ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

ACRL President’s report, 1983-84

By Joyce Ball ACRL’s 45th President

During the year 1983-84 librarians in academic and research libraries more clearly realized that libraries are a major component of the information economy. The use of information has become a survival skill for each and every individual in our society. As a strong and well-functioning professional association, ACRL has continued its long tradition of providing a means of enhancing library service to the academic research communities. Many ACRL members participated in regular, on-going activities: planning, budgeting, programming, continuing education, and publications. 1983-84, however, was a special year and the highlights of this year are presented below. A summary of the wide range of activities of the association and the details of annual operation appear in the ALA Yearbook.

Joyce Ball

In September 1984, Executive Director Julie Virgo and I were invited to represent ACRL on the Advisory Committee for Libraries and the Learning Society. This project is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to determine how libraries can effectively support the findings and recommendations of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. On the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, Richard Dougherty prepared a position paper for an invitational seminar which would frame a response for the academic library sector. The recommendations of twenty-five academic librarians were coordinated with those made by librarians from public libraries, school libraries and from professional schools. A report is to be published this summer. The ACRL President’s Program scheduled for the Dallas conference will highlight activities within the Office of Education and the Center for Libraries and Education Improvement, Dougherty’s paper, and a special report prepared by Executive Director Julie Virgo.

In April 1984, ACRL held its Third National Conference in Seattle. The Conference theme, Myths and Realities, was introduced by D. Kaye Gapen, dean, University of Alabama Library. Gapen’s paper was one of almost fifty papers presented to the 1,220 librarians attending the conference. If the variety of topics, the level of attendance, the active participation of conference attendees, and the exhibition of new products by vendors are indicative of the quality of the Conference, then ACRL has served the profession well. Providing ample opportunity for examination and discussion of the issues facing members of the Association is of prime importance in the ACRL program of national conferences. Planning for the Fourth Conference to be held in Baltimore (1986) has already begun.

The J. Morris Jones Leadership Workshop was presented in Washington, D.C., prior to the Midwinter meeting in January 1984 under ACRL’s leadership and staff support. According to the results of the program evaluation, this program successfully attained its goals and pleased participants. There were 98 attendees from the eleven divisions and the Executive Board who met to explore leadership within ALA and its divisions. The summary paper by Ed Holley, “Putting it all in Perspective,” is available from Barbara Macikas in the ACRL office. Macikas is now preparing training packets to be used for future workshops with special emphasis on the needs assessment conducted and questions about ALA financial management which were not answered during the “Financial Forum” portion of the workshop.

Changes in key ACRL staff positions required the attention of the Association officers and deserve a full report to the membership. In November 1983, Julie Virgo announced her intention to resign effective June 1984. Dr. Virgo has served as Executive Director since 1976; ACRL, the organization, the officers, and all the members both past and future have the benefit of Julie’s wise, assertive, and judicious administration. At the end of Dr. Virgo’s tenure, ACRL enjoys a stable position as ALA’s largest division, offers its members a full program of continuing education, has an established record of successful national conferences, offers timely and useful programs at the ALA annual conference, and maintains a healthy publishing program in support of the Association’s mission. Additionally the network of local chapters has spread and the responsiveness of the Association has been strengthened. A sincere effort has brought programming to librarians unable to travel to distant locations. Dr. Virgo has been instrumental in helping ACRL members build a strong organization within ALA to the mutual benefit of both associations.

In consultation with ALA Executive Director Robert Wedgeworth, a search committee was formed with Sharon Rogers, ACRL President-Elect, as chair. On the recommendation of this committee, JoAn Segal was offered and accepted the position. She will assume the office of ACRL Executive Director in September 1984. Dr. Segal is currrently Executive Director of the Bibliographical Center for Research in Denver.

A second search committee was appointed to fill the position of Choice Editor/Publisher. Joanne Euster, Chair of the Publications Committee, chaired this committee. The current editor, Rebecca Dixon, who served for two years tendered hei resignation effective August 1, 1984. After a nationwide search, the committee (Joanne Euster, ACRL Publications Committee; Dwight Burlingame, Choice Editorial Board; ACRL President Joyce Ball; Julie Virgo; and Clare Hoover, Choice Production Manager) recommended appointment of Patricia Sabosik. Ms. Sabosik accepted ACRL’s offer and will begin at the end ol July. She has had extensive publishing and editorial experience with both the Baker and Taylor Company and the H. W. Wilson Company.

In addition to Editor Dixon’s resignation, Associate Editor Louise F. Lockwood has announced her retirement at the end of 1984 after twenty years of service. Filling this major position will be one of the first challenges of the new Editor/Publisher and the new Executive Director.

In October the ACRL Executive Committee, acting for the Board of Directors, voted to appoint Charles Martell as editor of College and Research Libraries effective July 1984. Editor C. James Schmidt served a full three year term and one additional year; the last issue under his editorship was the May 1984 issue. Martell has announced plans for reorganization of the journal. New positions will include 1) a Book Review Editor and 2) a Research Notes Editor. Martell has named William Jones (University of Illinois at Chicago) and Gary Lawrence (University of California) to these positions respectively. Martell also plans to increase the number of manuscripts submitted, to undertake more editing of manuscripts, and to encourage the Book Review Editor and the Research Notes Editor to take an active role in soliciting manuscripts and in defining the direction of the journal. New members of the Editorial Board will be announced in July 1984.

While ACRL honors many of its outstanding members, the ACRL Academic and Research Librarian of the Year is clearly the most prestigious. The Association and the Baker and Taylor Company will present the 1984 award to Richard D. Johnson. Johnson was cited for his professional contributions to three institutions, his service as editor of College and Research Libraries and California Librarian, his service as acting editor of Choice, his efforts as chair of ACRL’s First National Conference, his authorship of the “Academic Libraries” chapter of the ALA Yearbook, and his activities in other divisions of ALA.

Upon completing my year as President, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ACRL headquarters staff whose daily activities and dedication provide continuity and strength which are so very necessary in a volunteer organization. I would also like to thank all the members who volunteered and agreed to serve in major positions at my request. I believe that this rich combination serves our profession and each of us as individual members of the profession very well as we strive to deal with the momentous issues of the day.