ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 636/C&RL News In the News How well libraries and librarians satisfy the information needs of users is one o f the pri­ mary means of measuring the library’s success. Many factors affect the outcome o f each infor­ mation transaction and one important factor is the quality of the staff. Equally important are hiring competent staff, training them, and con­ tinuing to provide them with professional de­ velopment opportunities. An approach of con­ tinual learning helps individuals achieve their potential to do their best for the organization. ACRL expressed its commitment to the im­ portance o f professional development when it adopted as the first goal o f its strategic plan, “to provide development opportunities for aca­ demic librarians and other library personnel that enhance their ability to deliver superior ser­ vices and resources.” ACRL offers through its publications, workshops, and conferences many ways for librarians to update their skills. In this issue, ACRL announces nine practi­ cal, skill-building workshops o ffered as preconferences to the ACRL National Confer­ ence in Nashville, April 11– 14, 1997. Topics cover a wide spectrum o f interests including fundraising, new learning communities, digi­ tal information, digitizing collections, preferred futures, buildings, the learning organization, technical services workstations, and user needs (page 667). Two articles in this issue address the advan­ tages of staff development. Peggy Johnson de­ scribes a cross-training program planned and imple­ mented at the University of Minnesota (page 644). And Anita Lowry, Paul Soderdahl, and Barbara Dewey describe how the University of Iowa de­ veloped a flexible team structure to manage its Web-based information system (page 640). Giv­ ing staff the opportunity to learn new skills and to participate in librarywide projects benefits both individuals and organizations. — Mary Ellen K. Davis Editor & Publisher medavis@ala.org C&RL N ew s 30th anniversary quiz What do you recall read ing in C&RL News the past 30 years? To celebrate the News’ 30th anniversary, the Editorial Board and editors o f C&RL News have written questions based on news and articles published since the News' inception in 1966. Five questions (and answers) will be published each month to help you wend your way through the past 30 years o f academic librarianship as reported by C&RL News. We hope you have as much fun answering these questions as we did writ­ ing them. If you have a question you’d like considered for the quiz please send it to Mary Ellen Davis at medavis@ala.org. ­ 1. The American Antiquarian Society ac­ quired the only known copy of the first novel published in America. Give the au­ thor, title, publishing information of this early work, and when the Society acquired it. 2. Who was the first woman to hold the position o f executive secretary of ACRL and when was she appointed? 3. When was the federal wiretap law first updated to “protect against unauthorized interception o f electronic communications?” 4. What state chapter held its first annual meeting in 1980? 5. Which university dedicated a “solar” library in 1982? .) 2891 reb mece D( ytisrevi nU etatS esoJ n aS .5 .) 1891 yraunaJ( retpahc ai groeG ehT .4 .) 7891 yraunaJ( ” snoit asrevnoc enohpel et ral ullec dna , skrowten etavirp ,li a m ci nortcel e ,snoitaci n ­ u mmoc oediv dna atad“ srevoc ) 805-99 L P , 2594 RH( 6891 fo tcA ycavirP snoitaci nummoC ci nortcel E eht taht setats sweN LR&C n i troper ” enilt o H notgni hsa W“ ehT . 6891 n I . 3 .) 2791 rebotc O( 2791 reb met peS ni det ni oppa saw hcnyL ylreveB .2 .) 8691 yaM( 8691 fo gnirps eht n i SAA yb deri uqca dna 3471 dna 2471 n i ai hpl edali hP n i nil knarF ni maj neB yb detnirp saw tI . al e maP s ’ nosdrahci R leumaS 1. : sre wsnA mailto:medavis@ala.org mailto:medavis@ala.org