ALCTS Network News v3n31 (June 23, 1992) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/ann/ann-v3n31 ISSN: 1056-6694 ALCTS NETWORK NEWS An electronic publication of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services Volume 3, Number 31 June 23, 1992 In this issue AACR2 TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MACHINE-READABLE FORM CIC PUBLISHES REPORT ON MASS DEACIDIFICATION OPEN LETTER TO COUNCIL ************************************************************************** AACR2 TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MACHINE-READABLE FORM The publishers and copyright holders of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd edition, revised (AACR2), have agreed to prepare a machine-readable and searchable version of AACR2. The American Library Association (ALA), one of the three publishers of AACR2, expects to release the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, electronic edition (AACRE) in early 1993. The ALA has retained two consultants to work with the authors and publishers of AACR2 to develop the document type definition and text-tagging scheme required to create a Standard Generalized Mark-up Language (SGML) version of AACR2. John Duke, assistant director for network and technical services at Virginia Commonwealth University, will be the librarian/cataloger consultant responsible for working with the technical consultant to plan file coding and structure that will support effective data retrieval and manipulation by various text retrieval software systems available to library catalogers. George Alexander, president of MindMeetings, a software company which does custom file conversions for publishers, will design a file structure to be usable with various text retrieval software retrieval systems, develop the most effective method to apply the SGML convention to the structure of AACR2, and develop the file-conversion programs necessary to produce AACRE from existing text files. ALA, which holds the copyright to AACR2 along with the Library Association and the Canadian Library Association, will initially grant limited permission for use of the copyrighted AACRE text files for purposes of experimentation and research on their possible uses. Requests for experimental use may be submitted to David Epstein, General Manager, ALA Books, or Karen Muller, Executive Director, Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. ************************************************************************* CIC PUBLISHES REPORT ON MASS DEACIDIFICATION The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) announces the availability of MASS DEACIDIFICATION: A REPORT TO THE LIBRARY DIRECTORS, a study completed in April 1992 by the CIC Task Force on Mass Deacidification. The Task Force, chaired by Richard Frieder of Northwestern University Libraries, was charged in 1989 by the directors of the CIC libraries to help position their units for action on mass deacidification. The one hundred seventy-five page document describes the Task Force's investigation of organizational and operational issues such as selection, in-library processing costs, treatment records, quality control, and contracting for mass deacidification, and chemistry issues such as process effectiveness, treatment side effects, and toxicological risks. Much of the Task Force work was based on a series of test runs performed with two vendors of mass deacidification services: Akzo Chemicals Inc., and the FMC Corporation. Although the report is intended for the use of the CIC libraries and is not meant to suggest a course of action to other institutions, it contains much information that will be of interest to any library, archives, or historical society considering its mass deacidification needs. Copies of the report are available for $12 plus $3 postage and handling from: CIC, 302 East John Street, Suite 1705, Champaign, IL 61820; telephone (217) 333-8475; fax (217) 244-7127. Established in 1958, the CIC is an academic consortium which fosters cooperation and collaboration among twelve major research universities across all areas of academic activity, including library cooperation. CIC member institutions include: the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Indiana University, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For further information, contact Richard D. Frieder, (708) 491-7599 or Roger G. Clark, (217) 333-8475. ************************************************************************* OPEN LETTER TO COUNCIL [Ed. note: The following letter from Duane Johnson, a former member of the ALA Executive Board and current president of ASCLA, is being distributed by AN2 as part of its continuing coverage of the debate surrounding Linda Crismond's resignation.] Topeka, Kansas June 17, 1992 American Library Association Members of Council Councilor's ALA mail address Dear Member of Council: This letter is mailed to you just prior to the Annual Conference with the hope that you will have more time to focus on this message now than will be possible when you come under the spotlight of Council process in San Francisco. I'm writing to express my deep concern about the characteristics of ALA management as they are required by Articles VII and VIII of the ALA Constitution. I am convinced that the method of ALA management directed by our outdated Constitution has much more to do with the turmoil we've experienced in the past decade than the capabilities of the executive directors, members of the executive board and others who have worked for the best interests of the association. Our management methods blunt good capabilities. I'm convinced that Council should begin the process which will bring about the appropriate change in the Constitution. Article VII, Section 3 of the Constitution directs that the Executive Board shall serve as the "central management board" of the association. I believe that this requirement is the kernel of ALA's management problems. While it might have been feasible in the past when this wording was adopted for the Executive Board to effectively manage the Association, I do not believe it is possible now. Without appropriate change, ALA will muddle along with periodic crises, undue stress on staff and management, and with reduced effectiveness for the membership. The size and complexity of the association has grown dramatically in the recent past. The issues with which we ask our association to be involved are complex, intense and fast-moving. We relate to speed and close communications in management process at home and expect the same of ALA management; we are intensely dissatisfied when the ALA management process cannot respond in a similar way. We resort to harsh reaction when our expectations are not met. The association is confronted by many management demands that were never envisioned when the Constitution's management specifications were adopted. The responsibility to respond to these demands is carried by a widely dispersed board which meets quarterly, with a complicated and over-packed agenda. The board uses intervening communications, but I know from experience that these do not allow effective opportunity for issue processing and decision making. Board communications processes are cumbersome and severely flawed when a message is confused, not received on time or not received at all. Murphy lives and foul-ups are certain to occur. In spite of the best intentions of board members, ALA issues and management priorities frequently must be secondary as each must focus on demanding, more than full-time responsibilities at home. Even with occasional special meetings, frequent packets of Express Mail, phone calls, conference calls, and pounds of documentation delivered through the mail, the Executive Board is fighting a no-win battle. The necessary process of the board's management-with-limited-time creates a difficult working environment for the paid management staff. This is an understatement. The resulting tensions extend to all ALA staff. Inevitably, the board, ALA staff and all other ALA members are the losers. This condition begs for effective leadership action from Council. It is reported that on the Council agenda next week you will have a resolution calling for the direct election of the Executive Board. However effectively this may respond to the need to involve the membership in the selection of association leadership, this democratic action without additional change will only perpetuate what should be recognized as a serious problem in ALA management. With the following suggestions for action, I urge you and your colleagues in Council to take the initiative to bring about change in the method we use to manage the association. 1. Establish process to evaluate the validity of the method of management which is required by section 3, of Article VII and Section 1 and 3 of Article VIII and undertake revision of the Constitution as necessary. Keep this evaluation focused on association management; don't let it founder in a broader study of the association's organization. Council should initiate this evaluation and direct the reporting process, rather than the Executive Board, because the Executive Board will be a principal in the focus of the examination. 2. Direct that the management evaluation include the examination of management method in other major professional associations to identify characteristics of effectiveness which can be adapted to the requirements of ALA. 3. Establish policy which would require ALA's Executive Director to carry certification in major association management and be an experienced professional in this field. The MLS should be optional. 4. Establish policy directing that the search process for the next permanent Executive Director will not be undertaken until the evaluation of ALA management method has been completed and the related constitutional change has been proposed to the membership. Thank you for giving the time to think about these suggestions. I hope they help you build a stronger and more effective ALA for all of us. Best regards, Duane Johnson, ALA #0049084 Council, 1977-1990 Executive Board, 1986-1990 cc: ALA Division Presidents business address: Kansas State Library Capitol Building 300 West 10th Topeka, Kansas 66612 ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* ALCTS NETWORK NEWS (ISSN 1056-6694) is published irregularly by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association. Editorial offices: ALCTS, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; Arnold Hirshon, President; Karen Muller, Executive Director. Editor: Karen Muller (u34261@uicvm); Editorial Advisory Board: Arnold Hirshon, Ruth Carter, Liz Bishoff; Editorial Assistance: Alex Bloss, Marie Rochelle. ALCTS NETWORK NEWS is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the division. News items should be sent to the editor at Bitnet address u34261@uicvm. To subscribe, issue the network command "tell listserv@uicvm sub alcts [your account] [your name]." Back issues of AN2 are available through the listserver. To find out what's available, send the following command to LISTSERV@UICVM: send alcts filelist The ALCTS FILELIST contains the list of files with the EXACT filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue this command to the LISTSERV@UICVM: send filename filetype. Send questions about membership in ALCTS to the ALCTS Office, u34261@uicvm. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or education advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting or redistribution or translations, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions, 50 E. Street, Chicago, IL 60611. *************************************************************************