ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

CONFERENCE CIRCUIT: Focus on the Invited Papers program: Exciting programs to attend at National Conference

by Betty Blackman with the assistance of Margot Sutton

Ed note: Check out the conference home- page for registration and additional in- formation about the conference at http:// www.ala.org/acrl/ prendex.html.

Under the direc- tion of the chair of ACRL’s National Con- ference Executive Committee Charles Beard (director, University Libraries at State University of West Georgia), a very excit- ing and informative program has been planned for ACRL’s 9th National Conference to be held April 8-11, 1999, in Detroit, Michi- gan.

We are particularly excited about the Invited Papers Program. Various subcommittees have been working diligently with the Executive Committee to attract an outstanding group of information special- ists, library school educators, and college and university presidents to help us focus on critical issues and challenges we face and therefore must address as we enter the new millennium.

Judith Hunt shares information about ACRL's 9th National Conference as a visitor completes a raffle entry.

Selecting the motor city of Detroit as the conference site has led to reflection about our rapidly changing environment, forcing us to move swiftly as we prepare for the 21st cen- tury. The giant automotive industry has had to constantly shift gears to provide viable prod- ucts for consumers; and, libraries—informa- tion givers, providers and producers—are also rapidly shifting gears, embracing new tech- nology, and adapting to change as we race toward the new millennium.

Thus, the conference theme, “Racing Towards Tomorrow,” was chosen to focus on the challenges we face and the historic signifi- cance of where we will meet to discuss, debate, and learn about issues that will effect community college, college, university and re- search libraries now and into the future.

The distinguished in- vited speakers will ad- dress various aspects of the six conference sub- themes, namely: 1) environment in flux; 2) alternate resources; 3) a new kind of learner; 4) multiple roles; 5) different players; and 6) expanding knowledge base. As you read the following information about their back- grounds and their approach to the sub- themes, we are sure that you will want to hear their full presentations at ACRL’s Na- tional Conference.

Are you concerned about the tools we will need to more fully equip yourselves and your libraries for the new millennium? If so, we invite you to hear the following speakers: Leigh S. Estabrook, Malcolm Getz, Clifford Lynch, Gail McMillan, Manuel T. Pacheco, and Blenda Wilson.

Distance education

“New Forms of Distance Education: Opportu- nities for Students, Threats to Institutions” will be presented by Leigh Estabrook on Satur- day, April 10, 1999, from 4:00- 5:30 p.m. Esta- brook, dean and professor at Uni- versity of Illinois (UI), will discuss how the Gradu- ate School of Li- brary and Infor- mation Science at the UI used a program called LEEP3 to offer master’s degrees over the Internet.

Leigh Estabrook

Estabrook’s presentation will outline the way LEEP3 was designed to allow students in remote areas to obtain a high quality library and information science education and will discuss its implications for colleges and universities. Additionally, Estabrook will pose numerous questions for academic and research librarians as they consider the implementation of distance education programs.

Estabrook has been a dean and professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the UI since 1986 and is currently researching the perception of community officials and librarians and of library effectiveness (funded by the Council on Library Resources and the Illinois State Library).

Academic publishing

Malcolm Getz, professor, Department of Economics and Business Administration at Vanderbilt University, will present a paper on Academic Publishing: Networks and Prices” on Saturday, April 10, 1999, from 9:15-10:45 a.m.

Throughout his discussion, Getz will explore a network’s po- tential of allowing services remote from campus to play important roles at institu- tions and how the use of network delivery for edu- cational and informational services will change as higher edu- cation expands. Getz feels that “putting prices in the hands of readers will invite them to vote with their pennies for ser- vices they value most.” Getz will discuss how prices will empower readers, will make the demand for information services more price elastic and thus, will probably lower prices.

Getz has been a member of Vanderbilt’s Economics department since 1973 and was the director of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library from 1984-1994. His recent writing fo- cuses on economic issues in higher educa- tion, including libraries, computing in instruc- tion, information storage, and electronic pub- lishing. Getz, who has published more than 40 essays on library subjects, also advises li- braries and others who are contemplating pub- lishing electronically on the Internet.

Malcolm Getz

Scholarly communication

“The New Genres of Scholarly Communication and the Role of the Research Library ” will be the focus of a pre- sentation by Clifford Lynch, executive direc- tor of the Coali- tion for Net- worked Infor- mation (CNI). Lynch will pre- sent his paper on Friday, April 9, 1999, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. During his presentation, Lynch will discuss the new genres of scholarly communication for academic and research librarians.

Clifford Lynch

These genres include the Web, electronic publications, digital video, and other high performance networks, such as Internet 2 and Next Generation Internet. He will trace the development of these new genres, describe their components, and explore issues related to the role of the research library in managing and providing access to them.

Lynch has been the director of CNI since 1997. CNI, jointly sponsored by the ARL and EDUCAUSE includes about 200 member organizations concerned with the use of information and technology and networked information to enhance scholarship and intellectual productivity.

Lynch, who received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, is an adjunct professor at Berkeley’s School of Information Management and Systems.

Digital libraries

Gail McMillan, director of the Scholarly Communication Project (SCP) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Libraries, will explore the relationship of digital and traditional libraries during her presentation “(Digital) Libraries Support (Distributed) Education.” McMillan will present her paper from 4:00- 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 1999- She will discuss why a digital library should be a “seamless extension of the library that provides faculty and students with access to information in any format that has been evaluated, organized, archived, and preserved.” In order to maximize their services, McMillan will stress, digital and traditional libraries should work cohesively in order to best serve the user community. McMillan has been head of the Special Collections Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University since June 1995 and director of the university; SCP since January 1994.

Higher education

In his presentation, “The Changing Nature of Higher Education,” Manuel Pacheco will discuss how changes in higher education reflect broad national and international changes. These changes include globalization of the marketplace, rapidly evolving information technologies, the shift from manufacturing-based to information-based societies, the need for individuals to learn and change throughout their lives, and the need for individuals and societies alike to understand different cultures and to welcome diversity. Pacheco will il- lustrate how li- braries—“inter- national free trade zones of in- formation”—are one of the bestequip-ped social institutions to pro- Manuel Pacheco mote such changes.

Manuel Pacheco

Pacheco will present his paper on Friday, April 9, 1999, from 10:30-12:30 p.m. Pacheco has been the president of the four campus University of Missouri System since 1997. Prior to this position, he served as the president of the University of Arizona and received national recognition for enacting programs designed to improve the academic experience at the university.

Pacheco has received other accolades, in- cluding the Distinguished Alumnus of the Ohio State University, Outstanding Hispanic Fam- ily of the Year, and a Fulbright Fellowship.

A president's view

Blenda J. Wilson, president of California State University (CSU), Northridge, will present her paper “Shifting Gears: A University President’s View” on Saturday, April 10, 1999, from 12:45-3:00 p.m. during an all-conference lun- cheon. Wilson will discuss the Blenda J. Wilson many changes universities face today: the nature of the stu- dent body, distance learning, alternate fund- ing, public expectations, and the impact of technology. Wilson will recommend how li- brarians and libraries can plan for these changes—changes that, from a university president’s perspective, are necessary for the new millennium. She will also explore the role of libraries in campus life and their posi- tive impact on student achievement and re- tention. Lastly, Wilson will present the op- portunity for discussion on what makes a “great library” from a university president’s view.

Blenda J. Wilson

Wilson, who began her service as president of CSU in 1992, has initiated a major strategic planning effort to revitalize the university and to redefine its mission in response to the numerous challenges facing higher education. Described by Change magazine as “a visible national spokesperson for academic issues,” she also serves on several governing boards, including the board of trustees of the Commonwealth Fund and the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Wilson also chairs the CSU 22-campus system’s Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology. She is past chair of the American Association of Higher Education and a member of the California Business-Higher Education Forum.

Hear how librarians respond to these issues

In addition to the presentations by the above invited speakers, there will be a three-person reactor panel for each speaker. The invited papers subcommittee has assembled an impressive group of practitioners who will also seek to stimulate and provoke audience participation prior to the question and answer periods for each session. Some of the identified reactors include: Elaine Albright, University of Maine; Camila Alire, University of Colorado; Betsy Baker, Northwestern University; Nancy Baker, Washington State University; Gladys Bell, Kent State University; Bernard Fradkin, College of Du Page; W. Lee Hisle, Austin Community College; Maryhelen Jones, Central Michigan University; David Lewis, Purdue University; Wendy Lougee, University of Michigan; Deborah Masters, San Francisco State University; Ryoko Toyama, Rutgers University; and Robert Wedgeworth, University of Illinois.

Finally, we must ask ourselves the crucial questions: Are we ready to provide access to information resources to our users in the new millennium? What have we done to prepare for the delivery of effective services in the 21st century? Are we ready for evolving changes now and in the future? What do we need to do to get ready? What must change? What must remain? What roles will we play in the future and with whom? Please join us in Detroit in 1999 as we collectively seek answers that will determine our future.