Popular ACRL brochures available online
Contact: Stephanie Orphan
312-280-2511
ALA News Release
For Immediate Release
June 2001
Popular ACRL brochures available online
A strong desire among academic librarians to promote their libraries and profession has created a high demand for two new promotional materials from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The two brochures, specifically developed with today's college students in mind, encourage students to keep libraries in their thoughts throughout their academic career.
Developed by a team of ACRL members,
A Student's Guide to Evaluating Libraries in Colleges and Universities is designed to help prospective students critically examine the campus library as they select a university or college to attend. Some ACRL members also have used it as a tool when working with administrators.
"Although geared toward students, its points can be effectively used by libraries and their administrators when evaluating facilities and services, and as base criteria as we begin to develop assessment methods," Danville Area Community College Director Sally Duchow said. "Colleges will be able to use the brochure in marketing, as they point out how well their institution's library meets the criteria."
The second brochure,
A Great Career, was developed by a task force, headed by Texas Wesleyan University Library Director Cindy Swigger to create a tool that library directors can use in recommending a career in academic librarianship to students enrolled on their campuses and particularly those working in their libraries.
"I received the ACRL brochure on recruitment for academic librarians, and I must say this is an excellent idea, as the profession has taken a real hit in maintaining numbers in recent years," Norwalk Community College Director Don Gilstrap said. "I'm having my staff print several copies to give to students."
Past ACRL President Larry Hardesty points to Earlham College's success in recruiting new academic libraries. "Earlham College is the alma mater of many academic librarians - far out of proportion to its size. This is because Evan Farber, College Librarian Emeritus at Earlham College and a member of the Task Force on Recruiting, took the time each year, as the college librarian, to meet with the library student workers," Hardesty said. "He discussed the opportunities of the profession and shared with them descriptions of available positions. Few of the students had even considered or knew about the profession until Evan spoke with them. Many of us can also look back to other librarians who took a similar interest in acquainting us with the possibilities of academic librarianship."
Both brochures are available from the ACRL office at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 2515.
ACRL is a division of the American Library Association.