ACRL New England Chapter News Online

ISSN 1527-0106

Winter 2004, Number 101

In This Issue (<Home):

President's Letter

Board Meeting Minutes, November 17th, 2003

Meet the New Board Members

Interest Group Reports:
Access Services
Instruction

Spring Conference Announcement

NETSL Conference Announcement

President's Letter

Linda Collins
Harvard University

Over the past year we have been talking about the demographic changes facing our profession. Our Spring 2003 Annual Conference addressed how libraries can prepare for upcoming recruitment challenges and how new and mid-career librarians can better position themselves to take advantage of upcoming opportunities. Despite the recent economic downturn, job vacancies seem to be on the rise. The December 2003 issue of College and Research Library News includes thirty-six job ads, almost half of which are for senior level positions.

While job ads for entry and mid-level positions are very specific in nature, including the particular skills and necessary experience, ads for the top positions attempt to identify leadership abilities. They call for a "dynamic vision for the future of library services" or "demonstrated knowledge of and the ability to articulate the role of a research library." It is to our advantage to work together to develop, understand, and support a shared vision of libraries and library services at all levels.

The ACRL/NEC Spring 2004 Annual Conference, "Defining the Library's Role in the Changing Academic Organization," will help us begin to think about this shared vision of the future and direction of academic libraries. The discussion will benefit from the input of professionals at all levels and from all areas of library services. It is important to think beyond our every day challenges and be part of this on-going conversation.