ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 164 Planning: Monday, July 12, 11:30 a .m .-1 2 :3 0 p.m. Renaissance Bibliography: Tuesday, July 13, 8 :0 0 -9 :0 0 p.m. R esearch and Publications: Sunday, Ju ly 11, 9 :3 0 -1 1 :0 0 a.m. Social Sciences Discussion Group: Sunday, July 11, 2 :0 0 -4 :0 0 p.m . ■ ■ A C R L’s Committee on an Activity Model for 1990: The Final Report F o r e w o r d The Association o f College and Research L i­ braries is the fifth largest library association in the world, comprising more than 9,400 members. It is also the third oldest library association in the world, dating its origin from 1890. In D ecem ber 1980 David W eber, then vice-president of ACRL, appointed an ad hoc committee to review the As­ sociation’s activity structure and propose such changes as ap p eared n eed ed to b rin g it into accord w ith th e likely dem ands of its second century of service to begin in 1990. V ice-p resid en t W e b e r ’s charge to this new “Committee on an Activity Model for 1990” was to conceptualize an activity program to help shape the directions of A ssociation effo rts in th e years im m ed ia tely ahead; to raise thereby the sights of ACRL mem­ bers, sections, and officers for A C R L ach iev e­ ment; and to stimulate membership interest and in v o lv em e n t in th e a d v a n ce m e n t o f th e Association. Persons appointed to the Com m ittee were Olive Ja m e s, D avid K a s e r, C arla S to ffle , W illiam Studer, and Julie Virgo. The C om m ittee’s first concern was to d eter­ mine what purpose or ends its “Activity Model” should be designed to attain. Finding no recent statement of Association goals and objectives that it could utilize, the Com mittee set about to de­ velop one through the use of a planning pyramid of objectives, shown here as Figure 2. In accord with this dialectic for planning, the Com m ittee began by reviewing both “environ­ mental considerations” and “internal characteris­ tics” (as shown at the top o f the pyramid) which could be expected to affect Association fortunes during th e com ing decade. T hey are given as Sections II and I I I of this Report. Taking those factors into account, the Com m ittee then drafted a statem ent of “M ission’’ and “Goals” which it proposed to the m em bership in the May 1981 issue of C &RL News. After appropriate revision of the statem ent, the Com mittee fashioned a set of “O bjectives” to fit the Goals, and it now com­ mends all three parts (e .g ., Section I I I of this Report) to the Board of D irectors for possible adoption. The Com mittee then set to work on its main charge to develop an Activity Model for meeting these purposes. It reviewed all past and present activities of A C RL, as well as a wide range of additional p o ssib ilities for action, and it co n ­ cluded that the best model possible would be a modification o f A C R L’s present program. In its judgm ent, the Association would be able to meet these goals successfully and carry a strong pro­ gram into its second century if, in addition to such present activities as are not affected by this Report, A CRL were also to address the new ac­ tivities enumerated in Section IV. Although that list also suggests possible appropriate action for each item therein, the Com mittee recommends that the Board refer the entire list to the Plan­ ning Com m ittee for item-by-item review and rec­ ommendation. Resources may need to be consid­ ered, and priorities may have to be assigned, b e ­ fore it can be adopted, either in whole or in part. In conclu sion, th e C o m m ittee recom m ends that the Association adopt an identifying slogan or logo for this program. It presents Figure 1 for possible consideration. Librarianship Fig. 1. Possible Logo. 166 I. E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n s i d e r a t i o n s L i k e l y t o A f f e c t A C R L A c t i v i t i e s in 1990 No reasonable set of goals and objectives can be conceived in a vacuum. To be realistic, the aspirations of an organization, like the aspirations of an individual, must take into account any en­ vironmental constraints that will impair or retard progress and are beyond the organization’s ability to alter or remove. F o r purposes of the present exercise, the Com m ittee identified four categories of such intransigent realities that it felt it would be prudent to respect; they are economic, politi­ cal, social, and tech n ica l. T h e principal item s among these considerations are as follows: A. Economic Considerations 1. Steady-state or declining purchasing power will be available to academic/research libraries. 2. C osts o f word processing/com m unication services will decline. 3. P ro fit-sector inform ation services will b e come increasingly available to higher education/ research personnel. 4. Inflation will continue at least through the next five years. 5. Libraries will be expected to increase pro ductivity. B. Political Considerations 1. F e d e r a l g o v e rn m e n t a ttitu d e tow ard academic/research libraries will be increasingly laissez-faire. 2. State governm ents will increase efforts to cen tralize authority/control over tax-supported higher education, including academic libraries. 3. T h ere will be rising international pressure for bibliographical standardization. 4. The political impact of local consortia wil decline, as that of regional and national consortia increases. C. Social Considerations 1. Society will continue to press for dollar ac countability. 2. T rad itional co lleg e en ro llm en ts will hold steady or d ecline, but the demographic profile and educational needs/expectations of college stu dents will continue to change. 3. Academy-based research activity will hold steady or advance slowly. 4. The use o f non-print materials in research and college teaching will increase. 5. Society will dem and sp eed ier delivery o information/documents from library repositories. D. Technical Considerations 1. W ord processing/communication/compute technology will improve. 2. Publishing will continue to move to single copy on-demand delivery. 3. L abor intensity in th e library/information field will decline. 4. Paper in existing library book stocks wil continue to disintegrate. 5. P erso n a l o w nersh ip o f word processing/ computing hardware will increase rapidly. I I . I n t e r n a l C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s L i k e l y t o A f f e c t A C R L’s F u t u r e In the same manner, attainable goals and ob­ jectives can be built only upon a frank assessment of characteristics internal to the group that are likely either to support or to impede the agreed- upon activities o f the organization. The purpose of this assessment is to determ ine and set in mo­ tion ap p ro p riate stra te g ie s for en h an cin g th e former and diminishing the latter, while fashion­ ing a set of organizational intentions capable of fulfillment. H ere the Com m ittee reviewed what it p erceiv ed to b e A C R L strengths/resources, w eaknesses, opportunities, and beliefs/policies. Principal among these characteristics are the fol­ lowing: ­ A. Resources/Strengths 1. A large m em bership (9 ,4 0 0 ), providing a broad financial base. 2. A committed, although small, headquarters staff. ­ 3. Adequate headquarters facilities. 4. Good flow of cost data on services and pro­ grams. 5. An effective, regular, and diversified pub­ lishing program. 6. A program of services aimed at individual li­ brarians as well as at libraries. 7. An appropriate governance structure at the Board level. B. Weaknesses 1. In e ffe c tiv e m ethods o f id en tify in g m em ­ l bership wishes/needs. 2. Structural problems in A CRL governance: a. Poor communication/coordination among com m ittees, sections, chapters; b. Terms of office too b rie f for optimum ac­ ­ tion by com m ittee chairs; c. Reluctance to abort inactive units. 3. Inequities betw een A C RL subsidies to chap­ ters and some chapter services to A C R L m em ­ ­ bers. 4. High tu rn over and in ad equ ate growth in membership. 5. Aberrations resulting from ACRL-ALA rela­ tionship: a. Absence of autonomous bursary prevents f development of fund reserves, accrual of interest on balances, etc.; b. Interlocking dues structure impairs A C R L r ability to give a full measure of service for dues paid; ­ c. ALA support services, salary schedules, operating policies, etc., are often inadequate to A CRL needs; d. A C RL has difficulty gaining adequate visi­ l bility or speaking out on critical national library issues except by ALA sufferance; 167 e. ACRL national conference needs, reve­ nues, scheduling, etc., are frequently at variance with ALA’s. C. Opportunities 1. T h e tim es may be rig h t to e ffe ct some changes: a. Recent successful conferences and services have created climate for change; b. M em bers and officers are pressing for change; c. ALA adm inistration appears willing to hear proposals for change. 2. C urrent state of academic/research library community requires stronger ACRL voice. 3. M ethods and technologies are becom ing available for enhancing ACRL service capabilities. 4. Growth in membership seems possible, as result of: a. Greater sense of professional community being stressed in library schools; b. Increasing network/cooperative programs demonstrate need for “extra-library” professional involvement; c. B e tte r-a ttu n e d m em b er serv ices raise value of belonging. 5. Recognition of academic/research library sig­ nificance is increasing among non-library organi­ zations. D. Beliefs/Policies No current ACRL beliefs or policies are viewed as being impervious to change where the need for such change can be demonstrated. III. ACRL M i s s i o n , G o a l s , a n d O b j e c t i v e s An appropriate Mission statement for an or­ ganization, or “broad statement of purpose justify­ ing’’ its existence (see Figure 2), will represent a high degree of match between its ability on the one hand and the social need for it on the other. Thus the Committee proposes the ACRL state as its mission: to foster the profession of academic and research librarianship. It further recognizes four Goals, or “qualitative statements which col­ lectively describe the conditions existing when ACRL is fulfilling its Mission.’’ These goals ex­ press the Association’s functions regarding librar­ ians, libraries, and librarianship, as well as re­ search on th ese m atters. F o r each Goal, the Committee then suggests herein a number of Ob­ jectives, or “specific results or ends which are es­ sential to fulfillment of ACRL’s Goals.” It is the Committee’s hope that the Association will adopt the following statem ent of Mission, Goals, and Objectives as ACRL policy and use it on a continuing basis, with periodic review and revision, to appraise the legitimacy of existing or proposed organizational activities. M ISSIO N : To foster the profession of academic and research librarianship. GOAL NO. I. To contribute to the total pro­ fessional development of academic and research librarians. O b j e c t i v e s : A . To sponsor and encourage opportunities for academic and research librarians to update exist­ ing competencies, learn requisite new skills, and gain awareness of the state of the art. B. To publish reports that will advance the pro­ fessio n al know ledge and u n d erstan d in g of academic and research librarians. C. To inform academic and research librarians of developments in the profession and in higher education. D. To provide stru c tu re d o p p o rtu n ity for academic and research librarians to participate in determining the future of the profession. E . To afford a sense of professional identity and peer reinforcement to academic and research li­ brarians. F . To provide career counseling and placement information regarding academic and research li­ brarianship. GOAL NO. 2. To improve service capabilities of academic and research libraries. OBJECTIVES: A . To provide ap p rop riate standards and guidelines (e.g. personnel, collections, facilities, references, instruction, etc.). B. To provide advisory services to libraries and to academic institutions. C. To encourage innovation in academic and research library services. D. To encourage fiscal and political support for academic and research libraries, including sup­ port of appropriate legislation at all levels. GOAL NO. 3. To promote and speak for the interests of academic and research librarianship. OBJECTIVES: A . To further recognition of librarians as full partners in the academic enterprise. B. To e n h a n ce aw areness of th e ro le o f academ ic and rese a rch lib ra ries among such groups as accrediting bodies, government agen­ cies, higher education associations, scholarly and professional organizations, other segments of the library profession, and the general public. C. To support and participate in the recruit­ ment of promising persons to the field. D. To monitor and help shape library educa­ tion program s in accord w ith th e needs of academic and research librarianship. E . To effect alliances with other professional and scholarly organizations and agencies that share interests with academic and research librar­ ies. F . To monitor and speak out upon government activities of potential impact upon academic and research librarianship. 168 G. To represent academic and research library concerns within other professional bodies. GOAL NO. 4. To promote study and research relevant to academic and research librarianship. OBJECTIVES: A. To sponsor a strong publishing program. B. To encourage and sponsor forums for the discussion and dissemination of research results. C. To promote awareness of the need for re­ search and encourage improvement in research skills. D. To identify and publicize issues and topics requiring study and research. E . To seek funding for, and to commission, ap­ propriate research projects. F . To encourage research leaves for academic and research librarians. G. To encourage, endorse, participate in, and d issem in a te th e re su lts o f re le v a n t re se a rc h undertaken outside the library profession. H. To inform members as needed of relevant research in progress. IV. A d d i t i o n a l ACRL A c t i v i t ie s N e e d e d I f this were a complete strategic and tactical planning exercise, the C om m ittee would have proceeded, as is shown in the bottom step of the illustration in Figure 2, to enumerate an entire range of appropriate activities, the sum of which would “equal the results necessary for attain ­ m ent” of the Goals and O bjectives laid out in Section I I I above. That, however, was not its charge. The Com m ittee was charged rather to propose an Activity Model for ACRL appropriate to the 1990s. I t is the C o m m ittee’s ju dgm ent that, given some modest enlargem ents, modifications, and curtailments, the existing ACRL structure will be able to continue to serve into its second century. It therefore identifies in this Section only such additional or changed activities as it feels will be needed for successful attainment of its Mission in the 1990s, when accomplished alongside of any existing activities not affected by this document. As we indicated in the Foreword, the Commit­ tee also suggests what it perceives to be appro­ priate action for each Activity listed here. Its rec­ ommendation, however, is that the Board of D i­ rectors refer this Section of the Report to the Planning Committee for item-by-item review and recommendation. A. Membership Activities í 1. Conferences and Workshops. a. Study alternate formats for national confer­ ences (e.g ., frequency, structure, length, loca­ tion, etc.). Action: Refer to ad hoc committee. b. Study alternate modes of conference and workshop delivery (e.g., decentralized, televised, video-taped, etc.). Action: Refer to ad hoc com­ mittee. c. Encourage establishment of more discussion groups on wider range of topics (e.g ., education for academic librarianship, recruitment, research, women’s studies, etc.). Action: Refer to Planning Committee. d. In stitu te m arket analyses of conference/ workshop needs. Action: Refer to ad hoc commit­ tee. 2. Publications. a. Consider new formats for C &RL (e.g., more pages, increased frequency, monographic sup­ plements, separate sections for discussion and re­ search reports, section newsletters, etc.). Action: Refer to C &RL Editorial Board. b. Study alternate modes for supplem entary publishing (e.g ., microform, single copy/on de­ mand, online, etc.). Action: Refer to Publications Committee. c. Consider newsletter, or column in an exist­ ing journal, addressed to higher education com­ munity (e.g ., colleges and universities, accredit­ ing bodies, government agencies, etc.). Action: Refer to Publications Committee. 3. Continuing Education Offerings. a. Develop and coordinate C E offerings into an integrated “curriculum” of presentations at pro­ gressive grade levels. Action: Refer to Continuing Education Committee. b. Seek out and relate ACRL C E program to useful parallel offerings of other agencies. Action: Refer to Continuing Education Committee. c. Develop C E packages for multiple modes of delivery (e.g., mail, televised, individual or group use, CAI, etc.). Action: Refer to Continuing Edu­ cation Committee. 4. Chapters. a. Encourage establishment of more chapters at local level. Action: Refer to Chapters Committee. b. Renew efforts to rationalize ACRL/chapter relationships (e.g., review ACRL funding of chap­ ters and allowing chapter membership to non­ members of ACRL, etc.) Action: Refer to Plan­ ning or ad hoc Committee. c. Deliver more services (programming, coun­ seling, etc.). through chapters (in lieu of fund­ ing?). Action: R efe r to P lanning or C hap ters Committee. 5. Advisory Services. a. Enlarge career counseling and placement ac­ tivities (e.g., develop online employment service, job exchange roster, internship directory, etc.). Action: Refer to Staff. b. Broaden advisory/referral capability (develop skills directory, consulting roster, etc.). Action: Refer to Staff. B. Administrative Activities 1. Board o f Directors. a. Assign a Board member to meet with and 169 act as liaison, but not as advocate, for each com­ mittee. Action: Refer to Executive Committee. b. Establish a Public Information Committee, comprising ACRL past president, councilor, and executive director, to coordinate the communica­ tion o f Association views to the larger library community. Action: Refer to Executive Commit­ tee. c. Make Planning Committee responsible for sh ort-ran g e planning and p erio d ic rev iew of long-range goals and objectives. Action: Refer to Planning Committee. d. Encourage greater cost consciousness within the Board. Action: Refer to Board. 2. Sections and Committees. a. Hold orientation sessions for all new com­ mittee appointees. Action: Refer to Staff. b. Sponsor leadership/group dynamics work­ shops for new e lected officers and com m ittee chairs. Action: Refer to Staff. c. Encourage prompt action by, and discharge of, ad hoc com m ittees. Action: R efer to Board and Sections. d. Encourage economy in com m ittee opera­ tions ( e .g ., by r e lie v in g S ta ff o f c o m m itte e paperwork, etc.). Action: Refer to Board, S e c­ tions, Committees, Staff. 3. Headquarters. a. Commission study of work load and flow in ACRL office. Action: Refer to Executive Commit­ tee. b. Upgrade executive staff to equivalency with strong academic library directorate. Action: Refer to Executive Committee. c. E n large and seek greater perm anence in headquarters personnel in accord with these goals and objectives. Action: Refer to Executive Com­ mittee. d. Commission design of improved M anage­ m ent Inform ation System (M IS) program (re members, costs, revenues, etc.) to aid in decision making. Action: R efer to Budget and Fin an ce Committee. e. Becom e primary voice in support of these objectives in all forums (e.g ., government agen­ cies, professional circles, scholarly community, etc.). Action: Refer to Executive Director. f. Develop capability to sample membership opinion reliably and quickly (e .g ., for program evaluation, priority determination, etc.). Action: Refer to Staff. g. Study comparative costs of in-house and con­ tracted services (re M IS, conference planning, publishing, telecom m u n ication , e tc .). Action: Refer to Staff. 4. Support Services. a. Commission cost analysis of electronic mail system betw een headquarters and members, li­ braries, committees, officers, etc. Action: Refer to Executive Committee. b. C om m ission feasibility study o f utilizing teleconferencing techniques to (1) extend pro­ gram delivery capability to local, regional, and national audiences; and (2) facilitate conduct of Board, section, and committee business. Action: Refer to Executive Committee. c. Study con version o f p re s e n t A C R L data bases, and the development of future files, for on­ line remote terminal access (e.g., committee ros­ ters, research-in-progress files, skills directories, placement listings, committee histories, etc.). Ac­ tion: Refer to Executive Committee. d. S e e k fu nding for program o f in c e n tiv e awards (e.g., for best research, most innovative idea, most active chapter, etc.). Action: Refer to Planning Committee. Editor s Note: The Activity Model Committee con­ sists o f David Kaser (chair), Indiana University; Olive C. James, Library o f Congress; William J. Studer, Ohio State University; Carla J. Stoffle, University o f Wisconsin-Parkside; and Julie C ar­ roll Virgo, ACRL executive director. ■ ■ NEH Program s in the Humanities Hidden among the redwoods and Douglas fir in the coastal hills near Los Gatos, California, the Presentation C en ter run by the Sisters of the Presentation of the Child was the scene of the second NEH/ACRL workshop on humanities pro­ gramming, February 2 3 -2 5 . With clear weather, the tem p eratu re a balm y 60°, birds chirp ing, flowers blooming, and the lazy atmosphere of a placid hacienda, the center provided an ideal re­ treat for librarians and humanists to meet, com­ pare notes, and learn the fundamentals of writing grant proposals for programs to bring library ma­ terials in the humanities to people in their com­ munity. A N ational Endow m ent for the H um anities grant of $64,549 allowed for the two workshops, the first of which was held in Shrewsbury, Mas­ sachusetts, on November 3 0 -D ecem b er 2, 1981. Twenty-six teams of one librarian and one faculty humanist from each institution attended the Los Gatos workshop, and twenty-five teams met in Shrewsbury. Because of the limits on attendance, this represented only about 45% of all those who applied. Many in the group that attended the California workshop had already begun to plan humanities programs. Sonoma State University was consider­ ing a program targeted for the Indochinese popu­ lation in their area. Georgia Southern College had been studying a program on noted G eo r­ gians. Other institutions were focusing on senior citizens, Native Americans, local artists and au­ thors, and other special interest groups or re-