ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 2 2 0 / C &RL News In the News “C&RL News is the official news magazine o f ACRL... Its purpose is to record significant activi­ ties o f A CRL and to report news about academ ic and research libraries. ” As editor and publisher of C &RL News, my vision is for the News to be the communication vehicle for ACRL members and those involved in academic and research librarianship. C &RL News will be your opportunity to communicate with col­ leagues without leaving your office. My goals for C &KL News are: (1) to keep you informed of current and important events affecting academic and research librarianship and higher education; (2) to serve as a resource for information and advice on handling your day-to-day library operations; (3) to be a forum for the diversity of opinions that exist in our profession; and (4) to keep you informed about ACRL and ALA activities. In working towards these goals, I ’d like to draw your attention to a number of articles in this issue. I am pleased to introduce Susana Hinojosa (Uni­ versity of California, Berkeley), chair of ACRL’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee, who de­ buts as column editor for a new information ex­ change on underrepresented groups. Susana plans to highlight ACRL and academic library programs, publications, and activities on underrepresented groups in academic libraries. Yoshi Hendricks’s article on Japanese students in American universi­ ties offers an interesting insight into the challenges of instructing students from diverse cultures. Susan Allen reports on the trial of Stephen Blumberg, from whose home the F B I recovered more than 20,000 rare books and manuscripts, many reported missing or stolen. C. Kelly Brewin, who missed by one day being in Kuwait the day the war started, shares with us his experience as a librarian in Kuwait. Read about ACRL’s plans to aid Kuwait in rebuilding its libraries in an account immediately following Brewin’s article. Thomas Michalak and Thomas Kirk give us an update on the Coalition for Networked Information. Turning to the Association information, be sure to read about the appointment of Althea H. Jenkins as ACRL executive director and about ACRL’s plans to host its 6th national conference, April 12-14, 1992, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Additional professional development opportunities are de­ scribed for those of you attending the ALA Annual Conference in Atlanta. Statements on ACRL have been solicited from the ALA presidential candi­ dates to assist you in casting your vote in the ALA election and do take a moment to read about those outstanding librarians who have been honored by ACRL. — Mary Ellen K. Davis Letters A recent letter to the editor took issue with the suggestion from our November 1990 article, “Coping with a quake,” indicating it “is seriously misleading and should be corrected....” We stand by our assertion that patrons should take important belongings with them as they evacuate a building. Life-threatening situations require immediate evacuation and one’s personal health and safety should be a priori concerns. However, the situation encountered in the Clark Library was clearly not life-threatening. Students doing research on the lower floors of the building had to be cajoled from their places and told to leave. During the past year our campus has had two major emergencies, an earthquake and a dormitory fire. Campus Emergency Procedures distributed earlier this year support our position: “Leave by the nearest safe exit when you hear the building emer­ gency alarm or if you are told to do so by University Police or a Building Emergency Team member. Take keys, books, wallets or billfolds, prescription medicines and important personal belongings with you in case the building cannot be reentered immediately.” It is crucial for people to take essential personal belongings with them, but this should not slow the evacuation process. Without prescription medi­ cine or keys, one’s health may quickly deteriorate and/or one may be unable to get home. Over and over again, authorities responsible for emergency response stress that we need to be prepared to take care of ourselves for at least 72 hours after the disaster occurs. Thus it will not always be possible, as the author suggests, to wait until “responsible authorities” arrive to return into the building. It is also interesting to note that state library employees can be conscripted into civil service, thus becoming those very “responsible authori­ ties.” This may entail up to 72 hours at the place of employment if the situation is critical.— Linda John son an d J e f f Paul, San Jo se State University ■■