ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

In the News

How well libraries and librarians satisfy the information needs of users is one of the primary means of measuring the library’s success. Many factors affect the outcome of each information transaction and one important factor is the quality of the staff. Equally important are hiring competent staff, training them, and continuing to provide them with professional development opportunities. An approach of continual learning helps individuals achieve their potential to do their best for the organization.

ACRL expressed its commitment to the importance of professional development when it adopted as the first goal of its strategic plan, “to provide development opportunities for academic librarians and other library personnel that enhance their ability to deliver superior services and resources.” ACRL offers through its publications, workshops, and conferences many ways for librarians to update their skills.

In this issue, ACRL announces nine practical, skill-building workshops offered as preconferences to the ACRL National Conference in Nashville, April 11–14, 1997. Topics cover a wide spectrum of interests including fundraising, new learning communities, digital information, digitizing collections, preferred futures, buildings, the learning organization, technical services workstations, and user needs (page 667).

Two articles in this issue address the advantages of staff development. Peggy Johnson describes a cross-training program planned and implemented at the University of Minnesota (page 644). And Anita Lowry, Paul Soderdahl, and Barbara Dewey describe how the University of Iowa developed a flexible team structure to manage its Web-based information system (page 640). Giving staff the opportunity to learn new skills and to participate in librarywide projects benefits both individuals and organizations.

—Mary Ellen K. Davis

Editor & Publishermedavis@ala.org