amfc: Re: Status of AMFC

amfc: Re: Status of AMFC

Re: Status of AMFC

Bishoff,Liz (bishoffl@oclc.org)
Tue, 20 Jan 1998 13:13:53 -0500 

Message-Id: <E5353CDF1EBBD011A3B70000F8631241B41584@oa4-server.dev.oclc.org>
From: "Bishoff,Liz" <bishoffl@oclc.org>
To: "'amfc@cni.org'" <amfc@cni.org>
Subject: Re: Status of AMFC
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 13:13:53 -0500


On Sat, 17 Jan 1998, Craig A Summerhill <craig@cni.org> wrote:
> 
> Friends,
> 
> Please excuse this intrusion...
> 
> Since Paul died, I have naturally and unfortunately lost track of a 
> few items that he used to manage.  One of which is the ALA Members 
> for Change.  Can anybody tell me whether you all think this group 
> (note: the caucus, not necessarily this list) is still active?
> 
> I spoke briefly with Sue Martin about this at the Dulles airport on 
> the way home from New Orleans.  She suggested I speak to Peter, but I
> thought I'd just send a quick note to see if there was more widespread
> interest in this question.  If there is a current platform or position
> statement for AMFC, I would be interested in reading it.  Discretely, 
> of course. 
> 
> 
> In case you're wondering, I spoke with some people at a vendor reception
> in New Orleans who were interested (and seemingly motivated) to run for
> Council seats on a common platform.  It occurred to me that many of
> their interests may overlap with AMFC, at least as far as I understood
> the general bent of this group.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any assistance.

As others have noted, many of the original objectives of AMFC have been
achieved.  There have been significant changes in ALA's ability to keep
focused on issues of importance to the Assn.  We've seen small but
steady changes in the way council counducts the assn. business.  This
midwinter there was a group of councils that agreed to move forward on
making more effective use of parliamentary procedure.  

There is a new 'rump' group that is meeting outsie the council caucus
structure.  They see the causus as the establishment, moves at managing
council's time better as a move to undemoncratic ways, so they are
working to get more folks of their persuasion on council.  Will be
interesting.

All that being said, I don't know if we need to try to re-establish
AMFC, out original goals were to get ourselves working within the
organization to make the needed changes.  Weve been successful at that.
How do we keep it going may be the real issue.  Can we work with the
exhibitor folks who are trying to mount a campaign to get more people
elected.  I would hope so.

Liz

[CNI Home Page]