News from the Field

David Free

ACRL Signature Initiative on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion poll results

At the 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting, the ACRL Leadership Council generated a robust list of suggested action items for the association to consider in conjunction with the development of a new Signature Initiative on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). As a follow up to the Midwinter Leadership Council meeting, and to engage the full membership around the initiative, the ACRL Board of Directors invited all members to complete a brief two-question poll to help shape and prioritize the work of the initiative, and 849 ACRL members responded. The ACRL Board is considering fully the poll results and comments as we move forward with the EDI Signature Initiative. The Board would like to sincerely thank everyone who participated in the poll and provided their feedback. The input and comments are invaluable as the association continues to develop this important initiative. More details, including a summary of results, are available on ACRL Insider at www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/archives/16159.

The Librarian Parlor builds a community of researchers

The Librarian Parlor, also known as LibParlor, is an online space found at https://libparlor.com and @LibParlor on Twitter for conversing, sharing expertise, and asking questions about pursuing, conducting, and publishing library research. LibParlor was developed by Chelsea Heinbach, Hailley Fargo, and Charissa Powell after finding that they shared a desire to contribute research to the field but, as early-career librarians, were unsure of how to start or where to look for advice.

When considering a research agenda, new-to-research professionals may face a number of challenges, such as inexperience, difficulty finding mentors, and lack of institutional support. The Librarian Parlor team aims to address these challenges in part by collecting and showcasing honest reflections, conversations, and how-tos from library professionals engaged in research. In providing this space, LibParlor aims to spark conversation and cultivate a community of researchers.

If you are interested in submitting work to LibParlor, please review the Contribute to LibParlor page on the group website. Email libparlor@gmail.com, tag @LibParlor on Twitter, or ask the community at large on Twitter using the #LibParlor hashtagwith additional questions.

Four libraries sign GPO preservation steward agreements

The University of Minnesota Libraries, the University of Maine Garbrecht Law Library, St. John’s University School of Law, Rittenberg Law Library, and the State Law Library of Mississippi each signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) to become preservation stewards.

Under this agreement, the libraries pledge to permanently preserve GPO’s print collections of the following: University Minnesota Libraries—United States Serial Set; University of Maine, Garbrecht Law Library—United States Reports; St. John’s University School of Law, Rittenberg Law Library—Congressional hearings and prints from the 100th Congress through the 103rd Congress; and State Law Library of Mississippi—United States Reports, Statutes at Large, and Public Papers of the President.

To help federal depository libraries meet the needs of efficient government document stewardship in the digital era, GPO has established preservation stewards to support continued public access to historic U.S. government documents in print format. Preservation stewards contribute significantly to the effort to preserve printed documents, and GPO welcomes all federal depository libraries that wish to participate as preservation stewards.

LYRASIS announces six Catalyst Fund winning projects

LYRASIS recently announced the 2018 recipients of the LYRASIS Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund is designed to foster innovation among members and knowledge communities worldwide. This year, six projects were chosen by participants in the LYRASIS Leaders Circle, and $155,000 will be awarded. Additionally, LYRASIS will investigate one idea recommended to the Catalyst Fund through a feasibility study. The six project proposals to be implemented by the applying institution are DePaul University—“Data-Intensive Tools for Modeling and Visualization Mass Reading”; Duquesne University—“Quantitative Research Institute for Libraries”; University of Massachusetts Boston—“Online Instruction for Participatory Archiving”; University of Utah—“Machine Learning Meets Library Archives”; University of Virginia—“Digital Collecting in Times of Crisis”; and West Virginia University—“Access to U.S. Congressional Correspondence Data.” The idea to be investigated is from Austin Peay State University, “Library Multi-e-reader Application.” Additional information is available at www.lyrasis.org/Leadership/Pages/Catalyst-Fund.aspx.

2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service nominations

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is now accepting nominations for the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor awarded to libraries and museums for service to their communities. Anyone—an employee, a board member, a volunteer, a member of the public, or a government official—is invited to nominate an institution. Museums and libraries of most disciplines and types are eligible. This year, IMLS is particularly interested in library or museum programs that enhance services for veterans and military families, sustain growth opportunities for diverse youth and young professionals, or provide assistance to diverse youth, families, or seniors. To be considered, the institution must complete and return the nomination materials (PDF) by October 1, 2018. More information is available at www.imls.gov/grants/available/national-medal-museum-and-library-service.

OCLC awarded Mellon Foundation grant to register library retention commitments for print serials in WorldCat

OCLC, working closely with the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), has been awarded an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant to enhance the underlying infrastructure of the OCLC WorldCat database and CRL’s Print Archives Preservation Registry to accommodate and make accessible actionable data for shared print serials management. The two-year grant, for $1,001,000, will support a joint OCLC and CRL Shared Print Data Infrastructure project. The initiative will modify WorldCat, the world’s most comprehensive database of information about library collections, to enable registration of print serial retention commitments and make archived holdings data available to inform library decision-making. The Shared Print Data Infrastructure project is scheduled to run from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2020.

Revised Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries

The ACRL Board of Directors has approved a new revision of the association’s Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries. Prepared by the ACRL “Guidelines for Media Resources for Academic Libraries in Higher Education Task Force,” the revision incorporates evolving technology used in teaching, learning, research, and scholarship has created new challenges and opportunities for the stewardship of media collections and services in academic libraries at community college, college, and university libraries. The goal of the revised “Guidelines for Media Resources for Academic Libraries” is to present key issues that academic libraries should consider and address in developing media collections, services, and programs. These guidelines represent best practice in weaving the libraries’ media resources and technologies into the fabric of faculty and students’ teaching, learning, and research experience. The revised “Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries” are freely available on the ACRL website at www.ala.org/acrl/standards.