ILA/ACRL Newsletter, vol. 8, no. 3, November 1998


PRESIDENT'S PIECE

As my year as ILA/ACRL president draws to a close, a lot of people have made comments to me indicating that it must be a relief to have it over. While it will be nice not to have to worry that I have forgotten some report or deadline, I have thoroughly enjoyed this year because of the delightful people with whom I have worked both within ACRL and in ILA generally. Fortunately, I don't have to feel too sad about leaving them. Not only does the past president continue on the Board, but there are always many opportunities to serve in ILA/ACRL.

I am pleased that some of our new colleagues in the state have leapt into the fray serving as committee members and chairs. If this organization is to continue to be a valuable forum for Iowa academic and research librarians, however, we need all of you. Reduced staffs and budgets, new technology, publishing gluts, etc. have made us all busier but I continue to believe that interchange with our colleagues is one of the most important activities we can pursue to maintain our professionalism.

For many of us the cost of attending national meetings is often prohibitive but we can find an amazing level of expertise and experience among ourselves here in Iowa. The conferences, listserv and web page, directory, and newsletter are all vital for keeping us in touch with our professional community and they only function if people are willing to work with them.

The committee slots are filled for this year, but if you aren't serving on a committee this year or running for an office, please consider doing so next year. We need your ideas and energy and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the benefits you will receive.

Mary Beveridge --- 1998 ILA/ACRL President
Drake University



THANK YOU, MARY BEVERIDGE

Chris Neuhaus, in a message to the ILA-ACRL Board, expressed what all of feel. We are reprinting his message here.

"I would like to take this brief electronic moment to thank Mary Beveridge for her wonderful performance as president of ILA/ACRL.

Like many of you, I have been grateful for Mary's energy, wisdom, and leadership over the past year. Mary's role in hosting the joint Iowa/Nebraska Spring Conference at Drake was greatly appreciated. Mary's performance as chair of the Executive Board was highly effective as was her role in coordinating our many committees. That our Chapter continues to be a strong and healthy organization is a testimonial to Mary's successful style of leadership. That she has gained the long lasting friendship and admiration of so many throughout the state is a testimonial to her most generous personality and spirit.

Please join me in thanking Mary for a job very well done."

Chris Neuhaus
University of Northern Iowa



PROCLAMMATION OF THANKS

ILA-ACRL had hoped to have this read at the ILA Annual Conference Luncheon. As that did not occur, it is here for all to read.

The Iowa Chapter, Association of College and Research Libraries expresses its appreciation to Dorothy Persson for her service to the Chapter as Spring conference photographer in 1997 and 1998, Governmental Relations Representative in 1997 and her service as past president, on committees and her tireless advocacy for the section and ILA in general.

Mary Beveridge
Drake University



1998 FALL CONFERENCE

ILA Annual Conference, 1998 - ILA/ACRL Speaker

"Collaboration Out of Chaos: The Challenges and the Rewards" By Barbara McFadden Allen

Barbara McFadden Allen, Assistant Director of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (Champaign, Illinois) and Director of the CIC Center for Library Initiatives, spoke to the challenges and the rewards of interinstitutional library cooperation, with specific reference to the experience of the twelve CIC member institutions, at the ILA Annual Conference. Her presentation was sponsored by ILA/ACRL and the Bibliographic Center for Research.

In her remarks, Ms. Allen outlined the governing principles of the CIC: that no one institution should attempt to serve all of the needs of all of the people; interinstitutional cooperation permits experimentation on a scale larger than that attainable by a single institution; and, perhaps most importantly, voluntary cooperation fosters action while preserving diversity and institutional autonomy. Ms. Allen noted that the CIC libraries are committed to the creation of a consortial organization by the year 2000 which will be guided by a vision of information resources as a "seamless whole, whether those resources are developed or owned individually or collectively." CIC library initiatives include collaborative management of, and access to both traditional collections and electronic resources, and the collaborative development of new types of digital information systems. Current projects include a Virtual Elecronic Library, which will utilize OCLC WebZ software, OCLC PRISM services, and the Internet to provide a customizable interface and a seamless connection to bibliographic and circulation information from a variety of sources.

Drawing on her extensive experience with resource-sharing projects, Ms. Allen summarized the opportunities inherent in interinstitutional cooperation and collaboration - enhanced services, leveraged investments, a proactive approach to managing a changing environment, and professional development. She emphasized that the greatest challenge to cooperative ventures is in developing, and remaining focused, on a clear vision or joint direction. She noted a number of factors she believes necessary for successful collaboration - the perception of benefits accrued, a focus on enhancing services, provision for varied levels of participation in group projects, a trust borne of association with peers, with similar size institutions and similar missions, and a central administrative entity, however modest.

Ms. Allen's presentation was followed by a discussion session, entitled "Interinstitutional Cooperation: Iowa Librarians Explore the Possibilities," which she helped facilitate. Participants described cooperative projects underway and envisioned, and discussed some of the perceived barriers to enhanced collaboration. Several avenues for possible cooperation were identified, licensing of electronic resources, and cooperative collection development being of considerable interest. Ms. Allen encouraged the attendees to designate responsibility for particular projects, indicating that success is more likely when a single individual or entity will take on primary responsibility for running a project from which others will benefit. She cautioned against overly ambitious projects, those for which the necessary resources may not be available. Above all, she emphasized the need for a common vision and mission around which projects may be constructed.

Ms. Allen identified a number of resources of potential usefulness to those interested in interinstitutional collaboration. These include the CIC Web site http://www.cic.uiuc.edu/index.html, and the site maintained by the International Coaliton of Library Consortia http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/.

Katherine Martin
University of Northern Iowa



CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

Here the call that went out on the listserv for presenters for the Spring Conference. Repitition is sometimes a good reminder.

Dear ILA/ACRL Member:

The ILA/ACRL Annual Spring Conference will be held on Friday, May 7, 1999, at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Please consider seriously whether you might like to give a presentation at this conference (remember, you will be talking to your Iowa colleagues). We will have 6 to 8 slots for contributed presentations.

Call for Presentations ILA/ACRL Spring Conference May 7, 1999 - University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls Deadline for Receipt: February 12, 1999

Do you have ideas you would like to share with your colleagues? Would you like an opportunity to present a conference paper? An afternoon of contributed papers is being planned for the 1999 ILA/ACRL Spring Conference. Individuals are invited to submit proposals for presentations. Sessions will last 45 minutes, and individuals are encouraged to hold a question-and-answer discussion period for the last 15 minutes of this time.

Your presentation should address academic library concerns. Complete this form and write a one-page summary describing the content of your presentation. Your proposal will be reviewed by a selection committee. To assist the committee, please prepare one copy of this form, one copy of your summary with your name, and four copies of your summary without your name..

[snip....] The [application] form can be found on the ILA/ACRL Web page (as part of the main menu; http://www.iowaacrl.org). The form's direct URL is: http://www.iowaacrl.org/iacrldir/callpap99.html.

There will be one free conference registration for each accepted presentation proposal.

I am looking forward to receiving your presentation proposal.

Barbara Allen
Chair, ILA/ACRL Spring Conference Program Committee



1999 COMMITTEES

Follow this link to a directory of current committees.



THE ACADEMIC LIBRARIAN'S CALENDAR

ILA Legislative Day - Des Moines, 1/27, 1999
American Library Association Midwinter Meeting - Philadelphia, 1/29-2/3, 1999
Association of College ans Research Libraries - Detroit, 4/8-11, 1999
National Library Week - 4/11-17, 1999



NEWS NOTES*

CENTRAL COLLEGE

Cathy Cranston has been named Visiting Reference and Instructional Services Librarian at the Central College Library for the academic year. Cathy received her MALS from the University of Iowa in July. She was a graduate student assistant at the Hardin Library for Health Sciences, in the Kirkwood Community College Library and in the Hoover Library in West Branch.

DRAKE UNIVERSITY

Erin Fink has joined the Cowles Library staff in the Systems Department. Her responsibilities include maintaining applications on Cowles' PCs, the Macintosh platform and the CD-ROM databases. Her background includes extensive experience in application software both instructing users in sovftware use, and helping users find solutions in their specific application need. She has taught classes in academic and corporate environments in many commercial DOS and Windows products.

Drake University's Cowles Library has instituted a new web-based service, Compass, to provide easy "one stop" access to all its electronic resources. Services available at the Compass gateway include both Internet and networked CD-ROM databases, the Britannica Online, Project Muse and WorldCat. Compass also points to the Library's catalog, its document delivery services utilzing Uncover's Reveal and Gateway services and information about library instruction and services.

GRAND VIEW COLLEGE

Donna Kelly is new as our Circulation/InterLibrary Loan Assistant.

Sheila Hainlin is our new Serials Assistant.

We gave one hour workshops for faculty in each academic department during fall semester, introducing them to our automated system, and the new online databases including some full text databases.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

New Appointments
Lorraine Knox began her appointment as Head of the Science and Technology Department on September 8. Lorrie's previous position was with the University of Kansas Libraries, where she was a member of their faculty for seven years.

Rebecca Jackson has accepted the position of Head of the Social Sciences and Humanities Department and will begin her appointment on October 19. Rebecca is currently Coordinator of User Education Programs at George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Tanya Zanish-Belcher has been appointed Assistant Department Head for Special Collections. She continues as the Curator of the Women in Science and Engineering Archives.

Jennifer Sievers has been hired as Project Leader for the Carver Trust grant. Her duties are to coordinate the Carver Trust grant education program, which focuses on the integration of electronic resources into core undergraduate courses. Jennifer had previously worked for ISUL as a temporary General Reference Librarian.

Scott Randolph returned to the Library September 1 as Project Technical Director (Systems Analyst III) in support of the Silo Project. His term of appointment will run through June 30, 1999.

Resignations and Retirements:
Joni Campidilli has resigned her position as Director of Library Development effective October 21. We are happy to report that Joni will continue as a member of the Library Development Council.

Molaan Mosell, a member of the Science and Technology Department, has resigned effective September 30 to pursue other career goals.

Phil Van De Voorde, Government Documents Specialist, will retire at the end of December. He plans to stay in Ames to enjoy his grandchildren and all the university community has to offer. He also plans to do research and writing in Christian apologetics and a critique of Western thought.

Charles Sage, Systems Librarian, began a phased retirement program this July. He will be working parttime (65%) this academic year.

Active Searches:
We are currently searching to fill the following positions: Assistant Director for Information Technology Electronic Resources Acquisitions Coordinator

We anticipate the following searches to begin over the next months:

Associate Director for Public Services and Collections
2 Science Librarians
Government Documents/General Reference Librarian
Design Librarian

Other News:
The Special Collections Department has a Virtual Exhibit on George Washington Carver on the Web at .

Library staff will begin training on the Horizon system in October; it is scheduled to come up over the holiday break in December.

A serials cancellation project, with an ultimate goal of cancelling 14% of our current serials budget, is well underway.

MOUNT MERCY COLLEGE

Busse Library is developing the campus intranet which includes all the webpages found on the library internet server plus access to information resources of specific use to faculty and staff.

SIMPSON COLLEGE

Staff changes:
In June, Jay Robinson began as Systems Access Librarian at Simpson College in Indianola. His role is to manage technical services, serve as III systems coordinator and provide backup in reference. Jay has his MLS from the Universityof Iowa, and has worked as a professional librarian at Newton Public Library and at the Minnesota Theological Library Association. Most recently he earned his M.Div. at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and has served as a pastor in rural northern Iowa.

Simpson College will be joined by the Indianola Public Library on its Innovative Interfaces Inc. integrated library system by December 1998. Simpson has been on III since 1994. Mike Wright, former access services librarian at Simpson, is now the director at Indianola Public

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

Library news
A committee has been looking at new integrated library systems to replace the NOTIS software we have used since 1987, and expect to select one by spring 1999.

University of Iowa staff news:
Resignations:
Christine Lee resigned effective August 31 to accept the position of Multimedia Services Librarian for the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Christine came to the University Libraries as Mathematical Sciences Librarian in August 1990.

Jim Loter has accepted the position of Director of Technology for the Law School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, beginning September 1. Jim has served as Coordinator for the Information Systems Support Team since 1997 and as Team Leader for Electronic Services in the Information, Research & Instructional Services Department since 1996.

Pamela Spitzmueller, the University Conservator, accepted a position at Harvard beginning in late July. Pam is their new Chief Conservator for Special Collections in the Harvard University Library and the Harvard College Library.

New professional staff:
Afeworki Paulos is the new International Studies Bibliographer. Dr. Paulos came to us from the University of Virginia Library, where he selected material on African politics and history and cataloged materials. A native of Eritrea, Dr. Paulos received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Ghana, master's degrees in Educational Counseling and Public Administration from Northern Michigan University, and a Ph. D. in Political Science from the George Washington University. He also taught Political Science and International Relations at Virginia.

Stephen Dew joined the staff in September in the position of Coordinator for Off-Campus Library Programs. He has the MLS degree from the University of Texas and the Ph.D. in history from University of Arkansas. His approximately years of library experience include the following positions: Social Sciences Librarian, University of South Carolina; Library Instruction Coordinator, Agriculture/Biological Sciences Librarian, Reference Desk Coordinator, and Engineering/Physical Sciences Librarian, all at the University of Arkansas.

Ellen Hammond has accepted the position of Japanese Studies Librarian at the University of Iowa. Ellen will begin work on November 16. She is an Associate Professor at Keiai University in Japan, and has worked as a librarian for Morgan Stanley and the United Nations University in Tokyo.

Lisa Martincik has been appointed as Interim Math Sci Library Head. Lisa has an MLS from University of Iowa and a BA in English from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Lisa has worked in UI Libraries' Central Processing Services on retrospective conversion and has been Web Administrator for the UI Human Resources Department.

Sidney Huttner has accepted the position of Head, Department of Special Collections. He will be starting sometime during the month of January. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. He has been Curator of Special Collections at the University of Tulsa Library since 1984, and has held Special Collections positions in the libraries of Syracuse University Library and the University of Chicago.

WILLIAM PENN COLLEGE

WPC received two grants for a joint library automation system with the public library in Oskaloosa.



SOME USEFUL ILA/ACRL WEB SITES

THE HOME PAGE --- http://www.iowaacrl.org/
THE DIRECTORY --- http://www.iowaacrl.org/97/diram.html
THE NEWSLETTERS --- http://www.iowaacrl.org/iacrldir/News.html
ILA/ACRL LISTSERV

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FURTHER QUESTIONS? Send e-mail to: mary-mcinroy@uiowa.edu



THE EDITORS

Editorial comment should be directed to: Linda L. Scarth, Busse Center Library, Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-4794, phone 319-363-8213 x1246, e-mail lscarth@mmc.mtmercy.edu

The Newsletter is produced by the ILA/ACRL Communication Committee:

Ann Ford (University of Iowa)
Kristin Gerhard (Iowa State University)
Sandra Keist (Grand View College)
Jim Knutson (William Penn College)
Joan Leysen (Iowa State University)
Marilyn Metzger (American Institute of Commerce)
Linda Scarth, Chair 1998 (Mount Mercy College)
John Wynstra (University of Northern Iowa)

Full addresses for Committee members may be found in the 1998 Iowa Academic and Research Libraries Directory.

The print edition of this newsletter is a replica of the web edition.