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ALA HEADQUARTERS LIAISON Who is the ALA Liaison for LIRT? ALA Staff Liaison: Lorelle Swader American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 E-mail: lswader@ala.org Telephone: (860) 347-6933 x4278 (800) 545-2433 fax: 312-440-9374 ALA Staff Liaison's Assistant: Darlena Davis American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 E-mail: ddavis@ala.org Telephone: (860) 347-6933 x4281 (800) 545-2433 fax: 312-440-9374 What the LIRT Liaison MUST Review Grant proposals (Most require approval by other offices or bodies within ALA.) Press releases Questionnaires and survey forms Contracts or negotiations Any financial transactions How to Communicate with the LIRT Liaison The best way to communicate with the LIRT Liaison at ALA is by calling him/her on the telephone. If s/he is not in the office, try contacting the ALA Staff Liaison's assistant. Email is also a viable communication option.. When emailing the LIRT liaison, be sure to include LIRT in the subject line, as well as a succinct description of the content of the message. When you contact the LIRT Liaison at ALA, make very clear what you expect him/her to do and when you need to have it done. Write "ACTION NEEDED BY (DATE)" at the top of the letter or email. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number. Follow up if you have not received a response within the time expected. Reimbursement sometimes takes several weeks. Keep the LIRT Liaison at ALA informed by sending him/her copies of minutes and correspondence. Write "For Information Only" at the top of the first page. What an ALA Liaison Does ALA assigns a professional staff member to each round table. The Liaison's role is to help officers and members of the round table to carry out the work of the round table more effectively. LIRT's ALA Liaison, devotes 5-10% of her time to the round table. This varies in any given week depending upon the time of the year and other priorities of his/her job. Requests sent to the LIRT Liaison may be delegated, as appropriate, to the clerical staff of the HRDR office in which she works. A request may also be referred to another ALA office. What Specific Things the LIRT Liaison Can Do for You Give good advice. Refer you to the appropriate ALA office. Interpret ALA policy. Make conference room requests and arrangements. Oversee the LIRT budget. Process requests for reimbursement and charges billed to LIRT. Negotiate contracts and make any financial arrangements for LIRT. Receive the LIRT ballot and distribute it to the appropriate entity within ALA. Provide membership brochures and other LIRT supplies. Guide requests for approval of surveys, grants, etc. through appropriate ALA channels. Handle press releases. Obtain mailing labels for various groups within ALA. Oversee printing and mailing of the newsletter. Assist the Secretary in preparing materials for ALA archives. The LIRT News is printed by the Central Production Unit at ALA. Return to LIRT Manual Table of Contents

Contact Billie Peterson-Lugo (Billie_Peterson@baylor.edu) about these pages. Last Updated: Content: 26 July 2004 -- Billie Peterson-Lugo; Graphics: 15 April 2001-- Jana Ronan