Committee on Minority Concerns | The American Library Association Archives

The Committee on Minority Concerns was established in 1981 at the American Library Association Annual Conference at San Francisco (1).  The functions of the committee were defined:

1.  to provide a mechanism that represents the interests and concerns of ethnic minority librarians;

2.  to act as a liaison between the ALA administration, the ALA affiliated ethnic minority associations and the nonaffiliated minority caucuses;

3.  to provide Council and Membership with reports and information needed for the establishment of policies and actions related to the interests and concerns of ethnic minority librarians;

4.  to establish contacts with nonlibrary organizations whose purposes and activities are designed to serve the needs of ethnic minority groups (2).

In 1982, the size of the committee was determined at the Midwinter Meeting; there were eleven members, with no limitations placed upon the Committee on Committees in making appointments (3).

The Committee on Minority Concerns is a standing Council committee; its liaison group is the OLOS (Office of Library Outreach Services) (4).

    1.  ALA Council, Minutes, Annual Conference, June 28-July 1, 1981, p. 94.

    2.  ALA Council, Minutes, Annual Conference, June 28-July 1, 1981, p. 194.

    3.  ALA Council, Minutes, Midwinter Meeting, Jan. 24-Jan. 27, 1982, p. 16.

    4.  Bowker Annual of Library and Book Trade Information, 27th ed., 1982, p. 122.