ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

APPRENTICE SURVEYORS

Well qualified library surveyors are not plentiful, and the ACRL Committee on Libran’ Surveys would like to increase the supply. One of the best means of learning how to survey libraries is to make surveys. Indeed, experience is so obviously desirable that the persons invited to do work of this kind usually are already successful and experienced surveyors. The problem is obvious: How does one start? How can the beginner acquire experience?

The committee strongly recommends that, whenever practicable, surveys be made by a team rather than by a single individual, and that each team include an “apprentice” surveyor who has never directed a library survey.

The committee hopes to be able to suggest to the directors of surveys names of persons who may be interested in serving as apprentices. In order to do this it needs to know who is interested in surveying junior college, college, university, and other research libraries. This is an invitation to supply the information that is needed:

All persons interested in working as apprentice surveyors are asked to summarize their educational preparation and professional positions held to date, to give present position and address, to describe any particularly relevant special qualifications or experience, and to indicate interests or specialties—i.e., type of college or research library or field such as administration, automation, collections, public services, technical services, etc. Correspondence should be addressed to Edwin E. Williams, Chairman ACRL Committee on Library Surveys, Widener Library 183, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.

In 1964 the committee attempted to compile a roster of experienced surveyors, and it would also welcome correspondence from persons who have directed surveys and would like to have their names added to that roster.