Discussion Groups

TLA’s Discussion Groups are organized by interest or activity to provide opportunities for informal dialogue. Members may join by adding the group to their annual membership (no charge). Discussion groups don’t have dues, operating procedures, officers, a budget, or council representation. They exist to facilitate opportunities for informal dialogue among members on a shared interest.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Discussion Group
The purpose of the TLA AANHPI Discussion Group is to:

• Provide and share resources, ideas, and opportunities for creating meaningful and impactful AANHPI programs and events in libraries that are sustainable, inclusive, and reflective of the AANHPI community.
• Assist library staff in supporting the AANHPI community in their library.
• Foster relationships with other AANHPI groups and organizations, and each other.
• Serve as a space to stimulate discussion around AANHPI topics.

Assessment Discussion Group provides a forum for sharing and increasing knowledge of assessment practices in libraries.

Community College Discussion Group provides a dedicated space for academic library professionals working in or supporting community colleges to connect, share insights, and discuss challenges unique to their institutions.

Distance E-Learning Discussion Group contributes to library service and librarianship by providing support, continuing education, and professional development opportunities to library staff. This, in turn, allows library staff members to provide better and more comprehensive services and resources to the community of distance learners.

Graphic Novel and Manga Discussion Group
The purpose of the TLA Graphic Novel and Manga Discussion Group is to:

• Provide a platform to discuss content ratings, cultural context, and resources to support responsible collection development and reader advisory.
• Collaborate on programming ideas that libraries of all sizes and types can adapt and implement.
• Offer peer-to-peer advice and expertise in building and maintaining balanced, diverse, and inclusive graphic novel and manga collections.
• Foster partnerships between school, public, and academic libraries to support readers across age groups.
• Advocate for the literary and educational value of graphic novels and manga within the broader library community.
• Help combat stigma and misconceptions about the format, promoting it as a legitimate and rich storytelling medium.
• Keep members informed about industry trends, awards, translations, and cultural literacy in manga and graphic literature.

Student Transitions to College & Career Discussion Group provides information on supporting students as the transition to college, and from college to careers.

Sustainability Discussion Group: 

• Shares ideas and opportunities for creating sustainability programs in libraries that contribute to a more equitable, healthy and economically viable society.
• Provides resources for the library community to support sustainability through curriculum development, collections, exhibits, events, advocacy communication, research support, library buildings and space design.
• Supports librarians developing sustainability programs and dealing with the effects of climate change.
• Fosters relations with sustainability-minded individuals and organizations.
• Serves as a venue to normalize and stimulate discussion around sustainability.

How to Create a New Discussion Group

A Discussion Group may be formed through petition with twenty-five (25) signatures, each representing a charter member of the group and shall have achieved official status when the petition has been certified by the TLA Executive Director.

There are no dues associated with a Discussion Group, and they do not have budgets, operating procedures, officers, or Council representation. Discussion Groups cannot incur any expenses.

Once there are 25 signatures from current TLA members, the TLA membership manager will create the Discussion Group in the membership database, and activate a TLA Engage community for the group. Once the Discussion Group is in the database, all members who signed the petition will be added as charter members, and any other TLA member can update their profiles to join the group.

Contact Christy Reynolds at TLA to create a new discussion group, join any discussion group (there is no charge) or for more information.