ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries O ctober 1 9 9 7 / 6 3 7 Racing to w a rd to m o rro w : ACRL's 9 th N a tio n a l C onference B y C a r o l P f e if f e r Six subthem es will explore creating a n d c hanneling change C h ange is th e only constant a n d its p ace is sp eed in g u p .” “T he future is h ere al­ ready; n o w w h at d o w e do?” “H ow ca m o v e fro m a c c e p tin g o r e v e n a n tic ip a tin g change to seeking an d creating it?” “W hat about th e ‘dark sid e’ o f change, as it is so tellingly portrayed in Dilbert?’ These and other comm ents filled our flipcharts as the Detroit ’99 ACRL National Conference plan­ ners brainstorm ed at Midwinter an d Annual. We m arveled at the extent to w hich w e have al­ ready transform ed our libraries and ourselves. We w ere equally aw ed by our sense that m ore extensive an d m ore fundam ental changes are ahead. W e noted that the 1999 conference is scheduled for the brink of the 21st century— an appropriate time to maintain our focus o n the future. And w e talked about the excitem ent of D etroit an d ab o u t the autom obile. From this mix em erged the them e for the Detroit conference: “Racing tow ard Tom orrow .” C onference planners agreed that w e an d our colleagues are o n th e fast track for change. To k eep p a c e a n d to stay o n course, w e n e e d the b est ideas o f o u r profession an d o f related p ro ­ fessions o n h o w to create an d channel change. We need the best crystal balls that w e can find (or invent) to understand and anticipate revolution in the financial, technological, sociological, and politi­ cal environment for higher education. We need to put our chosen future into action. O n e conference p la n n e r sum m ed it u p co­ gently: “W e n e e d to change th e tires o n the car w hile it is racing full sp e e d a h e a d .” n The conference committee chose six subthemes to stimulate thinking and discussion, each o f w hich is sk etch ed out below . T he D etroit ’99 program will include a “C onference w ithin a C onference” that will provide an oppo rtu n ity to invite teac h ­ ing faculty an d academ ic officers from y o u r institution to attend the conference w ith you. w e Shifting gears: Environment in flux As highlighted by Barbara Ford’s ALA presiden­ tial them e, globalization o f the econom y has sig­ nificant im pact o n library program s an d services. A nother trend affecting libraries and cam puses is th e grow ing presence and voice of previously u n d errep resen ted groups. T he p h ilosophy of students an d taxpayers as th e “custom ers” o f higher education is a catalyst for institutions to rethink services an d finances. The fiscal outlook is constrained an d the call for m easurable learn­ ing outcom es is urgent. Technology is m ore ac­ cessible an d m ore pervasive and the choices, m ore complex. H ow can w e h o n e our ability to scan the environm ent, to interpret an d antici­ pate changes, an d to respond w ith new an d im­ proved services an d collections? W hat can w e learn by listening to experts outside o f libraries? H ow can w e not only respond to but also shape this changing environment? Shifting gears: Multiple roles While the fundam ental mission o f the academ ic library has not b een altered much, the roles li­ brarians play in carrying ou t the mission have changed significantly. O u r role as educator is m ore im portant an d m ore prom inent than ever. Librarians collaborate w ith faculty, computarians, instructional designers, an d others to transform the teaching an d learning process. As cam pus leaders, w e advise students, tutor athletes, teach C a ro l P feiffer is cocha ir o f the A C R L N a tio n a l C on feren ce P a n e l Sessions Subcom m ittee a n d visiting a ca d em ic a ffa irs c oord in a tor at the State C o u n c il o f H ig h e r E d u ca tio n f o r Virginia; e-m ail: pfeiffer@ schev.edu mailto:pfeiffer@schev.edu 6 3 8 / C & R L N ew s technology to faculty as w ell as students, and participate vigorously in o th er academ ic su p p o rt functions. Library directors m ust b e fundraisers as w ell as m anagers, an d often direct m any units in addition to th e library. S upport staff take on responsibilities previously h an d led b y librarians. H ow can w e k e e p a n d project a clear profes­ sional identity w hile assum ing so m an y n e w roles? W hich roles (if any) sh o u ld w e discard a n d w h ic h roles m ust w e preserve? H o w can w e m ove flexibly from o n e role to th e n ex t a n d allocate o u r time am o n g so m any dem ands? Shifting gears: A new kind of learner At th e h e a rt o f th ese c h an g es is th e m a n d a te to p re p a re students o f all ages a n d back g ro u n d s as th e w orkforce o f th e 21st century. W e m ust e n ­ sure th at students d o n o t sim ply acquire a b ody o f facts or ev en assimilate k n ow ledge b u t in­ stead learn h o w to learn. Citizens, schools, and governm ents seek to create a seam less, lifelong learning process— o n e that starts before an d con­ tinues b e y o n d formal education. T echnology is o n e key to success in this venture; is it suffi­ cient? T he “C onference w ithin a C onference” will focus o n th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e n e w learning com m unities w ithin h ig h e r ed u catio n . For th e first tim e at th e n ational co n feren ce, ACRL is desig n in g a p ro g ram to facilitate d ia ­ lo g u e am o n g librarians, faculty, academic admin­ istrators, and other cam pus personnel around the them e “Student Learning in an Information Age.” O pening with a stellar panel o f higher-education leaders after the opening reception, the ’’Confer­ ence within a Conference” will provide plenty o f opportunity for interaction am ong the participants the following day. To encourage team attendance, discounts will be available for faculty and others w h o com e with a librarian. Shifting gears: Different players W ithin a n d o u tsid e th e academ y, n e w p a rtn e r­ sh ip s form a n d o ld o n e s d isap p ear. B usiness a n d industry co llab o rate w ith h ig h e r e d u c a tio n to re d e sig n th e curriculum to p re p a re stu d en ts fo r th e w o rk p la c e a n d to retrain em ployees. C om petitors to traditional higher-education p ro ­ gram s seek a grow ing portion o f that training market. Colleges an d universities collaborate w ith K -12 educators to ensure that students leave high school ready for college— p e rh a p s w ith a n u m ­ b e r o f c o lle g e c re d its a lre a d y e a rn e d . N ew m ultitype library consortia e m erg e to p u rc h a se electro n ic resources. H o w can librarians m o st effectively n e tw o rk w ith n e w players? W hat are th e b enefits a n d risks o f partnerships? W hat d o w e as librarians b rin g to th e playing field? Shifting gears: Alternate resources As taxpayers, p aren ts, a n d stu d en ts q u e stio n th e co st o f h ig h e r e d u c a tio n a n d as g o v e rn ­ m en ts s e e k to limit o r re d u c e p u b lic fun d in g for h ig h e r ed u catio n , institutions m ust find n e w re v e n u e sources. In ad d itio n to th e g ro w in g em p h asis o n private giving, colleges a n d u n i­ versities lo o k to n e w fees a n d to co rp o ra te s u p ­ port. W hat re v e n u e o p p o rtu n itie s h av e e n tre ­ p re n e u ria l lib raries identified? H o w c a n w e stretch o u r b u y in g p o w e r th ro u g h consortia? H o w c a n b u sin ess a n d industry p a rtn e r w ith h ig h e r ed u c a tio n to u se h u m a n a n d te c h n o l­ ogy reso u rces in innovative ways? Shifting gears: Expanding knowledge base Last b u t p e rh a p s m o s t im p o rta n t, o u r o w n k n o w le d g e b a se a n d abilities h av e e x p a n d e d dram atically in th e p ast d ecad e. W e are m o re co m fortable w ith a n d e x p e rt in th e u se o f te c h ­ nology. W e k n o w a lot a b o u t h o w to m an ag e ch an g e. W e u n d e rs ta n d th e te ac h in g p ro cess at a d e e p e r level a n d w e te a c h in n e w a n d m o re effective w ays. W hat n e w fro n tiers o f k n o w le d g e are o n th e horizon? D esp ite o u r d e m o n stra te d success in acquiring n e w k n o w l­ e d g e a n d skills, m a n y o f us a re an x io u s a b o u t o u r ability to learn all w e n e e d to k n o w for th e n e w ro les w e are tak in g o n. H o w can w e alle­ viate th e se fears a n d b u ild confidence? H ow can w e create a n d sustain learn in g o rg an iza­ tions th at w ill carry us into th e 21st century? W e k n o w that adults learn b est w h e n the educational program m eets a current, pressing n e e d an d w h e n th e learners are actively engaged w ith th e material. T he D etroit ’99 planners will design a conference w ith m axim um o p p o rtu n i­ ties for participation a n d engagem ent. A center- piece of this active learning will b e th e “C onfer­ en ce w ithin a Conference: S tudent Learning in Save these dates April 8 -1 1 , 1999, are th e d ates o f ACRL’s 9th N ational C onference w h ich will b e h eld in D etroit, M ichigan. T h e call for participation will b e p u b lish e d in th e Jan u ary 1998 C&RL N ew s a n d o n th e ACRL h o m e p a g e . T h e d e a d ­ line for subm itting p a n e l a n d p a p e r p ro p o s ­ als is J u n e 15, 1998. O cto b er 1 9 9 7 / 6 3 9 an Inform ation Age,” w hich will m odel in its design som e o f the learning techniques that will b e discussed at th e conference. Look also for opportunities to participate before the confer­ ence even starts in postings o n the ACRL Con­ ference W eb site, (http://w w w .ala.org/acrl.htm l) listserv discussions, an d preview s o f papers. Join the race T une u p your carburetor, o p e n the throttle, and plan ah ead n o w to join your colleagues at the 1999 ACRL National Conference as w e race to ­ gether tow ard the 21st century. Detroit is a vi­ brant city an d epitom izes our focus o n change by the w ays it has transform ed itself in recent years. City officials are eager to w elcom e ACRL to Detroit an d will go all out to assist conference planners in ensuring that you have an enjoyable as w ell as an educational visit to a flourishing, attractive, an d culturally rich conference site. Look for the call for participation in the Ja n u ­ ary 1998 C&RL News a n d o n th e ACRL h o m e p ­ age, an d se n d in yo u r b est ideas. T alk w ith colleagues to en co u rag e th em to attend. W e’ve revved u p o u r engines an d are raring to go! ■ (H ealth statistics c o n t.fr o m p a g e 6 3 0 ) Transplants • H e a l t h R e s o u r c e s a n d S e r v i c e s A d ­ m i n i s t r a t i o n (H R SA ), H H S. T his W eb site lin k s to so lid o rg a n a n d b o n e m a rro w tr a n s ­ p la n t statistics a n d d e lin e a te s tra n sp la n ts and donors by race. Access: http://www.hrsa.dhlis.gov/ bhrd/dot/dotm ain.htm . • UNOS: U n ite d N e tw o r k f o r O rg a n Shar­ in g . UNOS adm inisters th e O rgan T ransplan­ tation a n d P rocurem ent N etw ork, a n d m em ­ bers include all U.S. transplant program s, organ p ro cu rem en t organizations, an d tissue typing laboratories. This site contains detailed statis­ tics on U.S. transplants and donors. Access: http:// 204.127.237.11:80/. Women's health issues W o m en ’s health W eb p ag es focus o n diag n o ­ sis a n d m an ag e m en t of conditions b u t d o not concertedly present statistics on w o m en ’s health topics. T herefore, th e search er sh o u ld go to topical sites for w o m e n ’s health statistics. For exam ple, g o to the National C ancer Institute’s C ancer Statistics Review pag e for data o n breast c a n c e r i n c i d e n c e (A c c e s s : h t t p : / / w w w - seer.im s.n ci.n ih .g o v /P u b licatio n s/in d ex .h tm l), a n d to NCI’s Fact Sheet for breast cancer data by ethnic group (Access: http://w w w .fem inist.org/ other/bc/bcncil .html). • W o m e n ’s H e a l t h D a ta B o o k : A P r o ­ f i le o f W o m e n ’s H e a lt h i n t h e U n it e d S ta te s. W hile n o t available directly online, th e print publication can b e o rd e re d th ro u g h this Ameri­ can College o f O bstetrics a n d G ynecology site. A c c e ss: h t t p : / / w w w . a c o g . c o m / c a t a l o g / professional_publications.htm . Discussion lists and groups • EDSTAT-L. This m ailing list a d d resses ed u catio n al tools for statistics an d issues re­ lated to th e teaching an d learning o f statistics. The list’s archive is at gopher://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ 1 1 /e d s ta t. T he c o rresp o n d in g n ew sg ro u p is s c i.s ta te d u . Subscribe: listserv@jse.stat.ncsu.edu. • STAT-L. A g o o d forum for statistical c o n ­ sulting issues; q uestions arise o n th e list about m ethods for statistical studies in health sciences a n d b io m e d ic a l field s. T h e c o r r e s p o n d in g n e w s g r o u p is s c i . s t a t . c o n s u l t . Subscribe: listserv@vml .mcgill.ca. • t e a c h in g - s t a t i s t i c s . This UK list is co n ­ cern ed w ith th e initial teaching o f statistics in all ph ases o f ed u catio n a n d follow s th e objec­ tives o f the journal Teaching Statistics. The list’s archive is at h ttp ://w w w .m ailb ase.ac.u k /lists/ teaching-statistics/1997-02/index.html. Subscribe: teaching-statistics-request@mailbase.ac.uk. ■ http://www.ala.org/acrl.html http://www.hrsa.dhlis.gov/ http://www-seer.ims.nci.nih.gov/Publications/index.html http://www-seer.ims.nci.nih.gov/Publications/index.html http://www.feminist.org/ http://www.acog.com/catalog/ gopher://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ mailto:listserv@jse.stat.ncsu.edu http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/ mailto:teaching-statistics-request@mailbase.ac.uk 6 4 0 / C & R L News