ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

A commitment to our future: The Friends of ACRL

by Michael Godow

About the author

Michael Godow is ACRL program officer, e-mail: mgodow@ala.org

In January 1999, ACRL embarked upon a new and exciting initiative that is destined to strengthen our profession and offer new opportunities for academic librarians. The name of that initiative is The Friends of ACRL.

The Friends of ACRL was specifically designed to provide a means for academic librarians to make an additional commitment to the future growth of our profession.

Some of you may ask, Why is it necessary to create a Friends group when we already pay ALA and ACRL dues?

The answer to that question is twofold.

First, we want to take bold steps above and beyond our traditional programs and services, as well as strengthen those initiatives that are at the core of ACRL’s mission. Second, as many of you who already belong to Friends groups know, there is a special feeling that is derived from knowing that your time and/or money have benefited another individual or profession.

Thus, a number of ACRL members said the time for our Friends group is now and they submitted the idea to the ACRL Board. The Board approved the creation of Friends of ACRL, and stipulated that four funds be designed to support initiatives at the core of ACRL’s mission. Those four funds are:

• Professional Development Scholarship Fund,which will open up professional development opportunities for MLS students and entry-level and minority librarians by allowing them to attend ACRL and ALA programs.

• Innovative New Program Fund,which will not only expand our knowledge and abilities by providing additional cutting-edge programming, but will also provide us a means to enhance our delivery methods by using methods such as Webcast and teleconferencing.

• Best Practices in Academic Librarianship Fund,which will promote academic librarianship by recognizing and rewarding those individuals and institutions that provide programs and services that set the standard for our profession.

• Global Connection Fund,which supports scholarships for participation of foreign academic librarians in ACRL National and ALA Conferences. It also provides fellowships for study grants abroad as well as grant funds for the distribution of U.S. publications to third-world countries.

Some of the great features of our Friends group is that once you decide upon the size of your donation, you can distribute it to one or all of the funds in whatever way you wish. Additionally, your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Last but not least, we will recognize your generosity by listing your name on the Friends of ACRL homepage, publish it with your fellow donors on a full page of C&RL News, send you a Friends of ACRL ribbon, and designate special seating for you at ACRL National Conferences and President’s Programs.

If you have already sent a contribution to support this worthy cause, we thank you. If you have not found time to do so, please take a moment to consider the impact that your gift will have on the future of our profession.

I invite you to visit the Friends of ACRL homepage at http://www.ala.org/acrl/friends. html for more information or complete the donation form below, make out your check to American Library Association, and mail it to Friends of ACRL, Association of College and Research Libraries, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL, 60611. ■