WHY CAL IS IMPORTANT
by Jamie LaRue, Director, Douglas County Libraries

So you work in a library. Maybe you are fortunate enough to have a library willing to pay your dues to professional organizations. Maybe you're not.

But in either case, you might ask yourself: should I join the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL)?

I think you should. Here's why:

CAL watches things that need to be watched. Perhaps most significant is our statewide lobbying effort. It takes expertise and time to keep tabs on our legislature, our governor, and other political arenas. We don't always win our battles. But without lobbyists -- a significant expense for CAL -- we'd lose every time. Support the people who support you!

CAL is our public voice. Many library workers are silenced by circumstance, and find it difficult to tell their stories. Through its committees, task forces, conferences, and publications, CAL provides advocacy. CAL is a unified, and surprisingly powerful, voice for our community.

CAL offers professional training. A couple of years ago, we had 7 regional library service systems. Now, we have one. One of the big jobs of the systems was continuing education. CAL, particularly through its annual conference, is a key provider of that service. Things change fast in the library world, and training matters. (Note: this applies not just to librarians, but paraprofessionals, friends, trustees, and volunteers.)

CAL gives you perspective. It's easy to get trapped in the issues and perspectives of your own job. Getting out, hearing that your problems aren't unique, and may in fact have been solved somewhere else, makes you a better librarian or library worker. It also keeps you sane.

CAL offers opportunities for personal growth. Serving on CAL committees means you develop friendships and partnerships that make your work life both more fun and more interesting. It sharpens your skills. It helps you become, or grow as, a leader. Often, there's the opportunity to dance. This is particularly true at the conference.

Be a part of our future! Join CAL.

• Go to Individual Membership form - Note: This version for online payment.
• Download and print off the PDF version of the individual membership form to mail in with your payment.