ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Chapter visits

The ACRL Vice-President /President-Elect and Executive Director report on recent Chapter meetings.

Gfeorgia, October25-26. “At the Threshold of the 21st Century: Georgia Libraries Lead the Way” was the theme of the 1985 Biennial Conference of the Georgia Library Association, held in Augusta, October 23-27. The GLA’s Academic Library Division (ACRL’s Georgia Chapter) offered significant programming on Friday and Saturday. Two contributed paper sessions featured six presentations drawn from papers submitted to a selection committee. After the first session, commentary was provided by R.W. Hemphill, vice president of Georgia College.

I chose the topic of “Managing Technology: The Librarian’s Role” for my luncheon address. A business meeting included election of officers and a brief presentation by myself on ACRL.

Biennial conferences intensify the importance of successful programming. The Georgia Chapter certainly led the way in providing an opportunity for member involvement and offering quality programs for their members. A large attendance at sessions testified to their success.—JoAn Segal.

Ohio, September 20.An afternoon flight on September 19 brought me to Columbus on a warm and sunny fall day for the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO, ACRL’s Ohio Chapter) annual meeting. The social gathering that evening was an effective method of meeting most of the 220 members who were attending the meeting, especially Paula Warnken, the president of ALAO. Paula and her fellow officers were most gracious and helpful in providing me with current information on chapter activities.

The next morning Charles Dygert, president of Motivational Enterprises International, Inc., provided the conference attendents with a very exciting experience as he talked about “Creating Environments for the Expression of Human Excellence.” Even the sleepiest person in the audience couldn’t help being affected by his enthusiasm and challenging ideas. This keynote address was a very appropriate way to begin ALAO’s excellent conference on “Developing Library Personnel for the 1980’s…and Beyond.” Sessions on new employee orientation, time management, microcomputers, copy catalogers, special collection personnel, and one-professional libraries followed.

After lunch and several award presentations, I addressed the group on “The Role of the Professional Organization in Library Staff Growth and

Development.” I focused on comparisons of ALAO and ACRL priorities and goals, an ACRL profile, ACRL’s role in continuing education, and the development of professional competencies. My final message to the group related to the role membership can and must play within ACRL to continue its growth and strength. Questions from the membership indicated a strong interest in ACRL.

The afternoon meetings addressed topics such as communication, educating middle management, student employee supervision, search and screen committees, and professional appraisals.

This was an ambitious, yet most successful meeting held by one of the largest and strongest ACRL chapters .—Hannelore B. Rader.

Texas, October25. A humid 85-degree evening enveloped me as I stepped off the plane and received a most gracious Texas welcome from Maxine Johnston, Texas ACRL Chapter Chair. During a delicious Mexican dinner with Maxine and fellow program speaker Jacquelyn Morris, chair of the ACRL Ad Hoc College Library Standards Committee, I learned a great deal about the Texas Library Association, the Texas ACRL Chapter, and Texas itself. Later on that night Maxine continued my orientation to Texas by walking with me around the campus of the University of Texas, Austin, and showing me the beautiful LBJ Presidential Library.

The program of this year’s Texas ACRL Chapter meeting focused on “Library Standards and Texas Academic Libraries.” It was my privilege to open the meeting, attended by approximately 60 librarians, with a presentation on “ACRL Programs and Priorities.” I discussed ARCL’s functions as our professional organization and compared ACRL’s goals and priorities to the Texas ACRL Chapter’s goals and priorities. This was followed by a summary of ACRL’s activities with particular emphasis on continuing education and standards. I ended with the future of ACRL and the importance of membership involvement in all ACRL activities.

Jacquelyn Morris discussed new ACRL standards, their development and future impact. Several Texas librarians provided a Texas perspective on the standards. Opportunity for questions and discussion after each presentation was most effective. Brooke Sheldon, past ALA president, provided a very thoughtful summary and overview. — Hannelore B. Rader.

Tri-State, September 19-20.Three ACRL chapters convened in Chicago for a series of presentations on the use of microcomputers. With support from the Chapters Special Programming Fund and planning by the Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois chapters, the program was highly successful.

After official greetings from Donna Goehner, conference chair, from each chapter’s official representative, and from the ACRL executive director, the program began by examining the issue of stress, particularly stress caused by the introduction of technology into library opeartions. Charles Bunge from the University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Studies made an enjoyable and insightful presentation.

Workshops on a variety of microcomputerrelated topics were held Thursday afternoon and Friday. About 120 members of the three chapters benefited from this activity, which addressed a member-identified need in a useful and engaging manner.— JoAn Segal. ■■