ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s Fatzer and Hardesty share plans for ACRL Be sure to vote in the election this spring! Jill B. Fatzer and Larry Hardesty E d. note: C&RL News offered ACRL can­didates for vice-president/president­ elect, Jill B. Fatzer and Larry Hardesty, this opportunity to share their views with the membership. Although many o f the issues facing ACRL are discussed inform ally at meetings, this does not provide a national forum to all members. We hope that pro­ viding this forum will assist you in making an informed choice when you receive your ballot this spring. JILL B. FATZER Since receiving the nom ination for this o f­ fice, I have been asked in various ways, by many co lleag u es, “Why is the p resi­ dency o f ACRL o f interest to you?” I inter­ pret this inquiry to m ean “Why on earth would anyone take on an o ffice that re­ quires hard work, long hours, much travel, and o ccasion al controversy, all for no pay and little “glory”?” For me, the answ er is the opportunity to m ake a difference; not just for my hom e institution, but for academ ic librarians and libraries in general. We find ourselves in difficult times; w hile librarians are asking them selves, “What will our libraries be in the future?” our c o lle g e and university presidents are increasingly asking, “Will there be libraries in the future?” ACRL has the opportunity to provide positive an ­ swers to th ese questions, through vigor­ ous action in the higher-eclucation policy and legislative arenas. Jill B. Fatzer Larry Hardesty Higher education When I look back at the ballot statement I wrote when I was nominated for the ACRL Board of Directors in 1994, I am pleased to see that much of what was o f concern to me then has been accomplished. My chief con­ cern was that ACRL look outward toward its role in higher education, rather than con­ centrating on its internal organizational af­ fairs. Two goals of the current Strategic Plan demonstrate this focus. Moreover, several initiatives have been put in place to imple­ ment these points: the Council of Liaisons is well on the way to establishing ACRL’s role as a partner in higher-education policy with organizations such as the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Associa­ tion for Higher Education (AAHE), and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Success­ fully carrying out the C ou ncil’s planned higher-education issues forum will further raise national awareness of ACRL's concerns About the authors Jill B. Fatzer is dean o f Library Services at the University o f New Orleans, e-mail: jbfls@uno.edu; Larry Hardesty is college librarian and professor at Austin College, e-mail:lhardesty@austinc.edu C&RL News ■ February 1998 / 103 mailto:jbfls@uno.edu mailto:lhardesty@austinc.edu 104 / C&RL N e w s ■ F e b ru a ry 19 9 8 and initiatives. ACRL has also attained a ment o f duties in the ACRL office so as to higher profile with the regional accrediting free up staff time to work m ore closely with associations and prom oted their adoption the ALA W ashington O ffice is an important o f inform ation literacy criteria for accredita­ step in this direction. However, legislative tion. effectiveness also relies considerably on an O ne o f the characteristics o f professional o rg an izatio n ’s ability to quickly m ount a organizations that have b ee n successful in grass-roots cam paign w hen education o f in­ achieving their m em berships’ goals, such as dividual legislators to a sp e cific issu e is the Am erican Psychological A ssociation or needed. The Governm ental Affairs Commit­ the National Education Association, is that tee has b een looking at working with the they concen trate on a small range o f priori­ Chapters Council to establish such a quick ties with sustained effort and persistence. response capability am ong m em bers in ev­ ACRL’s tradition o f each president selecting ery state. Establishing such a legislative net­ a new, unrelated them e for a year has not work is an important step towards enabling given us the b en efit o f such p ersistence. ACRL to influence such vital pending legis­ T herefore, the them e that I would adopt is lation as defining “fair u se” for digital infor­ simply continuity o f effort in pursuing the mation; insuring free sp eech and privacy on goals represented in our Strategic Plan. the Internet; and providing universal service My focus would be on ACRL’s effectiv e­ through telecom m unications discounts. ness in the library and inform ation policy Standards and g uidelines Another area o f concern is helping academ ic I w ill build on th e relatio n sh ip s librarians improve their institutions by pro­ alread y form ed and e n list as viding standards and guidelines that em pha­ m any m em bers as p o ssib le to size approaches consonant with current tech­ a ssist in th e process of m aking nology, and with other educational standards. ACRL a lead er in p o sitiv ely sh ap ­ Completing the effort currently in progress to recast all o f ACRL’s standards and guide­ ing th e policy and le g isla tiv e lines to correlate inputs with outcom es would arena … also be a priority. While the forces that shape higher edu­ arena and on establishing perm anent part­ cation, such as state legislatures, regional ac­ nerships with the regional accrediting ag en ­ crediting associations, and federal agencies cies and with the “inside the beltw ay” higher are increasingly tying funding and accou nt­ education policy organizations. Getting the ability requirements to the assessm ent o f the attention o f these organizations, w hich are outcom es o f our efforts, the ACRL standards largely m ade up o f co lleg e and university for types-of-libraries are concerned almost presidents, focused on library and inform a­ exclusively with inputs. They are therefore tion issues should pave the way for librar­ increasingly less helpful in making the case ians to have a stronger voice in the similar for the im portance o f libraries to the ed uca­ issues on their ow n hom e cam puses. tional enterprise, and in explaining the value An exam p le o f this effort is the recently gained by adequate funding for libraries. issued pam phlet H ig h e r E d u c a tio n P o lic ies f o r th e D ig ita l Age, w h ich sev eral ACRL Continuing education m em bers had a hand in writing, along with As equally important as improving libraries’ representatives o f ACE, the NASULGC, ARL, effectiv en ess in the policy and legislative and 15 other educational associations. arena is improving the effectiveness o f indi­ vidual librarians in their daily duties through Legislative effectiven ess co n tin u in g e d u ca tio n and d e v elo p m e n t. Effectiveness in the policy arena must be Maintaining ACRL’s record o f highly effec­ accom panied by effectiveness in the legisla­ tive National C onferen ces (as reflected in tive arena, both state and national, to achieve participants’ evaluations) must continue, and the legal climate in which our libraries can the asso ciatio n s’ sectio n s and com m ittees thrive in the Digital Age. The recent realign­ must be encouraged to m eet their m em bers’ C&RL News ■ February 1998 / 105 needs for specialized programming at An­ nual C onference. However, a majority o f members are unable to attend either National or Annual Conferences, and means o f bring­ ing programming and education to the local level must be actively pursued. Teleconfer­ ences, sending programming over the Inter­ net, and repackaging national programs for delivery at chapter meetings are all ways that should be tried. Additionally, training that is more sustained than a single program can be developed. The current initiative to de­ velop a National Information Literacy Insti­ tute, which would provide a comprehensive learning experience for a discrete need, is an exam ple o f what ACRL can provide for meaningful professional development. ACRL currently enjoys a stable m em ber­ ship level, strong financial base, and well- organized office operation, thanks to the work o f its m em ber-leaders and headquar­ ters staff. This happy state o f affairs will free future officers from concern about internal affairs to concentrate on the external rela­ tionships needed to accom plish the goals previously discussed. If elected, I will build on the relationship s already form ed and enlist as many m em bers as possible to as­ sist in the process o f making ACRL a leader in positively shaping the policy and legisla­ tive arena in w hich we all work. If we do not define our own future, surely those with­ out our values, ethos, and service orienta­ tion shall do so for us, to the detriment not only o f libraries, but o f the colleges and universities we serve. LARRY HARDESTY What do we, the members, need and expect from ACRL? Many members probably per­ ceive ACRL the sam e way the blind men p erceived the elephan t; we envision the w hole based on that small part that touches us. Our perspective may be shaped largely by where we are at any given time— whether it is in our careers, the particular positions we hold in a library, or the responsibilities we have assumed within ACRL. A shift in expectations As a new member in the 1970s, I placed a high priority on modest dues, convenient conferences, and an opportunity to serve on a committee that would help me in my day- to-day work in bibliograp h ic instruction. W hen I first started chairing committees in the early 1980s (the CLS’s ad hoc committee on College Library Standards and the CLS’s CLIP Notes comm ittee), my expectations of ACRL expanded. I wanted assistance from the ACRL staff and ACRL funds to support the com m ittees’ efforts and to disseminate the results. Later, as I becam e active at the chapter level in the mid-1980s (chair-elect o f the Indiana chapter and chair o f the Florida chapter), my focus shifted to emphasizing ACRL’s support o f chapter programs and lo­ cal continuing education opportunities. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I served on the ACRL Board o f Directors. During that time I cam e to appreciate m ore the impor­ tance o f a strong central organization to work within ALA, to reach out to other profes­ sional organizations in higher education, and to provide leadership in influencing infor­ mation policy. During this time I also served on the ACRL Publications Committee and six-years on the editorial board o f C ollege & R esea rch Libraries. This led me to under­ stand m ore the im portance o f ACRL publi­ cations to the membership. An organization for all seasons More recently, when I served as chair of the College Libraries Section, I looked to ACRL to support section programs and activities. Also, as a college library director for the past 15 years, I have com e to want ACRL to ad­ dress more the issues o f recruitment, com ­ p en satio n , and library ad vocacy. I have served at all levels o f ACRL during the past 20 years. For me, and I trust for many o f my fellow ACRL members, ACRL serves as an “organization for all seasons.” In addition, ACRL has served the mem­ berships through many seasons o f its own. With considerable resiliency, I have seen ACRL leadership and m em bership respond successfully to the numerous challenges over the past two decades. As a result, it is a dynam ic, changing organization that fills many different roles for its diverse m em ­ bership. Through ACRL, acad em ic librar­ ians can co m e to g eth er to m ake a differ­ e n c e — a d iffe re n ce in th eir p ro fessio n al lives, a difference in their libraries, a differ­ ence in their institutions, a difference in higher education, and a difference in society. 7 06 / C&RL News ■ February 7 998 Despite its considerable success in recent years, many challenges continue to confront ACRL. Often these challenges are in the form o f positive but conflicting forces. For example, ACRL must encourage and support new ideas and initiatives, while not overly extending and diffusing its financial and human resources. The Strategic Plan must provide stability and focus to ACRL while allowing flexibility in re­ sponding to changing needs and conditions. ACRL must offer a variety o f avenues through which members can serve to fulfill their needs while not impeding the ability o f ACRL to act as the national professional association for aca­ demic librarians. The list can go on. Never­ theless, my point is that the leadership and membership o f ACRL must strive continually for stability, continuity, innovation, and en­ thusiasm (n o t n ecessarily co m p a tib le at­ tributes). Standing for office Some years ago, I introduced Bill Moffett to the Chapters Council as “running for ACRL president.” Bill, showing his usual reticence, emphasized to the group that he was “stand- … th e le a d e rsh ip and m em b er­ sh ip of ACRL m ust striv e co n ­ tin u a lly fo r sta b ility , co n tin u ity, in n o v a tio n , and e n th u sia sm (not necessarily com patible attributes). ing for office.” I thank Bill for calling to my attention the difference. In accepting the nomi­ nation, I am standing for office as a responsi­ bility to the membership. While I am honored by the nomination, the work is too time-con­ suming, the pay too little (nonexistent), and any glory too fleeting to “run for the office.” In various avenues, including this statement, I am expressing my concerns and approach to leading ACRL so that ACRL members can make an informed choice as to whether or not I will bring to the presidency what is needed. Challenges ahead Several concerns loom on the horizon. Mem­ ber services continue to require expenditures o f more funds than the membership dues pro­ vide. National Conferences and publications provide som e flexibility through additional income. In fact, while dues have been stable over the past several years (ACRL has among the lowest dues in the ALA divisions), we have com e to rely heavily on income from publica­ tions and the National Conferences. It is only natural, even desirable, that our vision exceeds our resources. Nevertheless, we must make every effort to sustain and expand needed ongoing pro­ grams, such as the liaisons with other profes­ sional associations in higher education and the legislative advocacy effort. Both are impor­ tant long-term investments supported from dues revenue. We also need to provide incentives to de­ velop and support promising new initiatives. The National Information Literacy Institute is such an initiative, and I enthusiastically sup­ port it. Through the creative leadership of Cerise O berm an, the Institute prom ises to engage the various stakeholders to address the important issue o f information literacy. Many members look to ACRL for continu­ ing education opportunities. The challenge remains in offering such opportunities having sufficient revenues to cover expenses, while establishing fees at a level attainable for li­ brarians at the lower-income levels o f the pro­ fession. As I have already written, ACRL is a di­ verse organization operating at many differ­ ent levels. Sometimes this diversity impedes the effectiveness o f both the parts and the whole. As a minister once told me in referring to his congregation, “We have many wonder­ ful voices, but we are not always on the same page o f the hymnal.” We must promote more actively a shared vision at all levels o f the or­ ganization so we can com e together to make a difference. Two recommended programs As ACRL President I would take the opportu­ nity to promote several proposals that, I b e­ lieve, would further the purposes o f the orga­ nization. For example, ACRL does well in recogniz­ ing and celebrating through various awards the successes o f individuals. I propose that we develop a program to recognize and cel­ ebrate the successes o f academic libraries ex­ emplary in their support o f the mission o f their parent institution. ACRL would b e part o f THE CLASSICAL TH E CLASSICAL TRADITION IN TRADITION IN SOCIOLOGY SOCIOLOGY The American Tradition The European Tradition e d ite d b y JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER, e d ite d b y R A Y M O N D B O U D O N , U niversity o f California, Los Angeles, U niversité Paris IV, R A Y M O N D B O U D O N , Université Paris IV M O H A M M E D CHERKAOUI, & M O H A M M E D CHERKAOUI, Université de Paris—Sorbonne Université de Paris—Sorbonne & JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER, U niversity o f California, Los Angeles “Professors Alexander, Boudon, a n d C herkaoui have done m a g n ific e n t service n o t o n ly fo r "Providing b o th a sw eeping o verview o f the h istory sociology, b u t fo r the in te lle c tu a l w o rld in general. o f sociological th o u g h t a n d a g o ld m in e o f specific The Classical T ra d itio n in Sociology stands m aterials, this volum e should be indispensable to u n m a tc h e d as the m o s t in te llig e n t, com prehensive, social theorists, in te lle ctu a l historians, a n d balanced, a n d d e fin itive tre a tm e n t o f the h is to ry o f sociologists.” sociology rig h t up to the present. I am already —Nancy Fraser, N e w School fo r u rg in g people to read it as an essential in g re d ie n t Social Research, N e w York in th e ir o n g o in g e d u c a tio n ." The Classical T rad itio n in Sociology: The —Neil Smelser, D irector, C enter fo r A d va n ce d S tudy European T ra d itio n is a com prehensive guide to in the Behavioral Sciences th e European tra d itio n fro m its earliest beginnings Unparalleled in scope, The Classical T ra d itio n in until 1995: fro m St. Simon to Baudrillard. Sociology: The A m erican T ra d itio n dem onstrates Unparalleled in scope, it explores the m yth th a t the th a t Am ericans have left an indelible m ark on European tra d itio n in sociology is a debate w ith the sociological theory and m ethod: fro m the Am erican ghosts o f Karl M arx and Max W eber and d e m o n ­ E nlightenm ent, to the m onum e nta l co n trib u tio n s strates th a t the tra d itio n is fa r m ore deeply rooted o f the Chicago School, Parsons, G offm an, and broadly based. Functionalism, G arfinkel, and radical-critical theory. 1 9 9 7 (N o v e m b e r ) / 1 6 6 4 pages / $ 7 5 0 .0 0 (h ) (5 3 2 4 8 ) 1 9 9 7 (N o v e m b e r ) / 1 6 6 4 p ages / $ 7 5 0 .0 0 (h ) (5 3 2 5 6 ) The Classical T ra d itio n in Sociology is printed on acid-free paper in 244m m X 156m m fo rm a t. Each volum e, o f a u n ifo rm 416 pages, is bound to the highest standards; finished w ith head and tail bands, colored endpapers, and cased in unlined chipboards. The volum es are blocked on the fro n t and on the spine, and the blocking includes a fo il panel. Each set is presented in a louvered slipcase th a t is also blocked over a fo il panel. The volum es are n o t a v a ila b le s ep arately. "This is the basic reference, and it w ill keep th a t status fo r some tim e to come. I ca n't help reiterating th a t I wish I had had som ething like it over the years." Robert B. Bechtel Professor, University o f Arizona, Tucson, and Editor, Environment & Behavior "Succinct, accurate, and analytical essays raise the im p o rta n t issues and help guide the reader through the confusing maze o f housing and housing p o lic y ." Kenneth Pearlman Professor, The Ohio State University, and Editor, Journal o f Planning Literature “A rem arkable and unique work, a landm ark contribu tio n to housing studies.” Michael Harloe Vice Chancellor, University o f Salford, England "Concise, relevant assessments o f state-of-the-art inform a tio n … from an em inent g roup o f scholars.… Enticing topics and reference materials—even fo r those long fam iliar w ith the field o f housing research." John M. Goering U.S. Department o f Housing and Urban Development N e w E n c y c l o p e d i a s For a com plete listing o f entries, contributors, fu ll text o f the forewords, and more, be sure to visit the Web site! h t t p : / /w w w . sagepub. c o m /s a g e p a g e / encyclopedia_of_housing.htm THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HOUSING e d ite d b y WILLEM VAN VLIET- -, University o f Colorado Forew ords by R obert B. Bechtel, Professor, University o f Arizona, Tucson, and Editor, Environment & Behavior, John M . Goering, U.S. D epartm ent o f Housing and Urban Development, W ashington, DC, James A. Johnson, Chairman and CEO, Fannie Mae, W ashington, DC & D an iel Stokols, Dean, College o f Social Ecology, University o f California, Irvine As a field of research, housing draws on many disciplines, including political science, sociology, economics, geography, anthropology, and psychology. Housing practitioners likewise have diverse origins: planning, architecture, law, social w ork, the policy sciences, and public adm inistration, among others. As a result, much o f the w ork in housing has been scattered rather than cumulative. The Encyclopedia of Housing responds to a greater interest in integration. The Encyclopedia of Housing provides a gateway through which readers find access to multidisciplinary subjects w ritte n by key authorities. It brings into focus the many and im portant connections among the d iffere nt disciplines in the field while serving as a springboard fo r fu rth e r inquiry. Entries go well beyond providing merely definitions o f topics: They describe, elaborate, and critically assess issues of relevance to a wide variety o f readers. Each co ntribu to r also provides a carefully selected bibliography, listing classic works, recent authoritative studies, or other key publications. The Encydoped¡a o f Housing is p rin te d on acid-free p a p e r in 8.5X11 fo rm a t, fe a tu rin g a sm ythsew n, p rin te d linen w eave cover. One volume. 1998 (A p ril) / 736 pages (te n t.) / $ 1 4 9 .9 5 (h ) (1 3 3 2 7 ) C&RL News ■ February 1998 / 107 emphasizing how librarians working through their libraries have made a difference at par­ ticular institutions. The program could honor annually several academic libraries among the various types, based on recommendations from committees within each type of library sec­ tion. Such libraries could serve as benchmark organizations. We might consider how to in­ volve senior administrative officials, such as presidents and provosts, in the awards cer­ emony. This might impress upon them the significance of contributions of ACRL and its members to the success of their institu­ tions. We must encourage more academic librar­ ians to view ACRL as the organization that supports and fulfills their professional needs. I propose a program to raise the conscious­ ness of library school students as to how ACRL can serve them and vice versa. Perhaps such a program can be as basic as an old-fashion essay writing contest on, for example, “What should be the role of ACRL in meeting the needs of new members?” There might be a winner at each library school (judged by the faculty at each school) with a modest award— for example, one-year free membership in ACRL. A national winner might receive free regis­ tration (and recognition) at an ACRL National Conference. ACRL would benefit not only from additional members but also from useful sug­ gestions put forth in the essays on how to attract and retain new members. I am willing to take some risks to share with the membership some half-formed (half- baked?) ideas in this statement. No doubt many details remain to be addressed for both of these suggested programs. As I believe is my style, I would consult and involve widely other ACRL members in working through the details. Also, as ACRL President, I would encour­ age programs developed by others that will make a difference. For example, I have of­ ten thought that among the most useful work of chapters is the development of minimum salary levels in states and regions. I will en­ courage expansion on this and similar ac­ tivities at the local level. As former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill so aptly pointed out, “All politics are local.” To be success­ ful, ACRL must make a difference in the pro­ fessional lives of its individual members at the local level. At the same time, I want members and leaders at the chapter and other levels to understand the support ACRL needs to be effective in its role as a national professional association. As a former chap­ ter president, for example, I always thought it curious that one could only belong to a local chapter and still benefit from funding and support from the national organization. Looking ahead The candidate elected this spring will serve as President of ACRL in the 1999-2000 year. There is something about years that end in zero that make us want to do some stocktaking. This impulse will be even more compelling during a year that ends in three zeros. This is an ex­ citing and momentous time in the history of ACRL. As we end one millennium and begin another, we must both look backward and reflect on accomplishments of the organiza­ tion and look forward to anticipate and iden­ tify needs and challenges. I want to use this opportunity to take advantage of the experi­ ence of past ACRL leaders. I hope I can per­ suade them to come together to take stock in accomplishments during their tenure as lead­ ers. Then, I want them to look ahead and de­ velop a vision as to how ACRL must change and adapt to serve the academic librarians of the 21st century. I am confident that ACRL and academic librarianship both have very bright futures. We will change and adapt, but always from the solid foundation of understanding the past combined with a strong desire to serve. During the past six years I have directed the College Library Directors Mentor Pro­ gram. While there is a fair amount of effort involved in the program (and many indi­ viduals contribute to its success), I have found my participation very heartening (as long it is fun, it is not work!). I am constantly impressed by how readily busy, experienced college library directors volunteer their time for no monetary com­ pensation to assist first-year college library directors. Such individuals fill the ranks of academic librarianship at all levels. I wel­ come a similar opportunity to work with the many volunteers who unselfishly serve ACRL through the dedication of their time for the betterment of all. Let us all come together to make a difference.