The American Association of Law Libraries, like many organizations, uses committees "to consider, investigate, or take action on certain matters or subjects." Standing committees perform a continuing function and remain in existence until published.

AALL committees are governed by the Bylaws of the American Association of Law Libraries, Article, IX, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and procedures, policies, and charges adopted by the Executive Board or the membership which are included in this handbook.

Committee work provides an opportunity for the AALL member to contribute to the professional association, and thus partially fulfill the professional's obligation to contribute to the profession as a whole. Committee membership is both an honor and a responsibility and should not be seen as a resume-padding activity. Committee work requires a commitment to the profession and committee members are expected to actively participate in the work of the committee. Recognizing that some employers are unable to support association work, AALL has established a procedure to reimburse committee members for out-of-pocket expenses such as phone calls, postage, photocopying, etc.