College and Research Libraries Guest Editorial Working Together for a Better Tomorrow The 1995 holiday season was a very spe- cial one for my husband and me, and one we shall long remember. We had the op- portunity to celebrate not only with our six-year-old granddaughter (and her par- ents) but also with our five-month-old grandson (and his parents). It was a time not only for rejoicing but also for remem- bering what is truly important in life and reassessing the value of our assorted en- terprises. Of what value, I might well question myself, are my efforts as Dean of Librar- ies and the Library and Information Sci- ence Program at Wayne State University to the future well-being of these precious young people or for the grandchildren of other men and women? And of what value are my efforts as ACRL President? In the greater scheme of things, does it really matter that ACRL has a new Stra- tegic Plan? Surely my professional work must bear some relationship to what is most important in my life or I could not justify the level of investment I make in time and energy. So this is a special mes- sage for those of you who, like me, also question from time to time the value of your work as an academic or research li- brarian. I believe now, as never before, that aca- demic and research librarians have a stra- tegic role to play in contributing to the well-being of current and future genera- tions. Our abilities to organize, provide access to, and preserve information have always been of public value. However, the realities of the ever-expanding infor- mation glut of our data-rich/knowledge- poor society require more aggressive leadership on our part in order to ensure that people from all backgrounds and lev- 110 els of society can locate, ac- cess, evaluate, and effectively use information to address the decisions and problems in their lives. I can not expect a good future for my grandchildren if they must live in a world populated largely by the have-nots. I also think that most librarians share in my belief of the potential value of their contributions to the well-being of indi- viduals. (In all my speaking engage- ments, I have yet to find a single person who became a librarian for fame or riches!) Most of us entered librarianship because we had a work experience in a library that caused us to believe that, as librarians, we could make a positive dif- ference in people's lives. Of course, the constant budget cuts, the unending stream of half-awake students needing to be introduced to the research challenges · of an academic library, and the necessary business aspects of library operations can weary us. And sometimes it is the seem- ing, or real, lack of appreciation for our contributions-particularly by faculty- that causes us to question the value of our efforts. The latter is almost ironic given that, increasingly, leaders in K-12 and higher education are acknowledging the impor- tance of resource-based learning that ac- tively engages students in learning from the very information resources that will be available to them after graduation or drop out-when the lectures and the text- books are no longer available. Last No- vember, for example, California State University held a systemwide conference on information literacy, with faculty and librarians from all of its twenty-one cam- puses participating. But while there is growing concern among higher educa- tion leaders for more active undergradu- ate learning (frequently prompted by state legislators' concerns for faculty pro- ductivity and businesses' demands for graduates who can communicate well and be effective problem solvers), many leaders still do not see the relationship between the role of librarians and im- proved undergraduate learning. What can we do to make sure that our potential contribution will be called upon to improve undergraduate learning en- vironments? What can we do as a profes- sional association to enhance our collec- tive contribution? My answer is the same as that recently expressed to members of the National Association of State Univer- sity and Land Grant Colleges by its presi.:. dent C. Peter Magrath. In a December 1995 letter, Magrath called for an ex- panded focus on addressing state and local governmental relationships. Quot- ing from University of Virginia president John Casteen, he emphasized three points: (1) "unity within the state higher education systems is essential for public support," (2) national organizations must be willing "to work on a partnership ba- sis with key state interests," and (3) "ad- vocacy for higher education must attract third party supporters who will state our case because, in part, we are meeting their needs." It seems that the dilemma of academic librarians parallels that facing higher edu- cation in general. Librarians have a lot to offer, but that potential will come to naught unless librarians can act in unity within states, unless we can work in part- nership among our state and regional chapters and ACRL, and unless we can get other nonlibrarian advocates to cham- pion our cause. What does this mean for individual ACRL members and for our association? Let me suggest a number of things. First, our newly adopted Strategic Plan is right on target. Two of its four goals, . developed by our membership, acknowl- Guest Editorial 111 edge that we must operate in the broader higher education and information policy environments, that we must help shape those environments, and that we must build partnerships to promote desired outcomes. Just as ACRL cannot accom- plish the above goals without support from its members, another goal acknowl- edges that academic and research librar- ians from across the country need sup- port-specifically in the area of continu- ing professional development-from ACRL. (The fourth and final goal com- mits us to be wise in the use of our re- sources in accomplishing our endeavors.) Second, I believe that Magrath's com- ments speak to the absolute necessity of rethinking the relationship between ACRL and its chapters. We need to shake out the mental and historical cobwebs and clearly define what chapters want and need from ACRL and what ACRL wants and needs from its chapters in order to accomplish its membership's priorities as articulated in the Strate- gic Plan. This defining process is far from com- plete. For example, just this fall a task force made up of two members from Chapters' Council and three members from the ACRL Governmental Relations Committee, and chaired by ACRL past- president Tom Kirk examined what can be done to streamline and strengthen the impact of ACRL's Washington efforts- their report was accepted by the ACRL Board at Midwinter and will result in changes for both groups. In addition, in- formal discussions have been taking place for over a year among Chapters' Council and.ACRL leadership to define wants and needs-some of which are becoming clearer. The following is what I have been hearing: Chapters' Needs • Quality continuing education offer- ings that can be available at the state/re- gional level. • Quality publications. 112 College & Research Libraries • Information on a wide range of top- ics (many of these requests come from individual institutions). • Good representation and good re- sults in issues related to information po- lices and federal legislation that affects higher education and its libraries. • Support in influencing state legis- lation and regional accrediting efforts. ACRL's Needs • A way to meet the continuing edu- cation needs of librarians and non-MLS library employees who cannot attend national conferences. • Support from the state level on na- tional policy and legislative initiatives. • Support from the state level on re- gional accreditation initiatives. • Proven chapter leadership to move into ACRL positions. This informal list of chapters and ACRL's needs appears to be quite comple- mentary; but the challenge will be to set up a relationship that facilitates produc- tive interactions and that provides appro- priate incentives. I believe that there is no more important challenge facing us than this. March 1996 Finally, I believe we need to take more seriously Magrath's call to unity. Histori- cally, librarians have had little political clout. H we cannot come together for the common good-the common advance- ment of librarians as partners in the pro- vision of quality education and economic development-then there is little hope for the realization of our potential contribu- tions. While my particular focus is on aca- demic and research librarians, the com- ing together must embrace librarians fro_m all types of libraries. The respect, or lack thereof, that is accorded to school and public librarians has everything to do with how academic librarians are per- ceived and even more to do with how the information needs of people are met. Elizabeth Martinez's call for ALA to be the champion of people's rights to intel- lectual participation should be our rally- ing cry. Can we do less than respond by emphasizing what we have in common rather than emphasizing our differences? I hope not; for, to a large extent, the qual- ity of my grandchildren's futures is de- pendent upon our response. PATRICIA SENN BREIVIK President, ACRL