ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 372 / C &R L News Management of the Overseas Library: Florida State in Florence T heresa H u ey-Stone, F r e d e r ic k K orn‚ C u rator Strozier L ib r a r y F lo rid a State University T allah assee T he Florid a State University established an overseas study center in Florence, Italy, in 1966, and followed in 1971 with the founding of another study center in London. More than 500 American colleges and universities operate or sponsor a for­ eign study program .1 One fairly distinctive feature of the FSU programs, however, is that the home- campus librarians run the overseas branch library. Every year the university library approves the ap- plication of one of its librarians for temporary as­ signment to the branch library in Florence. For the librarian who accepts this appointment the resulting experience is an enriching one, both culturally and professionally. But the efficient op­ eration of the overseas branch library is by no means an easy task. The fourteen librarians who have individually managed the University’s Flor­ ence Library since 1966 have faced many problems in varying degrees. Our collective assessment, through the wisdom of hindsight, suggests certain strategies for resolving, or at least surviving, these problems. Among the difficulties faced by the overseas li­ brarian, first and foremost is the difficulty of hav­ ing to function as the public services librarian, technical services librarian, library administrator, supply clerk, secretary, and clerk typist. Most often these duties are all performed by one librarian with the help of only part-time student assistants. A sec­ ond problem results from the closer and more fre­ quent social contact between staff, students, and faculty that is inherent in the study-center environ­ ment. These changes in the librarian/patron rela­ tionship may cause some friction in the librarian’s enforcement of policies and rules. The third major difficulty arises from the library’s location in a for­ eign country where the majority of people do not speak English. Business procedures, government regulations, standards of living, and social customs M a r jo r ie A. Cohen, in W h o le W o r ld H a n d ­ b o o k , ed. by Margaret E . Sherman (New York: Council on International Educational Exchange, 1972), p .22. Other excellent sources of information inclu de G a il A. C oh en, e d ., V a c a tio n S tu d y A b r o a d (New York: Institute of International Edu­ cation, 34th ed., 1983); and, by the same editor and publisher, U.S. C o lleg e-S p o n sored P rogram s A b r o a d (13th ed., 1983). - differ from those known to Americans; and even the well-traveled librarian is therefore not immune from culture shock. For the typical academic librarian who nor­ mally functions in only one specialized area, mak­ ing the transition to “total librarian” surely offers a challenge. One of our reference librarians, when describing her year in Florence, seldom fails to mention the sense of inadequacy that arose when she began cataloging duties at the overseas branch. One of our catalogers, on the other hand, required several months of hard experience in order to learn how to manage a reference question effectively. If the prospective overseas librarian is to deal with ar­ eas of librarianship unpracticed since graduate school or entry-level positions, it is important that this librarian receive at least minimal training in the particulars of unfamiliar library routines. The most useful preparation would include the thor­ ough reading of the policies and procedures man­ ual for the overseas branch library, conferring with previous overseas librarians, and consulting with colleagues for guidance in their area of expertise. For example, a liaison librarian in the acquisi­ tions section can review for the new overseas librar­ ian current practices for ordering m aterials for overseas use. The circulation librarian of the home campus might suggest a procedure for dealing with unpaid fines or unreturned books. The director of the home-campus library, as well as clarifying the mandated responsibilities of the overseas librarian for collecting statistical data (including circula­ tion, reference, cataloging, vacation and sick leave, etc.), can also suggest the areas of discretion­ ary management open to the overseas librarian. The development of a handbook for managing the overseas library is a large contributor to stabil­ ity in assuring effective library operations. The Florida State University Florence Library does have a manual of policies and procedures, thor­ oughly revised in 1982. This manual incorporates the collective wisdom of past experience and de­ fines the responsibilities of the overseas librarian. Like any standard library manual, this manual be­ gins with a general statement of mission and goals. Then it broadly outlines the policies of the Florence Library regarding collections and services. The fi­ nal section offers a very detailed account of the many procedures to follow in executing these poli­ cies. The section on cataloging, for example, pro­ vides extensive information for cataloging with or without O C LC cards. The process for soliciting new book orders from faculty is also given; and there are detailed procedures for acquiring m ateri­ als, processing new books, handling circulation N ovem ber 1983 / 373 F. Korn F lo rid a State U niversity's F lo ren c e C en ter L ib ra ry . and reserve book operations, and conducting an annual inventory of the collection. The manual also includes sample monthly reports, a sample time-schedule for library hours, and lists of Flor­ ence tradespeople who have been used for binding, book purchases, and even bookends! In short, the manual guides the overseas librarian by defining areas of responsibility and prerogative, and by de­ scribin g the m o d u s o p e r a n d i for all areas of librarianship— technical services, general public services, and administrative duties. In spite of advance preparation and procedure m a n u a ls, some lib ra ria n s m ay still be o v e r­ whelmed by the demands of managing a library without the support they are accustomed to receiv­ ing from colleagues at home. This is largely a ques­ tion of attitude and character and willingness on the part of the librarian to assume responsibility. As time passes (and for this reason we recommend an appointment of no less than one academic year) the librarian ’s skills and confidence usually in­ crease. The end result is an excellent opportunity to show initiative and to exercise professional judg­ ment. One former overseas librarian at Florida State University has called her Florence assignment “a most enlightening continuing-education experi­ ence.” The second major difficulty concerns the differ­ ences in librarian/patron relationships that de­ velop owing to the relatively small number of staff and students in the study center, and the height­ ened amount of social interaction that occurs be­ tween faculty, students, and staff. Whereas the ser­ vices of the hom e-cam pus lib ra ry are largely impersonal, patrons at the overseas library are usu­ ally known on a first-name basis; and the librarian may participate in group field trips and organized social events. W ith the growing personal conversation that resu lts, some students w ill argue for sp ecial favors— that the librarian overlook an overdue fine, that they be allowed to borrow restricted ref­ erence materials, that the librarian deliver per­ sonal messages or guard private possessions. Also the librarian may have to confront students who use the library for social purposes rather than for research or study. It is important that at the begin­ ning of the term the librarian inform the students and faculty about library policies, and that these policies be enforced uniform ly throughout the term. Although professional discretion may call for bending the rules under unusual circumstances, the librarian’s personal relationship with any pa­ tron must never interfere with the role of authority that guarantees equal access of materials, fair and equal penalties for infringem ent of rules, and maintenance of a study environment. Related to this is the students’ occasional request (or demand) for the extensive library hours to which they have become accustomed at the home-campus library. Again, at the beginning of each term the librarian must firmly state the limitations of staff time and describe how these limitations affect library hours. One solution is to allow a vote among the students: they choose between weekday evening hours or ex­ tended hours on the weekend before examinations. The librarian may also ration the work hours of the student assistants so as to permit extended hours during examination periods. Another difference between home and overseas 374 / C &R L News librarianship involves the students’ information needs and the library’s ability to fulfill them. In ad­ dition to research for term papers, students will seek travel information for their semester break or weekend trip. The Florence Library maintains an uncataloged collection of guidebooks (chiefly ac­ quired as gifts) to museums, cities, and other coun­ tries, as well as extensive vertical files of travel bro­ chures and maps that have been obtained from tourist bureaus. W hile the librarian may direct pa­ trons or assist them in the use of these materials, the librarian should strongly discourage demands to function as a travel agent. For the average undergraduate term paper, the Florence Library’s collection of 6,000 volumes in the humanities is exceptional. But this collection may not be adequate to meet the research needs of graduate students or even the advanced under­ graduate. Information about other libraries in the area is included in the policies and procedures manual, and the patron may also be referred to an English-language directory of libraries in the host city.2 Another problem imposed on the librarian by the students is the occasional pressure to function in loco paren tis or in loco fra tis. Being an adult, and often the most accessible member of the staff, the librarian may be sought by students who need to unburden their problems— often the typical prob­ lems but aggravated by a foreign world. If the li­ brarian is disposed to offer sympathy and advice, this should be done outside working hours, in order to minimize the disruption of the study environ­ ment and library routines. However,- our experi­ ence has shown that a better solution is for the home university to provide an experienced coun­ selor for the overseas center, perhaps a graduate student who has lived in the host city before. But sometimes the librarian too needs a coun­ selor! And this brings us to the final major difficulty faced by the overseas librarian— adapting to the foreign environment and dealing with language barriers. From the American perspective the politics, eco­ nomic structure, and social customs in Italy may sometimes seem eccentric. In practical terms this erects a formidable obstacle to the expeditious completion of ordinary business; few enterprises should be undertaken with the expectation of rou­ tine, smooth completion on schedule. For example, there is the problem of dealing with postal and cus­ toms officials. While most packages of the same kind of materials may be held (quite arbitrarily) at the city’s D og an a (customs office); and the librar­ ian may therefore be required to make two sepa­ rate journeys to two separate agencies and then to wait ten to fifteen days for the materials to be deliv­ ered. Mailing packages to places outside Italy also 2For example, there is Virginia S. Caprio, L i ­ b ra ries in F lo ren c e (Florence: St. James American Church, 2d ed., 1975). requires that the librarian walk through a maze of paperwork and wrapping procedures; the business hours of shops, banks, post offices, etc. ‚ are not uni­ form; and any presupposition of continuity may be rudely disabused by an ad hoc workers’ strike. Advance knowledge of these conditions may do little towards changing them; but the prospective overseas librarian who receives adequate orienta­ tion and fair warning will undergo less stress and frustration, and may even develop a sense of humor as a helpful response to cu ltu ral differen ces. Former overseas librarians and the current over­ seas staff can be helpful in preparing the librarian on these matters and in giving important advice on such practical and personal needs as the location of a good laundry, the names of at least two English- speaking doctors, or the methods for staying warm in buildings heated to European norms. Without this information the librarian new to the overseas branch might well find the smooth completion of simple duties much more difficult than need be. Obviously the librarian must negotiate business through the medium of a foreign language; except in high tourist-season one meets few natives who speak English. Explanations, clarifications, direc­ tions, and requests are delivered and received in Italian. This language barrier can be overwhelm­ ing and can create a sense of isolation and even panic. To prevent this kind of extreme reaction it is essential that the librarian learn (or relearn) the ru­ diments of the language before departing for the overseas center. College courses are certainly help­ ful, especially because structure and discipline are imposed upon the students. But conversational skills and the most practical uses of language (for example, how much? how do I get to? when does it open? why not?) will be more useful, at least for the beginner, than learning how to conjugate verbs in all tenses or how to manage the subtleties of mood and tense sequence in Italian complex sentences. There are several good self-programmed texts and cassette tapes available for this purpose. Perhaps the opportunity to engage a private tutor should be seriously considered. In spite of limited language skills, one former Florence librarian reports that her smile, politeness, and initial apology for not speaking the language well usually elicited pa­ tience and cooperation from Florentines. There is one more source of assistance available to the overseas librarian that should not be over­ looked: the librarian as a professional is not alone. Apart from the professional courtesies extended by the native librarians, English-speaking librarians employed by other American centers overseas may be helpful. (In Florence, for example, there are currently nine American college and university programs that operate their own library.) Book ex­ changes, advice on acquiring supplies and equip­ ment, or reciprocal library-use privileges for pa­ trons m ay be a rra n g ed . And c e rta in ly our compatriot librarians, many of whom may have lived in the host city for many years, can suggest N ovem ber 1983 / 375 strategies for dealing with the major difficulties al­ ready detailed and may offer to help the new li­ brarian adjust to a foreign city. Handling all library routines singlehandedly, coping with a different kind of librarian/patron re­ lationship, and adjusting to foreign ways— these are the major problems that challenge the overseas librarian. Our overseas librarians also have cher­ ished memories of wandering the ancient roads of Pompeii, attending symphonies conducted by Zu­ bin Mehta or Riccardo Muti, examining illumi­ nated manuscripts at the great Biblioteca Medicea- Laurenziana (with its Michelangelo staircase), and enjoying many other events of cultural enrich­ m ent. But it is professional en rich m en t— the broadening of professional experience— that has been the most constant, and perhaps the most im­ portant, benefit derived by all the librarians who have managed the Florence branch library of Flor­ ida State University. ■ ■ ACRL Seeks Volunteers for Offices and Committees Would you like to run for an ACRL office or vol­ unteer for appointment to an ACRL standing com­ mittee? Are you interested in seeking office in an ACRL section or being considered for appointment to a section committee? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, here is how you proceed. ACRL P r e s i d e n t The A C R L Appointments and Nominations Committee will nominate candidates for the office of ACRL vice-president/president-elect at the Jan ­ uary 1984 Midwinter meeting of ALA. The elec­ tion for this office will be held in the spring of 1985. The winner of the election will serve as vice- president/president-elect during 1985-86 and as president of ACRL during 1986-87. If you wish to be considered for nomination to this office or if you would like to submit names for consideration, con­ tact the chair of the Appointments and Nomina­ tions Committee, Mary Reichel, Head, Reference Department, Pullen Library, Georgia State Uni­ versity, 100 Decatur Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. ACRL C o m m i t t e e s A CRL has eighteen standing committees to which appointments may be made: Academic or Research Librarian of the Year Award Committee, Academic Status Committee, Appointments and Nominations Committee, Audiovisual Commit­ tee, Budget and Finance Committee, Conference Program Planning Committee, Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Continuing Education Com- mittee Copyright Committee, Doctoral Disserta- tion Fellowship Committee Legislation Commit- ' te e , M em bership C o m m ittee , N ation al Conference C om m ittee, Planning C om m itte Publications Committee, Samuel Lazerow Fellow­ ship C om m ittee, Standards and A ccreditation Committee, and the Supplemental Funds Com- mittee. To learn about the areas of responsibility covered by these committees, see the A LA H an d ­ b o o k o f O rganization 1983-84. When selected vacancies occur on ACRL stand­ ing committees, the Appointments and Nomina­ tions Committee recommends to the president­ elect of ACRL the names of members who might fill the vacancies. The president-elect makes the fi­ nal appointments. If you are interested in being considered for appointment to an ACRL commit­ tee, you should complete the ACRL Committee Volunteer Form that is included in this issue of C &R L N ew s and mail it to Mary Reichel, chair of the Appointments and Nominations Committee, before January 1, 1984. ACRL S e c t i o n O f f i c e r s A CRL has thirteen sections (their names are listed later in this article). You will find a descrip­ tion of their areas of responsibility in the ALA H a n d b o o k o f O rganization. The chair-elect of a section appoints the chair and members of all section com m ittees when scheduled vacancies on these committees occur. If you would like to be considered for appointment as chair or member of a section committee, fill out the ACRL Committee Volunteer Form and mail it to the chair-elect of the appropriate section (see “Peo­ ple to Contact” below) before January 1, 1984. E d i t o r i a l B o a r d s ACRL has five editorial boards: the C h o ice Edi­ torial Board, the C olleg e & R esearch L ib ra ries Ed ­ itorial Board, the C olleg e & R esearch L ibraries N ew s Editorial Board, the N onprint M edia P ubli­ cations Editorial Board, and the P ublication s in L i ­ brarian ship Editorial Board. When a vacancy oc­ curs on an editorial board, the editor recommends the name of a person to fill the vacancy. The Publi­ cations Committee must approve the recommen­ dation. The ACRL Board must give its approval, and finally the president of ACRL makes the ap­ pointment. If you would like to be considered for appoint­ ment to an editorial board, contact the editor of the