ACRL Committees

ACRL has more than 30 standing committees created by the Board of Directors, each with specific functions, goals, and interests. Chapter three of the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures contains information on ACRL committee structure, the establishment of new committees, committee appointments, and more.

If you're interested in volunteering for a divisional committee, please complete the online committee volunteer form (note that the annual deadline for volunteering to serve on committees is early December).

Below is a list of current ACRL committees. For complete rosters of the committees, go to the Directory of Leadership. (Note: Rosters in the Directory of Leadership are accessible to ACRL and ALA  members only.) 

AASL/ACRL Interdivisional Committee on Information Literacy
(a component committee of the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee)

Charge: The joint AASL/ACRL Joint Committee on Information Literacy will focus on how to prepare K-20 students to be information literate and will provide a channel of communication to the respective divisions. In general, this joint committee will be a forum for sharing ideas on information literacy in K-20 environments and a source of professional development opportunities in this area.

Roster (members only)

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Academic or Research Librarian of the Year Award

Charge: To recognize an individual member of the library profession who is making an outstanding national or international contribution to academic or research librarianship and library development.

Roster (members only)

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ACRL/LLAMA Interdivisional Committee on Building Resources

Charge: To continuously update the "Guide For Planning Higher Education Library Spaces" resource guide for planning library buildings and learning spaces, using existing resources such as those available from ACRL, ARL, LLAMA, EDUCAUSE, and other organizations as appropriate. To suggest additional tools as appropriate that might help those planning library and learning spaces.  To scan related professional organizations annually to determine and implement the most effective and appropriate places and methods for promotion of the guide. If resources are needed requests must be made to the ACRL and LLAMA Boards.

Roster (members only)

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Advocacy

Charge: The ACRL Advocacy Committee supports and guides ACRL non-governmental advocacy efforts through such activities as developing resources and training materials for ACRL members with particular emphasis on  grassroots advocacy; working closely with the Office for Library Advocacy and the ALA Committee on Library Advocacy to coordinate and collaborate on advocacy efforts and ensure that academic libraries are well represented in these efforts; supporting new advocacy initiatives developed by the ACRL Board; working closely with other ACRL committees as appropriate; and cultivating member engagement in order to sustain and enhance the advocacy efforts of the association.

Roster (members only)

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Annual Conference Programs Committee (a component committee of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee)

Charge:  Review and select ACRL Annual Conference program proposals, review and approve ACRL Annual Conference program funding requests.

Roster (members only)

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Appointments Committee

Charge: To recommend to the president-elect appointments to ACRL divisional committees for the year of his or her term of office.

Roster (members only)

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Assessment Committee

Charge: The Assessment Committee is responsible for encouraging the use of assessment techniques and the development of a culture of assessment to assure effective academic library programs, services, and collections; and identifying and disseminating relevant assessment resources to the ACRL membership via the ACRL website, ALA Connect, ACRL publications, ACRL professional development programs, and other relevant venues.

Roster (members only)

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Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award Committee

Charge: To honor the life and accomplishments of Hugh C. Atkinson, and to recognize outstanding accomplishments of an academic librarian who has worked in the areas of library automation or library management and has made contributions (including risk-taking) toward the improvement of library services or to library development or research.

Roster (members only)

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Budget & Finance Committee

Charge: To submit annually a recommended budget for the ACRL division (including division publications, the Choice budget, and the allocation of Long Term Investment fund income) to the ACRL Board of Directors for action. To assist the Board in aligning the budget with the strategic plan. To review contributions to ACRL, including contributions to the Friends of ACRL, and recommend to the ACRL Board of Directors the allocation of these contributions to suitable ACRL projects and programs. To advise the ACRL Board of Directors on questions regarding all fiscal matters of the division or its publications, including dues levels and fundraising, especially as they relate to the strategic plan. To represent ACRL at all meetings of the ALA Planning and Budget Assembly and the joint BARC/Division meetings.

Roster (members only)

Friends Fund Subcommittee

Charge: To raise funds in support of ACRL initiatives that are not otherwise funded by ACRL operating funds. It accomplishes his goal by: 1. Working with the Budget and Finance Committee to ascertain and articulate the ACRL Board's annual fundraising goals and objectives. 2. Seeking out, developing, and nurturing relationships with individuals, with a particular emphasis on ACRL membership. 3. Developing and managing mechanisms for Friends donor recognition and acknowledgement. 4. Communicating its fundraising progress to the Colleagues Committee and the ACRL Budget and Finance Committee and the ACRL Executive Director.

Roster (members only)

Friends Fund Disbursement Subcommittee

Charge: To review requests for funding from Friends donations and recommend to the ACRL Budget & Finance Committee which requests should be funded. Funding decisions will be based on the goals and objectives set by the Board and ACRL's Strategic Plan.

Roster(members only)

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Colleagues Committee

Charge: To raise funds in support of the ACRL National Conference. It accomplishes this goal by: 1. Seeking out, developing, and nurturing relationships and sponsorship opportunities with private sector companies, corporations, agencies, organizations, and groups interested in supporting ACRL's mission and mission-related activities. 2. Conducting stewardship activities that involve Colleagues in ACRL's programs and projects. 3. Communicating the results of its fundraising efforts with the Friends Fund subcommittee, the Budget and Finance Committee, the ACRL Executive Director, and the ALA Development Office.

Roster (members only)

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Conference Program Planning Committee
(a component committee of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee)

Charge: To plan for the ACRL Conference Program for the year in which the chair is ACRL President; to review and advise on section committee and discussion group conference program proposals; and to make recommendations to the ACRL Board concerning requests for funding and meeting space for conference programs.

Roster (members only)

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Copyright Committee

Charge: To elicit the concerns of ACRL members on copyright and gather information about copyright issues that impinge upon academic libraries; to bring before the ACRL Board issues and problems that may require legal action or interpretation on the part of ACRL; to represent ACRL when necessary in forums about copyright; to work with and appoint liaisons to ACRL Legislation Committee, ALA's Copyright Subcommittee, and, when appropriate, other library or education copyright organizations. The Committee will make formal recommendations to the Government Relations Committee, prior to Midwinter, for the ACRL Legislative Agenda.

Roster (members only)
Visit the Copyright Committee's Web site

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Council of Liaisons

Charge: The Council of Liaisons will carry out a program of in-depth liaison activities with targeted professional associations. Liaisons are to help organizations understand the value-added asset libraries can bring to their respective missions and goals. Further, liaisons bring information and higher education issues of other associations to the attention of the ACRL Board and membership; develop strategies on issues of significant importance to the profession and implement them among the named liaison organizations; and annually advise the Board on desired changes in the target association list or needed changes in the direction of the program.

Roster (members only)
Visit the Council of Liaison's Web site

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Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Committee

Charge: To select a doctoral student in the field of academic librarianship whose research indicates originality, creativity and interest in scholarship. The purpose of the fellowship is to foster research by encouraging and assisting doctoral students with dissertation research.

Roster (members only)

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(Committee on) Ethics

Charge: To increase awareness of professional ethics in academic librarianship to enhance awareness of the ethical context of service in an academic library; to educate academic librarians on how to address ethical issues effectively; to articulate core ethical principles that define the interpretation of ethical issues in the workplace; to clarify professional issues relating to ethics in a way that reflects many perspectives; to promote awareness of academic librarianship ethics on the part of the communities served; to advise the ACRL Board of Directors on issues relating to professional ethics; through its work, to improve the quality of academic library service and of the atmosphere in which it takes place. The Committee will stay aligned with ACRL's Intellectual Freedom Committee and serve as ACRL's link to the ALA Committee on Professional Ethics.

Roster (members only)

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Excellence in Academic Libraries Award (Nominations)

Charge: To publicize the award through various means including specific solicitation from individual libraries and ACRL leaders; upon request interpret submission and eligibility criteria; generate and collect nominations by ensuring completeness of documents; and submit nomination packets to the ACRL office by December 5th for duplication and dissemination to the award selection committee. The chair will provide a report to the Board annually indicating the number of applicants and nominees. The Nominations committee will meet at ALA Annual Conference, conduct its work in the fall of the year and present a slate of nominated libraries to the Selection Committee prior to Midwinter Conference (December 5th).

Roster (members only)

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Excellence in Academic Libraries Award (Selection)

Charge: Review and evaluate documentation presented by the nominations subcommittee and rank and select outstanding academic libraries that have excelled in furthering the educational missions of their institutions.

Roster (members only)

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Government Relations Committee

Charge: In consultation with the ACRL Board and staff, to take a direct and active role in formulating an ACRL Legislative Agenda seeking formal input from the Scholarly Communications Committee, the Copyright Committee, and other committees and ACRL leaders as appropriate. The Legislative Agenda will be prioritized and include objectives for legislative action at the national level on issues that may affect the welfare of academic and research libraries. The Committee will recommend an ACRL legislative agenda to the Board before the Spring Board meeting; to keep the ACRL Board up to date on the activities and discussions of the ALA Committee on Legislation; to assist the ACRL Board in efforts to incorporate the ACRL legislative agenda into the ALA legislative agenda; to play a liaison role with the Chapters Council in developing mechanisms for stimulating grassroots action on behalf of the ACRL legislative agenda. The Committee will monitor the Legislative Advocacy Plan and make suggestions for improvement as needed. In addition, the Committee will support the ACRL Government Relations Specialist to ensure success of that position. Members of the GRC may be asked to write position papers expanding on Legislative Agenda items. The Chair of the ACRL Government Relations Committee will serve as the liaison to the ALA Committee on Legislation and is expected to take a leadership role in recruiting librarians to the ACRL Legislative Network (legnet), plan the ALA National Library Legislative Day events that ACRL offers, and attend the ALA National Library Legislative Day.

Roster (members only)
ACRL Legislative Agenda

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Immersion Program Committee

(a component committee of the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee)

Charge: Acts as an oversight council for the Immersion Program, works with ACRL staff to develop marketing and application materials, and reviews applications for the four Immersion tracks.

Roster (members only)

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Information Literacy Coordinating Committee

Charge: To monitor developments in the field of information literacy and work with interested parties to develop appropriate activities within the Institute for Information Literacy or the ACRL Instruction Section. The committee is advisory to the Institute for Information Literacy, Instruction Section, AASL/ACRL Interdivisional Committee on Information Literacy, and ACRL Board of Directors.

Roster (members only)
Visit the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee's Web Site

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Information Literacy Standards Committee

(a component committee of the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee)

Charge: Oversees the development of discipline-specific information literacy standards, including soliciting and selecting Information Literacy Consultants, providing guidance for groups developing standards, reviewing drafts, and updating documentation related to the process. This committee is responsible for the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education document, which includes proposing a process to the ACRL Board for how that document should be revised.

Roster (members only)

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Information Literacy Web Site Committee

(a component committee of the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee)

Charge: Administers the ACRL Information Literacy Web site, appoints the Editor and creates opportunities for ACRL sections, members and other ALA partners to participate in further developing an extensive collection of information literacy resources and initiatives.  The committee guides the development of the Web site as an international information literacy resource, recommending policies and procedures as needed; monitoring and responding to trends in information literacy, recommending enhancements to the Web site, and collecting relevant data for assessment. 

Roster (members only)

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Intellectual Freedom Committee

Charge: To serve as liaison between ACRL and the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and all other groups within the association concerned with intellectual freedom; to advise ACRL on matters relating to intellectual freedom, including matters pertaining to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the ALA Library Bill of Rights and their implication for academic library collections, services, and programs, and to make recommendations for action to the ACRL Board as appropriate; to prepare and gather materials which will advise the academic librarian of available services and support both in formulating policies of intellectual freedom and for resisting any pressure or action designed to impair the rights of users.

Roster (members only)
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries

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International Relations Committee

Charge: To encourage international cooperation and understanding among academic librarians and educators worldwide; to lead and coordinate the international relations activities of the ACRL and to improve communications regarding these activities; to advise the ACRL Board on international issues related to academic libraries; to cooperate with ALA/IRC and other divisional IRCs; to coordinate ACRL section nominations to IFLA section standing committees and recommend the nominations to the ACRL Board for approval; to make recommendations for knowledgeable and qualified individuals to serve as representatives of the ACRL Division to attend other international associations or meetings as requested; to engage in outreach activities with counterpart groups of librarians and educators abroad; and to carry out international academic library activities recommended by the ALA/IRC and the ACRL Board.

Roster (members only)

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(Dr. E. J.) Josey Spectrum Scholar Mentor Committee

Charge: To administer the ACRL Dr. E.J. Josey Spectrum Scholar Mentor Program whereby academic and research librarians would be recruited to serve as mentors to Spectrum Scholars; linking mentors with specific scholars; preparing guidelines and an information program to assist mentors in working with scholars; and sponsoring and co-sponsoring programs on mentoring and collecting feedback on the programs.

Roster (members only)

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(Samuel) Lazerow Fellowship Award Committee

Charge: To foster advances in collections or technical services by providing a fellowship for research, travel, or writing to a librarian currently working in acquisitions or technical service sin an academic or research library.

Roster (members only)

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Leadership Recruitment and Nomination Committee

Charge: Identify and assess a diverse pool of potential candidates, and select nominees for ACRL Vice- President/President-Elect, ACRL representative on the ALA Council (as necessary), and Directors-at-Large (as necessary). Report to the Board of Directors annually on composition of the candidate pool.

Roster (members only)

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Marketing Academic And Research Libraries Committee

Charge: To address the marketing and promotion of academic and research libraries.Responsibilities for the committee may include the following assignments. 1. Solicit ideas/updates for the Academic and Research Libraries Campaign Toolkit and serve as the editorial board for the toolkit. 2. Update the ACRL @your library website 3. Provide ongoing training opportunities through workshops, preconferences, and program-possible Preconference at ACRL National Conferences and ALA Midwinter Meetings and Annual Conferences. 4. Maintain a pool of trainers who will be available to assist librarians in developing local marketing plans 5. Establish liaison with other appropriate committees throughout ALA, including the ALA Public Awareness Advisory Committee and possibly in related library and higher education organizations such as ARL, ACE, etc. 6. Monitor ACADEMICPR electronic discussion list for marketing/promotion ideas that should be given a wider audience. 7. Conclude an evaluation of committee activities after 4 years.

Roster (members only)

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Membership Advisory Committee

Charge:  To serve in an advisory capacity to ACRL staff on matters relating to association recruitment and retention objectives detailed in the strategic plan; to provide input to the ACRL staff or ACRL Board on membership issues as appropriate.

Roster (members only)

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Midwinter Workshops and Annual Preconferences Committee (a component committee of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee)

Charge:  Review and select ACRL Annual Conference program proposals, review and approve ACRL Annual Conference program funding requests.

Roster (members only)

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National Conference Coordinating Committee

Charge: Take responsibility for the content of the national conference by overseeing the planning of the program and social activities; generate enthusiasm for the conference; promote the national conference and work at keeping the conference uppermost in the minds of ACRL members and leaders.

Roster (members only)
Visit the National Conference Website

Note: Charges and rosters for National Conference component committees are available in ACRL’s Directory of Leadership.

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President’s Program Planning Committee
(a component committee of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee)

Charge: To assist in the planning of the ACRL President's Program and to handle all local arrangements.

Roster (2009)  (members only) 

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Professional Development Committee

(a component committee of the Information Literacy Coordinating Committee)

Charge: Works with ACRL on all IL-related professional development offerings; manages the peer consultants’ database; collaborates with ACRL chapters to develop regional programming opportunities.  This committee coordinates its activities with, and may collaborate with, the Immersion Program Committee.

Roster (members only)

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Professional Development Coordinating Committee

Charge: To be responsible for coordinating a broadly defined range of professional development efforts throughout ACRL and to organize these efforts into a coherent and effectively implemented set of programs and initiatives that more closely align to the strategic plan. To regularly scan the association and the profession for new initiatives that support the association's strategic professional development objectives. To enable communication with the Board of Directors on professional development strategies and issues at all levels of ACRL and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the most effective and efficient committee structure to achieve these ends. To raise awareness of, and to promote lifelong learning as the cornerstone of professionalism. To study and review the educational needs of the association. To identify, assess, and recommend programs that enrich and enhance the professional skills of ACRL members enabling them to turn development activities into improved service. To publicize best practices in professional development.  To manage the scholarship application and selection process for the ACRL/Harvard Leadership Institute. To manage the solicitation, application, selection and funding process for annual conference programs.

The Conference Program Planning and President's Program Planning Committees are component committees of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee.

Roster (members only)
ACRL Statement on Professional Development

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Publications Coordinating Committee

Charge: To oversee and coordinate the ACRL publishing and information dissemination activities in all formats; to consider suggestions for publications, and to advise as to means and format of publishing; to maintain publishing standards; to review the work of the various publications and their boards; and to stimulate and encourage research and writing which might lead to publication under ACRL auspices. Core Responsibilities:

• Recommends to the ACRL Board the appointment of editors of ACRL journals and series for which there are no paid staff.
• Monitors the performance of all ACRL publications on a regular basis.
• Approves the appointment of editorial board members on the recommendation of their editors.
• Advises the ACRL Board and Budget and Finance Committee on matters relating to the ACRL publications.

The C&RL, C&RL News, CHOICE, CLIP Notes, Publications in Librarianship, RBM, and Resources for College Libraries Editorial Boards and the ACRLog and New Publications Advisory Boards are component committees of the Publications Coordinating Committee.

Roster (members only)

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Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee

Charge: To initiate, advise and mobilize support for appropriate action related to issues of racial and ethnic diversity in academic librarianship including recruitment, advancement and retention of underrepresented groups to academic librarianship and the promotion of quality academic library and information services for members of racial and ethnic groups.

Roster (members only)
Visit the Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee's Web Site

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 Research Coordinating Committee

Charge: The Research Coordinating Committee is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the work of its component committees (Research Planning and Review Committee and Research Program Committee) to address a broad range of research initiatives and programs in ACRL, which support the profession and to ensure that these efforts align with the ACRL strategic plan.

Roster (members only)

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 Research Planning and Review Committee
(a component committee of the Research Coordinating Committee)

Charge: The Research Planning and Review committee is responsible for creating and updating a continuous and dynamic environmental scan for the association that encompasses trends in academic librarianship, higher education, and the broader environment, e.g., economic, demographic, political; providing an annual environmental scan “snapshot” to the ACRL Board of Directors for its fall planning meeting and preparing a more formal ACRL environmental scan document every two years for release at the National Conference; and identifying the ACRL “Top 10 Trends” for release every two years in non-National Conference years.

Roster (members only)

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 Research Program Committee
(a component committee of the Research Coordinating Committee)

Charge: The Research Program Committee is responsible for developing informational and instructional materials, programs and services that support the development and enhancement of research knowledge and skills among the ACRL membership; coordinating the offering of these products, as relevant, with the Publications Coordinating Committee, Professional Development Coordinating Committee, National Conference Program Planning Committee, and ACRL staff; promoting the importance of research in the library and information science profession.

Roster (members only)

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Scholarly Communication Committee

Charge: To formulate and advance ACRL’s scholarly communications agenda, which is designed to help reshape the system of scholarly communication in partnership with other library and higher education organizations; to address educational programming, advocacy, coalition-building, and research in scholarly communication; to work with the ACRL Board, other ACRL units, and ACRL staff to accomplish the objectives of the agenda; and to inform and advise the ACRL Board on issues related to scholarly communication. The Committee will make formal recommendations to the Government Relations Committee, prior to Midwinter, for the ACRL Legislative Agenda.

Roster (members only)
Scholarly Communication information on the ACRL Web site

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Scholarships Committee (a compenent committee of the Professional Development Coordinating Committee)

Charge: Develop scholarship application materials and criteria.  Review and select scholarship recipients for division level events, e.g., ACRL/Harvard scholarship and ACRL e-learning scholarships

Roster (members only)

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Standards & Accreditation Committee

Charge: This is an umbrella committee to which the ACRL Board of Directors has delegated the responsibility for the development of standards and guidelines adopted and promoted by the Association, and for establishing and maintaining appropriate liaisons with accrediting agencies and other organizations that monitor and evaluate the performance of academic libraries. The authority to adopt, revise, or rescind standards and guidelines documents resides with the ACRL Board of Directors.

Tasks:
• Monitors existing ACRL standards and guidelines and recommends revision or recession when appropriate to the ACRL Board.
• Recommends new standards or guidelines as needed.
• Assist units of ACRL in developing standards and guidelines.
• Maintains a manual of policies and procedures related to the development of standards within ACRL.
• Recommends to the ACRL Board the acceptability of proposed standards, guidelines, and related documents.
• Guides and monitors the solicitation of member comment on ACRL standards and guidelines through email distribution lists (listservs) before they are recommended to the ACRL Board.
• Holds or delegates the holding of open hearings on ACRL standards when this option for gather member comments is employed.
• Develops and implements plans to improve the quality of academic libraries through the publicizing and implementation of ACRL standards and guidelines.
• Works with organizations and accrediting bodies to strengthen and sustain the quality and significance of academic libraries.

Roster (members only)
Complete list of ACRL Standards & Guidelines
Sources of Information on Performance and Outcome Assessment

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(Committee on the) Status of Academic Librarians

Charge: To recommend appropriate policy and/or action on matters in academic libraries insofar as such matters affect the status of academic librarians; to be informed on all aspects of the status of academic librarians; to develop standards, guidelines, procedures and programs for the attainment and protection of appropriate status.

Roster (members only)

 

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Virtual Institutes Committee
(a component committee of the Professional Development Committee)

Charge: Create, implement, and evaluate ACRL virtual institutes (typically held in non-national conference years).  Develop theme(s), identify co-sponsor(s), draft call for participation and selection criteria.

Roster (members only)