ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

RESEARCH FORUM: Stimulating quality research: Starting with the basics

By Dorothy J. Anderson Chair, ACRL Research Development Committee

ACRL’s new Research Development Committee is launching a plan to stimulate superior research among academic librarians. The plan is based on three beliefs.

1) Many astute library directors recognize research as an opportunity to:

• enhance the library’s status in the university and in the profession;

• lift staff morale; and

• investigate persistent problems scientifically.

2) Many bright academic librarians would enjoy doing research if they had:

• administrative support (time, money, recognition);

• confidence in their ability;

• help and training;

3) As an incentive to do quality research, potential researchers need training designed to diffuse fears, build confidence and to develop a researcher’s mindset and ability.

The Research Development Committee therefore proposes a mechanism to link library directors, new researchers, and basic training. These foundation blocks form the necessary base for an invisible college—a network of new researchers around the country—who can produce research of superior quality in an encouraging atmosphere.

Step I. Research clinics

We invite academic library directors to nominate and support one or two “potential researchers” on their staffs to attend ACRL’s first national Research Clinic in Chicago on July 8, 1985.

The Clinic will:

•demonstrate the diagnosis and treatment of a researchable problem;

•stimulate a positive attitude toward research; and

•suggest ways to team up with academic colleagues.

Use the Research Clinic form below:

Step II. An Idea Bank

We invite each of you to send us your best research idea: think of a professional problem or question that concerns you (20 words or less). The idea can be phrased as a question, a problem, or an issue. For example, “Which students mutilate books?” or “Book mutilation is a problem,” etc. We will show how to turn ideas into researchable questions at Research Clinic I; then we will put your ideas into an Idea Bank available to all researchers through ACRL and the Office for Library Research. (We are working now on the possibility of an Electronic Idea Bank through ALANET— watch for an announcement.) Meanwhile, use the Idea form on page 183.

Step III. Consultants

After we identify a core of new researchers who begin to investigate new questions, another important element can be added. Volunteer Research Consultants from each library school could critique proposals and (without a commitment to the project) assist with research design and review first drafts.

Research Clinic II in New York in 1986 will tentatively present model research partnerships between libraries and library educators—such as those supported by the Council on Library Resources.

Everyone can get into this act—directors, potential researchers, seasoned researchers, idea people, other research units at ALA, and library educators.

The Research Development Committee is eager to hear from you. We are: Dorothy J. Anderson (chair), Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of California, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024; Sara Fine, Associate Professor, School of Library and Information Science, 606 LIS Building, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260; Mary George, Head of General Reference Division, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ 08544; James May, Dean of Information Services, California State University Library, Chico, CA 95929-0290; Steve Stoan, Head of Reference, Wichita State University Libraries, Box 68, Wichita, KS 67208.