ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 366/C&RL News A look at community college learning resources programs By W anda K. Johnston A learner-centered support system T he community college mission differs fromother academic institutions. All community colleges are higher education institutions which emphasize teaching rather than research. All provide open access to education resulting in diverse student populations and learning styles. All offer comprehensive instructional programs, including liberal arts, technical, developmen­ tal, and community interest courses. All mirror the characteristics and needs o f their local com­ munities. Consequently, no two community col­ leges are identical. Similarly, community college learning re­ sources programs share a common mission. All provide the resources and services necessary to serve the informational, learning, and devel­ opmental needs of their students, faculty, ad­ ministrators, and broader college community. All promote learning through the college’s aca­ demic program by providing access to infor­ mation in a variety o f formats and by deliver­ ing that information either to the individual user or to campus classrooms. All are responsive to the unique characteristics of their parent col­ leges. Thus, no two learning resources programs are identical. The process o f researching and writing my recently published book, Administering the Community College Learning Resources Pro- gram (G.K. Hall Reference, 1994), clarified my understanding o f the community college and the role o f its learning resources program. By summarizing the evolution o f the learning re­ sources program, I share my definition o f the community college learning resources pro­ gram. Evolution of the program Since the first public junior colleges were cre­ ated as extensions of high schools in the early 1900s, community college learning resources programs began as high school libraries. As­ signed textbook study, reserve readings, and lectures were the primary instructional meth­ ods. The high school librarian was usually the sole staff member serving both high school and college students. When state and local support for separate junior colleges was legislated, separate cam­ puses were established. Library services ex­ panded to meet the changes in instruction, with attention given to vocational programs, class­ room instructional resources, and the quality o f holdings. By 1930 the Junior College Librar­ ies Section o f ACRL approved the first set of standards to encourage library service. These standards recommended a book collection of 10,000 volumes for the first 500 students, an annual expenditure o f $5 per student for ma­ terials, and a staff of at least two professional librarians.1 Following World War II, junior college en­ rollments swelled with returning veterans. In­ creased emphasis was placed on vocational/ technical and general education. Librarians be­ gan serving on curriculum committees to be seen as educators rather than caretakers of books. Libraries increased their nonbook hold­ ings and began to utilize microfilm. Audiovi­ sual departments began producing software. M ajor changes in the ‘6 0 s and ‘ 70s The 1960s brought rapid growth in community colleges. Individualized instruction led to au­ dio labs, programmed instruction centers, etc. What once had been 16mm film and slide pro­ jector distribution services grew into language laboratories, instant-response classrooms, sound Wanda K. Johnston is director o f learning resources at Broome Community College, Binghamton, New York; e-mail: johnston_w@sunybroome.edu mailto:johnston_w@sunybroome.edu June 1994/367 systems for field houses, and audiovisual class­ rooms. Traditional print-oriented library services transformed into learning resources programs. By 1972 the American Association o f Com­ munity and Junior Colleges (AACJC), the Asso­ ciation o f Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), and ACRL formalized the change in philosophy for community college library programs through the “Guidelines for Tw o-Year College Learning Resources Pro­ grams.” This document outlined provisions for the integration o f library and audiovisual ser­ vices within the learning resources program. Program components included acquisition o f materials and related access services; instruc­ tional development; production o f both print and nonprint materials; user services including reference, circulation, and faculty assistance; plus auxiliary services. The technological de­ velopments o f the 1980s, improving informa­ tion access and retrieval and extending the delivery o f instruction, expanded the learning resources program to serve as an information network as well as an instructional support system. Computerized systems provided acqui­ sition, cataloging, circulation, inventory, film rental, and other essential services. Standardization o f databases and their ac­ cess expanded information availability, net­ working, and resource-sharing opportunities both internally through campuswide networks and beyond through external partnerships. Video access expanded to include videocas­ settes, campus cable systems, educational tele­ vision stations, interactive video, and distance learning. The n e w stan d ard s of the ‘9 0 s Responding to this expansion o f the learning resources program, a joint committee o f ACRL and AECT cooperatively adopted the 1990 “Standards for Community, Junior, and Techni­ cal College Learning Resources Program.” These standards reemphasized the importance o f the learning resources concept and added focus on microcomputer and telecommunications tech­ nology. These standards also encouraged learn­ ing resources programs to support the AACJC emphasis on the building o f partnerships within and beyond the campus, as described in Build­ ing Communities: A Vision fo r a New Century, (American Association o f Community and Jun­ ior Colleges, 1988). The community college learning resources program evolved from its initial creation as an extension o f a high school library to its current integration o f library, media, computers, and telecommunications. However, the scope and organization o f each learning resources pro­ gram reflects the parent college’s unique edu­ cational goals, curricula, student population, organizational structure, and the diversity o f resources needed to accommodate diverse learning styles. The learning resources program As the community college evolved, print and nonprint collections and services were inte­ grated into one unit named “Learning Resources Center,” “Educational Resources Center,” “In­ structional Materials Center,” or other variation. These names reflected efforts to redefine the function and image o f the community college library. Both the 1972 “Guidelines” and the 1990 “Standards” emphasized learning resources ter­ minology to encourage standardization o f the name. Specifically, the 1990 “Standards” defined the term “learning resources” as “an organiza­ tional configuration which provides library and media materials and services. In addition, learn­ ing resources programs can provide various specialized services and perform other instruc­ tional responsibilities.”2 Continuing this evolution, I define the learn­ ing resources program as a learner-centered sup­ port system which provides materials, equip­ ment, and services necessary to implement the community college’s mission. The program pro­ vides an organizational umbrella including, in various configurations, library services, media services, academic computing, learning assis­ tance center, etc. This organizational umbrella encourages cooperation and balance among its various learning resources components, regard­ less o f physical location within the college. It flexibly supports the informational, learning, and developmental needs o f its clientele and serves the college mission. The learning re­ sources program is an integral part o f the com­ munity college. Notes 1. J. O. Wallace, “Newcomer to the Academic Scene: The Two-Year College Library/Learning Center,” College & Research Libraries 37 (N o­ vember 1976): 503-13. 2. “Standards for Community, Junior, and Technical College Learning Resources Pro­ grams,” College & Research Libraries News 51 (September 1990): 757-67. ■