ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ March 2002 / 185 CONFERENCE CIRCUIT ACRL at the Midwinter Meeting Actions of the ACRL Board of Directors D uring the 2002 ALA Midwinter Meeting in New Orleans, the ACRL Board of Di­ rectors met on January 20 and 22 and took the following actions. The actions appear here along with the strategic directions that they address. Ed. note: There were no actions taken related to Strategic Direction 3.0. S t r a t e g ic D ir e c t io n 1.0: Society recognizes th e contributions th at academ ic and research libraries and librarians m ake in h igh e r education, scholarly com m unication, and civic developm ent. A w a rd s Passed a resolution, th anking Martinus Nijhoff International for its past sponsorship of the Martinus Nijhoff International West Eu­ ropean Specialist Study Grant. R e cru itm e n t Approved th e ch arge fo r th e ACRL/ARL Joint Task Force for Recruitment into the Pro­ fession. This task force is charged with devel­ oping fresh strategies for recruiting and ad­ vancing a new generation of talent for the profession of academic librarianship to suc­ ceed in the 21st century. S c h o la r ly co m m u n ic a tio n Approved th e estab lishm ent o f a S ch o l­ arly Communications Discussion Group. Approved im plem en tation o f th e Schol­ arly Communications Task Force’s recommen­ dations: • that ACRL be actively engaged, as one of its highest strategic priorities, in working to reshape the current system of scholarly communication for a period of three years beginning at ALA Annual 2002; • that ACRL’s activities in the area include broad-based educational work, political advo­ cacy, coalition-building, and research; • that ACRL establish a standing committee on scholarly communication that has primary responsibility for coordinating ACRL’s schol­ arly communications activities, under the gen­ eral direction of the Board, including recom­ mending an agenda for action, establishing cri­ teria against which the ongoing nature of this strategic priority can be evaluated, and devel­ oping a mechanism for liaison with other groups, organizations, etc. This committee will make regular reports to the Board on this ini­ tiative, with a recommendation on the ongo­ ing nature and funding of ACRL’s involvement in these issues at ALA Annual 2005; • that ACRL hire a consultant to serve as a staff person who can work actively on schol­ arly communication issues, including carry­ ing out ACRL’s scholarly communication agenda. The consultant will report to the ACRL executive director and work under the gen­ eral direction of the Standing Committee and the Board; • that ACRL budget up to $90,000 for each of the three years of this initiative; and • that the scholarly communication initia­ tive be evaluated at the end of the initial three- year period with a recommendation to the Board at ALA Annual 2005 about the con­ tinuance of this as a regular program if it is deemed to be effective and worthwhile. 186 / C&RL News ■ March 2002 S ta n d a r d s C harged a task fo rce, to be called th e Col lege and Research Libraries Standards Task Force, to: • adapt the “Standards of College Librar­ ies” (2000) for use as a document and pro­ cess that would apply across all types of aca­ demic libraries; • move the revised standards through the appropriate ACRL and ALA standards approval process as outlined in the ACRL S tan d ard s a n d A ccred itation s C om m ittee P olicies a n d P ro ced u r es M a n u a l (2000); and • make recommendations to the ACR Board, including budget and other resource implications, for implementation and associa­ tion support for the standards (e.g., work­ books, preconferences, and assessment tools). L S t r a t e g ic D ir e c t io n 2.0 : A cad em ic lib rarians advocate fo r p u b lic policy, legislatio n, and institutional ch ange th at enhance the valu es and contribution th e y m ake to learn­ ing, teach in g, and research. G o v e r n m e n t r e la t io n s a n d a d v o c a c y A p p roved a revised budget fo r th e 2 0 0 2 Advocacy Preconference. Voted to co n trib u te up to $ 2 ,0 0 0 tow ards the LSTA Reauthorization Coalition’s estimated travel expenses of $6,000 needed to continue work towards LSTA. A p p ro v e d p la c e h o ld e r fu n d in g u p to $10,000 for FY03 for the Focus on the Future Task Force. A pp roved a budget o f u p to $ 3 0 ,0 0 0 fo r FY03 for advertising in The C h r o n ic le o f H igher E du cation or a similar venue the Board deems appropriate. P a rtn e r s h ip s Passed a resolution com m en d in g th e Afri­ can American Studies Librarians Section for partnering with the Library o f Congress and the Program for Cooperative Cataloging to esta b lish the A frican A m erican Fun nel Project. S t r a t e g ic D ir e c t io n 4.0 : A ca d e m ic a n d research lib rarian s are co n tin u a lly e n g a g e d in learning fo r th eir professional d evelopm ent and grow th. E stablished a reg istratio n fee o f $ 2 7 5 fo r the ACRL National Conference. Approved funding o f $ 2 6 ,2 5 0 to fund up to 50 ACRL National Conference registrations (at $275 each) and up to 50 travel awards of $250 each. Asked th e National C onferen ce S cholar­ ship subcommittee to review the criteria for A F A S and th e A fric a n A m e rica n Fu nn el Project Whereas the African American Studies Li­ brarians Section (AFAS) partnered with the Library o f Congress and the Program for Co­ operative Cataloging to establish the Afri­ can American Funnel Project. Whereas AFAS initiated a Cataloging Is­ sues Discussion Group and conducted a sur­ vey to look at ways o f improving access to African Americana in library catalogs. Whereas the African American Funnel Project provided the opportunity for librar­ ians to propose new subject headings and changes to existing headings relating to the African American experience. Whereas the African American Funnel Project resulted in major improvements in providing access to African Americana in library catalogs. B e It Resolved that the ACRL Board of Directors acknowledges and applauds the initiative and leadership that the African American Studies Librarians Section provided to the African American Funnel Project of the Library of Congress and the Program for Cooperative Cataloging. The Board also lauds the extensive changes accomplished by the Project that will provide improved access to African American materials. C&RL N ew s ■ M arch 2002 / 187 National Conference scholarships in antici­ pation of advertising scholarships for the Char­ lotte conference. A p p r o v e d t h e I n s t r u c t i o n S e c t i o n Preconference Proposal for ALA Annual Con­ ference 2003. A p p ro v ed a rev ised b ud get f o r th e 2 0 0 2 RBMS preconference. Resolution honoring Martinus Nijhoff International Whereas, for 17 years, the bookseller Martinus Nijhoff International, through its sponsorship of the Martinus Nijhoff International West European Specialist Study Grant, has provided academic li­ brarians from North America with the wherewithal to extend their knowledge of Western European book history, the book trade, and librarianship through a generous program of grant sup­ port; and Whereas, this support has resulted in the publication of several monographs and book chapters, close to two dozen articles in scholarly journals, the establish­ ment of an entirely new journal devoted to reviews of Western Mary Reichel presented ACRL’s resolution honoring M artinus N ijh o ff d u rin g th e WESS m eeting at M id w in te r. Back row (I. to r.): J e f f G a rre tt (Northwestern, Nijhoff ’98), Sem Sutter (University of Chicago, Nijhoff ’97), Jeffry Larson (Yale, Nijhoff ’00), Richard Hacken (Brigham Young, Nijhoff ’99), Philipp Neie (CEO, Swets Blackwell), Frederick Lynden (Brown, First Nijhoff winner, ’86). Front row: Mary Reichel, Ineke Middeldorp-Crispijn (Martinus Nijhoff/ Swets Blackwell), and Barbara Walden (Chair, WESS). European publica­ tions of scholarly in­ terest, numerous ex­ hibits, lectures, and conference papers, and a much higher level of understanding and competence in West European studies on the part of American librarians than can be expressed quantitatively; and Whereas, the 15 American librarians who have benefited from this support without exception re­ gard the travel and research, which the Nijhoff grant has made possible, to have been a significant event in their professional lives; and Whereas, the Western European Studies Sec­ tion (WESS) of ACRL has been privileged to be associated with the Martinus Nijhoff International West European Specialist Study Grant from its in­ ception; and Whereas, ACRL itself has taken note of the ben­ efits of this support over the years for its member­ ship and has by resolution of its Board attached its name to this resolution, joining in this expression of appreciation. Therefore, be it resolved, that ACRL, on behalf of its entire membership, especially WESS, sub­ mits to Martinus Nijhoff International this state­ ment of its most profound gratitude for die many years in which said award has enriched our orga­ nizational culture, and especially commend Ineke Middeldorp-Crispijn, area manager for the United States, and Bas Guijt, managing di­ rector of Martinus Nijhoff Interna­ tional, for the gen­ erosity, foresight, and wisdom they have shown in de­ veloping and main­ taining said award, which merits being continued; and Be it further re­ solved, that the Ex­ ecutive Committee of WESS of ACRL shall take upon it­ self the compilation of the names of all of those who have been recipients of this award since its institution, die names of whom the Secretary of WESS is ciirected to attach to and publish with all copies and publications made of this Resolution. Disposition of the resolution: Copies of this resolution shall be sent to each living recipient of the Martinus Nijhoff International West European Specialist Study Grant, to the above mentioned representatives of Martinus Nijhoff International, to ACRL for publication in College & Research Li­ brary News, and to the editors of the WESS News­ letter and of WESSWeb, where, in addition to the text of t iis resolution and the names of all award recipients, a thorough and complete compilation of books, articles, exhibits, conference presenta­ tions, and other contributions to scholarly inter­ course attributable to said award shall be appended for the attention of the membership of WESS and of the general public. 188 /C & R L News ■ March 2002 S t r a t e g i c D ir e c t io n 5 .0 : A C R L is a n a t io n a l a n d in t e r n a t io n a l in te ra c tiv e le a d e r in c r e a t in g , e x p a n d in g , a n d t r a n s f e r r in g t h e b o d y o f k n o w le d g e o f a c a d e m ic lib rariansh ip . A p p ointed C harles Schw artz fo r a five- year term as editor of ACRL’s Publications in Librarianship series. Following a one-year term as intern under the current editor, John Budd, the term will begin following the ALA An­ nual Conference in 2003. R e a p p o in te d L isa B ro w a r a n d M arvin Taylor to a second three-year term as coedi­ tors of RBM: A J o u r n a l o f R a re B ooks, M an u ­ scripts, a n d C u ltu ral H eritag e that will b e­ g in at th e c lo s e o f th e ALA A n n u a l Conference 2002. S t r a t e g i c D i r e c t io n 6 .0 : A C R L is an e ffe ctiv e and a d y n a m ic o rg a n iza tio n th a t con ­ t in u a lly e n h an ces its ca p a city to create its fu tu re an d a sse ss and im p ro ve its p e rfo r­ m ance in carrying o ut its mission. A p p roved th e 2 0 0 1 —2 0 0 2 ACRL P e rfo r­ mance Indicators. A p p roved th e revised AFAS bylaws fo r placement on the Spring 2002 ballot for vote by the membership. A p p roved th e revised ARTS bylaw s fo r placement on the Spring 2002 ballot for vote by the membership. ■ ( “N ew w ays… ” c o n tin u e d f r o m p a g e 1 7 5 ) stock was the main problem. These items spent a long time on our Advanced Book Exchange want list. Once the company lo­ cated a seller for us, the process moved for­ ward quickly. These facts underline the im­ portance o f notifying purchase requesters when a title they want is out-of-print and also o f advising them as to what that might mean for the expeditious receipt o f the book. Our findings also indicate that, in the realm o f out-of-print orders, “rush order” takes on a somewhat different meaning than it has for regular firm orders. Eleven o f our 33 co m p le te d ou t-o f-p rin t orders w ere marked rush. The median turn-around time on these orders was 8 days— six days shorter than for the entire group o f order. This is because UMKC paid the additional charge for overnight or second-day delivery. How­ ever, also among these 11 rush orders were 3 books which took more than 100 days to locate and purchase, including one which took 435 days. In fairness, it should also be added that we still have two “rush” out-of- print orders which remain open. One of these orders was first attempted in August 2000 and the other in August 1999. Rush order or not, the library can not purchase what has not been found. The pursuit of these books, however, continues. On balance, it is satisfying to know that we have been able to fill 6 l per cent of re­ quests for out-of-print books. It indicates that our procedure for routinely handling such purchase requests is very promising. Natu­ rally, UMKC continues to strive for improve­ ment; seeking ways to make the system more effective and more efficient. Nevertheless, a sound beginning has been achieved. C o n c lu s io n s Acquisitions librarians need no longer accept that an out-of-print book is also an unavail­ able one. Neither need we explain to faculty members and colleagues that locating a source for such a book is too time-consuming and too labor-intensive to pursue. UMKC’s Miller Nichols Library is proving that the opposite is in fact more often the case. Joining our commitment to public service with our use of digital technology, we are adding books to our collections which once might have been considered virtually impossible to ac­ quire. While allowances must be made for the fluid nature of the out-of-print market, we have entered it with a well-founded hope o f success. ■ V is it C & R L N e w s N e t a t h ttp ://w w w . a la .o rg / a c rl/ c & rln e w 2 .h tm l http://www