ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 1481 C&RL News ■ March 2004 C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s n e w s Meet the candidates for ALA President Vote in the election this spring by Michael Gorman and Barbara Stripling T h e ACRL Board of Directors po sed the fol­lowing questions to the candidates for ALA President, an d C&RL News is pleased to publish their responses. Each candidate w as given 1,200 words in which he or she could choose to offer a brief o p en in g statem ent an d to resp o n d to the questions; the responses are identified under each of the six questions. Opening statement S trip lin g : Libraries fulfill a v a lu a b le p u b lic trust by providing a forum for the interchange o f id e a s— a n “in fo rm a tio n c o m m o n s ”— in w hich every individual has equitable an d con­ fidential access to diverse view points an d the w o rld o f inform ation. We w h o w o rk in librar­ ies create com m unities of learning that answ er th e n e e d s o f o u r local c o n stitu e n ts a n d e m ­ p o w er individuals o f all ages an d backgrounds to engage fully in the w orld. Such em pow erm ent d ep en d s u p o n im por­ tan t values: intellectual freedom , the right to read, an d equitable access. Although these val­ u e s u n d e rg ird th e d em o cratic p ro c e ss in o u r society, they cannot b e taken for granted. ALA m ust su p p o rt a n d c h a m p io n th e p o w e r o f li­ braries to build com m unity. As p resid en t, I w ill w o rk to d efeat legisla­ tion th at restricts o r dim inishes free a n d e q u i­ tab le access, like th e USA PATRIOT Act an d its pro g en y . I will p ro v id e positive exam ples o f lib ra rie s b u ild in g th e s tre n g th o f th e ir Michael Gorman Barbara Stripling school, academ ic, special, and public com m u­ nities. F u rth er, I w ill b u ild o u r p ro fe ssio n a l co m m u n ity b y c o a le sc in g ALA efforts to r e ­ cruit an d provide scholarships for diverse indi­ v id u a ls to w o rk in lib raries b y in c lu d in g all library w o rk ers in association w o rk a n d p ro ­ g ram m in g a n d b y e x p a n d in g c o lla b o ra tio n a m o n g ALA units. U n d er m y lead e rsh ip , ALA w ill m ove for­ w a rd positively as w e b u ild com m unity b o th locally an d professionally. Questions fo r A LA candidates 1. W h y d o y o u w a n t to b e P re s id e n t o f ALA? W h i c h s k ills a n d a b ilitie s d o y o u b r in g t o t h e ro le ? G o r m a n : I h av e a d e e p co m m itm en t to, an d affection for, ALA an d w an t to play a part, in a n e w capacity, in ad v a n c in g ALA’s goals a n d m ission. I h a v e b e e n p r e s id e n t o f LITA About the authors Michael Gorman is dean o f library services at the Henry Madden Library, California State University-Fresno, e-mail: michaelg@csufresno.edu, and Barbara Stripling is director o f library programs at New Visions for Public Schools in New York City, e-mail: bstripling@newvisions. org mailto:michaelg@csufresno.edu mailto:bstripling@newvisions.org C&RL News ■ March 2004 / 149 and chair a n d /o r m em ber o f m any ALA and ALA divisional committees over the last two- plus decades. I am in my second term as a mem­ ber-at-large of the ALA Council and my first term as a member of ALA’s Executive Board. I have b een an academic library administrator since 1977, and previously w orked for a na­ tional library and tw o public libraries. As a result of these experiences, I believe passion­ ately in the transform ing po w er o f libraries and in the core values of our profession—ser­ vice, preservation of the human record, intel­ lectual freedom, equity of access, and the ad­ vancem ent of literacy. As President of ALA, I w ould continue to advocate these values that have been the hall­ mark o f my career. I believe I have the com ­ munication skills to represent ALA effectively in any forum. I am the author of a num ber of books and hundreds of articles on various as­ pects of librarianship and have delivered scores of p ap e rs at library co n feren ces h ere and abroad. I believe I am qualified to be President of ALA by experience, skills, and dedication to the ideals of our profession. Stripling: I am running for ALA President because I believe I can provide the positive leadership that will unite us behind our mes­ sages of equity, diversity, access, and em pow ­ erment. Through my career in school libraries, I have learned that protesting against w hat is w rong is only half the battle. It is also impor­ tant to bring people with diverse ideas together to create new, synergistic solutions. I bring a thoughtful approach to issues—I ask questions, I probe, I seek diverse opinions, I listen to others. Through such careful delib­ eration, I lead groups to consensus. I also bring good communication skills to ALA. I will speak for the association with pas­ sion an d commitment. I have long used writ­ ing to provoke my ow n thinking and clarify issues for others. I listen carefully and provide opportunities for individuals an d groups to express themselves and exchange ideas. 2. ALA conference structure is often per­ ceived as too large and unwieldy. What are your view s o n the effectiveness o f the co n ­ fe r e n c e structure? What, i f any, ch a n g es w ould you like to introduce? Gorman: I have attended almost every ALA Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting since 1975 and am more than familiar with the com- I am a strong proponent of a com plete reform o f library education based, in large part, on bringing library education to more, and m ore diverse, students. … If w e are to have a tru ly diverse profession, w e m ust have tru ly professional education availab le to all w h o desire it.— M ichael Gorm an plexities and vexations of these gatherings. I am also aware of the attempts that have been made, with some success, to arrange the meetings into “tracks.” We n eed to face the fact that a large complex organization with myriad units, divi­ sions, round tables, interest groups, etc., will tend to have large, complex meetings that its mem­ bers will navigate with varying degrees of suc­ cess. Devices such as mentoring and orienta­ tion for new attendees are already in place and I would like to see these strengthened. I would like the conference schedules to be user-friend lier in terms o f layout, typography, organiza­ tion, and indexing. By these and other means we can make the conferences more manageable, but we cannot, and should not, seek to reduce their inherent multidimensional, complex, and diverse nature. Stripling: I believe that the ALA confer­ ence structure serves the unique interests and needs of ALA members quite well by the vari­ ety of programs, exhibits, meetings, and p ub­ lic forums offered. I recognize, however, that conferences can be daunting and som ew hat unwieldy. Organizing conference programming into strands helps attendees make their indi­ vidual conference plans. I w o u ld like to see th e co n feren ces b e ­ come more interactive, so that members have m ore chances to m eet n ew colleagues and talk ab o u t issues o f com m on co n cern . In ­ cre a se d o p p o rtu n itie s for live a n d virtual p a r tic ip a tio n s h o u ld b e p u rs u e d : Web stream in g o f se le c te d p ro g ram s, live ch at sessions during m embership meetings, facili­ tated discussion groups p e p p e red th ro u g h ­ o u t th e c o n fe re n c e , a n d o p p o rtu n itie s to connect w ith a conference mentor. 1 5 0 / C&RL News ■ M arch 2004 3. G iven th e cu rren t p o litica l and e c o ­ nom ic environm ent, h o w can ALA be m ore effective in educating o u r local, state, and fe d e r a l g o v e r n m e n ts a b o u t th e c r u c ia l ro le lib raries p la y in o u r society? G orm an: I think ALA’s recen t your library” campaign has been very successful, as have the many things (some good, some bad) that have raised the profiles o f libraries and librarians in this period. We must never forget th at w e start w ith an im m ense reservoir of goodwill in all sections of society and we should no t shrink from exploiting th at fact. T hose majorities of people with goodwill to libraries are voters, and we need to be politically savvy in marshalling sup p o rt from that potentially pow erful pool. ALA, its W ashington Office, and its chapters can w ork w onders in the p o ­ litical arena by lobbying, advocacy, and educa­ tion on all fronts. I am a university librarian w ho has w eath­ ered the “Why do w e need libraries w hen ev­ erything is on th e Internet?” storm an d have been effective in securing financial support for the university library; making a n ew library building the number one campus priority; and achieving a general recognition on campus of the im portance an d centrality of the library. We need to advocate and educate at all levels and in a cooperative m anner that recognizes the value of every type o f library. S trip lin g : G overnm ent officials do n o t w an t to h e a r p la titu d e s a b o u t th e v alu e of libraries; they w ant to hear specific examples o f contributions th at libraries have m ade to th e lives o f th e ir c o n s titu e n ts a n d th e ir com m unities. O ur m essage resonates w h en it is delivered locally, b ased on local experi­ ences. ALA m ust facilitate th e ed u catio n o f o ur public officials by providing a strong public voice for intellectual freedom and equity of access; developing a coherent legislative agenda an d m obilizing frontline library advocates across the nation; building partnerships to ex­ tend our reach; fostering research to improve practice and provide evidence for our public message; recruiting and supporting a diverse library w ork force; helping local libraries cre­ ate forums of public discussion and civic par­ ticipation; supporting culturally rich program­ ming and collection developm ent in all types of libraries; helping librarians enhance the 21st- century skills o f their constituents; an d col­ lecting the success stories from every type of library and sharing them widely. 4. W hat d o y o u se e as th e m ajor issu e s u n iq u e to acad em ic an d re se a rch lib rar­ ie s an d h o w can ALA o ffices an d p ub lica­ tio n s address them? Gorman: Let m e count the ways! The ma­ jor issues facing academic libraries are (in no particular order) the slow death o f the schol­ arly journal and the inability to discover a vi­ able economic model for electronic article dis­ tribution; the library instruction/inform ation com petence crisis as w e struggle with a rising tide of a-literacy and extravagant expectations of electronic resources among college students; the pressure to do more with fewer resources— hum an an d financial; constant technological change necessitating more and more expendi­ tures at the expense of other aspects of library service; the huge cost of new and rem odeled academic library buildings; the pressure to raise funds, court donors, etc.; preservation o f the electronic human record; new graduates of LIS schools lacking education in the core skills and core values o f our profession; the aging of the profession; and the n eed for greater diversity in academ ic library professional staffing (as discussed in my response to the next question). ALA publications play a key part in informing the profession about current issues and proposed solutions, as do all the many conferences, work­ shops, and other continuing education opportuni­ ties afforded by ALA and its units. ALA’s offices (such as those for Diversity, Intellectual Freedom, and Information Technology Policy) can also be of great assistance in their areas of expertise. In addition, ALA/APA can play an important role in the certification of continuing education oppor­ tunities for academic librarians. Stripling: The major issues for academic librarians include recruitment and continued education of academic librarians, information literacy, the impact of technology o n services and research, changing modes of scholarly com­ munication, declining funding, and the role of the library in the academic community. All of these issues have similar iterations in other types of libraries, bu t they play out uniquely in the academic setting. Connections across ALA units and offices can be extremely helpful in moving academic issues forward. For example, recruitm ent ef­ forts across the association should be brought C&RL News ■ M arch 2004 / 157 to g e th er in to a fo cu sed an d strategic plan. OITP is currently pursuing the concept of the library as an “information com m ons,” w hich blends such academic issues as use of technol­ ogy, equitable and open access, and the library as a builder of information communities. The new ALA/APA offers a valuable opportunity for advanced certification of academic librar­ ians in specialized areas. I have spent my career leading efforts to promote information literacy, and I have incorporated the developm ent of an association-wide action agenda around 21st- century skills into my presidential platform. 5. D iv e r s ity — it’s a lo n g -s ta n d in g is ­ su e fo r o u r p r o fe ssio n . W hat n e w in itia ­ tives w o u ld y o u introduce to advance our g o a l fo r th e d em ograp hic o f librarians to m o r e c lo s e ly reflect th e d em o g ra p h ic o f th e population? Gorm an: It is imperative that w e achieve a profession that looks like America. There are m any forces at w ork against that goal. Some o f th em are societal forces that are b ey o n d ALA’s pow er to solve alone—for example, in­ equity of funding in public education weighs heaviest o n the disadvantaged an d minority groups. Others are w ithin our grasp and can an d should be tackled. Among these are the provision of more scholarships; effective ad­ vocacy of librarianship as an attractive career for all; and, above all, major reform of library education. I am a strong su p p o rter of Spec­ trum scholarships and other initiatives. I am a strong su p p o rter of ALA’s advocacy for our profession as inclusive, diverse, and exciting. I am a strong proponent of a complete re­ form of library education based, in large part, on bringing library education to more, and more diverse, students. Reformed library education would have several elements—access irrespec­ tive of geographic location; a nationally agreed core library curriculum, library-oriented fac­ ulty an d research programs; and strong affir­ mative action recruiting. If w e are to have a truly diverse profession, w e m ust have truly professional education available to all w ho desire it. Stripling: The seed to bring diverse indi­ viduals to library work is planted from the mo­ m ent toddlers com e to the library and recog­ nize themselves in the people and stories they find. Culturally rich collections and program­ ming are fundamental to all types of libraries. I w ould like to leave a legacy of com m unity building. I w ill cham pion library effo rts to build com m unity at th e local level and use th ose success sto ries to spread th e w o rd am ong leg islato rs, policy m akers, and the general public about the p o sitive im pact of libraries.—Barbara Stripling Recruitment to the profession should start in upper elementary school w hen interested stu­ dents are invited to serve as library volunteers an d given im portant w ork to do and should continue through college. Library staff should b e offered o pportunities to p u rsu e a library education. We must educate current and future librar­ ians through outreach programs that include online courses, evening and Saturday classes, and support networks. And w e must increase the Spectrum Scholarship endowment dramati­ cally. We must n o t only recruit and train top q uality individuals for th e library field, bu t must also support their retention and continu­ ing involvement and developm ent through a mentoring netw ork and opportunities to par­ ticipate in all aspects of association activities. 6. W hat are th e iss u e s y o u se e that all ty p e s o f lib ra ries share? H ow ca n th e d i­ v is io n s o f ALA b e m o b iliz e d to w o r k t o ­ geth er to address them? Gorman: All librarians share the core val­ ues of our profession. Library education’s cri­ sis affects all kinds o f libraries. O ther issues th at affect us all are: funding shortcom ings; in ad eq u ate salaries an d pay inequity; rising aliteracy and illiteracy; the technological fund­ ing crunch; an d th e USA PATRIOT Act and other assaults on privacy, confidentiality, and constitutional rights. I believe that all kinds of libraries and the ALA divisions that represent them can and should work together. A cadem ic libraries d e p e n d o n effective school libraries teaching future college students the value o f libraries and h ow to use them. A knowledgeable citizenry is the bedrock of de- 1 5 2 / C&RL News ■ M arch 2004 mocracy—public, academic, school, special, gov­ ernmental, and national libraries all contribute, each in their own way, to that bedrock. “Big ALA” and its divisions need to work to­ gether more than they do now. As a former divi­ sional president, I have a number of ideas on how that can be accomplished, but they must be pre­ ceded by the fostering of a climate of enhanced trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation. Stripling: All types of libraries rest on the fundamental values of equity, diversity, intellec­ tual and physical access, intellectual freedom, and public participation in the interchange of ideas. By stronger collaboration and connections through ALA offices, an ALA President can overcome the “silo-ization” often seen in ALA. I will provide more opportunities for divisions to work together on common concerns, particularly 21st-century literacy, advocacy, continuing education, technol­ ogy, salaries, service to youth and special popula­ tions, and recruitment. During 2004, ALA leaders will start the pro­ cess of developing another five-year action plan. I will ensure that we develop strong collaborative structures to implement the plan. 7. At the close o f your term, w hich legacy w o u ld y o u lik e y o u r P resid en cy to b e re­ membered for? ( “The Public Librarγ …”continued from page 136) Voices like these, those that join them, and the actions they generate will ultimately pro­ vide the final momentum needed to complete the transition to a robust, equitable, and sus­ tainable open-access publishing system. Notes 1. See, for example, Peter Suber’s Timeline o f the O pen Access Movement. 2. PubMed Central, w w w .pubm edcentral. g o v /ab o u t/in tro .html. 3. “A m erica’s On-Line P u rsu its,” Pew Internet and American Life Project, December 2003. 4. PLos O pen Letter, w w w .plos.org/sup port/openletter.shtm l. 5. Patrick O. Brown, Michael B. Eisen, and Harold E. Varmus, “Why PLoS Became a Pub­ lisher,” PLoS Biology 1, no. 1 (2003). 6. BioMedCentral, w w w .biom edcentral. com /hom e/. 7. SPARC, w w w .arl.o rg /sp arc/. Gorman: I w ould like to be remembered as an ALA leader w ho had a vision of libraries and librarianship that reconciled our traditional core values and services with the enthusiastic em brace o f innovation—technological and otherw ise— and gave all librarians and ALA members reason to be hopeful about their in­ dividual and our collective future. Stripling: I would like to leave a legacy of community building. I will cham pion library efforts to build com m unity at the local level and use those success stories to spread the word among legislators, policy makers, and the gen­ eral public about the positive impact of librar­ ies. I will showcase the extraordinary w ork of academic libraries in building both informa­ tion and learning communities. I will also build community within ALA by improving the open­ ness and inclusiveness of the association for all library w orkers and by establishing more cross-association collaboration. I will help li­ brarians across the country to value ALA and react the way one gentleman did after reading o n e o f m y W eb s it e b lo g s (w w w . barbstripling.net): “Now this is most interest­ ing—an ALA presidential candidate blog. Is it time for me to renew my ALA membership?” The answer is most definitely, “Yes!” 8. “A Recommendation from the Council of P u b lic R e p re se n ta tiv e s,” c o p r .n ih .g o v / public_library_science.shtm. 9. See references collected a twww.plos.org/ news/pr_2003_plos.html. 10. S ee r e f e r e n c e s c o l l e c t e d a t www. plos.org/news/index.html#science. 11. See www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/ ?request=index-html. 12. See for exam ple w w w .earlh am .ed u / ~ p eters/fo s/tim elin e.h tm , w w w .p lo s.o rg / about/oρenaccess.htm l#tim eline, and refer­ ences therein. 13. Chronicle o f Highei Education, February 9, 2004 on the departure of the Board o f Di­ rectors of the Journal o f Algorithms from Reed Elsevier 14. Stephanie Kirchgaessner, “Companies UK: Love Affair w ith Reed Begins to Cool,” Financial Times, February 9, 2004. 15. From a letter to UCSF faculty urging a b oy co tt o f Cell Press from Professors Peter Walter and Keith Yamamoto http://www.pubmedcentral http://www.plos.org/sup- http://www.biomedcentral http://www.arl.org/sparc/ http://www.plos.org/ http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/ http://www.earlham.edu/ http://www.plos.org/