ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 492 / C & RL News Beliefs and realities By Rebecca Kellogg Associate D ean, C ollege o f Arts and Sciences University o f Arizona Libraries and librarians from a non-library administrator’s point of view. From 1970 through mid-1976 I was a reference librarian— from 1976 through 1983 I was the head of a reference department. During those years I de­ veloped a number of beliefs about how non-library folk viewed— or should view— libraries and librar­ ians. And I acted in concert with those assumptions whenever possible. Having now moved to the other side of the desk, I now know that some of those be­ liefs were wrong. In this article I will describe some of those assumptions and the realities as I now see them. Assumptions I will present four assumptions and discuss each one in turn; then I will give you some thoughts on how we can come out ahead of what may seem to be a very distressing situation. First, I used to believe that everyone should be taught how to use the library— faculty and admin­ istrators included, not just students. Second, I believed that non-library administra­ tors recognized that librarians are working increas­ ingly closely with faculty members and graduate students, in addition to assisting undergraduates. Third, I believed that non-library administra­ tors were also recognizing more and more that li­ brarians are the same as, or indeed are, faculty members. And fourth, I believed that non-library adminis­ trators believed and b eh a v ed in accord with the phrase, “the library is the life-blood (or the heart) of the institution.” Realities The first supposition was that I believed that ev­ eryone should be taught how to use the library, fac­ ulty and administrators included, not just students. I list this first because it illustrates my naïveté as a librarian and because I realized the reality of this assumption about a week after becoming a part of the College of Arts and Sciences. To understand why the reality is so different from the assumption, let me briefly describe my position and a typical day. As the associate dean of the College, I am responsible for the undergradu­ ate educational programs (the curricula) of over 9,000 students and the instructional efforts of ap­ proximately 800 faculty members. My personal staff comprises two assistant deans, three academic advisors, five support staff, and a number of stu­ dent assistants. The University has an enrollment of approximately 30,000 students, and Arts and Sciences is the largest college on the campus. On a typical day I will have two or three regu­ larly scheduled meetings and a couple of “drop- ins.” I will have a minimum of three ongoing proj­ ects on which I need to make some type of fairly steady progress. I will have two or three projects for which I must do some solid background re­ search over the next couple of days. And I will have, if I ’m lucky, only one project that is on fire. Add to that two mail deliveries and about 10– 12 phone calls on any number of topics (on this partic­ ular day there will be no phone calls from the presi­ dent’s office). I also hope to work an 8-hour day, September 1986 / 493 perhaps 9 if I skip lunch or work late. And over 60 % of my work will have deadlines set by some­ one higher in the administrative hierarchy. Dead­ lines usually range from today (or now) to two weeks or three months from now. Obviously time is extremely valuable. Because of that value, in my and other administrators’ offices there will exist a set of reference tools— a working collection of both published and internally devel­ oped documents, reports, studies, and manuals. The collection serves 70-80 % of my needs. I admit that it is incomplete, but the choice I make in de­ ciding how to obtain the information I need will depend almost entirely on how long I can wait to obtain that information. An example: suppose I need to know current sta­ tistics on and the names of some institutions that are involved in reviewing their general education programs. A quick call to the Office of the Provost’ Special Assistant on Articulation will result in a partial answer— the names of some institutions. call to a known member of the library reference staff gives me a guilt feeling, since I know that to answer my need she will have to stop work on something else. Somehow that doesn’t seem quite fair for me to do. However, she probably knows several sources for statistics. But consider that if I have those citations, I really have nothing until they are retrieved and photocopied for me. Do I as her to get those for me? A call to the reference desk will result in nothing, since the most I could hope for would be the sugges tions of some sources for me to come check. And if I go to the library, I know it will take between an hour and an hour and a half to obtain what I need, assuming I find the best citations immediately, the volumes are on the shelf, the photocopier is work ing, and I have money with me (or a deposit ac count with the library). I then consider how m time needs to be spent, based upon that typical day’s agenda— and I call the articulation assistan to receive admittedly partial information. I bluf the rest or just ignore it for now, or if I have tim enough I will call my colleague in the library an try to beat down my guilt feelings. You see, I know I can find the answers by goin to the library, and I am better at it than most non library administrators, since I am an experience librarian. But I also know that by doing so I wil break up my day and my thought pattern. I will ge involved in the minor considerations of where tha particular set of indexes is (they may have bee moved), the location of the serials list or other loca tion tools, the working order of the photocopiers, etc. And that is the kind of thing my secretarie should be doing, since within my office such m at ters would be their responsibilities. But if my secre tary were to learn to manipulate the library’s mate rials, then she wouldn’t be doing the things fo which I need her. A classic Catch 22. For these rea sons I no longer believe that administrators shoul take their time to learn how to use the library. s A k ­ ­ ­ y t f e d g ­ d l t t n ­ s ­ ­ ­ r ­ d Myth Number Two was that I believed that non­ ibrary administrators recognized that librarians re working increasingly closely with faculty mem­ ers and graduate students, in addition to provid­ ng the usual assistance to undergraduates. The re­ lity is th a t most adm inistrators believe th at ibrarians work with undergraduate students— not aculty or graduate students or the public or ad­ inistrators, but undergraduates. It is also firmly elieved that this is very important work. But I am not an undergraduate. And I am not the adminis­ rator in charge of librarians, so what right do I ave to ask a librarian to do something for me? L i­ brarians are not viewed as serving just anyone who calls, faculty or administrators. L e t’s look at Myth Number Three: that non­ library administrators were also recognizing more and more that librarians are the same as, or indeed are, faculty members. Such a supposition repre­ sents a double-edged sword of confusion. Baldly put, if librarians are faculty members, what are they doing shelving books? And a lot of non­ librarians do believe it is librarians who shelve. If they are faculty members, why don’t they have a P h .D .? And if librarians really are faculty, then certainly you d o n ’t ask faculty to go get you an an­ swer to a question and make the photocopy! The other edge of this sword is, most impor­ tantly, the question: how can librarians help me when they don’t work within my field? Deans, de­ partment heads, and vice presidents almost always come from faculty ranks. Their training as re­ searchers has essentially led to a singular relation­ ship between themselves and those portions of the library collection that have proven useful. In their w riting and publishing, most have worked by themselves— alone. They may have shared theo­ ries, ideas, and sources with library and faculty colleagues in the same or related fields; but faculty members gradually learn more about their particu­ lar field than any but a relatively small number of other specialists. It is therefore difficult for teachers or researchers to grasp how a librarian not within that specialized field could be of assistance. When these faculty members become administrators, this belief does not change. At this point, consider Myth Number Four: that non-library administrators believe and act on the phrase, “the library is the life-blood (or the heart) of the institution.” This statement is a reality only if you are equating “the library” with “the collec­ tion.” If an administrator were to think of the li­ brary in terms of service, she will agree that it is the life-blood or heart for the undergraduate. And ev­ eryone will agree that part of an institution’s repu­ tation rests on how its library is viewed by those outside the institution— so it certainly plays an im­ portant role. But if you mean by that phrase that the library is to be protected from budget cuts, freezes on book and personnel funds, or doesn’t have to fight for its share of the annual resource pie— then reality is a cold, hard world. The library l a b i a l f m b t h September 1986 / 495 is not a part of the average administrator’s thought for the day, nor for any day unless there is some thing needed from it, it causes trouble somehow, o it’s in competition for funds. When recruiting ne faculty who will be using its collections, the librar is a positive. When wooing visiting dignitaries, th library can be terribly important. But when seek ing more institutional resources, the library is a fair a game as any other unit within the institution On an average day, however, the library is a plac where students go to study and where there ar people who help them. Period. Silver linings Now that reality as I see it has cast its clouds, here are some thoughts on what can be done to en sure some silver linings. Two kinds of action wil help the situation: 1) increased visibility of librarians; and 2) selective targeting of administrators. First of all, visibility within the larger organiza tion is crucial. Remember that although you and know what librarians do (or are able to do), thos around us have no p articu lar reason to know. There are three straightforward ways to increas visibility. One, readily available university and librar publications do not usually (although they should) identify librarians by specialization, and the should also contain lists of the services offered b librarians. When was the last time that a list of li brary services, such as computer searching or inter library loan, was published in your institution’ newspaper or other internal publication? Anothe example: L et’s assume there is a chemistry librar ian on campus as well as a chemistry department. Does the listing of the chemistry department in clude the phone extension of the chemistry librar ian? In fact, does the chemistry department’s ow internal list of faculty members (with phone num bers) include the chemistry librarian? If others se your name associated with their field or discipline, they are more likely to remember you when the have questions or needs and to consider you as peer. Two, whenever any librarian contributes to or i recognized by another group, institution, organi zation, or department, send an announcement t your institution’s publication. It is extremely help ful to be perceived as contributing to your disci pline through participation in professional confer ences, consulting, or by being recognized for som contribution. W rite yourselves up and send th press release to your department head, dean, an the appropriate campus newspaper. Why are li brarians so modest? No one else is! Remember tha you know more about your discipline than does an non-librarian. An involvement or committee ap pointment that may sound pretty basic to you ma sound rather complex (and thus potentially impor tant) to others. Either get your library to mak someone responsible for submitting material to th s ­ r w y e ­ s . e e ­ l ­ I e e y y y ­ - s r ­ ­ ­ n ­ e y a s ­ o ­ ­ ­ e e d ­ t y ­ y ­ e e local media or do it yourself. It doesn’t hurt and it may help. Three, use committee work outside the library to your advantage. Find ways to gain membership on those co m m ittees (esp ecially fa c u lty and university-level ones) that are considered presti­ gious. The other day a library colleague mentioned that she had been asked by the chair of the univer­ sity’s Committee on Committees to recommend a librarian for a specific committee. If she had not herself been a member of a university committee on which this other faculty member also served, what would have been the chance that a librarian would have been nominated for this second com­ mittee? For appointed committees it doesn’t matter if you don’t know the appointing person. Send a note expressing interest, and include some specifics that you have researched and thus learned about that committee so that you appear knowledgeable. Fol­ low up w ith acknowledgement of that person whenever and wherever you see her. A hello never hurts. If the individual looks blank, introduce yourself and give a reference for that person to file in their memory. For elected committees find out who is eligible to nominate and vote and go talk to the necessary number of people. It may seem embarrassing, but do it anyway— or get someone to serve as your ad­ vocate or spokesperson. Once on a comm ittee, participate— don’t just sit there. Listen and then comment; become an involved member; ask ques­ tions to learn enough to be able to comment; chair subcommittees; work towards chairing the com­ mittee; get your name on documents that go be­ yond the committee. There are numerous tips that can be given about committees. One important point is that you will ca rry your d iscip lin e w ith you regardless of whether or not it becomes a committee topic. So one major result of committee work is that your personal success as a member also becomes the li­ brary’s success. Your reputation becomes the li­ brary’s reputation in the eyes of others. Let’s talk about selective targeting. Although non-library administrators may have little direct involvement with the library, they should receive some education about and from librarians. Selective targeting involves identifying those few people in local power positions whose support, apathy, or non-support could have an effect on something the library wants. Additionally it means finding out what needs they have which the library could satisfy and then marketing those services to such individuals. Put bluntly, if certain library ser­ vices became extremely convenient and relied upon by specific non-library administrators, it would be more difficult for those individuals to not show in­ creased library support. If this sounds pushy, manipulative, aggressive and— perish the thought— political, good! You are getting the idea. Being pushy, manipulative, and 496 / C&RL News aggressive for the good of the library may not be a all a bad thing. Identifying individuals with spe cific needs and tailoring a library program to the may also be a good thing. Aren’t you in the busines of providing services? The fact that you may bene fit from something that benefits someone else i fine. And it is extremely doubtful that you woul drop a service such as working with undergradu ates in order to institute one for administrators o faculty members, so you should not be perceived a robbing Peter to pay Paul. Traditionally librarians have both felt and pre sented the image of being there when asked. Bu that is not enough. Because librarians are not usu ally visible, active participants, we are not ofte thought of, let alone asked. You must begin takin the initiative of getting involved beyond the li brary. You must be willing to give your name t ­ m s ­ s d ­ r s ­ t ­ n g ­ , time, and knowledge to your institution or organi­ zation. The rewards are great. One is the personal satisfaction of having a stake in your institution. Another is the increasing recognition and respect by others for the library and librarians. A third could indeed be additional support for the library. I have given you some perceptions of libraries and librarians from a non-library administrator’s point of view. But I will have accomplished noth­ ing if you don’t take my thoughts back to your insti­ tutions, confirm them with your own administra­ tors, then adjust what I have said to your own reality. My thoughts of success go with you. E d ito r’s note: This article is reprinted w ith perm is­ sion fro m the Bulletin of the Florida Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, vol. 18, n o .2, April 1986. ACRL awards deadlines approaching! Have you nominated a deserving colleague or applied yourself for one of the seven A CRL awards and fellowships to be given in 1987? The applica­ tion deadline for most of the awards is December 1, 1986. Please review the available awards listed be­ low and consider the possibilities! ACRL Academic or Research Librarian of the Year Award— For outstanding contribution to ac­ ademic or research librarianship and library devel­ opment. Donor: Baker & Taylor ($3,000). Dead­ line: December 1, 1986. Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship— To doctoral student in the field of academ ic librarianship whose research indicates originality, creativity and interest in scholarship. Donor: Institute for Scien­ tific Information ($1,000). Deadline: December 1, 1986. Samuel Lazerow Fellowship for Research in Ac­ quisitions or Technical Services— To acquisitions or technical services librarian for research, travel or writing in these fields. Donor: Institute for Sci­ entific Information ($1,000). Deadline: December 1, 1986. M iriam D u d ley A w ard fo r B ib lio g r a p h ic Instruction— For contribution to the advancement of bibliographic instruction that has an impact on concepts and methods of teaching bibliography and bibliographic instruction. Administered by: A CRL Bibliographic Instruction Section. Donor: Mountainside Publishing Company, on behalf of their publication, R esearch Strategies ($1,000). Deadline: December 1, 1986. Martinus Nijhoff International West European Specialist Study G rant— To ALA member to visit the Netherlands and two other West European countries to study West European librarianship or bibliography. Administered by: ACRL Western European Specialists Section. Donor: Martinus Nijhoff International (travel expenses and room and board). Deadline: December 1, 1986. RBM S E x h ib itio n C atalog u e A w ards— F o r three best catalogues published by American or Canadian institutions in conjunction with exhibi­ tions of books and/or manuscripts. (Citation). Ad­ ministered by: A CRL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section. Deadline: September 30, 1986. Oberly Award for Bibliography in Agricultural Sciences— To American citizen for the best bibliog­ raphy in the field of agriculture or one of the re­ lated sciences in the preceding two-year period. B i­ annual. Administered by: A C R L Science and Technology Section. Donor: Eunice Rockwood Oberly Fund (cash and citation). Deadline: Janu­ ary 1, 1987. For more information about ACRL awards refer to the ALA H an d book o f Organization or contact: M ary E lle n K. D av is, P rogram O ffic e r , ACRL/ALA, 50 E . Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611- 2795; (312) 944-6780, x287. F u lb rig h t g ra n t A one-year Fulbright Grant to assist the Cen­ ter for American Studies of the Belgian Royal Library in Brussels is available. Minimum re­ quirements for this position include an M LS, with a working knowledge of French or Dutch desirable. Contact either the Fulbright advisor at your campus or the Institute of International Educa­ tion, 809 U.N. Plaza, New York, NY 10017, by October 1 , 1986, at the latest. The Institute also provides information through its regional of­ fices and local campus representatives.