. 15, 1921, p. 6.

2.  ALA Handbook, 1921, Section XII.

3.  ALA Bulletin, Vol. 37 (7), August, 1940, p. 25.

4.  ALA Bulletin, Vol. 50, 1956, p. 713, 719.

5.  ALA Bylaws, 1957, Article IX, Section 2(a), 2(b), 4 and 5.  See also, ALA Handbook 1992-93, Bylaws, Article VIII, Section 2(b).

6.  ALA Council Committee on Committees Workbook, 1976, p. 1-3.  See also ALA Handbook 1992-93, Bylaws, Article III, Section 6(a), 6(b), 6©; and Article VIII, Section 2.