ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


March 1983 /  75

A C R L  M embers R un fo r A L A  C ouncil

T h e  fo llo w in g  m em b ers of th e A ssociation of 
C ollege and R esearch L ib raries have been nom i­
nated as candidates for A LA councilor in the spring 
1 983 elections. M em bers are encouraged to vote for 
these candidates to increase A C R L ’s voice in the a f­
fairs o f the A m erican L ib ra ry  Association.

G eorge M . B ailey , associate d irector o f libraries, 
C larem o n t Colleges, C larem o n t, C alifo rn ia.

B a rb a ra  B ry an , university lib ra ria n , Nyseluis 
L ib ra ry , Fa irfield  U niversity, F a irfie ld , C o n n ecti­
cut.

M ary Louise C o b b , coordin ator o f p u blic ser­
vices, M aine S ta te L ib r a ry , Augusta.

H arold H .J. E rick son, director o f lib ra ry  devel­
opm ent, University o f N evada, L a s Vegas.

Susan L . H eath , reference and collection  devel­
opm ent lib ra ria n , N icolet C ollege, L e a rn in g  R e­
sources C en ter, R h in elan der, W isconsin.

K aren  L . H o m ey, assistant university lib rarian  
for te ch n ical services, N orthw estern University, 
Evan ston , Illinois.

Philip E . L e in b a c h , university lib ra ria n , T u lan e 
U niversity, New O rleans.

M yra M acon, associate professor, University of 
Mississippi, G ra d u a te School o f L ib ra ry  and In fo r­
m ation  Scien ce, U niversity, Mississippi.

H an nah  V . M cC auley , lib ra ry  d irecto r, O hio 
U niversity, L a n caster.

Stefan  Moses, executive d irecto r, C a lifo rn ia  L i ­
brary A ssociation, Sacram en to .

M ichael H. R an d a ll, assistant head, serials de­
p artm en t, U niversity R esearch L ib ra ry , University 
o f C a lifo rn ia , Los Angeles.

A. R o b ert R ogers, dean, School o f L ib ra ry  Sci­
ence, K ent S ta te U niversity, K e n t, O hio.

Ada M. Seltzer, assistant directo r of p u blic ser­
vices, M ed ical C en ter L ib r a ry , U niversity o f South 
F lo rid a , T a m p a .

C a rla  J . Sto ffle, assistant ch an cello r for ed uca­
tional services, U niversity o f W isconsin-Parkside, 
Kenosha.

A llen B . V ea n er, university lib ra ria n , University 
o f C a lifo rn ia , Sa n ta  B a rb a ra . ■  ■

N atio n al In v ita tio n a l C onference 

on Independent S cholarship

M ich ael D. K athm an 
D irector o f  L ib ra ries 

C o lleg e o f  Saint B en edict 
Saint John's University

T h e  Independent Scholarship P ro ject with sup­
port from  the Fund for the Im provem ent o f Post­
secondary E d u ca tio n , th e Northw est Area F o u n ­
d atio n , and Sp ring H ill C en ter sponsored a three- 
day N ational In v itatio n al C on feren ce on Indepen­
dent Scholarship in early Novem ber a t the Spring 
Hill C on feren ce C en ter in W a y z a ta , M innesota. I 
attended as the A C R L  representative.

T h e  conference dealt w ith the p light o f those do­
ing serious intellectu al work w ithout university a f­
filiatio n , people for w hom  scholarship is a jo y , not 
necessarily a jo b . In add ition, at a tim e when re­
cen t graduates o f advanced degree program s ca n ­
not find facu lty positions, the num ber o f indepen­
d e n t s c h o la r s  is g r o w in g . I f  th e  i n s titu tio n s  
associated w ith scholarship do not re a ct in a posi­
tive, helpful m anner our cultu re m ay well suffer. 
T his becom es clearer w hen one considers n otable 
scholars who are not thought o f as fa cu lty , e .g ., Ar­
thur Koestler, Bu ckm inster F u lle r, I .F .  Stone, E ric

H o ffe r, B a r b a r a  T u c h m a n , E . F .  S c h u m a c h e r , 
Paul G ood m an , and R achel Carson.

T h e  goals o f th e conference w ere to: 1) review 
findings regarding the needs, activities, and p rob­
lems o f independent scholars and their org aniza­
tio n s; 2) suggest fea sib le in itia tiv es by d iffere n t 
kinds o f organizations to im prove the c lim a te for 
such w ork; 3) identify fu rth er needed research; and 
4) fo rm u late conclusions and recom m endations for 
widespread dissem ination, discussion and action .

A report on th e conference was published in the 
In d ep en d en t S cholarship N ew sletter in D ecem b er 
(R onald G ross, ed itor; T h e  Independent Sch o la r­
ship P ro je c t, 17 M y rtle D riv e , G re a t N eck, NY 
11021). This report includes recom m endations to: 
1) independent scholars and their o rganizations, 2) 
hum anities councils and foundations, 3) learned 
societies, 4) lib raries, 5) academ e, and 6) scholarly 
jou rn als and publishers. W h a t I w ant to address 
here are the th irteen  sp ecific recom m endations to 
libraries. T hese recom m endations w ere m ade by 
and approved by the p articip an ts. T h ey do not nec­
essarily reflect the views of the librarian s present, 
alth ough  in som e, th e in flu en ce o f lib ra ria n s  is 
clear.



76 /  C &R L News

In  o rd er to com e to  these recom m endations it 
w as n e c e s s a ry  to  id e n tify  w h o  “ in d e p e n d e n t 
scholars” are. Ronald Gross, in his background p a­
p er fo r th e  c o n fe re n c e  e n title d , “ In d e p e n d e n t 
Scholarship , Prom ise, P roblem s, P rop osal,” stated 
th a t “ they share tw o defining characteristics: they 
are pursuing serious intellectu al inquiry outside of 
academ e, and those inquiries have resulted in sig­
n ifica n t findings w hich have been accepted by fel­
low scholars in th eir fields as sign ificant co n trib u ­
tions” (p .5 ). Fro m  this definition one can  see th a t 
w e a re dealin g w ith a relatively sm all num ber of 
individuals. T h is is im p o rtan t in understanding the 
recom m endations.

O f th e approxim ately 45  people in atten d an ce at 
the co nference, fou r w ere lib rarian s: B e tty  Stone, 
rep resen tin g A L A ; E ld red  S m ith , rep resenting 
A R L ; M ary H o b a n , rep resen tin g S L A ; P a tric k  
P enland from th e  University o f P ittsbu rgh ; and 
m yself, rep resenting A C R L . A fter each  re co m ­
m endation I w ill present a b rief discussion w hich 
sum m arizes the discussions a t th e co n feren ce and 
sep arate discussions am ong those representing li­
b rary organizations. T h e  lib rarian s did not fo rm a l­
ize th eir observations and as a result th e “discus­
s io n ” r e p r e s e n ts  o n ly  m y n o te s  so th a t  th e  
recom m endations are in a context for you.

R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s  t o  L i b r a r i e s

1. L ib ra rie s— includ ing research lib raries a t m a­
jo r  universities— should review th eir policies to as­
sure th a t they fa c ilita te  th e work o f independents. 
T h is can  be accom plished by m akin g librarian s 
aw a re o f the needs o f independent scholars through 
th e professional organizations and th eir p u b lica ­
tio n s, p ro g ra m s a t th e ir  a n n u a l m eetin g s, and 
through continu in g ed ucation  com m ittees.

Discussion: I t was the feelin g o f th e m a jo rity  o f 
those present th a t m any o f the problem s indepen­
dent scholars h ave w ith lib raries a re a result o f li­
b ra ria n s b ein g u n a w a re o f o r insensitive to  the 
problem s these scholars face. T h e  recom m endation 
addresses itself to th e b elief th a t m any o f the d iffi­
culties are percep tu al and result from  a lack o f un­
derstanding. As lib rarian s becom e aw are o f th e in ­
dependent scholar they w ill reduce the barriers to 
in fo rm atio n  scholars need.

2. Access to lib raries for b on afide independent 
scholars should be free.

Discussion: T h is is p ro b ab ly the most difficu lt 
and controversial o f th e recom m endations. T h e  
key w ord is “b o n a fid e.” This is not th row ing the 
door open to everyone, even though m any colleges 
and research lib raries do; it is only suggesting th at 
when a scholar needs access to sp ecific m a teria l, 
which in m any cases m ay b e unique, the scholar 
should have free access.

3 . L ib ra ries need to  find ways fo r th e indepen­
dent scholars to have access to collections and/or in ­
form ation w hen, because o f vacation  periods, e tc ., 
lib raries have shorter, less convenient hours.

Discussion: T h e  tim es w hen m any colleges take 
breaks and cu rtail th eir hours are th e only tim es 
w hen m any independent scholars can  do research, 
e .g ., C h ristm as. W h a t is requested here is th a t li­
b r a r ia n s  b e  fle x ib le  a n d  c r e a t iv e  in a s sistin g  
scholars.

4. L ib ra ries should recognize th a t independent 
scholars need help in using th e new technologies 
and resources. L ib ra ria n s should offer orien tation  
program s at tim es and places convenient to  inde­
pendent scholars.

Discussion: T h is recom m en dation  was th e result 
of the independent scholars a t the co n feren ce real­
izing th ere was m uch ab o u t lib raries they did not 
know , esp ecially regarding the new technologies.

5. W h en  lib raries h ave com p uters or o th er h ard­
w a re such as w ord -p rocessin g m ach in es w h ich  
could b e m ade availab le to independent scholars 
for oth er uses associated w ith research and w ritin g, 
they should m ake them  a v a ilab le to  independent 
scholars at tim es w hen otherw ise they would be 
under-utilized.

Discussion: This addresses a specific need ex­
pressed by independent scholars. W h eth er o r not a 
sp ecific lib ra ry  could m eet th a t need depends on 
th e local situation.

6. P u b lic libraries m ight a ct as fiscal receiving 
agencies fo r independent scholars w ho need a ffilia ­
tion for grants.

Discussion: I t is very d ifficu lt for an un affiliated 
scholar to get grant funds w ithou t a fiscal agent.

7 . L i b r a r i e s  sh o u ld  e n g a g e  “ s c h o l a r s - i n -  
residence” to teach  and support oth er independent 
s c h o la r s  an d  th e  la r g e r  c o m m u n ity , as in  th e  
“W ritin g -In -C h ic a g o  P ro g ra m ” a t th e C h ica g o  
P u b lic L ib ra ry , funded by the N ational E n d o w ­
m ent for the H um anities.

Discussion: T h ere have been a num ber o f such 
program s in p u blic lib raries. T hese should b e en­
couraged.

8. L ib ra ries should develop guides through the 
A m erican L ib ra ry  A ssociation, or oth er lib ra ry  as­
sociations, to help the independent scholars find all 
th e resources th a t are available.

Discussion: T h is is sim ilar to R ecom m end ation  4 
but highlights the needs independent scholars have 
in the n on-technological areas. O ne o utcom e o f the 
conference m ay be an independent scholars’ h and ­
book, a section o f w hich m ight be put together by 
lib rarian s on libraries and th eir resources. O ften 
aca d em ic lib raries p repare such m aterials for th eir 
ow n clien tele but do not m ake them  readily a v a il­
ab le to the independent scholar.

9 . In d ep en d en t scho lars should recog nize the 
fa c t th a t lib rarian s m ay be a m ore im p o rtan t re­
source to  them  in th eir w ork th an  libraries.

D iscussion: It becam e c le a r to the lib rarian s at 
th e co n feren ce th a t the word “lib ra ria n ” w as being 
applied to anyone who works in a lib rary . T h is recommendation



M arch 1983 /  77

 c a m e  from  th e  lib ra ry  rep resen ta­
tives w ith  th e  ex p licit suggestion th a t so m e o f the 
ind ep end en t scholars p resen t at th e  c o n fere n ce h ad 
n o t b een  d ea lin g  w ith  lib ra ria n s.

1 0 . L ib r a rie s  should recog nize th a t th e  tru ly  seri­
ous sch o la r is th e  ex cep tio n  and ca n  b e  h and led on 
a n  ex cep tio n al basis.

D iscussion: A lm ost every lib ra ry  m akes excep­
tions fo r ex cep tio n al users. T h is reco m m en d a tio n  
suggests th a t this service should b e  extended to th e 
n o n -a ffilia te d  scholar.

1 1 . L ib r a ria n s  need to  b e sensitive to  th e  n o n ­
a ssertiv e p a tro n . F o r  ex a m p le , w a y s should b e 
sought to  im p ro ve th e signage in lib ra rie s , th e  a tt i­
tudes o f s ta ff, etc.

D iscussion: T h e  d iffere n t lib ra ry  exp erien ces o f 
various scho lars a t th e  c o n fere n ce seem ed to  h ave 
som e relatio n sh ip  to  how  assertive th ey w e re. T h is 
is a p ro b lem  th a t should b e addressed b y  lib ra ries 
regardless o f th e  needs o f th e  in d ep en d en t sch o lar 
sin ce m a n y  o f o ur a ffilia te d  p atro n s h av e th e  sam e 
p ro b lem s.

12. L ib r a ria n s  as p rofessionals should exp licitly 
recog nize th e  valu e o f th e  ind ep end en t sch o la r in 
society an d th e ind ep end en t sch o la r’s sp ecial needs, 
and ta k e steps to m eet these needs, in clu d in g  sup­
p o rt fo r th e  In d ep en d en t S c h o la r’s P ro je ct.

D iscussion: W h e n  w e look a t th e  im pressive list 
o f ju st som e o f th e  ind ep end en t scho lars a t th e b e­
g in nin g o f this p a p er, th e  so cietal value o f th e  inde­
p en d en t s ch o la r is c le a r. In d ep en d en t scho lars can  
ta k e  ch a n ces w h ich  a ffilia te d  scholars w ould fe a r

and c a n  op en up e n tirely  n ew  areas o f study w h ich  
m a y  n o t fit in to  th e  existing d e p a rtm e n ta l an d  dis­
cip lin a ry  ca teg o ries o f a c a d em ia . As lib ra ria n s , w e 
c a n  co n trib u te  to  th e w ork o f ind ep end en t scholars 
sig n ifica n tly  by p rov idin g th em  w ith  access to th e  
in fo rm a tio n  th ey  need. W e  m igh t w ell w a n t to  look 
a t our co lle ctio n  d evelop m en t policies to  assure 
th a t w e a re m a k in g  accessib le to  all our p atro n s th e 
fru its o f ind ep end en t scho lars even though th ey  a re 
som etim es p rod uced in  fo rm s d ifficu lt to  c a ta lo g  or 
store.

13. A lthough th e  lib ra ry  p rofessional has to  b e ­
c o m e  a w a r e  o f  th e  n e e d s  o f  t h e  in d e p e n d e n t 
s ch o la r, th e  ind ep end en t sch o la r has th e  responsi­
b ility  to  assert his o r h er needs m o re aggressively 
and persistently.

D iscussion: T h is  relates to  R eco m m e n d a tio n  11, 
b u t should n o t b e  understood as “le ttin g  us o ff th e 
h o o k .”

T h e  c o n fe re n c e  w as successful in  addressing re c ­
o m m en d atio n s in a n u m b er o f areas, b u t th e re  is 
m uch  w ork to  b e  d one to  see t h a t th ese r e co m m en ­
d ations a re  fu rth e r refin ed  and im p lem en ted . I f  
th ere w as a sh o rtco m in g  a t th e  co n fe re n c e , it was 
th e  d ifficu lty  o f d e a lin g  w ith  th e  te rm  “ind ep en ­
d en t s c h o la r .” T h e re  w ere alm o st as m a n y  d e fin i­
tions as th ere w e re p a rticip a n ts . I dou b t i f  m a n y  li­
b ra rie s w ould deny access to B a r b a r a  T u c h m a n , 
b u t w h a t a b o u t th e  hundreds o f o th e r scho lars w ho 
m a y  s o m e d a y  b e  as fa m o u s ?  A L A  a n d  A C R L  
should address th e  needs raised h ere and develop 
th eir ow n  reco m m en d a tio n s to  th e  profession. ■  ■

ξ n t ξ r

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