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The Higher Education Association for Librarians: Branding ACRL

June 19th, 2013 by Steven J. Bell in About ACRL

Despite assumptions that branding is of little use to non-profit organizations, and of even less value for member associations, experts on the strategic management of these organizations recommend an occasional review to determine if a brand requires refreshing.

As academic librarians we know that branding plays an important role in helping our institutions to differentiate themselves in a crowded field, and to shape how potential and current students, parents, employees, alumni and external stakeholders identify the organization. Put simply, when individuals are asked to share what any business, college or association means to them their gut reaction and instinct in formulating a description is the essence of the brand. Strategic organizations are focused on developing a brand that effectively influences that description.

As a strategic association, ACRL determined that it would be wise to engage in a review of its brand. Our brand is just one piece of a broader marketing effort, but it encompasses the color choices, logos, taglines and designs that give our website and publications their unique look and feel. The brand is also captured in our messages to the members and the library and higher education community. At its 2012 strategic planning retreat (SPOS), the ACRL Board of Directors engaged in a day-long branding workshop.

As part of this exercise we reviewed responses from a branding activity conducted with our Communities of Practice where participants shared the words they believed best identified what ACRL is and does. There were discussions about favorite and least liked brands. Time was spent reviewing the existing publications and the messages delivered on them. The brands of organizations competing in the same space as ACRL were reviewed. Board members divided into groups and worked to generate ideas for new branding possibilities.

What emerged from that daylong workshop is a new brand that is being integrated into ACRL publications, webpages and messages. Our ACRL brand is more than just taglines or clever phrasing. It is a message that communicates a promise to our members that we will deliver on our brand. Our Board of Directors is committed to creating an association that lives up to this promise by acting in the best interest of our members in providing them with continuously improving value. Here are the four statements that constitute our brand promise:

ACRL is the higher education association for librarians.

ACRL members learn, grow, innovate, lead, and succeed as individuals and as part of the academic library community.

ACRL builds members capacity to contribute to the greater good and enhances professional pride and purpose.

ACRL connects members to a global community committed to transforming academia.

As part of the refreshing of our brand we also developed a new tagline for ACRL:

Advancing Learning, Transforming Scholarship.

This tagline, in as concise and powerful a way as possible, communicates the essence of our Plan for Excellence. I invite you to view the promotional video created for ACRL 2015 in Portland. Our ACRL staff has once again “hit it out of the park” with this catchy, visually dynamic teaser that will have you waiting anxiously for our next Conference. Watch for the brand messages smartly embedded in the video for a taste of how ACRL puts this new brand at the core of our communications.

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ACRL Seeks Visiting Program Officer to Support Revised Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

June 18th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in About ACRL, Information Literacy, Standards and Guidelines

Are you seeking a meaningful opportunity to make a contribution to the profession and higher education? As ACRL President Steven Bell indicated in his recent post, an ACRL task force (the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education Task Force) is in the process of extensively revising the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, which were adopted in 2000. Because these Standards are cited thousands of times, within the profession and in higher education more broadly, the effect of these revisions will be significant.

We are seeking an individual to create a comprehensive and detailed external communications plan which ACRL will implement once the revised Standards are adopted next summer. This plan would include items such as communication outside the library profession, outreach to higher education associations and accreditors, awareness/education opportunities for non-librarians, and comparing and contrasting the key underpinnings of the 2000 Standards with the revised 2014 materials. As part of the work, this person would draft ancillary materials such as letters to other associations, abstracts for presentation proposals, template presentations, and newsletter articles. We invite applications from individuals who can begin work starting in September 2013, in parallel to the revision process, so we are ready to implement the plan once the new standards are adopted (expected June 2014).

This “uber” volunteer could be an academic librarian on sabbatical, a practitioner with release time, or an experienced and motivated student undertaking the project as part of a practicum or independent study. The person selected for this role will serve ex officio on the task force to better understand what is influencing the shape of the revised standards, the sources of inspiration the task force is drawing upon, and the organizations ACRL seeks to influence upon their release.

Most of the work involved will take place virtually; however, the selected applicant must be able to attend an in person meeting of the task force at the ALA Midwinter Meeting 2014 at his/her own expense. We expect the selected visiting program officer will work on this project no more than 5 hours per week, on average, from September 1, 2013-June 30, 2014, with the possibility of extension as the plan develops.

Qualifications

  • Knowledge of the higher education environment and organizations.
  • Project management skills.
  • Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
  • Understanding of information literacy issues.
  • Familiarity with the current Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.
  • Awareness of other ACRL standards and guidelines.

Apply
To apply, please prepare the following materials. Applications must be submitted electronically as a single PDF document that includes:

  1. A letter addressing the following questions (two pages maximum).
    • Why do you want to help support ACRL’s forthcoming revised Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education?
    • What actions would you undertake to fulfill this role? How would you identify higher education stakeholders and determine the best way to reach each one? Please list examples of specific tasks you would undertake as part of your proposed work plan.
    • Briefly describe your project management experience.
    • Are there relevant experiences or qualifications of which you would like us to be aware?
  2. Your resume.
  3. The names and contact information for two references who have direct knowledge of your qualifications for this role.

The single PDF application must submitted via email by 10 a.m. Central on Monday, July 15, 2013, to ACRL Program Coordinator Allison Payne at apayne@ala.org. If you have questions about the position, please contact ACRL Senior Strategist for Special Initiatives Kara Malenfant at 800-545-2433, ext 2510.

ACRL has formed a small review team, which includes member leaders and staff, to consider applications. The process includes checking references and a telephone interview. The group will make selections and notify all applicants of their status by August 15, 2013.

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Member of the Week: Jessica Clemons

June 17th, 2013 by Mary Jane Petrowski in Member of the Week

Jessica ClemonsJessica Clemons is Instruction and Reference Librarian at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry F. Franklin Moon Library in Syracuse New York. Jessica has been an ACRL member since 2009, is a 2013 ALA Emerging Leader, and your ACRL member of the week for June 17, 2013.

1. Describe yourself in three words:  Motivated, Balanced, Experimentalist.

2. What are you reading right now (or listening to on your mobile device)? I just finished reading A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Now I picked up Learning to Think Spatially. What I really need to do is start reading through my professional development journals which are piling up on my desk.

3. Describe ACRL in three words:  Advocate, Networking, Learning.

4. What do you value about ACRL? ACRL is the epitome of an academic librarianship organization. It attempts to support academic librarians as we forge ahead together into the relatively unknown future. I particularly value the publications since if helps me notice the other great work my fellow academic librarians are involved in.

5. What do you, as an academic librarian, contribute to your campus? I love my job working and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. We have a very small staff here so I get to participate in a wide range of projects. Primarily I teach credit bearing classes, one-shots, manage our social media outlets, and help faculty  and graduate students find grants.

6. In your own words: I remember a few years ago when I was searching for my first library job, I was really worried about the future of the academic librarian. Now more than ever I believe librarians are essential, although our job descriptions are changing and adapting to the needs of future scholars. Librarians need to be creative and adaptable while still holding true to the traditional library services. This can be very challenging but I enjoy having so many different opportunities.

Editor’s Note: Are you an ACRL member? Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Contact Mary Jane Petrowski at mpetrowski@ala.org for more information.

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ACRL Circle of Friends: Steven J. Bell

June 12th, 2013 by Mary Jane Petrowski in Circle of Friends

Steven J. BellThe ACRL Circle of Friends acknowledges the sustained generosity of those who have been Friends of ACRL for five or more years. The Friends of ACRL was created to provide a means for the association to take bold steps above and beyond its traditional member programs and services. Rapidly changing demographic, economic, and technological trends are presenting academic libraries and librarians with new challenges and competition that demand immediate solutions. The Friends of ACRL have responded to these new challenges and provided additional support that will enhance and ensure the relevance of our profession. To join or learn more about the Friends of ACRL, please visit the ACRL website.

This month we profile ACRL Circle of Friends member Steven J. Bell. Steven is Associate University Librarian for Research and Instructional Services at Temple University in Philadelphia, 2012-13 ACRL President, and has been a Friend of ACRL since 2000.

1. Describe yourself in three words:  I was the ACRL Member of the Week on May 25, 2008. Back then my three words were “Blended. Passionate. Learner.”  I think those three still work pretty well for me. I’d change it up slightly to reflect what I’m doing more of these days: Learner. Speaker. Writer.

2. Why do you support the Friends of ACRL? Because I care about the future of ACRL. I’ve been engaged as a member-leader for a long time. Now, as I start thinking about the end of my career, I want to make a difference by helping to ensure that ACRL has the resources to develop our next generation of engaged member-leaders. I am a Friend because I want those coming after me to enjoy the benefits of ACRL just as I have – well – hopefully even better. ACRL has a great future and by supporting the Fund I help make that possible.

3. What might someone be surprised to know about you?  I’m a grandfather. My granddaughter, Ava-Elizabeth is 2 years old. She calls me Zayda.

4. Since you’ve become a member of ACRL, tell us about someone who influenced you in some way? Quite a few folks but Larry Hardesty has always had a big influence on me. I regard him as the total package. Great ideas. Great research. Gets things done. Makes a difference. Enduring contributions. Always humble. Sticky messages. Always willing to listen. Kind to others. No drama. I think where he influenced me most is in understanding that academic librarianship is about more than libraries; it is about higher education. He was one of the best ACRL presidents and I can only hope that when my time as president is over I’ll have done even half a good a job at it as Larry did.

5. What do you hope ACRL will achieve in the near future (or the long term)? Being recognized as THE higher education association for librarians

6. In your opinion, what is the most important work that ACRL does? It’s something I refer to as “initiative-centric development.” Where I see ACRL doing the most good and bringing consistent value to its members is developing initiatives for application at the local level. What ACRL does for its members is create high-level initiatives they can then adapt to their institutions. The effort required to develop these initiatives is beyond the resources of individual members. But as a collective force, guided by ACRL, we can accomplish something powerful that benefits all academic librarians. That’s the essence of a member association. Our initiative-centricity is directly connected to the Plan for Excellence. Take student learning.  ACRL’s Immersion Institutes give academic librarians who attend the power to be better educators as they use the tools and techniques learned at Immersion to implement local information literacy initiatives.

In the scholarly communications domain ACRL sponsors the Scholarly Communications Roadshow that enables academic librarians across the country to build the skills needed to engage their community members in reforming scholarly communications. Perhaps our most ambitious initiative-centric project to date is the Value of Academic Libraries. With the new Assessment in Action program taking off an entirely new way of empowering members to demonstrate the library’s value on the local level is being made possible. I am looking forward to the launch of ACRL’s next initiative. I’m not sure what it is yet but I know it will be great.

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Mark Cummings Named CHOICE Editor and Publisher

June 11th, 2013 by David Free in About ACRL, Choice

Mark CummingsMark Cummings has been named editor and publisher of CHOICE Magazine, the premier source for reviews of academic books, electronic media and internet resources in higher education. CHOICE, a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), is headquartered in Middletown, Conn. Cummings will serve as CHOICE editor and publisher designate beginning June 17, 2013, and assume the position full time effective July 7, 2013, upon the retirement of Irving E. Rockwood, who served CHOICE in this position for 17 years.

“I am delighted to have Mark join the ACRL/CHOICE team,” said ACRL Executive Director Mary Ellen K. Davis. “His distinguished career in educational and library publishing will serve ACRL/CHOICE well as we continue to meet the needs of the higher education community in a rapidly changing environment.”

Cummings has worked in academic and educational publishing for almost thirty years, beginning his career in the reference and professional books division at Macmillan and continuing at Scribner’s and Oxford University Press. In the early 1990s, he joined Grolier Publishing Company as editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Americana and went on to become vice president and publisher of Grolier’s reference division. Over the course of his 10 years in that position, Cummings built an online business that reached millions of students in the United States and overseas.  Since 2000 he has concentrated on educational technology, first at Scholastic and then at Weekly Reader, where, as vice president for business development, focusing on creating new reference and literacy products for the school and library market. Cummings holds a B.A. from Michigan State University along with M.A. and M.Phil. degrees from Yale University in East Asia–related fields.

The CHOICE editor and publisher provides ongoing strategic direction for the editorial, marketing, advertising and production of a suite of print and digital products. The position directs the development and implementation of a long-term business strategy to maintain CHOICE’s competitive position in the higher education marketplace and ensure ongoing fiscal sustainability.

Many thanks to the search committee and staff panel who assisted with the search: Trevor A. Dawes, ACRL vice-president/ president-elect; Kim Leeder, chair, ACRL Publications Coordinating Committee;  Keith Stetson, chair, CHOICE Editorial Board; Don Chatham, AED, ALA Publishing; Mary Mackay, director, ALA Marketing; Cynthia Vivian,  director, ALA Human Resources; Fran Graf, CHOICE editorial director; Lisa Gross, CHOICE production manager; Tom Radko, CHOICE operations manager; Rita Balasco, CHOICE customer service; Evelyn Elam, CHOICE library technical assistant; Pam Marino, CHOICE advertising sales; and Mary Jane Petrowski, ACRL associate director.

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Still time to register for ACRL Standards preconference

June 11th, 2013 by Margot Conahan in Conferences, Events, Standards and Guidelines

Registration is still available for the ACRL preconference, Planning, Assessing, and Communicating Library Impact: Putting the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education into Action.  The full-day preconference will be offered on Friday, June 28, prior to the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Libraries in higher education are increasingly required to demonstrate their value and document their contributions to overall institutional effectiveness.  The Standards for Libraries in Higher Education is a framework for library planning and assessment that can be used for a variety of circumstances including annual planning, program review, and accreditation self-study. Through presentation, discussion, and group activities, learn how to use the Standards to communicate your library’s impact!

Learning Outcomes:

  • Be able to establish the library and institutional contexts to effectively engage in planning, self-study, accreditation, or program review processes.
  • Use the ACRL Standards for Libraries in Higher Education and other foundational documents as a framework to develop benchmarks, evaluate quality and performance, and demonstrate value to the institutional mission.
  • Evaluate various metrics and assessment tools to select the best approach for a given situation.
  • Examine the role of leadership in building a culture of evidence to engage all librarians and staff members in effective decision-making.

Complete details, including the full description and registration materials, are online.  Contact Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org or call 312-280-2522 with questions.

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Ask Your Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor FASTR Act

June 10th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in Advocacy, Scholarly Communication

On February 14, 2013, the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research (FASTR) Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Wyden (D-OR) and in the House by Representatives Doyle (D-PA) and Yoder (R-KS).

Previously known as the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA), this is a bill that will accelerate scientific discovery and fuel innovation by making articles reporting on publicly funded scientific research freely accessible online for anyone to read and build upon. ACRL has long supported legislation that would provide public access to federally funded research, and it is one of the organization’s top legislative priorities.

There are now two “Dear Colleague” letters circulating the House and Senate in support of FASTR. Please ask your members of Congress to sign on to these letters. Learn more about FASTR in the ALA Washington Office legislative action center and issue brief. Find a handy template letter you can customize when you search by your zip code at the Alliance for Taxpayer Access action center.

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Member of the Week: Shaun Akhtar

June 10th, 2013 by Mary Jane Petrowski in Member of the Week

Shaun AkhtarShaun Akhtar is the 2012-13 Edward Connery Lathem ’51 Digital Library Intern at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Shaun has been an ACRL member since 2012 and is your ACRL member of the week for June 10, 2013.

1. Describe yourself in three words:  Collaborative, analytical, supportive.

2. What are you reading right now (or listening to on your mobile device)? I’m currently reading Close Up at a Distance: Mapping, Technology, and Politics by Laura Kurgan.

3. Describe ACRL in three words:  Major, innovative, network.

4. What do you value about ACRL? The organization has provided a lot of opportunities for learning, sharing, and connecting. It’s been especially valuable in offering context to a new professional about the scope of activities taking place among and around institutions.

5. What do you, as a digital library intern, contribute to your campus? I’ve had the chance to assist my institution’s evolving digital library program by contributing to a wide range of projects, duties, and initiatives. We’re fortunate to have many remarkable collections, and it’s exciting to work toward making them more easily accessible and usable to support faculty, students, and the public at-large.

6. In your own words: I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with experienced professionals on many valuable and challenging projects. The internship has proven a great venue for learning more about the library world and the technology being deployed within it. It has enabled me to develop many different skills, while also informing my perspectives on career pursuits and opportunities available to those with diverse interests in the digital realm. I look forward to future work within the field.

Editor’s Note: Are you an ACRL member? Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Contact Mary Jane Petrowski at mpetrowski@ala.org for more information.

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Upcoming e-Learning webcast: Sparking Innovation (6/13)

June 6th, 2013 by Margot Conahan in eLearning

Join us for the ACRL e-Learning webcast, “Sparking Innovation in Your Library: Lessons from Startup, R&D, and Venture Capital,” on Thursday, June 13 (1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Central).

Academic libraries are experiencing tremendous change. Advances in publishing, technology, pedagogy, and research are shifting roles across campuses. Librarians are expected to address emerging needs, requiring entrepreneurial thinking in order to deliver these new services.  This live, interactive webcast will explore ideas from startups, R&D labs, venture capital firms and other innovative organizations. Learn how you can apply the mindsets, toolsets, and cultural qualities to your library.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Learn how the lean startup methodology applies to libraries.
  • Learn how R&D practices can improve your library’s assessment and growth programs.
  • Learn about various cognitive tools and thinking styles that can fuel your library’s ideation processes.
  • Learn about the value of establishing a culture of innovation.

Presenter: Brian Mathews is Associate Dean for Learning and Outreach at Virginia Tech. He blogs at The Ubiquitous Librarian for the Chronicle of Higher Education. Brian regularly writes and presents on topics related to innovation and entrepreneurialism. His website is www.brianmathews.com.

Complete details including the full webcast description and registration materials are available online.  Contact Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org or call (312) 280-2522 with questions.

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Library Copyright Alliance supports HathiTrust Digital Library in Amicus Brief

June 5th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in Advocacy

Library Copyright Alliance LogoOn Monday, June 3, the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA, whose members are the American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, and Association of College and Research Libraries) filed its amicus brief (PDF) in support of HathiTrust and its partners as they defend their district court victory on appeal in the Second Circuit.

The HathiTrust Digital Library (HDL) consists of more than 10 million digitized volumes gathered from the collections of many of the nation’s leading research libraries.  HDL assures the preservation of this great storehouse of human knowledge, gives scholars powerful new tools for research, and promises print disabled persons equitable access to printed books for the first time.

The brief argues three points: activities outside the specific exceptions favoring libraries (sections 108 or 121) can still qualify for a fair use, the HDL is a fair use, and libraries are authorized entities which can make accessible books available to the print disabled. The brief concludes that the district court’s ruling should be affirmed.

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