ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ October 2001 / 915 A C R L NATIONAL CONFERENCE Charlotte, Queen City of the Southeast A look at the site for ACRL’s 2003 National Conference by Barbara Tierney W hat does a transplanted San Francisco Bay Area librarian have to reveal about Charlotte after a tw o-year “trial separation from the West Coast? Leaving the San Francisco Bay Area afte a 25-year tenure is definitely a difficult lifestyle change. W hen the Bank of Am erica/Nations Bank m erger trans­ ferred my husband from San Francisco to C h a r lo t te in 1999, I traded my position as a Bay Area public librar­ i a n f o r a n a c a ­ dem ic position at t h e J. M u rre y A tkins Library at th e U niversity of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). ” r A l th o u g h th e sc e n e ry , clim ate, a n d politics of my newly adopted city are q u ite differen t from San Francisco, I h av e n ’t looked back! I have found Charlotte to b e a dynamic, beautiful city and I believe it to be an inspired choice for our 2003 ACRL National Conference. Waterscapes taken fro m Charlotte's Marshall Park— w ith the First Union Bank Building (rounded top) in the background. Bo o m c ity o f th e S o u th e a s t Charlotte is an up-and-com ing, world-class destination, with a generous touch of sw eet­ ness and Southern charm . . . a true em bodi­ m ent of the New South. A vital, boom ing banking a n d international business center, C harlotte boasts so p h isticated restaurants, luxury hotels, and a vibrant arts sec­ r› tor, as well as fam­ "oC ily-oriented cu l­ tñ’ tural attractions. r=+r Charlotte cur­ :OOO rently ranks sec­ , CT o n d a m o n g th e h J r-I ûj n a t i o n ’s to p I —sI o banking centers. I d | oI o Many oth er For­ tune 500 com pa­IO I o | û ) nies eith er have □ t h e ir c o r p o r a te h e a d q u a r t e r s h e r e o r m a k e C h a r lo tte t h e i r c e n t e r f o r r e ­ search and developm ent. Charlotte is also one of the n atio n ’s largest distribution hubs, serv­ ing as b o th a m ajor rail and trucking center. In the past decade, there has been a whirl­ w ind of grow th in Charlotte, with skyscrap­ About the author Barbara T iern e y is associate p ro fe s s o r a t th e J. M u rre y A tk in s Library, U n iv e rs ity o f N o rth C arolina a t C h a rlo tte a n d was fo rm e rly senior librarian, Public Services, San Leandro Public Library, San Leandro, C alifornia; e-mail: bgtierne@ email.uncc.edu mailto:bgtierne@email.uncc.edu 916 / C&RL News ■ October 2001 ers, a n e w convention center, a new football stadium , and a new perform ing arts center n o w accentuating the city’s skyline. H undreds of n e w n eighborhoods have transform ed the m etropolitan area. " U p to w n " C h a rlo tte “U p to w n ” (Center-City) Charlotte, w ith its skyscraper banking headquarters, tree-cano­ p ied plazas a n d streets, decorative fountains, and public art attractions, is an exciting place to w ork or visit. Sophisticated o u td o o r cafés invite passersby to sit a spell, sip a glass of w ine, and w atch the lively m etro scene. Resi­ dents and visitors hail from all parts of the w orld. It is co m m onplace to h e a r English sp o k en w ith a London, N ew York, or Boston tw ang or to catch fragm ents o f Russian, Ja p a ­ nese, G erm an, a n d Spanish w hile enjoying a night out o n th e town. The heavy relocation o f U.S. a n d interna­ tional businesses to Charlotte in the past d e ­ cade— com bined w ith the ready availability of excellent colleges and housing— have con­ tributed to an influx of diverse ethnicities a n d cultures here. (O ut of a staff o f ten reference librarians at UNCC, only tw o of my colleagues actually hail from the South— w ith th e rest having relocated to Charlotte from California, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, a n d Pennsylvania.) C u ltu ra l s ite s B a n k o f A m e r ic a and F ir st U n io n B a n k m ake Charlotte their corporate headquarters a n d com pete w ith each oth er in their d o n a ­ tions to the Charlotte-M ecklenburg Arts and Science Council. Last year, Charlotte ranked first in th e nation in w orkplace giving to the arts, w ith a w h o p p in g $10 million d o n a te d to the council. The big w inners, how ever, are the arts- loving C harlotte citizens a n d visitors w h o Quick facts • Population (Census 2000) 540,828 • Avg. Daily Tem peratures 60 D egrees (March-M ay) • International Business C enter 380 foreign-owned com panies • National Banking Center Bank o f America, U nion Bank Corporate H eadquarters • C harlotte/D ouglas 14th busiest airport in the International Airport country en jo y th e b eau tifu l U p to w n B lu m e n t h a l P e r fo r m in g A rts C en ter, the new M in t M u­ s e u m o f C raft a n d D e s i g n (w hich sh o w ­ cases crafts in ceram ics, glass, w o o d , m etal, a n d fiber), th e n e w T r y o n C e n te r f o r V i­ s u a l A rt, th e S p ir it S q u a r e ed u cational arts center, the M u s e u m o f t h e N e w S o u th , and th e 140,000-square-foot, h a n d s-o n science m u seu m D is c o v e r y P la c e (w hich offers an O m n im a x T h e a te r a n d a P la n e ta r iu m ). The aw ard-w inning P u b lic L ib rary o f C h ar­ l o t t e a n d M e c k le n b u r g C o u n ty also has its Main Branch in U ptow n at Tryon a n d Sixth Street. Commercial art galleries are springing u p in the U ptow n a n d North D avidson districts o f the city. Residents a n d visitors alike enjoy F irst-F rid a y G a lle r y C r a w ls, w hich display the w ork of exciting local artists in such w him ­ sically nam ed galleries as the B lu e P o n y and the C e n te r o f t h e E arth G a llery . Also p o p u ­ lar are the J o i e L a ssite r G a lle r ie s a n d the A fr o -A m e r ic a n C u ltu ra l C e n te r G a llery . A ta s te o f C h a rlo tte . . . U p to w n It’s a tough decision indeed to choose an Up­ tow n dining destination w ith so m any deli­ cious possibilities. R ecom m ended headliners include: B istr o 1 0 0 (100 N. Tryon in F ounder’s Hall), o n e of the city’s prem ier dining establishm ents fea­ turing w ood-roasted preparations of chicken, beef, a n d seafood along w ith gourm et a p p e ­ tizers; the P a lo m in o (525 N. Tryon), a ro ­ m antic E uropean bistro w ith fountain-side dining that specializes in M editerranean cui­ sine; M im o sa G rill (First Union Plaza Atrium, 327 S. Tryon Street), a chic destination w ith both indoor and plaza dining featuring m outh­ w atering so u th e rn specialties; L a V ecch ia ’s S e a fo o d G r ille (225 E. Sixth Street); B ijo u x (201 N. Tryon), an excellent choice for French cuisin e; S o n o m a (129 W. Trade Street), a so ­ p h i s t i c a t e d c a fé t h a t boasts an excellent w ine list; M o r t o n ’s o f C h i­ c a g o (2 2 7 W. T r a d e S t r e e t ) , a r e n o w n e d chain steakhouse; C arp e D i e m (401 E. T r a d e Street), a local favorite w ith o u ts ta n d in g v e g ­ etarian options; a n d the C&RL. A/ews ■ October 2001 / 917 Ri Ra (208 N. Tryon Street), an authentic Irish pub. Other Uptown places of interest The C h arlotte C o n v e n tio n C e n t e r — ACRL N a tio n a l C onference H ead q u arters (122 E. S tonew all Street, Center City betw een Tryon and College Streets)— com ­ pleted in 1995, is a sparkling showplace conveniently lo­ cated within easy walking distance of Uptown attrac­ tions. An e x te n s i o n o f th e charming antique C h arlotte T ro lley line (once the main­ stay of Charlotte public transportation) is cur­ rently under construction near the Conven­ tion Center and by 2003 should provide a 20- minute run from the Convention Center to South End Charlotte (a lively restaurant and s p e c ia lty s h o p p in g area). h ttp ://w w w . charlotteconventionctr. com/. Ericsson Stadium Charlotte is the hom e of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, w hich began play in 1995. Gargan­ tuan sculpted black panthers guard the en­ trance to the beautiful open-air Ericsson Sta­ dium, which o pened in Uptown Charlotte in 1996 with 73,000 seats, 13 stories, and a $184 million price tag. Although its biggest attrac­ tions are Panther game days, the stadium complex is also a venue for exhibition games, religious crusades, and rock concerts, h ttp :// w w w .p a n t h e r s .c o m / f a c il i ty / in d e x .c f m ? cont_id=55l64. T h e S q u are (Trade and Tryon Streets)— For a public art display focusing on Charlotte’s beginnings, visit the four symbolic sculptures erected at the intersection of U ptow n’s Trade and Tryon Streets. The huge sculptures in­ clude a gold miner, for Charlotte’s commerce; a w om an millworker, for Charlotte’s textile heritage; an African American railroad builder, for Charlotte’s importance as a transportation center; and a m other holding her baby aloft for the future. S ettle r’s C e m e te r y (corner of Fifth and Church Streets)— Strolling through the oldest city-owned graveyard provides a fascinating Charlotte's landmark sculptures at the corner of Trade and Tryon Streets in Uptown. The goldminer represents Charlotte's early 1800s gold rush history and the mother and baby represent Charlotte's future. history lesson. Here you will find gravestones marking the final resting places of Charlotte slaves, planters, soldiers, politicians, and chil­ dren buried from 1776 to 1884. Nearby excursions outside of Uptown C h a r lo t t e M u s e u m o f H i s t o r y a n d H e z e k i a h A l e x a n d e r H o m e s i t e (3500 Shamrock Drive) offers 18th-, 19th-, and 20th- century Charlotte history galleries and offers guided tours of the Revolutionary Era home of Charlotte blacksmith, Hezekiah Alexander. Built in 1774, the hom e is the oldest surviv­ ing structure in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. http://www.charlottemuseum. oig. L o w e’s M otor S p e e d w a y is considered the center of m otor sports and NASCAR in Charlotte on the Web • Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau (http ■.//w w w .charlottecvb.org) • Charlotte Chamber of Commerce (http://ww w.charlottecham ber.org) • The Charlotte O bserver (h ttp :// w w w .charlotte. com) • C harlotte’s Web (h ttp ://w w w . charw eb.org) • N.C. Travel Guide (http://w w w . visitnc.com) http://www.panthers.com/facility/index.cfm http://www.charlottemuseum http://www.charlottecvb.org http://www.charlottechamber.org charweb.org visitnc.com 918 / C&RL News ■ October 2001 the Southeast. Tours include a b eh in d -th e- sc e n e s lo o k at th e S p e e d w a y g ro u n d s; m any race sh o p s are lo cated in the track vicinity, h ttp ://w w w . low esm otorspeedw ay. com /. L atta P la n t a t io n , th e 1800 C ataw ba River h o m e o f m e r c h a n t/p la n te r Jam es Latta, allows visitors a glim pse of 19th-cen­ tury life in Charlotte. The h o u se is original w ith an tiques ranging from 1790 to 1840. http ://w w w . lattaplant a tio n . o r g /. T h e T r o l l e y M u s e u m , lo c a t e d in Charlotte’s South End, provides a fascinating glimpse into Charlotte’s former main m ode of public transportation. It’s fun to take a 20- minute ride from the South End to the Sta­ dium area on the newly renovated trolley line, http:/ /www . charlottetrolley. com/. R o s e d a le P la n ta tio n , once a 911-acre plantation, allows visitors to time travel back to the 1800s. It includes an 1815 manor house and eight acres of beautiful grounds and gar­ dens . http ://libw eb. uncc. edu/archives/crhc/ rosedale.htm. Mint M useum o f Art (2730 Randolph Road) is one of the leading museums of tire Southeast. It boasts holdings of American paintings, pre- Columbian art, regional crafts, historic costumes, and gold coins minted in Charlotte. http://www. mintmuseum.org/. H istoric n eig h b o r h o o d s abound through­ out Charlotte, and an afternoon spent wander­ ing through such beauties as M yers Park or F ou rth Ward is well worth your shoe leather. N e arb y c o lle g e s and u n iv e rsitie s North Carolina boasts a wealth of notew or­ thy colleges and universities of all sizes. Some fine institutions to visit include: (c o n tin u e d on p a g e 9 2 1 ) Historical tidbits • The Catawba Native Americans inhab­ ited the Charlotte area in the lóOOs and early 1700s. About 250 years ago, thousands of Scotch-Irish pioneers traveled the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to the North Carolina Piedmont area and settled at the crossroads o f two Native American trading paths east of the Catawba River. • Why is Charlotte called the “Q ueen City?” In 1768, the tow n of Charlotte was incorporated and nam ed in honor of the wife of King George III, the reigning En­ glish monarch. Charlotte citizens further hon­ ored Q ueen Charlotte w h e n they nam ed their new county M ecklenburg after her German homeland. • During the Revolutionary War, the ma­ jority of Charlotte residents supported the patriots. In 1780, Lord Cornwallis arrived in Charlotte but departed the area in a hurry w hen Carolina m ountain m en routed the British at the Battle of Kings Mountain. • Presidents Andrew Jackson (served 1829-1837) and James K. Polk (served 1845- 1849) w ere born in the greater Charlotte area. • Gold Rush in North Carolina? Discov­ ery of a 17-pound gold nugget east o f Char­ lotte in 1799 set off a North Carolina gold rush in the early 1800s. A Charlotte branch of the U.S. Mint was established here in 1837. The North Carolina Gold Boom was short­ lived as gold-seekers left North Carolina for California a few years later. • During the Civil War, Charlotteans b a c k e d th e C onfederacy. A lthough no battles w ere fought in Charlotte, the Con­ federate President Jefferson Davis held his last cabinet m eeting in Charlotte in April 1865. • The cotton industry dom inated the Charlotte economy during the late 1800s and early 1900s— until the boll weevil devastated the cotton culture here. • J. B. Duke, the tobacco giant, founded the Southern Pow er Co. (predecessor to Duke Pow er Co.) in 1904. He dam m ed the Catawba River to create Lake Wylie and hy­ droelectric energy generated there pow ered the textile industry. By 1920, Charlotte was hom e to textile mills, and machinery and processing plants. • Since 1980, growth has been phenom ­ enal, with airport expansion, new roads, of­ fice parks, a new coliseum, professional sports teams, a new convention center, a new football stadium, and hundreds of new neighborhoods. mintmuseum.org/ C&RL News ■ October 2001 / 919 C&RL News ■ October 2001 / 921 o f Principles o n A cadem ic F reedom and Tenure. 8 . D is m is s a l o r n o n r e a p p o i n t m e n t . The institution may dismiss a librarian during the contractual period only for just cause and through academic due process. Nonreappoint­ m ent should involve adequate notice, peer review, and access to a grievance procedure. 9- G riev a n ce . Librarians should have ac­ cess to grievance procedures. These should include steps to be com pleted within speci­ fied tim e limits a n d effective safeguards against reprisal by the institution or abuse of the procedures by the grievant. They must b e consistent w ith applicable institutional regulations and contracts. D evelopm ent and revision o f the g u id e lin e s In January 2000, the Standards and Accredita­ tion Committee (SAC) referred two documents to the Committee on the Status of Academic Librarians for revision: “Standards for Faculty Status of College and University Librarians” and “Guidelines for Academic Status of Col­ lege and University Libraries.” SAC also asked that consideration be given to combining the two documents. After much discussion, it was concluded that the documents should remain separate, primarily because: 1) they address entirely different issues and it would cause confusion to combine the concepts into a single docu­ ment; 2) it w ould w eaken the argument for im provem ent at those institutions that do award limited faculty status to librarians; and 3) librarians at institutions with no hope of faculty status w ould have no clear guidelines to support improvement within their status. The “Standards for Faculty Status of Col­ lege and University Librarians” w ent through the revision process, was approved at Mid­ winter 2001, and the final version was pub­ lished in the March 2001 C&RL News. T he present “Guidelines for Academic Status of College and University Librarians,” p u b lish e d in 1990, w e re revised at the committee’s meeting in June 2001. The com ­ mittee is seeking input on this draft through postings to electronic discussion lists, via e- mail to Bill Nelson (wnelson@aug.edu), and in a public forum. The Committee on the Status of Academic Librarians will be conducting an open hear­ ing at the upcoming ALA Midwinter Meeting in New Orleans to solicit input from the mem­ bership on these changes and to address your concerns with the guidelines. Comments will be incorporated into the final document, which will be presented to SAC for recommendation of final approval by ACRL and ALA. Committee members past and present who have worked on this document include: Navjit Brar, Martín Goldberg, Phillip Jones, Sharon McCaslin, Bill Nelson, Samson Soong, Anita Talar, and G lenda Thornton; and interns James Chervinko, Valerie Feinman, and Revil Veli. ■ ( “Charlotte . . c o n tin u ed fr o m p a g e 918) • D a v id s o n C o lle g e (Davidson, North Carolina): http://w w w .davidson.edu • D u k e U n iv e r sity (Durham, North Caro­ lina): http://w w w .duke.edu • F u r m a n U n iv e r s ity (Greenville, South Carolina): http://w w w .furm an.edu • Q u e en ’s C o lleg e (Charlotte, North Caro­ lina): http://w w w .queens.edu • U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t h C a r o lin a a t C h a p e l H ill (Chapel Hill, North Carolina): http://w w w .unc.edu • U n iv e r sity o f N o r th C a ro lin a at C har­ lo t t e (C harlotte, N orth Carolina): h ttp :// w w w .uncc.edu • C en tra l P ie d m o n t C o m m u n ity C ol­ le g e (Charlotte, North Carolina): http://w w w . cpcc.cc.nc.us H e a d in g o u t o f C h a rlo tte Charlotte enjoys excellent highway accessi­ bility to attractions further afield. Interstates 77 and 85 intersect in Charlotte, linking the city with the Great Lakes Region, New En­ gland, a n d Florida. Interstate 40, running coast-to-coast across the United States, is only an hour north of Charlotte. The Great Smoky Mountains are only two hours to the w est of Charlotte, and the Atlan­ tic Coast beaches are a bit over three hours to the east. Some of the world’s best golf courses are only an h o u r’s drive east of Charlotte. ■ mailto:wnelson@aug.edu http://www.davidson.edu http://www.duke.edu http://www.furman.edu http://www.queens.edu http://www.unc.edu http://www.uncc.edu