ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


1 2 8 /C&RL News

In the N ew s
Enthusiasm. It’s a simple concept but one 

that is often easy to lose sight of in the mounds 
o f paper, appointments, instruction classes, 
meetings, etc., that press upon us all.

Susan Barnes Whyte, an award-winning li­
brarian at Linfield College, reminds us that pas­
sion for our work, enthusiasm for the task at 
hand, and a touch of humor are important keys 
to success (page 138). Her mastery o f these 
traits has led her into leadership positions be­
yond the library on her campus.

Many of ACRL’s units share this enthusiasm 
for academic librarianship and infuse it into their 
projects. ACRL’s College Libraries Section’s Col­
lege Library Director Mentor Program taps into 
the enthusiasm of library directors such as Larry 
Hardesty (Austin College) and lends a hand to 
those in their first year of directing a college 
library (page 132).

The Instruction Section’s enthusiasm for 
helping others teach library users how to iden­
tify and evaluate information is shown in its 
joint project with the Coalition for Networked 
Information (CNI) to mount a virtual collection

of Internet user education and training materi­
als at Case Western Reserve University (page 
131).

ACRL members are enthusiastic about new 
paradigms and are eager to share them with 
others. ACRL and CNI are offering a joint pre­
conference on new learning communities, a 
concept that builds on the collaborative model 
o f teaching and learning, in which students 
work together to make discipline concepts more 
meaningful, and instructors and teams of fac­
ulty and professionals from other campus units, 
such as the library, collaboratively develop cur­
ricula (page 158).

Speaking o f enthusiasm, ACRL members 
Bernie Fradkin and Lee Hisle have lots of it 
when it comes to ACRL and its future direction 
under the new Strategic Plan. Be sure to see 
why each wants to be elected president of ACRL 
(page 151) and be an informed voter this spring.

— Mary Ellen K. Davis
E ditor & P u blisher

mary.ellen.davis@ala.org
after April 1: medavis@ala.org

mailto:mary.ellen.davis@ala.org
mailto:medavis@ala.org