APALA receives many requests to make statements, and these are parameters which guide what a statement should entail and when a statement should be issued. This also includes things like scope, who can request a statement be created, and how that request process works.
Approved by APALA Executive Board on Monday, April 4, 2022.
Deciding to issue statements: recommendations
- When:
- In response to a specific event, statement made, policy decision issued, etc., that involves or directly impacts the AAPI community
- In response to a specific APALA action or statement
- When there is a call to action, at the APALA’s Executive Board (EB) decision
- Who:
- By official APALA EB action/decision
- If others want to recommend, should go through APALA EB
- APALA EB should have a sense of which audience(s) are being addressed for any given statement. Aside from speaking to APALA’s membership, other audience(s) may differ depending on the specific statement.
- How:
- By APALA EB directive issued to Statement & Advocacy Task Force (TF) Chair
- Directive should include:
- Description or reference to specific event/statement response/recent decision, etc.
- Due date/turn-around time: minimum two weeks
- Directive should include, otherwise TF will develop (if the EB would like TF to develop any elements below, TF will need more time and possibly more resources):
- Official APALA position (e.g. we support; we do not condone)
- Official APALA call to action (e.g. we call on members to support xyz; we call on all people of the world to xyz)
- Call to action: should include resources (Go Fund Me, links to other organizations, etc.)
Developing statements: best practices
- Clarification and considerations:
- EB should consider how the issue at hand ties to the library field and larger library professional community.
- Example: issuing a statement on Afghanistan refugees or Afghan crisis: what is the tie to the library field and what issues do the EB want emphasized?
- EB should consider APALA’s current relationship to other organizations that may be referenced
- Example: if issuing a call to action to support another organization or group, this should not be researched or determined by the TF; this should already be known and understood by the EB
- EB should provide guidelines on how to submit resources and whether an official statement is the appropriate vehicle. In general, the TF does not recommend calls for submissions with specific instructions on how to submit in a statement.
- Example: a call for resources on race and social justice, should have been developed by EB or another working group.
- EB should consider how the issue at hand ties to the library field and larger library professional community.
- TF could attend the first board meeting of a new administration to present and discuss the context and limitations of issuing statements.
Statement outlines: guidelines
- Should include a context statement (i.e. explanation of recent event that’s being responded to)
- Should include factual statements of the specific event and free of bias language
- May include references to authoritative sources. It is the joint responsibility of EB and TF to build out a criteria of authoritative sources.
- Should include official position of APALA
- May include specific references of support to specific organizations, partners, allies or actions by others (e.g. individuals or government officials, government or other organization actions)
- May include call to action
- More effective to use as a call to support or take specific action (e.g. volunteer at a local shelter; contact your representative, etc.)
- Less effective to use as a call to contribute to resources (e.g. add to a resource page; take a survey)
- APALA as entity/community; clarity on partnerships
- Should include contact information (i.e. spokesperson or EB contact info)
- Should end with APALA’s “about” information