march12b.indd C&RL News March 2012 160 In order to recognize formally the im-portance of faculty status for academic librarians, ACRL endorses these standards. Institutions of higher education and their governing bodies are urged to adopt these standards. To implement these standards, ACRL shall: •publicize these standards to college and university administrators and gov- erning bodies, academic libraries, library education programs, library organizations, and agencies that accredit institutions, and •seek to have these standards formally adopted or endorsed by the appropriate groups listed above. The academic librarian makes unique contributions to the academic community and to higher education itself. These con- tributions include developing collections, providing bibliographic access to all library materials, and interpreting these materials to members of the college and university community. Specific services include instruction in the use of print and online library resources and the creation of new tools to enhance access to information available locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally. Librarians contribute to the sum of knowledge through their research into the information process and other areas of study. Service improvements and other advances in the field result from their participation in library and other scholarly organizations. 1. Professional responsibilities. Librar- ians must be able to exercise independent judgment in the performance of professional duties. There must be a regular and rigor- ous review of their performance based on a stated set of institutional criteria. A neces- sary element of this review is appraisal by a committee of peers who have evidence pertaining to the performance, service, and scholarship of those being evaluated, subject to appropriate institutional policy. 2. Library governance. College and university librarians should adopt an academic form of governance similar in manner and structure to other faculties on the campus. 3. College and university gover- nance. Librarians should be eligible for membership in the faculty senate or equivalent governing body. They should have the same degree of representation as other academic units on all college or university governing bodies. 4. Compensation. Salaries and fringe benefits should be comparable to and within the range of those paid to faculty of equivalent rank. Salary scales should be adjusted in an equitable manner to contract period. All librarians should have written contracts or agreements consistent with institutional policy. 5. Tenure. Librarians should be covered by a stated tenure policy. 6. Promotion. Librarians should be promoted in rank based on their profes- Standards for faculty status for academic librarians Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors, June 2007, revised October 2011 by the ACRL Committee on the Status of Academic Librarians ACRL standards and guidelines March 2012 161 C&RL News sional proficiency and effectiveness (per- formance, service, and scholarship) con- sistent with stated campus standards. The peer review system should be an integral part of procedures for promotion. 7. Leaves and research funds. Sab- batical and other research leaves should be available to librarians consistent with campus standards. Librarians should have access to funding for research projects and professional development consistent with campus standards. 8. Academic freedom. Librarians must have the same protection of academic free- dom as all other faculty. Censorship of any type is unacceptable whether individual or organizational. All librarians must be free to provide access to information regardless of content. 9. Grievance. Librarians should have access to the same grievance process as other faculty, which include a list of griev- able issues, procedures to be completed within specified timeframes, safeguards against repercussions by the institution, and abuse of the policy by the grievant. The process must be consistent with insti- tutional regulations and contracts. 10. Dismissal. Termination of an ap- pointment may be made for adequate cause and through academic due process. The process for the dismissal of librarians should be consistent with university policy for other faculty dismissals. ACRL supports faculty rank, status, and tenure for librarians but recognizes that not all academic institutions provide faculty status to their librarians. To ensure that their rights, privileges, and responsibilities reflect their integral role in the mission of their in- stitutions, ACRL has developed the following guidelines for academic librarians without faculty status. 1. Professional responsibilities. Li- brarians should be assigned responsibilities matched to their educational competencies and the needs of the institution. They should have maximum latitude in fulfilling their responsibilities. Supervisory personnel and peers should regularly and vigorously review their performance. Review standards and pro- cedures should be published and uniformly applied; reviewers should have access to all appropriate documentation. 2. Governance. The library exists to support the teaching, research, and service functions of the institution. Thus librarians should also participate in the development of the institution’s mission, curriculum, and governance. Librarians should participate in the development of policies and procedures for their library including the hiring, review, retention, and continuing appointment of their peers. 3. Contracts. A librarian should be ap- pointed by a written contract of no less than one year. The contract should state the terms and conditions of service and grant security of employment for the contractual period. After a period of no longer than seven years and through a process which includes peer re- view, librarians should be granted continuing employment if they have met the appropriate conditions and standards. 4. Compensation. The salary scale and benefits for librarians should be the same as for other academic categories with equivalent education, experience, or responsibility. Guidelines for academic librarians without faculty status Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors, October 2011 by the ACRL Committee on the Status of Academic Librarians