Nominated!

Hooray! And yet, I have to wonder...did they accept everyone who submitted an application? Even so, I'm excited. Time to work on my "Statement of Professional Concerns." Which sounds like something to be uttered with pursed lips and a furrowed brow: "I am very concerned about..." Can't I write a "Statement of Professional Enthusiasm" instead? What's the best way to persuade someone in under 150 words? Hmm, maybe I should just start asking people what issues they'd like to see council address.

There's still time to submit your name as a candidate, by the way...you can still run as a petition candidate.

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Congratulations! The American Library Association's Nominating Committee has selected you as a candidate for Councilor-at-Large in the 2006 election. You were selected from a pool of many well-qualified potential candidates. Your nomination indicates the high regard in which your peers hold you.

If your plans have changed and you are unable to stand for election in 2006 or if it becomes necessary for you to withdraw as a candidate prior to the election, I would ask that you notify me immediately at iabdullahi[at]nccu.edu

The information that you submitted on the Potential Candidate Biographical Information Form will be used to generate the ballot copy for the election. If you would like to update the form to reflect your current accomplishments or employment, you may do so at any time through January 30, 2006. In order to allow sufficient time for ballot preparation, the database will be locked at the close of business on January 30.

To edit your information, go to https://cs.ala.org/potentialcandidates/login.cfm You will be prompted to enter your email address and password. To get a password, select the "Send me my password" option the first time you use the form. If you have trouble logging in, please contact Jack Briody, ALA Information Technology and Telecommunication Services, at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4394 or jbriody[at]ala.org

Candidates are asked to submit a Statement of Professional Concerns to be included on the ballot. The Statement of Professional Concerns MAY NOT exceed 150 words and must be submitted by January 30, 2006. Please submit the Statement electronically in the space provided on the Candidate Biographical Information Form, using the instructions above to log in.

At the 1992 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco, Council charged the Nominating Committee with the task of monitoring the length of Statements of Professional Concerns. Please stay within the 150-word limit for this statement to avoid the necessity of editing.

Preliminary information on the ALA candidates will appear in the December 2005 issue of American Libraries. Election polls will open and the paper ballot mailing to members will begin on March 15, 2006. Polls will close on April 21, 2006. Certification of election results by the ALA Election Committee will take place on May 1, 2006. All candidates, elected or not, will be notified on May 1, 2006.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the information needed for the ballot or the election process.

Thank you for your willingness to assume a leadership role in ALA. Best wishes in the election!

Ismail Abdullahi, Chair
Associate Professor
North Carolina Central University
School of Library & Information Sciences
1801 Fayetteville St.
P O Box 19589
Durham, NC 27707-3129
Tel: (919) 530-5213
Fax: (919) 530-6002
Email: iabdullahi[at]nccu.edu