Deciphering ALA: A Guide to Common ALA Acronyms
At some point, we have all been confused by one acronym or another. Like it or not, the LIS profession is full of them. This list has been broken down by local organizations, common acronyms, and acronyms for divisions of the American Library Association (ALA).
Rhode Island & New England Organizations
| CLA | Connecticut Library Association |
|---|---|
| HELIN | Higher Education Library Information Network This is the library consortium for RI and a few MA University libraries |
| MBLC | Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners This is the MA State Library Office |
| MLA | Massachusetts Library Association or Maine Library Association |
| NELA | New England Library Association |
| NHLA | New Hampshire Library Association |
| OLIS | Office of Library and Information Services This is the RI State Library Office |
| OSL | Ocean State Libraries (formerly CLAN-Cooperative Libraries Automated Network) This is the RI Library consortium |
| RIEMA | Rhode Island Educational Media Association RIEMA is the association dedicated to RI’s school librarians |
| RILA | Rhode Island Library Association RILA is open to all librarians who live and/or work in the state of RI |
| SLA | Special Library Association The RI Chapter is often referred to as SLA/RI. This organization caters to any librarians not working in public or school libraries. This association is also wonderful for anyone working in technical services in any type of library. |
| RARI | Reading Across Rhode Island RARI is an annual One State/One Book reading program founded locally by a group of librarians, teachers, and booksellers. |
| VLA | Vermont Library Association |
Common Professional Acronyms
Here is a beginner list of the acronyms most commonly heard in the classroom.
| AACR | Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules This is the key cataloging code of rules. This will be essential to know if you are to pass LSC 505. |
|---|---|
| AASL | American Association of School Librarians |
| ACRL | Association of College & Research Libraries |
| AILA | American Indian Library Association |
| AL | American Libraries (major trade periodical of the profession) |
| ALA | American Library Association |
| ALISE | Association for Library & Information Science Education |
| COA | Committee on Accreditation |
| COD | Committee on Diversity |
| DCMA | Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 |
| FTRF | Freedom to Read Foundation |
| GODORT | Government Documents Round Table |
| IFLA | International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions |
| IFRT | Intellectual Freedom Round Table |
| ILL | Inter-Library Loan or Inter-Library Lending |
| ISBN | International Standard Book Number An ISBN is like a fingerprint for a book. Each edition of a book has its own ISBN (i.e. the paperback will have a different ISBN from the hardcover) |
| ISSN | International Standard Serial Number |
| LC | Library of Congress |
| MARC | Machine Readable Cataloging MARC is the format most U.S. libraries use to format their catalog entries. |
| OCLC | Online Computer Library Center OCLC is one of the world’s largest library catalogs. Worldcat is part of this network |
| OIF | Office for Intellectual Freedom |
| OPAC | Online Patron Access Catalog The OPAC is how you access the catalog of your local library. URI is part of the HELIN network and RI is part of the Ocean State Libraries network. |
| RDA | Resource Description and Access |
| REFORMA | National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking |
| RFID | Radio Frequency Identification Technology |
| RFP | Request for Proposal |
| RUSA | Reference and User Services Association |
| SLM | School Library Media Specialist School Librarians began using the term SLM to denote the importance they play in the technological expertise and access of their schools. Interestingly, at the 2010 ALA Midwinter meeting in Boston, school librarians voted to go back to using the term school librarian because the connotation was better received by the masses. As all changes take time, it is best to know SLM and its affiliation with school librarians. |
| WorldCat | WorldCat is the world’s largest network of library content and services |
| XML | Extensible Markup Language Be prepared to hear this in 508. XML is part of where the "I" in your MLIS degree comes from. |
| YA | Young Adult |
ALA Divisions
This is a list of ALA divisions commonly referred to in classes and general discussions about the field. This is not a comprehensive list. A full list can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/acronyms/index.cfm
| ALA-APA | American Library Association-Allied Professional Association |
|---|---|
| ALCTS | Association for Library Collections & Technical Services |
| ALSC | Association for Library Service to Children |
| ALTAFF | Association for Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations |
| ASIST | American Society for Information Science and Technology |
| BCALA | Black Caucus of ALA |
| BIGWIG | Blogs, Interactive Groupware & Wikis Interest Group (Division of LITA) |
| BRASS | Business Reference & Services Section (Division of RUSA) |
| CALA | Chinese American Librarians Association |
| CALM | Committee on Archives, Libraries, and Museums |
| CBC | Children’s Book Council |
| CC:DA | Committee on Cataloging:Description & Access (ALCTS/CCS) |
| CCC | Copyright Clearance Center |
| CCF | ALA Cultural Communities Fund |
| CLA | Canadian Library Association |
| CLIR | Council on Library and Information Resources |
| COE | Committee on Education |
| COLT | Council on Library/Media Technicians |
| CONTU | (National) Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyright |
| CORS | Committee on Research & Statistics |
| COSWL | Committee on the Status of Woman in Librarianship |
| COUNTER | Counting Online Usage of NeTworked Electronic Resources |
| DLF | Digital Library Federation |
| DLS | Distance Learning Section (ACRL) |
| DOI | Digital Object Identifier |
| EMC | Education Media Council |
| EMIERT | Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table |
| FAFLRT | Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table |
| FOLUSA | Friends of Libraries USA |
| GLBTRT | Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Round Table |
| GOV | ALA Governance Office |
| ICAN | Interlibrary Cooperation & Networking (ASCLA) |
| IFC | Intellectual Freedom Committee |
| IRC | International Relations Committee |
| ITAL | Information Technology and Libraries (LITA) |
| KQ | Knowledge Quest (division publication) |
| LLAMA | Library Leadership & Management Association |
| LCA | Library Copyright Alliance |
| LHRT | Library History Round Table |
| LIRT | Library Instruction Round Table |
| LITA | Library & Information Technology Association |
| LSSPS | Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (ASCLA) |
| MAES | Measurement, Assessment, & Evaluation Section (LAMA) |
| MPS | Member Programs and Services |
| NABE | National Association for Bilingual Education |
| NCATE | National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education |
| NCES | National Center for Education Statistics |
| NCLIS | National Commission on Libraries & Info. Science |
| NSN | National Storytelling Network (ALA Affiliate) |
| OFD | Office for Diversity |
| OGR | Office of Government Relations |
| OLA | Office for Library Advocacy |
| OLOS | Office for Literacy and Outreach Services |
| ORS | Office for Research & Statistics |
| PLA | Public Library Association |
| PPO | Public Programs Office |
| PRMS | Public Relations and Marketing Section (LAMA) |
| SAA | Society of American Archivists |
| SASS | Systems & Services Section (LAMA) |
| SLMR | School Library Media Research (online division publication) |
| SORT | Staff Organizations Round Table |
| SRRT | Social Responsibilities Round Table |
| TESLA | Technical Standards for Library Automation |
| ULC | Urban Libraries Council |
| VRT | Video Round Table |
| WAI | Web Accessibility Initiative |
| WHCLIS | White House Conference on Library & Information Services |
| WO | Washington Office |
What else?
What do you think needs to be deciphered about ALA? Let us know, and we'll work on it! If you think something could be explained more clearly or made more public, it is likely that others think so too!