GLA

__**Brief History and Purpose Statement**__
No history found but archived folders can be located from as far back as 1941.

GLA provides educational, leadership, and professional development opportunities for more than 800 librarians, trustees, paraprofessionals, and friends representing school, public, academic and special libraries. GLA is dedicated to developing and understanding the place libraries should take in advancing the educational, cultural, and economic life of the state, promoting the expansion and improvement of library service, and fostering activities towards these ends.

__**Basic Guidelines/Policies **__
I could not find any information on their website regarding their guidelines or policies.

__**Legislative Agenda**__
It is not clear whether GLA has a proactive agenda, and its Action E-list and Alert Feeds seem to serve as only reactive tools to use in order to stay abreast of legislative news, rather than proactive. One can stay informed via an ‘Action E-list’ which sends out alerts when there is a need to rally around a particular legislative bill.

In its ‘Policy Tools’ section, there are links for a State Legislative Directory, an Election Guide, State Legislature Basics, State Officials/Agencies, etc.

When I click on the Issues and Legislation I am taken to another page which has more links where one can learn about the Whistleblower Protection Act, the project to Fund LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) at $300 million dollars.

__**Membership Requirements and Contact Information **__
You can sign up for membership by using either the online form or by printing the membership form and mailing it in with your dues check. Membership dues ranges from $12 for students to $150 for corporations. Membership dues for teachers is $35.

GLA has posted on their website several different ways they can be contacted.

Mail: Georgia Library Association P.O. Box 793 Rex, Georgia 30273 Phone: 678/466-4334

GLA may also be contacted via email, facebook, news blog, and listserv.

__**Conference Schedule**__
Georgia COMO (Council of Media Organizations) Annual Conference October 5-7, 2011 - Athens

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The first thing that you see on the home page is a ‘Georgia Library Spotlight’ of the Monroe F. Swilley Jr. Library, on Mercer University’s Campus. There is a nice write-up of the library, plus a photo. Over to the right is a link ‘Take Action for Libraries.’ It is nice that they have the feature where you can enter your zip code and immediately get a list of your state representatives.

Over to the left, there is a link to their listserv ‘GLA-L, as well as a link for the Library Associations in GA. It is interesting to note how many specialized library associations are in existence. A link to the GLA Committees is where one can learn of the areas in which he/she may want to serve and/or be a part of.

There is a GLA Interest Group and Council, a list of Interest Groups, such as Library Services for Persons with Disabilities, Distance Education, Intellectual Freedom, etc.

GLA does make it easy to join through Paypal and with their online form.