Statement Regarding Bill 28 – Invitation to Sign Open Letter

Announcements

The Alberta Association of Academic Libraries (AAAL) is strongly opposed to the proposed Bill 28 and the changes to Alberta’s Libraries Act. Academic libraries across Alberta support the principles of intellectual freedom, privacy, and equitable access to information. These principles are the foundation for a strong democratic society and a thriving post-secondary system. Bill 28 undermines free speech and expression, local decision-making, and the privacy of Albertans.

Our colleagues in public libraries are trained professionals who develop library collections using established policies, industry standards, and community-informed processes. Libraries in Alberta work because they are locally governed, professionally staffed, and responsive to the people they serve. Centralizing control at the provincial level threatens that balance and risks harming institutions that already function well and are widely trusted. 

We respectfully call on the Government of Alberta to pause further implementation and meaningfully consult with libraries, municipalities, and Albertans before making such significant changes. We believe there is an opportunity for a collaborative approach that addresses concerns about age-appropriate access while respecting parental responsibility and protecting privacy.

The AAAL has drafted a letter to the Premier and Minister of Municipal Affairs regarding the proposed Bill 28. All AAAL members are welcome to sign it before Friday, May 15th: Open Letter to the Government of Alberta

We encourage Albertans to write, call, or email the Premier of Alberta, Minister of Municipal Affairs, and your local MLA to express your concerns.

Learn more about Bill 28: https://www.caplibraries.ca/stand-up-for-albertas-public-libraries

Request for Examples of AAAL Statistics in Action

AAAL Committees

Hello AAAL Members, 

The AAAL Statistics and Assessment Committee is seeking examples of how you (or your institution) have used AAAL statistics to advocate for change within your organization.

We are grateful for your participation and for any examples you would be willing to share.  

Please send your examples to aaal.assess@gmail.com 

Sent on behalf of the AAAL Statistics and Assessment Committee

aaal.assess@gmail.com

AAAL Changes to Welcome NEOS

AAAL Committees, Member News

AAAL is pleased to announce changes to our bylaws that allow us to expand our reach to be a more welcoming and inclusive library organization while enhancing services for our current members.

The new bylaws can be read fully on our website here: https://aaal.ca/about/bylaws/. These changes were prompted by the recommendations from the Welcoming and Including NEOS Members to AAAL: A Recommendation Document.

Key changes in the bylaws include:

  • Special Libraries in Alberta can now be AAAL members (form coming soon)
  • Student associations of library technician and librarian programs in Alberta can now be AAAL members (form coming soon)
  • The creation of communities of practice
  • Increased the maximum number of subcommittee members, which will allow us to expand our current professional development offerings. 

As a result, you will soon see:

  • The creation of an AAAL Community of Practice around resource sharing
  • The creation of an AAAL Working Group for a pilot project of a Micro-residencies program
  • A call for additional members for the AAAL Learning & Development Committee
  • A call for additional members for the AAAL  Mentorship Committee

Please consider volunteering and participating when you see these calls come out. 

AAAL has also already been able to institute the following, instigated by our Welcoming and Including NEOS Members to AAAL: A Recommendation Document:

Thank you to all of the AAAL Executive, AAAL Subcommittee members, AAAL members, NEOS members, directors, and, of course, Anne Carr-Wiggin for their expertise, advice, and efforts in this transition. This is an opportunity for AAAL to serve a larger, more diverse community of library professionals and create a stronger and revitalized professional voice across the province.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Céline Gareau-Brennan, AAAL Chair at celine.gareau-brennan@ualberta.ca

Céline Gareau-Brennan, MLIS MBA BA

AAAL Chair

Canadian Cataloguing Taskforce (CATF)

Member News

Information about CATF may be of interest to AAAL members.

In response to issues pertaining to the sovereignty of Canadian bibliographic metadata, the Canadian Cataloguing Taskforce (CATF) was created in November 2025. There are over 70 active members across Canada who meet virtually on a monthly basis. The taskforce’s mission is to:

  • Account for/understand the true costs of infrastructure devolution.
  • Repatriate/regain control over Canadian metadata and records
  • Rebuild a sustainable, inclusive and independent national catalogue
  • Develop resilient and federated infrastructure which supports multiple vocabularies, descriptive practices and national authority files

Although in the early stages, CATF is building a national community aimed to promote and protect Canadian cultural heritage while reducing dependency on foreign systems and reclaiming Canadian metadata. The taskforce encourages GLAMS organizations and their members from across Canada to join this collaborative effort and contribute to building an inclusive, national catalogue.

If you are interested in joining CATF, please add your information here.

AAAL Spring AGM Meeting Package

Spring Meeting

Hello everyone,

Our Spring AGM is fast approaching and we are pleased to present our AGM package.

AAAL Spring AGM Meeting Package
 

There is still time to register to attend! Registration closes April 15 so register today to save your seat! Voting members: if you are unable to attend, we ask that you still fill out the form so you can name a proxy either from your institution or from another AAAL institution.

Items to note:

  • Please review the documents pertaining to voting matters 
  • Prepare your roundtable update and send a written synopsis to aaal.executive@gmail.com (either before or after the meeting is fine) to include in our meeting minutes
  • Voting members / proxies: please bring along a smart device or laptop to cast your votes (we’ll be using Google forms, QR codes, and URLs)
  • The menu for the event is also included in the package and can be viewed here

Thank you everyone who has already registered! Our Learning and Development committee has done an incredible job organizing a fabulous day for us and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Please reach out either to myself, andrea.johnston@rdpolytech.ca, or the AAAL Executive inbox at aaal.executive@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Wishing you all the best for a wonderful weekend,

Andrea Johnston, AAAL Chair

AAAL Executive Board

aaal.executive@gmail.com