ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


C o l l e g e  & R e s e a r c h  L i b r a r i e s

Fatzer and Hardesty 
share plans for ACRL

Be sure to vote in the election this spring!
Jill B. Fatzer and Larry Hardesty

E d. note: C&RL News offered ACRL can­didates for vice-president/president­
elect, Jill B. Fatzer and Larry Hardesty, this 
opportunity to share their views with the 
membership. Although many o f the issues 
facing ACRL are discussed inform ally at 
meetings, this does not provide a national 
forum to all members. We hope that pro­
viding this forum will assist you in making 
an informed choice when you receive your 
ballot this spring.

JILL B. FATZER
Since receiving the nom ination for this o f­
fice, I have been asked in various ways, 
by many co lleag u es, “Why is the p resi­
dency o f ACRL o f interest to you?” I inter­
pret this inquiry to m ean “Why on earth 
would anyone take on an o ffice that re­
quires hard work, long hours, much travel, 
and o ccasion al controversy, all for no pay 
and little “glory”?”

For me, the answ er is the opportunity 
to m ake a difference; not just for my hom e 
institution, but for academ ic librarians and 
libraries in general. We find ourselves in 
difficult times; w hile librarians are asking 
them selves, “What will our libraries be in 
the future?” our c o lle g e  and university 
presidents are increasingly asking, “Will 
there be libraries in the future?” ACRL has 
the opportunity to provide positive an ­
swers to th ese questions, through vigor­
ous action in the higher-eclucation policy 
and legislative arenas.

Jill B. Fatzer Larry Hardesty

Higher education
When I look back at the ballot statement I 
wrote when I was nominated for the ACRL 
Board of Directors in 1994, I am pleased to 
see that much of what was o f concern to me 
then has been accomplished. My chief con­
cern was that ACRL look outward toward its 
role in higher education, rather than con­
centrating on its internal organizational af­
fairs. Two goals of the current Strategic Plan 
demonstrate this focus. Moreover, several 
initiatives have been put in place to imple­
ment these points: the Council of Liaisons is 
well on the way to establishing ACRL’s role 
as a partner in higher-education policy with 
organizations such as the American Council 
on Education (ACE), the American Associa­
tion for Higher Education (AAHE), and the 
National Association of State Universities and 
Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Success­
fully carrying out the C ou ncil’s planned 
higher-education issues forum will further 
raise national awareness of ACRL's concerns

About the authors

Jill B. Fatzer is dean o f Library Services at the University o f New Orleans, e-mail: jbfls@uno.edu; Larry Hardesty is college 
librarian and professor at Austin College, e-mail:lhardesty@austinc.edu

C&RL News ■  February 1998 / 103

mailto:jbfls@uno.edu
mailto:lhardesty@austinc.edu


104 /  C&RL N e w s  ■  F e b ru a ry  19 9 8

and initiatives. ACRL has also  attained a ment o f duties in the ACRL office so as to 
higher profile with the regional accrediting free up staff time to work m ore closely with 
associations and prom oted their adoption the ALA W ashington O ffice is an important 
o f inform ation literacy criteria for accredita­ step in this direction. However, legislative 
tion. effectiveness also relies considerably on an 

O ne o f the characteristics o f professional o rg an izatio n ’s ability to quickly m ount a 
organizations that have b ee n  successful in grass-roots cam paign w hen education o f in­
achieving their m em berships’ goals, such as dividual legislators to a sp e cific issu e is 
the Am erican Psychological A ssociation or needed. The Governm ental Affairs Commit­
the National Education Association, is that tee has b een  looking at working with the 
they concen trate on a small range o f priori­ Chapters Council to establish such a quick 
ties with sustained effort and persistence. response capability am ong m em bers in ev­
ACRL’s tradition o f each president selecting ery state. Establishing such a legislative net­
a new, unrelated them e for a year has not work is an important step towards enabling 
given us the b en efit o f such p ersistence. ACRL to influence such vital pending legis­
T herefore, the them e that I would adopt is lation as defining “fair u se” for digital infor­
simply continuity o f effort in pursuing the mation; insuring free sp eech and privacy on 
goals represented in our Strategic Plan. the Internet; and providing universal service 

My focus would be on ACRL’s effectiv e­ through telecom m unications discounts.
ness in the library and inform ation policy

Standards and g uidelines
Another area o f concern is helping academ ic 

I w ill build on th e relatio n sh ip s librarians improve their institutions by pro­
alread y form ed and e n list as viding standards and guidelines that em pha­
m any m em bers as p o ssib le to size approaches consonant with current tech­
a ssist in th e process of m aking nology, and with other educational standards. 

ACRL a lead er in p o sitiv ely  sh ap ­ Completing the effort currently in progress 
to recast all o f ACRL’s standards and guide­

ing th e policy and le g isla tiv e  
lines to correlate inputs with outcom es would 

arena … also be a priority.
While the forces that shape higher edu­

arena and on establishing perm anent part­ cation, such as state legislatures, regional ac­
nerships with the regional accrediting ag en ­ crediting associations, and federal agencies 
cies and with the “inside the beltw ay” higher are increasingly tying funding and accou nt­
education policy organizations. Getting the ability requirements to the assessm ent o f the 
attention o f these organizations, w hich are outcom es o f our efforts, the ACRL standards 
largely m ade up o f co lleg e and university for types-of-libraries are concerned almost 
presidents, focused on library and inform a­ exclusively with inputs. They are therefore 
tion issues should pave the way for librar­ increasingly less helpful in making the case 
ians to have a stronger voice in the similar for the im portance o f libraries to the ed uca­
issues on their ow n hom e cam puses. tional enterprise, and in explaining the value 

An exam p le o f this effort is the recently gained by adequate funding for libraries.
issued pam phlet H ig h e r E d u c a tio n  P o lic ies 
f o r  th e  D ig ita l Age, w h ich  sev eral ACRL Continuing education
m em bers had a hand in writing, along with As equally important as improving libraries’ 
representatives o f ACE, the NASULGC, ARL, effectiv en ess in the policy and legislative 
and 15 other educational associations. arena is improving the effectiveness o f indi­

vidual librarians in their daily duties through 
Legislative effectiven ess co n tin u in g  e d u ca tio n  and d e v elo p m e n t. 
Effectiveness in the policy arena must be Maintaining ACRL’s record o f highly effec­
accom panied by effectiveness in the legisla­ tive National C onferen ces (as reflected in 
tive arena, both state and national, to achieve participants’ evaluations) must continue, and 
the legal climate in which our libraries can the asso ciatio n s’ sectio n s and com m ittees 
thrive in the Digital Age. The recent realign­ must be encouraged to m eet their m em bers’



C&RL News ■  February 1998 / 105

needs for specialized programming at An­
nual C onference. However, a majority o f 
members are unable to attend either National 
or Annual Conferences, and means o f bring­
ing programming and education to the local 
level must be actively pursued. Teleconfer­
ences, sending programming over the Inter­
net, and repackaging national programs for 
delivery at chapter meetings are all ways that 
should be tried. Additionally, training that is 
more sustained than a single program can 
be developed. The current initiative to de­
velop a National Information Literacy Insti­
tute, which would provide a comprehensive 
learning experience for a discrete need, is 
an exam ple o f what ACRL can provide for 
meaningful professional development.

ACRL currently enjoys a stable m em ber­
ship level, strong financial base, and well- 
organized office operation, thanks to the 
work o f its m em ber-leaders and headquar­
ters staff. This happy state o f affairs will free 
future officers from concern about internal 
affairs to concentrate on the external rela­
tionships needed to accom plish the goals 
previously discussed. If elected, I will build 
on the relationship s already form ed and 
enlist as many m em bers as possible to as­
sist in the process o f making ACRL a leader 
in positively shaping the policy and legisla­
tive arena in w hich we all work. If we do 
not define our own future, surely those with­
out our values, ethos, and service orienta­
tion shall do so for us, to the detriment not 
only o f libraries, but o f the colleges and 
universities we serve.

LARRY HARDESTY
What do we, the members, need and expect 
from ACRL? Many members probably per­
ceive ACRL the sam e way the blind men 
p erceived  the elephan t; we envision the 
w hole based on that small part that touches 
us. Our perspective may be shaped largely 
by where we are at any given time— whether 
it is in our careers, the particular positions 
we hold in a library, or the responsibilities 
we have assumed within ACRL.

A shift in expectations
As a new member in the 1970s, I placed a 
high priority on modest dues, convenient 
conferences, and an opportunity to serve on 
a committee that would help me in my day-

to-day work in bibliograp h ic instruction. 
W hen I first started chairing committees in 
the early 1980s (the CLS’s ad hoc committee 
on College Library Standards and the CLS’s 
CLIP Notes comm ittee), my expectations of 
ACRL expanded. I wanted assistance from 
the ACRL staff and ACRL funds to support 
the com m ittees’ efforts and to disseminate 
the results. Later, as I becam e active at the 
chapter level in the mid-1980s (chair-elect o f 
the Indiana chapter and chair o f the Florida 
chapter), my focus shifted to emphasizing 
ACRL’s support o f chapter programs and lo­
cal continuing education opportunities.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I served 
on the ACRL Board o f Directors. During that 
time I cam e to appreciate m ore the impor­
tance o f a strong central organization to work 
within ALA, to reach out to other profes­
sional organizations in higher education, and 
to provide leadership in influencing infor­
mation policy. During this time I also served 
on the ACRL Publications Committee and 
six-years on the editorial board o f C ollege & 
R esea rch  Libraries. This led me to under­
stand m ore the im portance o f ACRL publi­
cations to the membership.

An organization for all seasons
More recently, when I served as chair of the 
College Libraries Section, I looked to ACRL 
to support section programs and activities. 
Also, as a college library director for the past 
15 years, I have com e to want ACRL to ad­
dress more the issues o f recruitment, com ­
p en satio n , and library ad vocacy. I have 
served at all levels o f ACRL during the past 
20 years. For me, and I trust for many o f my 
fellow ACRL members, ACRL serves as an 
“organization for all seasons.”

In addition, ACRL has served the mem­
berships through many seasons o f its own. 
With considerable resiliency, I have seen 
ACRL leadership and m em bership respond 
successfully to the numerous challenges over 
the past two decades. As a result, it is a 
dynam ic, changing organization that fills 
many different roles for its diverse m em ­
bership. Through ACRL, acad em ic librar­
ians can co m e to g eth er to m ake a differ­
e n c e — a d iffe re n ce  in th eir p ro fessio n al 
lives, a difference in their libraries, a differ­
ence in their institutions, a difference in higher 
education, and a difference in society.



7 06 / C&RL News ■  February 7 998

Despite its considerable success in recent 
years, many challenges continue to confront 
ACRL. Often these challenges are in the form 
o f positive but conflicting forces. For example, 
ACRL must encourage and support new ideas 
and initiatives, while not overly extending and 
diffusing its financial and human resources. 
The Strategic Plan must provide stability and 
focus to ACRL while allowing flexibility in re­
sponding to changing needs and conditions. 
ACRL must offer a variety o f avenues through 
which members can serve to fulfill their needs 
while not impeding the ability o f ACRL to act 
as the national professional association for aca­
demic librarians. The list can go on. Never­
theless, my point is that the leadership and 
membership o f ACRL must strive continually 
for stability, continuity, innovation, and en­
thusiasm  (n o t n ecessarily  co m p a tib le at­
tributes).

Standing for office
Some years ago, I introduced Bill Moffett to 
the Chapters Council as “running for ACRL 
president.” Bill, showing his usual reticence, 
emphasized to the group that he was “stand-

…  th e le a d e rsh ip  and m em b er­
sh ip  of ACRL m ust striv e  co n ­
tin u a lly  fo r sta b ility , co n tin u ity, 
in n o v a tio n , and e n th u sia sm  (not 
necessarily com patible attributes).

ing for office.” I thank Bill for calling to my 
attention the difference. In accepting the nomi­
nation, I am standing for office as a responsi­
bility to the membership. While I am honored 
by the nomination, the work is too time-con­
suming, the pay too little (nonexistent), and 
any glory too fleeting to “run for the office.” 

In various avenues, including this statement, 
I am expressing my concerns and approach 
to leading ACRL so that ACRL members can 
make an informed choice as to whether or 
not I will bring to the presidency what is 
needed.

Challenges ahead
Several concerns loom on the horizon. Mem­
ber services continue to require expenditures 
o f more funds than the membership dues pro­
vide. National Conferences and publications

provide som e flexibility through additional 
income. In fact, while dues have been stable 
over the past several years (ACRL has among 
the lowest dues in the ALA divisions), we have 
com e to rely heavily on income from publica­
tions and the National Conferences. It is only 
natural, even desirable, that our vision exceeds 
our resources.

Nevertheless, we must make every  effort 
to sustain and expand needed ongoing pro­
grams, such as the liaisons with other profes­
sional associations in higher education and the 
legislative advocacy effort. Both are impor­
tant long-term investments supported from 
dues revenue.

We also need to provide incentives to de­
velop and support promising new initiatives. 
The National Information Literacy Institute is 
such an initiative, and I enthusiastically sup­
port it. Through the creative leadership of 
Cerise O berm an, the Institute prom ises to 
engage the various stakeholders to address 
the important issue o f information literacy.

Many members look to ACRL for continu­
ing education opportunities. The challenge 
remains in offering such opportunities having 
sufficient revenues to cover expenses, while 
establishing fees at a level attainable for li­
brarians at the lower-income levels o f the pro­
fession.

As I have already written, ACRL is a di­
verse organization operating at many differ­
ent levels. Sometimes this diversity impedes 
the effectiveness o f both the parts and the 
whole. As a minister once told me in referring 
to his congregation, “We have many wonder­
ful voices, but we are not always on the same 
page o f the hymnal.” We must promote more 
actively a shared vision at all levels o f the or­
ganization so we can com e together to make 
a difference.

Two recommended programs
As ACRL President I would take the opportu­
nity to promote several proposals that, I b e­
lieve, would further the purposes o f the orga­
nization.

For example, ACRL does well in recogniz­
ing and celebrating through various awards 
the successes o f individuals. I propose that 
we develop a program to recognize and cel­
ebrate the successes o f academic libraries ex­
emplary in their support o f the mission o f their 
parent institution. ACRL would b e part o f





THE CLASSICAL TH E CLASSICAL 
TRADITION IN TRADITION IN 
SOCIOLOGY SOCIOLOGY
The American Tradition The European Tradition

e d ite d  b y  JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER, e d ite d  b y  R A Y M O N D  B O U D O N ,
U niversity o f  California, Los Angeles, U niversité Paris IV,
R A Y M O N D  B O U D O N , Université Paris IV M O H A M M E D  CHERKAOUI,
& M O H A M M E D  CHERKAOUI, Université de Paris—Sorbonne 
Université de Paris—Sorbonne & JEFFREY C. ALEXANDER,

U niversity o f  California, Los Angeles
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"This is the basic reference, 
and it w ill keep th a t status 

fo r some tim e to come.
I ca n't help reiterating th a t 
I wish I had had som ething 

like it  over the years."

Robert B. Bechtel 
Professor, University o f Arizona, 

Tucson, and Editor, 
Environment & Behavior

"Succinct, accurate, and 
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U.S. Department o f Housing 

and Urban Development

 

 

 

N e w  E n c y c l o p e d i a s

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h t t p : / /w w w . sagepub. 
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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA 
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e d ite d  b y  WILLEM VAN VLIET- -, University o f Colorado 
Forew ords by R obert B. Bechtel, Professor, University 
o f Arizona, Tucson, and Editor, Environment & Behavior,
John M . Goering, U.S. D epartm ent o f  Housing 
and Urban Development, W ashington, DC,
James A. Johnson,
Chairman and CEO, Fannie Mae, W ashington, DC 
& D an iel Stokols, Dean, College o f  Social Ecology, 
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C&RL News ■  February 1998 / 107

emphasizing how librarians working through 

their libraries have made a difference at par­

ticular institutions. The program could honor 

annually several academic libraries among the 

various types, based on recommendations from 

committees within each type of library sec­

tion. Such libraries could serve as benchmark 

organizations. We might consider how to in­

volve senior administrative officials, such as 

presidents and provosts, in the awards cer­

emony. This might impress upon them the 

significance of contributions of ACRL and its 

members to the success of their institu­

tions.

We must encourage more academic librar­

ians to view ACRL as the organization that 

supports and fulfills their professional needs. 

I propose a program to raise the conscious­

ness of library school students as to how ACRL 

can serve them and vice versa. Perhaps such 

a program can be as basic as an old-fashion 

essay writing contest on, for example, “What 

should be the role of ACRL in meeting the 

needs of new members?” There might be a 

winner at each library school (judged by the 

faculty at each school) with a modest award—  

for example, one-year free membership in 

ACRL.

A national winner might receive free regis­

tration (and recognition) at an ACRL National 

Conference. ACRL would benefit not only from 

additional members but also from useful sug­

gestions put forth in the essays on how to 

attract and retain new members.

I am willing to take some risks to share 

with the membership some half-formed (half- 

baked?) ideas in this statement. No doubt many 

details remain to be addressed for both of these 

suggested programs. As I believe is my style, 

I would consult and involve widely other ACRL 

members in working through the details.

Also, as ACRL President, I would encour­

age programs developed by others that will 

make a difference. For example, I have of­

ten thought that among the most useful work 

of chapters is the development of minimum 

salary levels in states and regions. I will en­

courage expansion on this and similar ac­

tivities at the local level. As former Speaker 

of the House Tip O'Neill so aptly pointed 

out, “All politics are local.” To be success­

ful, ACRL must make a difference in the pro­

fessional lives of its individual members at 

the local level. At the same time, I want

members and leaders at the chapter and 

other levels to understand the support ACRL 

needs to be effective in its role as a national 

professional association. As a former chap­

ter president, for example, I always thought 

it curious that one could only belong to a 

local chapter and still benefit from funding 

and support from the national organization.

Looking ahead
The candidate elected this spring will serve as 

President of ACRL in the 1999-2000 year. There 

is something about years that end in zero that 

make us want to do some stocktaking. This 

impulse will be even more compelling during 

a year that ends in three zeros. This is an ex­

citing and momentous time in the history of 

ACRL. As we end one millennium and begin 

another, we must both look backward and 

reflect on accomplishments of the organiza­

tion and look forward to anticipate and iden­

tify needs and challenges. I want to use this 

opportunity to take advantage of the experi­

ence of past ACRL leaders. I hope I can per­

suade them to come together to take stock in 

accomplishments during their tenure as lead­

ers.

Then, I want them to look ahead and de­

velop a vision as to how ACRL must change 

and adapt to serve the academic librarians of 

the 21st century.

I am confident that ACRL and academic 

librarianship both have very bright futures. We 

will change and adapt, but always from the 

solid foundation of understanding the past 

combined with a strong desire to serve.

During the past six years I have directed 

the College Library Directors Mentor Pro­

gram. While there is a fair amount of effort 

involved in the program (and many indi­

viduals contribute to its success), I have 

found my participation very heartening (as 

long it is fun, it is not work!).

I am constantly impressed by how readily 

busy, experienced college library directors 

volunteer their time for no monetary com­

pensation to assist first-year college library 

directors. Such individuals fill the ranks of 

academic librarianship at all levels. I wel­

come a similar opportunity to work with 

the many volunteers who unselfishly serve 

ACRL through the dedication of their time 

for the betterment of all. Let us all come 

together to make a difference.