ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

In the News

It is a useful exercise to periodically take stock of where we have been and where we are going. In this issue, ACRL’s annual report gives us a chance to do just that.

During 1996-97, ACRL offered numerous professional development opportunities for academic and research librarians—including its record-setting 8th National Conference—and continued its extensive publications program. And, as Bill Miller said, much progress was made around ACRL’s goal to collaborate with other professional organizations in higher education to promote mutual interests: “ACRL resumed a level of interaction with nonlibrary associations not seen since the BI Liaison Project of the 1970s.” Take a few moments to read just how much you helped ACRL accomplish (page 779).

ACRL President Lee Hisle initiates a new column in this issue—“Values for the Electronic

Information Age”—where he shares with us details about his presidential theme. Be sure to join him for a discussion about values at ALA’s Midwinter Conference. Details are given on page 765.

Also in this issue are two conference reports. Gabriela Sonntag tells us about a conference on teaching information competencies that she attended (page 770), and Daniel Blewett describes the conference, “Envisioning the Future: Creating the Humanities Classroom of the 21st Century” (page 773).

Speaking of conferences, be sure to check out the announcement of ACRL’s first Leadership Institute on page 778. This institute, “Building your Leadership Toolkit,” offers thought-provoking and veiy practical instructions for enhancing your leadership skills.

—Mary Ellen K. Davis Editor, medavis@ala.org