ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

ALA on ACRL

Recently the ALA presidential candidates were asked to give some thought to ALA/ACRL relations and academic librarianship in general for this special C&RL News feature. Their statements may aid you when you vote for ALA officers on this spring’s ballot.

Regina Minudri:

Academic and research libraries face many chal- lenges during the 1980s and beyond. These include adequate funding, applications of new technology, quality of professional and paraprofessional staff, service needs of the parent institution, space required to provide ade- quate services, and the ever-present question of position and recognition within the academic and research structure of the parent institution. As a public librarian, all of these concerns are fa- miliar to me, even though they come with a public library emphasis. I have worked for adequate funding for academic libraries in California and will continue to do so in the future. I will rely on ACRL members to keep me informed on particular issues and concerns which are particularly relevant to the members of this vital division of the ALA.

Regina Minudri

Pay equity or comparable worth is certainly a concern in the academic community. It can, in some instances, be translated to faculty status and recognition. In any event, pay equity is a goal and priority that all librarians must face in the coming decade. There are powerful forces working against this goal, including the federal government, state governments, and the reluctance of many local entities to recognize equity as fairness and equal recompense for services rendered. I will work toward furthering the goal of pay equity, at the local, state and federal level. This fight may be a lengthy one, and we must be prepared to remain vigilant and involved.

The most recently revised ALA Operating Agreement with the divisions has been in place for only a few years. It seems to me that there are areas within that agreement which have not yet been tested adequately or validated. The ALA Executive Board, in dealing with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has requested that the matter of interest payments on unexpended cash balances of divisions be clearly explained and put into practice as appropriate. The structure of the Operating Agreement clearly indicates that ALA Divisions are a part of the ALA, but have certain rights and authority to act. The ALA Constitution and Bylaws further discuss the Divisions and their powers, vis-a-vis the powers of the overall ALA. The Operating Agreement should not be set in concrete—it should be scrutinized carefully, with adjustments made as necessary.

ACRL, as the largest ALA division, is strong, efficient, certainly goal directed, and innovative. There is much that the general ALA can learn from examining ACRL’s long range plan, by studying the methods used for training, and by observing the constructive use of the Chapter system within ACRL. ACRL members have also been willing to get involved in the general structure of the ALA, lending their expertise and experience to the ALA Council, committees, round tables, and other units. In that fashion, ACRL becomes even stronger, because its voice is heard throughout the Association. I applaud that involvement and pledge myself to help that continue. The ALA is a rare beast. Quite often the sum of its parts is greater than the separate pieces. ALA acts best when it acts for the library profession as a whole, with advice and counsel from the divisions and units most involved with the specific issues.—Regina Minudri, Director of Library Services, Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley, California.

Donald Sager:

ACRL has provided a leadership role in the ALA through the initiative of its staff and officers, and the talent and commitment of its members. As president of the ALA I would seek to build upon its example, and draw upon the skills and advice of its officers and members to further strengthen this profes- sion. Some further clari- fication of the Operat- ing Agreement between ALA and its divisions needs to occur, to ensure that the prerogatives of these units are certain. As a recent division pres- ident, I believe that it is essential to improve the ability of each division to build membership, work toward improved excellence in programming and publications, and undertake those creative efforts which advance the profession. As the ALA’s divisions are strengthened, the Association as a whole will be strengthened.

Donald Sager

There is a prevalent belief that the president of the Association can only pursue one or two major goals in the year he or she holds that office. It is my belief that this reflects a limited vision of the opportunity that office has, and I would propose a broad program that would confront the major problems we face in graduate education for the profession, accreditation, research, preservation, pay equity, intellectual freedom, international relations, the public’s image of the profession, the application of new technology to libraries, and multitype library cooperation. That’s a big task, but I feel we have the talent and commitment in our Association to meet the challenge. It will take organizational skill, and familiarity with members from different regions of the nation and different components of the profession, but it can be done.

In my 20 years in the profession, I have worked in the South, East, North and Midwest. During the past several years I have visited 30 states as a conference or workshop speaker, or as a visiting lecturer in 19 graduate schools. That broad experience has given me insight to current concerns in the profession, and familiarity with the individuals who have the talent and commitment to confront those problems. Furthermore, as a recent division president, I recognize the great potential which exists within the divisions and round tables. A coalition of Council members, divisional officers, and members can be created so that in the 3 years which are available to an Association officer, measurable progress can be made through cooperative planning, delegation, creation of ad hoc task forces where necessary, or reallocation of existing resources in the Association.

I would like to take you places you have never been, show you things you have never seen, and challenge this profession as never before. That is what a professional association is supposed to do— to serve and develop its members, as well as to improve that profession’s service to society. There exists a strength and vitality within this profession, and with effective leadership, library and information science can play a more meaningful role in our society. I would welcome your support for the office, and more importantly, if I would gain that office, I would seek your participation in making the Association more effective and responsive.— Donald J. Sager, City Librarian, Milwaukee Public Library, Wisconsin.

Alphonse F. Trezza:

As an academic librarian (Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania), a member of ACRL since 1950, and as Associate Director of the American Library Association for nine years I had many opportunities not only to be active in ACRL but also to be in- volved in many impor- tant decisions affecting ACRL. I organized the first ACRL Chapter in Philadelphia in 1953, played a major role in negotiating and finaliz- ing the agreement with Verner Clapp, Council on Library Resources, for the funding and starting of both Choice and the publication Books for College Libraries.

Alphonse Trezza

While serving as State Librarian in Illinois I worked closely with academic libraries in making them partners in statewide resource sharing, in becoming (on a voluntary basis) members of the Illinois Library System as they moved towards becoming multitype systems and in making possible the participation of academic libraries in OCLC without paying any cost for administration as is the case in every other state or regional cooperative. Academic libraries in Illinois to this day only pay, through the State Library, direct OCLC charges.

As Director of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science I once again had many opportunities to address issues of importance to academic libraries and librarians. These included the long discussions over a national periodical center/system, participation by academic librarians in the 1979 White House Conference and the 57 pre-White House Conferences in the various states and territories, and the discussions with publishers, authors and members of Congress over a compromise on the issue of copyright.

There is little question that ACRL is not only one of ALA’s largest divisions but one of its strongest. It has a program that is the envy of most of the other divisions. This leadership by ACRL is the result of good staff, an effective membership, and relevant programs both at the national and regional level. The relationship between ALA and its divisions and the current Operating Agreement all indicate the ability of all parties to negotiate in good faith and to act with the interest of the profession as a whole rather than with parochialism. Strength in unity is understood by ACRL; there are no issues that the division and ALA cannot resolve with good will and honest effort. The success of the Operating Agreement depends on continual review by all parties and, when and if necessary, a revision of the agreement to meet changing conditions.

As president of ALA you can be assured of my understanding of ACRL’s problems based on my long experience, my commitment to both ALA and ACRL as well as my strong belief in the profession of librarianship remaining as a vital and dynamic force in today and tomorrow’s information society. ACRL has a loyal and dedicated membership that will meet the challenges of technology, funding, and increasing demands. I am proud to be a part of that effort.—Alphonse F. Trezza, Associate Professor, School of Library 6- Information Studies, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.