ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 143 Continuing Education Library Developm ent— Prom oted through Continuing Education Academic libraries in a time of transition from traditionally passive storehouses of knowledge to dynamic research, information and learning cen­ ters are faced with num erous problem s and opportunities. The focus of the eighties will be on attempts to maintain quality and achieve cost- effectiveness in the face of double-digit price in­ creases in library materials, a declining economy and shrinking enrollm ents. The success of academic libraries in meeting these challenges will be largely determined by the commitment and competence of their staffs. These are chang­ ing times and dramatic changes in assumptions and attitudes will often be required. It becomes increasingly necessary for staff to stay abreast of a rapidly changing field to be in a position to effec­ tively implement technological developments and applications of new concepts. Improved libraries can result from increased emphasis being placed on promoting the development of services and programs through continuing education. Two kinds of activities supported at my institution are cited to illustrate specific applications of pro­ moting library development through continuing education. First, staff meetings will frequently include in­ dividuals’ reports on continuing education pro­ grams attended. These reports are used as spring­ boards for institutional concerns, thereby provid­ ing individuals with the opportunity to express themselves and apply what was learned at the outside program to our setting. Then we have discussion which often leads to an appraisal of our situation vis à vis the content of the continuing education program. Thus mixed together in this kind of activity are continuing education, staff de­ velopment, and organizational development. Task forces will occasionally be formed to study and make recommendations on important areas dis­ cussed. Staff are encouraged to attend relevant confer­ ences, workshops and other substantive programs within the framework of the library’s short and long-range development. In this context, recent 144 groups have investigated and submitted detailed written reports on closing the catalog, conversion to AACR 2 and implementing online reference services that have been extremely valuable in reaching decisions on those subjects. The role of the professional association also re­ ceives major attention—from the view that active involvement can have meaning and value for both the individual and the library, aid in the indi­ vidual’s own leadership and professional develop­ ment and simultaneously promote the library’s development. Staff are therefore encouraged to actively participate in such professional associa­ tion activities as editing and writing for publica­ tions, serving as committee members or officers, lobbying for library legislation and programs, organizing conference programs and giving con­ ference talks. Staff involvement of this nature is seen as an important means of maintaining up-to- date knowledge of professional trends and CE PAPERS SOLICITED The first annual Continuing Education Insti­ tute, sponsored by the University of Wisconsin- Extension Communication Programs/Library and Information Science, will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, at the Concourse Hotel, January 31- February 2, 1982. The focus of the 1982 institute will be “Market­ ing for Libraries: Promotion and Performance.” There will be three major themes addressed by speakers and mini-sessions: “Creating That De­ mand,” “Satisfying the Consumer,” and “Grading Your Performance.” A major feature of the institute will be the pre­ sentation of contributing papers. These papers may address any topic relevant to the broad defi­ nition of marketing. Possible topics are: • Excellence—Vision or Standard? • Using Evaluation Techniques to Plan • Data Collection • Performance Measures • Promotional Techniques • Selling a Service • Cooperation • Networking • Role of Librarians • Interpersonal Relations • The Extra Mile: Inter-Library Loan All submitted papers will be refereed. The fol­ lowing deadlines will be strictly observed: notice of intent to submit, June 1, 1981; submission of completed manuscript, September 1, 1981; no­ tification of acceptance, Novem ber 1, 1981. Forms for indicating your notice of intent to sub­ mit may be obtained from the Continuing Educa­ tion Institute, UW-Extension Communication Programs/Library and Information Science, 220 Lowell Hall, 610 Langdon St., Madison, WI 53706. developments. The most effective libraries are those whose staff are continuously motivated, stimulated and professionally challenged. Continuing education is essential for the establishment of this environ­ ment. Frequently there is more gain to the li­ brary—especially long-range—from a person attending a continuing education program than working in the library on that day. While all too often this is not recognized, meaningful and qual­ ity continuing education related to library needs and objectives will become especially critical in the light of the difficult issues now facing academic libraries.—Michael B. Binder. E ditors Note: Michael Binder is director o f the Fairleigh Dickinson University Library, Ruther­ fo rd , New Jersey. His contribution is excerpted fro m an address at the spring, 1979 conference o f the New Jersey Library Association. ACRL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS, 1981-82 ACRL members may be interested in the out­ come of new committee appointments. For the eleven divisional committees to which appoint­ ments could be made, there were 65 appoint­ ments. This included 10 reappointments, 31 new appointees, and 24 who were appointed as com­ mittee interns for a one-year period. Thus it can be seen that about 75% of the committee vacan­ cies were given to new appointments while 25% were continuations through reappointment. An interesting result stems from the use of committee internships. Of about 125 persons whose names had been received by recommenda­ tion or by personal application, about 55 of these were used as appointments of one type or the other. This means that about 44% of all such per­ sons are being used on a com m ittee, and it strikes me that this must be a very high percen­ tage when one considers the relatively few com­ mittees at the divisional level. Members of ACRL will understand that the opportunities for committee service are quite lim­ ited. Committees generally need a fair number of persons carrying forward from one year to another in order to provide continuity. The use of one-year internships is intended to provide some of the newer or younger members of ACRL with the experience of sharing in the discussion, pre­ paring working papers, contributing solutions, learning from the process, and demonstrating their capacities for further service to ACRL. It is hoped that a num ber of these may be reap­ pointed or advanced to regular appointment with­ in the next y ear.—D a vid C . W eb er, Vice- President/ President-Elect, ACRL. 145 ACRL ACTIVITY M ODEL ACRL Vice P resid en t David W eber has appointed a Committee to Draft an Activity Mod­ el for 1990. Its charge is to conceptualize an activity program to help shape the directions of Association efforts in the years immediately ahead; to raise thereby the sights of ACRĹ m em bers, sections, and officers for ACRL achievement; and to stimulate membership in­ terest and involvement in the advancement of the Association. M em bers of the com m ittee are Olive James, David Kaser, Carla Stofile, William Studer, and Julie Virgo. For purposes of this assignment the committee perceives the Mission and Goals of ACRL to be as follows: Mission To foster the profession of academic and re­ search librarianship. Goals 1) To contribute to the total professional de­ velopment of academic and research librar­ ians; 2) To improve service capabilities of academic and research libraries; 3) To promote the interests of the academic and research library profession; 4) To speak for the academic and research li­ brary profession on relevant issues; 5) To promote study and research relevant to academic and research librarianship. The committee invites comment on this state­ ment of Mission and Goals, on appropriate con­ tent of an ACRL activity model for 1990, and on means of fulfilling its aforestated charge. In order to be considered at the San Francisco Confer­ ence, such comments should be sent before June 20 to David Kaser, School of Library and In­ formation Science, Indiana University, Blooming­ ton, IN 47405. DATABASE SURVEY Three major vendors of online search services have agreed to assist the American Library Asso­ ciation in conducting a survey on how these ser­ vices are financed in publicly supported libraries and libraries in nonprofit organizations or institu­ tions. Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS), DI­ ALOG Information Retrieval Service (Lockheed), and SDS Search Service (ORBIT) will send ALA’s questionnaire to managers of online search ser­ vices in all such libraries sometime during May, 1981. Responses will be returned to the ALA Office for Research for analysis. Results will be reported as soon as possible and will be useful in at least three different ways; 1) helping libraries not yet offering these services to make intelligent decisions regarding their intro­ duction; 2) helping libraries already offering these services to improve or expand what they do offer; and 3) helping libraries to plan the introduction of other technology-intensive services. ACRL urges all recipients to respond to the questionnaire. ROBERT B. DOWNS AWARD Nominations for the 1981 Robert B. Downs Award are invited by the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Sci­ ence. The award is given each year for outstand­ ing contributions to the cause of intellectual free­ dom in libraries, in honor of Dean Em eritus Robert B. Downs. In 1980 the award went to Jeanne Layton, director of the Davis County Li­ brary, Farmington, Utah, and in 1979 to Ralph E. McCoy, dean e m e ritu s of library affairs, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Nom inees will be review ed by th e library school faculty, and the award will be presented at th e school’s 1981 Alumni Homecom ing Day. Nominations should be submitted before August 15, 1981, to; Charles H. Davis, Dean, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Uni­ versity of Illinois, 410 David Kinley Hall, 1407 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801.