A strong record of achievement in the United States positions the association to expand its commitments and its influence by cooperating with organizations and librarians everywhere. Regional arrangements are making borders more transparent. U.S. libraries serve clienteles that grow more diverse each year. Technology has nearly eliminated problems of distance and has significantly reduced the impact of differences in time. Information has become an international commodity.
Local economies are increasingly international.
National laws, regulations, legislative actions, information policy, and information access are international issues. Library problems have great commonality across nations. The role of the library in connecting individuals to information is a value held throughout the world. The library's role in promoting the education of society, preserving its cultures, supporting economic growth and advancement, and safeguarding the world's information heritage is essential for the global, transborder, multicultural society of the 21st century. In keeping with these principles and in pursuance of the key areas identified in ALAction 2005, the American Library Association will pursue greater communication, understanding, cooperation, and involvement in the global library and information community by emphasizing international awareness in the organization and among its members and by improving its effectiveness and reach in the international arena.