Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT)

Our Mission

The Social Responsibilities Round Tables (SRRT) is a unit within the American Library Association. It works to make ALA more democratic and to establish progressive priorities not only for the Association but also for the entire profession. Concern for human and economic rights was an important element in the founding of SRRT and remains an urgent concern today. SRRT believes that libraries and librarians must recognize and help solve social problems and inequities in order to carry out their mandate to work for the common good and bolster democracy.

Since 1969, members of the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) have worked to make the American Library Association (ALA) more democratic. They have also worked to promote a more progressive agenda. In doing so, SRRT has provided a home within ALA for progressive librarians, library workers, and supporters who agree to promote social responsibility as a core value of librarianship.

We do our work through programming at ALA LibLearnX and annual conferences. We also strive to make a difference through ALA Council legislation in the form of resolutions. Our Resolution Archive contains the majority of resolutions SRRT Action Council and SRRT membership have written and passed since 1970.

We also publish the SRRT Newsletter, which has been a constant source of alternative viewpoints on libraries and their role in society since 1969.