ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 108 for analysis. In most instances the data was gath­ ered w ith relationships intact, resulting in clearer explanations. The data clearly defined the infor­ m ation transfer patterns of a specific subsociety— city managers. The success of this project relied to a large degree on the flexibility of the methodology. Today not only m ust academ ic librarians be aw are of a wide range of research methodologies to support the research being done by students and faculty, but they also are finding th a t research and publication have become necessary prerequisites for professional advancement. Unfortunately li­ brarians must deal w ith time constraints which limit research opportunities. One consequence of this project is th a t it vali­ dated a methodology th a t is responsive to the re­ search needs of p ractitio n ers. Specifically, we found th a t structured observation is appropriate for use by academic librarians, when used in con­ junction w ith interviews or other data gathering techniques, to determ ine the inform ation behavior and needs of specific client groups. It is particularly effective for gathering d ata about client groups for which little is known. However, for academic librarians the strength of structured observation is its adaptability to re­ strictive tim e limitations as well as its wide range of applications. It is a methodology well suited for ob­ serving classroom instruction, faculty meetings, curriculum meetings, and the individual work of specific client groups. ■ ■ ACRL actions, January 1985 Highlights of the Midwinter meetings of the ACRL Board of Directors. T he Board of Directors of the Association of Col- lege and Research Libraries m et twice during the ALA M idwinter Meeting in W ashington, D .C .: on Sunday, January 6,1985, and Tuesday, January 8, 1985. Activity Sections/Board relationship The Board voted for the second time to restruc­ ture itself to allow for greater representation by ac­ tivity sections and chapter nominees (see C &R L News, September 1984, p.393, for details). The proposal will be listed on the ALA ballot this spring for ACRL membership approval. ALA/ACRL The Board received the report of the Task Force on ALA/ACRL and referred it to the Planning C om m ittee to analyze and refer to appropriate ACRL units. Sharon Rogers and Joan Gotwals Swets... an attractive, many facetted and transparent subscription service. We would be pleased to send you our informative brochure as well as detailed documentation of our services. contact: Swets Subscription Service Heereweg 347-b 2161 CA Lisse The Netherlands 110 Books fo r College Libraries T he Board accepted a proposal presented by Choice and UTLAS for the preparation and p ubli­ cation of the third edition of Books fo r College L i­ braries and th a t fund balances and pre-publication subscription sales be used as risk capital. The pro­ posal has Choice acting as the m anager of the proj­ ect w ith a subcontract m ade w ith UTLAS. The Board voted to create a new com m ittee to advise the Choice editor/publisher during the preparation and publication of the new edition. Chapters The Board approved petitions for the establish­ m ent of a N evada C hapter and a M ontana C h ap ­ ter. Choice The Board reaffirm ed its com m itm ent to Choice and moved th a t as the ACRL mission and goals statem ents are reviewed by the Strategic Planning Task Force, a statem ent be added relating to the support of Choice as an ACRL publication. College Libraries Section In response to a CLS inquiry about establishing a national council composed of selected college li­ b ra ry delegates from each ACRL c h a p te r, th e Board instructed the Section to seek the assistance of Chapters Council and obtain Board approval for any changes in the CLS bylaws. Continuing education The Board accepted the recom m endation of the Planning Com m ittee to change the nam e of the C ontinuing E ducation C om m ittee to the Profes­ sional E ducation Com m ittee. The C om m ittee was also given a broader purpose “to study and review needs of academic librarians for graduate and con­ tinuing education.” Discussion groups The Board approved the request of the Black Studies L ibrarianship Discussion G roup to present a program entitled, “Popular and Scholarly Trends in Black Publishing Since the 1960s” at ALA An­ nual Conference in Chicago. The Board approved co-sponsorship by the Fee- Based Inform ation Service Centers in Academic Libraries Discussion G roup w ith the RASD In terli­ brary C om m ittee for a program at Annual C onfer­ ence in C hicago on “W ho Cleans Up and W ho Mops U p .” The Board also approved co-sponsorship by the Public Relations in Academic Libraries Discussion G roup w ith the LAMA Public Relations Section’s Public Relations Services to Libraries Com m ittee for a program in Chicago on “M aking th e Bad N ew s B e tte r: C risis M a n a g e m e n t,” a n d fo r LAMA’s Swap and Shop program . Divisional Leadership Enhancement Program The Board supported the concept th a t an annual orientation for newly elected divisional officers, board members, and others be held. Division sup­ p o rt will include financial support of approxi­ m ately $100 annually if ALA program funds are not forthcom ing. The Board also supported the concept th a t a m aster training packet for com m it­ tee chairs, section heads, and others be m aintained by an appropriate ALA office. This packet will in­ clude documents recom m ended by the ALA Divi­ sional Leadership E n h an cem en t Program P la n ­ ning Com m ittee. Exhibition Catalog Award T he Board approved the establishm ent of an RBMS Exhibition Catalog A w ard th a t will grant annual aw ards for the best published exhibition catalogs produced by institutions in conjunction w ith an exhibition. Legislation Committee The Board approved the recom m endations of the Legislation C om m ittee on need criteria to be used in the allocation of HEA Title II-A (College L ibrary Resources Program) funds. A description of the need criteria and their im portance appears on pp. 113-14 of this issue. The Board also endorsed the C om m ittee’s reso­ lution concerning the Office of M anagem ent and Budget’s C ircular A-76 on Federal Libraries. Non-Print Media Publications On the advice of the editor and editorial board of the ACRL Non-Print Media Publications series, the Board voted to discontinue the series, discharge th e editor and editorial b o ard , and tran sfer its charge to the Publications in Librarianship series. Publications support The Board approved guidelines for publications support requests developed by the ACRL Publica­ tions C o m m ittee. These guidelines a p p e a r on p.114. Rare Books and Manuscripts Journal T he Board approved th e recom m endation of RBMS th a t ACRL develop and publish tw o semi­ annual issues of no m ore th a n 64 pages each of a journal dealing w ith rare books and m anuscripts li­ b ra ria n sh ip ; th a t th e P u b licatio n s C o m m ittee m onitor the status of the journal and assess its via­ bility a t th e 1986 M idw inter M eeting; th a t the ACRL Executive D irector be responsible for reso­ lution of production issues; and th a t editorial re­ sponsibility reside w ith a tem porary editor and edi­ 111 to ria l b o ard , ap p o in ted for th e tw o issues, in accordance w ith standard ACRL procedures. A m arket survey conducted by RBMS indicated th a t there is a m arket for such a journal. Research The Board accepted a Planning Committee rec­ omm endation to create an ACRL Research Com­ m itte e . This new sta n d in g c o m m ittee w ill be charged to “focus on needed current research th a t will support the mission of academic/research li­ braries; to recommend a research agenda of priori­ ties for dissemination throughout ACRL and ALA as well as to potential funding agencies and re­ searchers; to periodically review and update such a research agenda; and to develop ways of stim ulat­ ing research in direct support of ACRL’s research agenda.” Section newsletters The Board approved a policy on section newslet­ ters developed jointly by the Budget and Finance Comm ittee and the Publications Committee. This policy appears on p. 114 of this issue. Staff tuition The Board reaffirmed its policy on tuition reim ­ b ursem ent for ACRL H ead q u arte rs staff, a p ­ p ro v ed in Ju n e 1983, an d d ire c te d P resid en t Sharon Rogers to present the ACRL case to the ALA Personnel Committee. The ACRL policy sets a different lim it from an ALA policy th a t became effective in January 1985. Standards The Board rescinded the 1968 Guidelines fo r A u ­ diovisual Services in Academic Libraries. The Au­ diovisual Comm ittee is in the process of developing new guidelines. Statistics The Board directed the Task Force on Library Statistics to complete its pilot study on statistics col­ lection and assist the ACRL Office in developing an invitation to bid on a final project (see news item below). Strategic planning The Board voted to support in principle ALA’s Strategic Long Range Planning Model, which was later set in motion by ALA Council. It was noted th a t planning for ALA will be coordinated with Division planning. WESS The board approved revisions to the bylaws of th e W estern E u ro p ean Specialists Section (see p p .116-18). World Book-ALA Goals Award The Board approved the application of the Uni­ ersity Libraries Section for the W orld Book-ALA Goals Award for a preconference workshop on per­ formance measures for academic libraries. The ap­ p licatio n has now been su b m itted to th e ALA Awards Com m ittee for funding consideration. ■ ■ v Statistics help wanted As a result of an ongoing study to determ ine ACRL’s role in future academic data collection, last fall the ACRL Task Force on Library Statistics collected statistical d ata from over 100 university, four-year college, and two-year college libraries nationwide. This survey, which requested infor­ m ation on 65 data items, was a pilot project th a t may lead to a comprehensive collection of library statistics from all academic libraries in the United States. At the M idwinter meeting of ACRL’s Board of Directors, the Task Force was charged to work w ith ACRL H eadquarters staff to develop an invi­ tation to contracting agencies to bid on the planned project. The current schedule calls for a question­ naire th a t would be sent to academic libraries in Septem ber 1985, cam era-ready copy to be p ro ­ vided to H eadquarters by early 1986, and publica­ tion in the Spring of 1986. If your company or institution is interested in re­ ceiving an invitation to bid in April 1985, contact Sandy W hiteley, ACRL/ALA, 50 E. H uron St., C h icag o , IL 60611-2795, (312) 944-6780, by March 31. A copy of the pilot project questionnaire may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stam ped en­ velope (22¢) to George M. Bailey, C hair, ACRL Task Force on Library Statistics, Libraries of The C la rem o n t Colleges, 800 D a rtm o u th Avenue, Clarem ont, CA 91711. The results of the pilot survey, which contains an analysis of ten key data items, will be published this Spring. It will be sent free of charge to all survey participants, and a limited num ber of copies will be available for sale by the ACRL Office. ACRL is also reviewing other options for gather­ ing statistics: an improved U.S. Office of E duca­ tion National Center for Education Statistics HE- GIS process; b e tte r p r iv a te se c to r e ffo rts of commercial firms; and voluntary efforts by mem ­ ber libraries such as th a t done by the Association of Research L ibraries and other library consortia around the nation. ■ ■