ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

ACRL actions, January 1989

Highlights of the Midwinter meetings of the ACRL Board.

The Board of Directors of the Association of College and Research Libraries met twice during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Washington, D.C.: on Sunday, January 8, 1989, and Tuesday, January 10, 1989.

Awards

The Board approved a new award proposed by the Community and Junior College Libraries Section. Two Community College Learning Resources Achievement Awards will be given annually to recognize significant achievement in the areas of program development and leadership or community service. Individuals, groups, and institutions will be eligible to receive the awards.

In a related action, the Board approved the purpose and procedures for presenting one-time awards.

The Board approved two proposals for the World Book/ALA Goal Award: 1) preparation of an ethics manual for special collections librarians, submitted by the RBMS Ethical Standards Review Committee, chaired by Beverly Lynch; and 2) a survey of scientists and engineers òn the use and valuation of conference proceedings, submitted by the Science and Technology Section.

Chapters

The Board accepted the petition for chapter status for Arkansas, making it the 40th chapter affiliated with ACRL.

Choice

The Board revised the fiscal policy concerning the Choice reserve fund level. The reserve fund is now set at an amount equal to at least 50 % of the average annual operating expenditures over the preceding three years.

Fund-raising

The Board approved the Planning Committee’s recommendation to appoint an organizing committee to pursue the establishment of a Fundraising Discussion Group.

Output measures

The Board agreed to allocate any surplus funds over the permanent reserve available at the close of Fiscal Year 1988 to the Output Measures project. It is expected that $9,000 will be available to be applied to the project.

Outreach services

The Board endorsed the ALA Minority Internship/Fellowship Program proposed by the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services Advisory Committee and offered to accept a headquarters intern if the project is implemented by ALA.

The Board also supported the creation of a Library Literacy Assembly, proposed by the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services. The Assembly would coordinate programming, identify concerns and gaps, and develop and promote strategies for increased literary activity within ALA.

Professional liaison

The Board approved informal liaison arrangements with the American Association for Higher Education, the Association of American Colleges, and the American Association of University Professors. As clearance is received from the ALA Committee on Organization, further liaisons will be established with associations identified by the ACRL Professional Association Liaison Committee.

Programs

The Board approved policies and procedures on the approval, budgeting, and planning for conference and preconference programs. They will be published in the next edition of the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures.

Sources of revenue

The Board endorsed the “Sources of Revenue” proposal to the H.W. Wilson Foundation for a study of academic library funding. ALA’s Office of Research will conduct the study.

Standards

The Board approved a new version of the ACRL “Standards for University Libraries,” which replace the 1979 edition. A draft of the standards was published in the June 1988 issue of C&RL News; the finished standards will appear in the September 1989 issue. The standards are being sent to the Association of Research Libraries for endorsement and to the ALA Awards Committee for approval.

The ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee was asked to continue its work on the definition of “standard,” “guideline,” and “related document,” and to recommend which of these should be subject to review by the Committee, the ACRL Board, and the ALA Standards Committee.

Strategic planning

The Board recommended that strategic planning responsibilities be added to information sent to ACRL candidates and officers, and that a statement of planning responsibility be added to the general charge for committees and sections in the ALA Handbook of Organization.

Teleconference on CD-ROM

The Board agreed to co-sponsor a second teleconference on CD-ROM between the Community and Junior College Libraries Section and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.