ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


177

ALA on ACRL

The three candidates fo r A L A  
vice-president /president-elect share their views on 
academic and research librarianship.

R ecently th e ALA p resid en tial ca n d id a te s w ere 

asked to give som e th o u g h t to A LA /A C R L relations 
a n d  academ ic lib ra ria n sh ip  in general for this spe­
cial C & R L  N e w s fe atu re. T h e ir statem en ts m ay 
aid you w h en  you vote for ALA officers on this 
sp rin g ’s b allot.

Regina Minudri:
A cadem ic a n d  research lib raries face m a n y  c h a l­

lenges d u rin g  th e  1980s a n d  beyond. These include 
a d e q u a te  fu n d in g , applications of new  technology, 
q u a lity  of p ro fe ssio n a l
a n d  p a r a p r o f e s s i o n a l  
staff, service needs of th e 
p a r e n t in stitu tio n , space 
re q u ire d  to p ro v id e ad e ­
q u a te  services, a n d  th e 
ever-present question of 
position a n d  recognition 
w i t h i n  t h e  a c a d e m ic  
a n d  re s e a rc h  s tr u c tu r e  
of th e  p a re n t in stitu tio n .
As a p u b lic lib ra ria n , all 
of these concerns are fa ­
m i l i a r  to  m e , e v e n  

Regina Minudrith o u g h  th ey  com e w ith  a 
p u b lic lib ra ry  em phasis.
I h av e w o rk ed  for a d e q u a te  fu n d in g  for academ ic 
lib raries in C a lifo rn ia an d  w ill co n tin u e to do so in 
th e  fu tu re . I w ill rely on A C R L  m em bers to keep 
m e in fo rm e d  on p a r tic u la r  issues a n d  co n cern s 
w h ich  are p a rtic u la rly  re le v an t to th e  m em bers of 
this v ital division of th e  ALA.

P ay eq u ity  or c o m p a ra b le  w o rth  is c e rtain ly  a 
concern in th e  academ ic co m m u n ity . I t can , in 
som e instances, be tra n s la te d  to facu lty  status an d

recognition. In  any event, p ay  eq u ity  is a goal an d  
p rio rity  th a t all lib ra ria n s m ust face in th e  com ing 
decade. T h e re  are p o w erfu l forces w o rk in g  against 
this goal, in clu d in g  th e  fed eral g o vernm ent, state 
governm ents, an d  th e  re lu c ta n ce of m a n y  local e n ­
tities to recognize eq u ity  as fairness an d  eq u al rec­
om pense for services re n d ered . I w ill w ork to w a rd  
fu rth e rin g  th e  goal of p a y  eq u ity , a t th e  local, state 
a n d  fed eral level. This fight m ay  be a len g th y  one, 
a n d  w e m ust be p re p a re d  to re m a in  v ig ilan t an d  in ­
volved.

T h e  m o s t re c e n tly  re v is e d  A L A  O p e r a t i n g  
A greem ent w ith  th e  divisions has been in place for 
only a few  years. It seems to m e th a t th e re  are areas 
w ith in  th a t ag reem en t w h ich  h ave not yet been 
tested ad e q u a te ly  or v alid ated . T h e ALA E xecu­
tive B oard, in d ealin g  w ith  th e  A m erican Associa­
tio n  of School L ib ra ria n s (AASL) has requested 
t h a t  th e  m a t t e r  of in te re s t p a y m e n ts  on u n e x ­
p en d e d  cash balances of divisions be clearly ex­
p lain ed  an d  p u t into p ra c tic e  as a p p ro p ria te . T h e 
s tru c tu re  of th e  O p e ra tin g  A greem ent clearly in d i­
cates th a t ALA D ivisions a re a p a r t of th e  ALA, b u t 
h av e c e rta in  rights an d  a u th o rity  to act. T h e ALA 
C o n stitu tio n  an d  Bylaws fu rth e r discuss th e  D iv i­
sions an d  th e ir pow ers, vis-a-vis th e  pow ers of th e 
overall ALA. T h e O p e ra tin g  A greem ent should not 
be set in co n c rete— it should be scrutinized c a re ­
fully, w ith  ad ju stm en ts m a d e  as necessary.

A C R L , as th e  largest ALA division, is strong, ef­
ficient, c e rtain ly  goal d irec te d , a n d  innovative. 
T h ere is m u ch  th a t th e  general ALA can  le a rn  from  
ex am ining A C R L ’s long ra n g e p la n , by studying 
th e  m ethods used for tra in in g , an d  by observing th e 
c o n s tru c tiv e  use o f th e  C h a p t e r  system  w ith in  
A C R L . A C R L  m em bers h ave also been w illin g to



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get involved in th e general stru ctu re of th e ALA, 
lending th eir expertise and experience to th e ALA 
C o u n c il, c o m m itte e s , ro u n d  ta b le s , a n d  o th e r 
u n its . I n  t h a t  f a s h io n , A C R L  b e c o m e s  e v e n  
stronger, because its voice is h e a rd  th ro u g h o u t the 
A sso c ia tio n . I a p p l a u d  t h a t  in v o lv e m e n t a n d  
pledge myself to help th a t continue. T he ALA is a 
ra re  beast. Q u ite often th e sum of its p arts is greater 
th a n  th e separate pieces. ALA acts best w hen it acts 
for th e lib ra ry  profession as a w hole, w ith  advice 
an d  counsel from  the divisions an d  units m ost in ­
volved w ith the specific issues.— Regina Minudri, 
Director o f Library Services, Berkeley Public Li­
brary, Berkeley, California.

Donald Sager:
A C R L has provided a leadership role in th e ALA 

th ro u g h  th e initiative of its staff and officers, and 
th e  ta le n t an d  c o m m itm e n t of its m em bers. As 
president of the ALA I
w o u ld  seek to  b u ild  
u p o n  its ex a m p le , a n d  
d ra w  upon th e skills and 
advice of its officers and 
m e m b e rs  to  f u r t h e r  
s tre n g th e n  th is p ro fe s ­
sion. Some fu rth e r cla ri­
fica tio n  of th e  O p e r a t­
ing A greem ent betw een 
ALA a n d  its d iv isio n s 
needs to occur, to ensure 
th a t the prerogatives of 
these units are certain .

D onald SagerAs a recent division pres­
id en t, I believe th a t it is
essential to im prove th e ability of each division to 
build m em bership, w ork to w a rd  im proved excel­
lence in p ro g ra m m in g  an d  p ublications, an d  u n ­
d erta k e those creative efforts w hich advance the 
profession. As th e  A LA ’s divisions are s tre n g th ­
ened, th e Association as a w hole will be stre n g th ­
ened.

T h ere is a p rev alen t belief th a t the president of 
th e  Association can only pursue one or tw o m ajor 
goals in th e year he or she holds th a t office. It is m y 
belief th a t this reflects a lim ited vision of th e o p p o r­
tu n ity  th a t office has, an d  I w ould propose a broad 
p ro g ram  th a t w ould co n fro n t th e m ajor problem s 
w e face in g ra d u a te  ed u catio n  for th e profession, 
accred itatio n , research, preservation, p ay equity, 
intellectual freedom , in te rn a tio n a l relations, the 
p u b lic ’s im age of th e  profession, th e application of 
new  technology to libraries, an d  m u ltity p e lib rary  
cooperation. T h a t’s a big task, b u t I feel w e have 
th e ta le n t an d  co m m itm en t in o u r Association to 
m eet th e  challenge. It w ill ta k e  o rg a n iz a tio n a l 
skill, an d  fam iliarity  w ith  m em bers from  different 
regions of th e n atio n  an d  different com ponents of 
th e profession, b u t it can be done.

In  m y 20 years in th e profession, I have w orked 
in th e  South, E ast, N o rth  an d  M idw est. D u rin g  the 
past several years I have visited 30 states as a con­

ference or w orkshop speaker, or as a visiting lec­
tu re r in 19 g ra d u ate schools. T h a t b ro a d  experi­
ence has given m e insight to c u rre n t concerns in the 
profession, an d  fam iliarity  w ith  th e  individuals 
w ho have th e ta le n t an d  co m m itm en t to confront 
those problem s. F u rth e rm o re , as a recent division 
president, I recognize th e great p o ten tial w hich ex­
ists w ith in  th e divisions an d  ro u n d  tables. A coali­
tio n  of C ouncil m em bers, divisional officers, and 
m em bers can be created  so th a t in th e 3 years w hich 
are available to an Association officer, m easurable 
progress can be m ad e th ro u g h  cooperative p la n ­
n in g , d eleg a tio n , c re a tio n  of ad hoc task forces 
w h e re  necessary, or re a llo c a tio n  of existing re ­
sources in the Association.

I w ould like to take you places you have never 
been, show you things you have never seen, and 
challenge this profession as never before. T h a t is 
w h a t a professional association is supposed to d o — 
to serve an d  develop its m em bers, as well as to im ­
prove th a t profession’s service to society. T h ere ex­
ists a stren g th  an d  vitality w ith in  this profession, 
an d  w ith  effective leadership, lib ra ry  and in fo rm a­
tion science can play a m ore m eaningful role in our 
society. I w ould w elcom e your su p p o rt for th e  of­
fice, an d  m ore im p o rtan tly , if I w ould gain th a t of­
fice, I w ould seek your p a rtic ip a tio n  in m aking the 
A sso c ia tio n  m o re  e ffe c tiv e  a n d  r e s p o n s iv e .— 
D onald J. Sager, C ity L ibrarian, M ilw a u kee P ub­
lic L ibrary, W isconsin.

Alphonse F. Trezza:
As an academ ic lib ra ria n  (V illanova U niversity 

an d  th e U niversity of Pennsylvania), a m em b er of 
ACRL since 1950, and as Associate D irecto r of the 
A m erican L ib rary  Asso­
ciation for nine years I 
h a d  m an y  opportunities 
not only to be active in 
A C R L b u t also to be in ­
volved in m an y  im p o r­
ta n t decisions affecting 
A C R L. I organized the 
first A C R L C h a p te r in 
P h ila d e lp h ia  in  1953, 
p la y e d  a m a jo r role in 
negotiating and fin aliz­
ing th e agreem ent w ith  
V erner C lap p , C ouncil 

A lphonse Trezzaon L ib r a r y  R esources, 
fo r th e  f u n d i n g  a n d
sta rtin g  of b o th  C hoice an d  th e p u b licatio n  Books 
fo r  College Libraries.

W h ile  serving as S tate L ib ra r ia n  in Illinois I 
w orked closely w ith  academ ic libraries in m aking 
th em  p artn e rs in statew id e resource sharing, in b e­
com ing (on a v o lu n tary  basis) m em bers of th e Illi­
nois L ib ra ry  System as they m oved tow ards becom ­
ing m u ltity p e systems an d  in m aking possible the 
p artic ip a tio n  of academ ic libraries in O C L C  w ith ­
ou t paying any cost for ad m in istratio n  as is th e case 
in every o th er state or regional cooperative. Aca­



179

d em ic lib ra rie s in Illinois to this d a y  only p a y , 
th ro u g h  th e S tate L ib ra ry , direct O C L C  charges.

As D irecto r of th e N atio n al C om m ission on L i­
braries an d  In fo rm a tio n  Science I once again h a d  
m an y  o p p o rtu n ities to address issues of im p o rtan ce 
to a c ad em ic lib ra rie s an d  lib ra ria n s . T hese in ­
cluded th e  long discussions over a n atio n al p erio d i­
cal center/system , p a rtic ip a tio n  by academ ic li­
b ra rian s in th e 1979 W h ite House C onference and 
th e 57 p re -W h ite House C onferences in th e  various 
states an d  territo ries, and th e  discussions w ith  p u b ­
lishers, authors an d  m em bers of Congress over a 
com prom ise on th e  issue of copyright.

T h ere is little question th a t A C R L is not only one 
of ALA’s largest divisions b u t one of its strongest. It 
has a p ro g ram  th a t is th e envy of m ost of th e  o th er 
divisions. This leadership by A C R L is th e  result of 
good staff, an  effective m em bership, an d  relevant 
p rogram s b o th  at th e  n atio n al an d  regional level. 
T h e relationship betw een ALA an d  its divisions 
an d  th e c u rre n t O p e ra tin g  A greem ent all in d icate

th e ab ility  of all p arties to negotiate in good faith  
an d  to act w ith  th e  interest of th e profession as a 
w hole ra th e r th a n  w ith  parochialism . S trength in 
u n ity  is understood by A C R L; th e re  are no issues 
th a t th e  division an d  ALA ca n n o t resolve w ith  good 
w ill an d  honest effort. T h e success of th e O p e ra tin g  
A greem ent depends on co n tin u al review  by all p a r ­
ties an d , w h en  an d  if necessary, a revision of the 
ag reem en t to m eet ch an g in g  conditions.

As p resid en t of ALA you can be assured of m y 
u n d e rsta n d in g  of A C R L ’s problem s based on m y 
long experience, m y c o m m itm e n t to b o th  ALA and 
A C R L as w ell as m y strong belief in th e  profession 
of lib ra ria n sh ip  re m a in in g  as a vital an d  dynam ic 
force in to d ay  a n d  to m o rro w ’s in fo rm atio n  society. 
A C R L has a loyal an d  d ed icated  m em bership th a t 
w ill m eet th e challenges of technology, fu nding, 
an d  increasing dem ands. I am  p ro u d  to be a p a r t of 
th a t e ffo rt.—A lphonse F. T rezza, Associate Pro­
fessor, School o f L ib ra ry 6- In fo rm a tio n  Studies, 
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

Candidates for ALA Council

These A C R L members need your vote.

The fo llo w in g  m em b ers of th e  A ssociation of 
College an d  R esearch L ibraries are eith er n o m i­
n a te d  or p etitio n  can d id ates for ALA councilor in 
th e  spring 1985 elections. M em bers are encouraged 
to vote for these can d id ates to increase A C R L ’s 
voice in th e affairs of th e A m erican L ib ra ry  Associ­
ation.

John L. A yala, lib ra ry  d ire c to r, L o n g  R each 
C ity C ollege, C alifornia.

Herbert Biblo, L ong Islan d  L ib ra ry  Resources 
C ouncil, B ellport, N ew  York.

Joseph A. Boissé, d irecto r, U niversity of C alifo r­
n ia L ib ra ry , S anta B arb a ra.

Luis F. Chaparro, p u b lic services lib ra ria n , El 
Paso C o m m u n ity  C ollege, Texas.

Marva L. D eL oach, h ea d , CRM  D ivision, Illi­
nois S tate U niversity, N orm al.

Miriam Drake, d irec to r of libraries, G eorgia I n ­
stitu te of Technology, A tlan ta.

Paul Fasana, associate d ire c to r, P re p a ra tio n  
Services, N ew  York P ublic L ib rary .

Barbara J. Ford, assistant d irec to r for p u b lic ser­
vices, T rin ity  U niversity, San A ntonio, Texas.

Jack Form an, referen ce/b ib lio g rap h ic services 
lib ra ria n , Mesa College L ib ra ry  an d  U niversity of 
C alifo rn ia, San Diego.

Elaine A. Franco, cataloger, U niversity of N e­
braska, Lincoln.

George C. Grant, d irec to r of lib ra ry  services, 
Stockton S tate C ollege, P om ona, N ew  Jersey.

Kathleen G unning, assistant d irecto r for p ublic 
services a n d  collection d e v e lo p m e n t, U niversity 
L ib raries, U niversity of H ouston, Texas.

Rodney M. H ersberger, d ire c to r of lib ra rie s, 
C alifo rn ia S tate College, Bakersfield.