Town Hall Meetings: In Search of Common Ground

“This could become a habit, a great one!” so says one of the more than 100 participants in last week’s town hall sessions sponsored by IPLA. “What energy!”

Indeed, several of the eleven sites reporting from around the state agreed that organizing a series of regular IPLA town hall meetings should be a top 2010 priority.

Last week, ten groups linked via an audio-visual network – and one new Skype group – conducted structured discussions around the IPLA plan draft posted on Sept 4. The final plan draft will be presented to IPLA members at their October annual meeting in Ft. Wayne.

At the end of the discussions, all groups reported key themes and points of consensus around three basic questions concerning: guiding principles, priorities for the coming year, and leadership.

“Our immediate quest is finding common ground on which to build a strong, relevant, and representative public library association,” says Ginny Nilles, IPLA Planning Chair and President-elect. 

The groups appeared to be doing just that – zeroing in a few areas in a way which will greatly inform the priorities of a newly expanded IPLA Board when it is officially elected later this year.

A copy of the town hall agenda and a synthesis of that feedback are posted for your review.

Town Hall Evaluations

Don’t forget! All town hall participants have been asked to complete an online evaluation this week.

In addition to feedback on sites and logistics, participants have been asked to share what they saw as the most significant common ground among all eleven groups – AND to suggest issues for 2010 town hall discussions.

Those results will also be reported on this website by early next week.

Developing An IPLA Town Hall Tradition

Public libraries are about community.

The new IPLA Mission elevates the importance of “aligning the public library community to act on matters of common interest.”  The new Vision Statement directly correlates the vitality of public library systems with the vitality of the communities they serve.

But what does that really mean for IPLA?

IPLA initiated the idea of town hall meetings last March in the midst of a tumultuous and confusing legislative session. The feedback was overwhelming – and an idea was born.

Again in June and July, IPLA invited public library advocates to participate in local meetings – each with the goal of providing direction to IPLA planning.

When asked, “Why do we need an IPLA?” those groups consistently reported two things: the building of unity and trust within the public library community around purposeful work with statewide impact – AND – the need for a proactive grassroots system which champions local input into a statewide advocacy agenda which cannot be effective without local community action.

Start local. End local. Create a map for building a statewide public library community with statewide impact.

Second IPLA Plan Draft Is Now Posted

During June and July, IPLA leaders asked for statewide participation in an IPLA strategic planning process. (See August 6^th post below.)  The second plan draft, incorporating feedback received throughout August, is ready for your review . It will be the subject of discussions at town hall meetings on September 15.

September 4, 2009  Plan *Update* This plan was voted on and approved unanimously at the October 2009 meeting of ILF & IPLA at the ILF Conference.