Are you an education librarian at a research institution who is interested in sharing ideas and discussing issues with your colleagues? If so, please sign this petition to create an Education Research Libraries Discussion Group within EBSS!

The Education Research Libraries Forum has met informally for a number of years and is a valued part of the ALA Conference. This year, however, the EBSS Executive Committee has authorized the establishment of official Discussion Groups under the auspices of EBSS. Let's establish the Education Research Libraries Forum as the first official EBSS Discussion Group!

Why? The unofficial nature of the Forum has caused it to be occasionally overlooked when EBSS is planning its conference events. Let's take this first step to ensure the Forum has the official structure needed to keep it going!

Here are the rules governing EBSS discussion groups from the governance procedures:

Discussion Groups.

a. Establishment. Any group of ten or more members interested in discussing common concerns that fall within the objectives of the Section may form a discussion group upon written petition to and approval by the Executive Committee.

b. Members. Membership in a discussion group shall be open to all members of the Section.

c. Officers. When a discussion group is formed, the group chair shall be appointed by the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect of the Section. In succeeding years each group shall elect a chair and other officers as appropriate. The group chair must report to the Executive Committee and the Section membership at the Advisory Council meeting and/or at the membership meeting.

If established, the Education Research Libraries Discussion Group will collaborate with EBSS's new "general" Education Committee and the EBSS Executive Committee to continue to offer relevant programs at ALA Conferences.

For comments and questions, please contact Christina Cicchetti, the convener of this year's Forum, at christina.cicchetti@ucr.edu.