ASDAL TWENTIETH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
July 2000

Andrews University
Berrien Springs, Michigan

By Linda Mack

Register Now! for ASDAL's 20th annual conference. In order to help us serve you best, please try to register by the early bird deadline of May 15. This will not only save you money but also help ensure that you will be able to take the tours that you would like. Tours that do not fill by that date may be canceled.

Below is a complete conference program (as of press time), financial, and registration information. Check the conference web site at http://asdal.org/ for any last minute additions or changes. You will also find transportation, accommodation, and meal information on the web site or in the Winter issue of ASDAL Action.

ASDAL Exhibits

During this year's main registration time (July 11, Tuesday 4-9 p.m.) we will offer an exhibit area featuring vendors' displays of interest to Seventh-day Adventist librarians. As of press time we expect representation from the Adventist Book Center (with 25% discount coupons), Andrews University Press, EBSCO, Baker Book House, The Gale Group, and Proquest (formerly UMI/Bell & Howell).

ASDAL Tours

This year we have made it easier than ever to attend the annual meeting of the American Library Association. Chicago is only a 2 - 2½ hour drive from Andrews, and we have organized transportation and reserved campus rooms so that ASDAL Conference attendees can conveniently attend ALA.

The ALA Conference web site at http://www.ala.org/events/ac2000/ contains a wealth of information on activities, fees, etc. The cost for entry to the exhibit halls is $20 and may be prepaid, or paid onsite. The exhibit halls include Poster Sessions, International Exhibits, Professional Exhibits, and Small Presses. You are on your own for ALA fees and meals but we will get you there and back for $15 per person per trip. Check the ASDAL conference "Pre-conference Activities" schedule for times and be sure to sign up on the registration form soon.

For your educational, social, and spiritual delight, we have filled the final weekend with three tours: Friday, July 14 - visit the local libraries and enjoy charming St. Joseph & the Venetian Festival; Sabbath, July 15 - explore our spiritual roots in historic Battle Creek; Sunday, July 16 - celebrate America's past at Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum. We guarantee excellent sights; you provide the wonderful company. Check the conference program for times, descriptions, and costs, and be sure to sign up on the registration form--soon! Remember you may bring guests to any of these events as well as the banquet. Be sure to mark and pay for the number of people that will attend each event.

We hope that we have provided the information that you need to make your plans but should we have missed something, please contact: Linda Mack, Onsite Coordinator, Music Materials Center, Andrews University, Berrien Springs MI 49104-0230. e-mail: mack@andrews.edu.

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Overview

This year's conference comes with two other sets of workshops to maximize the benefits you can receive from this trip. Please note the differences in these events.

July 9-11: The Library Foundations for a New Millennium Workshop

Jointly sponsored by James White Library, Services to Adventist International Libraries, and the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians, this is a free workshop specially provided for the international librarians. For more information, check this web site http://www.andrews.edu/library/screens/asdalpreconf.html.

July 11-16: ASDAL 2000

This is the main conference. Information and registration form are found in this issue.

July 17-21: Advanced Workshops

These workshops, sponsored by the James White Library, require registration fees. Please see the attached flyer and registration form. Because there will be different workshops offered concurrently, it is important that you take time to look through the schedule and make your choices carefully. For more information, please check this web site http://www.andrews.edu/library/screens/workshops2000.html.

Detailed and updated information on the pre-conference workshop and the main conference are given below.

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ASDAL 2000 Pre-conference Activities

The following schedule covers activities of interest to ASDAL members between the dates of Sunday, July 9 and Sunday, July 16. Any necessary changes will be posted on the conference web site (http://www.andrews.edu/library/screens/asdal2000.html). Activities will take place in the commons of the Pioneer Memorial Church (PMC) unless stated otherwise. Events taking place in the James White Library are indicated JWL. All tours will load next to the Campus Center, behind Hamel Hall (Music Building).

Linda Mack, Onsite Coordinator, is Music Librarian at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
(mack@andrews.edu)

THE CONVERGENCE OF REFERENCE AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS

By Gilbert Abella

It could happen to you. Just imagine that you are the head reference librarian at a small academic library struggling with the challenges of modernization, expansion of database use, Internet training, and course-related bibliographic instruction. You consider yourself to be a good professional and you do your very best to keep up-to-date with new reference tools and methods.

Suddenly, one day, there is a dramatic and terrifying change in your assignments. What you had thought of as a cherished dream becomes a humiliating nightmare.

Please think with me, for a moment, about this scenario: the college or university where you work, has received a gift of $50,000.00 for a new electronic classroom to be created in the Library. You had been asking for this for a whole year. Now, you are going to get it! The funding has arrived! Finally, after so many months of frustration, you are going to have a room especially equipped to teach people how to use online databases and how to search the Internet.

Your joy is quickly transformed into anxiety when the Director informs you that it is up to you, as the head reference librarian, to define the technical specifications of the network for that classroom. Your library does not have a systems librarian. There is a tech person working part time but this individual handles hardware and software problems not network issues.

Nothing has prepared you to compare the advantages or disadvantages of different types of network configurations. Should you have a server? If so, what operating system should you select? Novell? Windows NT? Linux? Could you have just stations running Windows 98 connected to the campus Ethernet backbone without a server in the Library?

As you struggle with all those questions and with the deadline for the final configuration of the future electronic classroom, you realize that reference librarians need to know a lot about technology. Indeed, reference and library systems appear to be two areas in librarianship that technology has brought together and that nothing can separate.

You may consider this hypothetical example to be too extreme or unlikely. Or, you may feel reassured by the fact that, at your library, there is a systems librarian.

Yet, even if there is a very good and knowledgeable systems person at your place, what happens when people call the reference desk with technical problems related to the access to the Library databases? Are you ready to help them? Do you tell them to call the systems librarian? Do you promise that you are going to find out how to solve the problem and that you will call them back when you have something intelligent or useful to say?

What all these questions mean is that, in this day and age, reference work is very dependent on technology. Therefore, a good reference librarian must have a basic knowledge of the technical issues pertinent to the configuration of the computers and networks used in the reference areas.

Even in the cases of libraries that can afford a systems person, the reference librarian must make or at least participate in important technical decisions. Here are a few examples: What degree of restrictions are you going to impose on the public stations? How are you going to balance the need to be user-friendly and the responsibility to reduce the degree of vulnerability of those stations? Should you recommend CD-ROM-based databases or promote reference sources to be accessed via the Internet?

The list of technical or systems issues that fit well the realm of activity of a reference librarian could go on and on. However, the few examples provided make the point that the use of technology at reference is pervasive. In this context, one of the relevant questions to ask is: what should reference librarians do about technology?

The short answer to this question is to become proficient on computer or technical issues related to online information access in libraries. However, this quest for expertise could soon become a huge and uncontrollable task if there are no priorities established. Therefore, it would be wise to handle this professional challenge by breaking it down into manageable objectives. Let me suggest a few of these steps.

1. Accept the new paradigm.

A few years ago, two major areas of competence would generally define a good reference librarian: knowledge of reference sources and good communication skills. In today's environment, there is a third component of excellence at reference: technical knowledge. This would imply an ability communicate effectively with computers or electronic equipment and the competence to make technical choices leading to creation of the best possible methods of access to the information in the digital age.

2. Increase your technical skills by focusing on what is around you.

Do not get discouraged by the realization of how much there is out there to know about computers, networks, connectivity, etc. Start learning about the technical issues that you are already dealing with. Find out about the configurations for the campus network at your institution. Determine how the computers in your library communicate with the campus backbone and with the Internet. Pinpoint the most common problems and what it is necessary to know to fix these problems. Become an informed and proficient user of the stations at your library that are already connected to the Internet.

3. Study what your neighbors are doing.

Check out what other libraries in your town and in the region are doing. Ask them about their technical specifications and why they set their networks and their public Internet stations the way they did. Try to find out what the pacesetters are up to. Learn from them.

4. Include technology in your professional development plan.

As you think about your career path and your professional development, make sure that (beyond all other relevant skills) you take into consideration the need for technological knowledge. Technology is here to stay and if you intend to remain a good reference librarian, you need to be proficient at it.

5. Learn what the professional literature is saying about technology.

One of the wonderful things about professional journals in the area of librarianship is that when they deal with technology, they focus on issues relevant to librarians. Therefore, if you do not have the time to read all the computer publications you need to, study at least the periodicals that have already selected some of the most important issues for your profession.

6. Attend local, regional, and national meetings.

Most of your colleagues, even those who appear to be computer gurus, are scrambling to keep up with technology. You are not facing the technology challenge alone. If you attend professional meetings and workshops at any level, you will find plenty of opportunities to learn about technology applied to the realm of librarianship. More than that, you will make new contacts and you will learn who are the innovators and who are the leaders in the use of technology.

7. Remember that knowledge about computer networking starts with professional networking.

Right there on your campus and in your town, there are professionals you can associate with and learn from. They may not all be librarians but they are people who can answer your technology-related questions and point you in the right direction when you are confused and at a loss. You need to balance what you can study on your own with what you need to learn from the experience and success of others.

8. Be proactive in the quest for technical knowledge.

Do not wait for your supervisor or library director to suggest that you need to learn more about technology. Take the initiative and get going on your own. After all, it is your career, your professional development, and your value as a professional that are at stake.

9. Sort out priorities.

Do not expect to be able learn everything that there is to know about computers and digital connectivity. You need to tackle the development of your technology skills through manageable chunks of knowledge. Start your growth path dealing with the issues that are the most relevant to your specific work environment. For example, focus on the configuration and technical details of the computer stations at the reference area. Later, you can deal with topics related to the future plans for your library in general and for the public stations in particular. In short: focus on what is the most important and the most relevant for your area of professional responsibility.

10. Transform your fears into motivation.

If you are afraid about "jumping" onto the technology bandwagon, your fears are misplaced. What you should really be scared of is what will happen to you if you do not move ahead. In this day and age, reference librarians who are not able to handle technology are like dinosaurs of the profession. There is no bright future for them. So, feel the fear and then move along with your profession. Do not accept to be left behind.

11. Schedule time for the acquisition of technology skills.

If you promise yourself that "one day" you will start learning more about technology, that day will never come. You need to schedule time for this professional endeavor. Do not claim that you are too busy. Just make a point of allocating some time every week for your technical development. This is above all a matter of discipline and good time management.

12. Be a life-long learner.

In terms of technology, most of what you will learn this year is likely to be obsolete three years from now. Therefore, you need to be prepared to be a student of technology for the rest of your professional life.

In conclusion, reference librarians must think beyond their traditional roles and responsibilities. In order to flourish or even just to survive professionally, they need to develop proficiency in the use of technology. This is one of the paths that will allow them to continue to add value to the profession and to the roles they perform in the institutions they serve. The handwriting is on the wall and it says: "acquire technology skills!"

Gilbert Abella is Chair of Public Services and Interim Library Director at La Sierra University, Riverside, California.
(gabella@lasierra.edu)

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL RESOURCES?

By Josip Mocnik

What is needed to preserve and maintain long-term access to digital information? Is there are a way of preventing technological obsolescence? Is there a future for digital libraries or are we actually locking vast amounts of information into a medium that might soon be unaccessible and thus render the information inadvertently lost?

Many digital library projects are being funded world-wide and various technological aspects are being researched. Yet, there appears to be a disproportion of emphasis in the research being done. The issue of finding a long-term solution to the preservation and access problem of digital material has been for a considerable time "marginalized" because people find libraries of today user-friendly, functional, etc.

A case in the point is the first phase of the Digital Library Initiative (DLI) which is a $25 million project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Defense Research Projects Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This project was distributed among six universities in the United States to address specific aspects of digital libraries.

DLI has found a solution to digitalizing; however, the emphasis appears to have changed over the last five years. It is now in the second phase which has more sponsorships and has expanded to include international entities. The researchers are now concentrating on data capture, representation, preservation, and archiving of digital material. They have realized that digitizing is not everything; emphasis must also be put on preservation. This is still an ongoing project.

Likewise, the British Library Digital Library Program, the joint NSF/JISC International Digital Libraries Initiative, the PANDORA project (National Library of Australia) and some other digital library initiatives are also putting greater emphasis on finding a long-term solution to the preservation and access problem of digital information. Have any of the projects found the solution yet?

These issues will be covered in my presentation during the upcoming 20th ASDAL Conference at Andrews University. Further details about this conference are found elsewhere in this issue.

Josip Mocnik is Catalog Librarian at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI.
(jmocnik@andrews.edu)

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' USE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

By Paulette Johnson

High school students are attracted to and directed to the college/university library more and more. As high schools face pressures to upgrade library facilities, services, and programs, students turn to academic libraries to meet their information needs. Consequently, academic libraries are torn between an obligation to serve their primary patrons and the expectations of an extended community.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues relating to use of academic libraries by high school students, particularly in the secondary to undergraduate levels of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) educational institutions and to determine the types and levels of services available to them. Additionally, it will provide a framework for discussion of K-16 library service.

Why do academy students use the college/university library?

Academy students use college/university libraries because their school libraries are non-existent or do not meet their information needs (Craig and Perrine; Miller and Russell; Craver). Compared to academy libraries, college/university libraries have extensive facilities, larger book and journal collections, sophisticated and often accessible electronic resources that are available, more extended hours, and greater accessibility in terms of services.

Students and constituents believe that SDA college/university libraries are "free" to members of the church community. The computer literacy level of many high school students is high and they are eager to make use of the many electronic resources available via the college/university library.

Miller and Russell reported that teachers sometimes refer students to college/university libraries because they feel students are more likely to be challenged when they are given assignments requiring the use of academic library materials.

Other teachers believe that using a college/university library helps high school students develop confidence and may encourage some students to decide to attend college/university. The college/university collection is seen as ideal for advanced placement and college bound students.

LeClerq (1989) noted that high school libraries were expected to provide leisure reading, to serve as study halls for classes, and to meet the research needs of students. However, school library collections are small and more suitable for grades 7-9 but not for college or career-bound students.

Arguments

Arguments in support of use of college/university libraries by high school students:

1. Philosophical commitment to "family" institutions (K-16 SDA Education).
2. Commitment to service/access to information for all.
3. Good public relations: opportunity to highlight library's large collections, services, and electronic resources. As perspective students visit, they may be persuaded to choose the college/university.
4. Access to special collections.
5. College/university libraries provide a transition link from one educational unit to another to create life long learning continuum.
6. Services and materials used most often by high school students are the same as those most requested by undergraduates at a college/university library.

Arguments for limiting or excluding access to college/university libraries by high school students:

1. Academy students are not considered in funding formulas that are determined by college/university student enrollment.
2. No other income is specifically provided to support the services and collections needed by academy students.
3. The high school has an obligation to provide the resources and services needed for its students.
4. It is not fair that non-paying students should have the same privileges as tuition-paying students.
5. The situation creates competition and strain among college/university students and faculty and high school students needing the same resources (at the same time).
6. College/university libraries cannot serve high school students well without interfering with other patron groups.
7. Wear and tear on resources (including personnel) and equipment.
8. Need more space.

Current Trends and Practices

Whatever the arguments, the trend toward increased used of academic library services and resources by high school students continues. The question is raised: should college and university libraries charge fees or withdraw library services?

There is no easy yes or no response. Each library will have to decide based on its situation. Many private universities (non-religiously affiliated) have moved to exclude high school students from the library. However, the general practice is to provide open access to the library's collections but not checkout privileges. Other libraries provide limited services, such as access to the premises but limited borrowing privileges, use of computing facilities, and interlibrary loans (McNamarra).

A survey of 11 SDA academic libraries revealed that all 8 respondents allowed use of the online public access catalog. Checkout privileges varied from library to library---1 allowed at no cost, 1 charged $20.00 per student/per year without limitations to use, 1 charged $20.00 per student/per year with limitations, 1 charged $25.00 per year/per student, another 2 allowed checkout with limitations at no cost, and 2 libraries did not allow checkout of library materials.

Other services varied as well. For example, 7 libraries allowed academy students to use materials in house and provided reference service. The eighth library allowed these services with limitations. One library did not allow access to special collections and database use, 3 libraries did not allow interlibrary loans, l did not allow use of facilities. Six allowed photocopying. Some libraries target special groups of high school students, especially advanced placement and college-bound students. Few offer the full array of services.

Suggestions

In order to provide consistent and excellent service to academy students the following are suggested:

1. Develop a clear policy defining users and the levels of service to be offered to each user group.
2. Study the impact of high school use of library materials and personnel time and attention.
3. Advocate for qualified school librarians and resource funding in high school libraries.
4. Establish or improve communication between high school personnel and academic librarians to develop programs and services, such as information literacy instruction, library tours, etc.
5. Request supplemental funding to develop program of cooperation between K-16 libraries.

Conclusion

The information needs of high school students are more complex than the resources and services available at their school libraries. They continue to make use of the college/university library. As a result, academic libraries are wrestling with how to provide a range of services for students who are not accounted for financially. The survey of SDA academic libraries indicated a willingness to offer some services and to cooperate with high school personnel to make the learning experience for prospective college students a challenging and rewarding one. There is also the recognition that high schools must provide the facilities, resources, services, and programs that best meet the needs of their students.

Discussion

Respond to the Alliance for Excellence (U.S. Dept. of Education) recommendation that "school media centers, public and academic libraries be open to the fullest extent possible to elementary and secondary school students and to area residents."

References

Craig, Hardin and Perrine, Richard. (1962). "Problems of Urban Universities: Library Services for the High School Student." Library Trends 10 (April): 469.

Craver, Kathleen W.(1987). "Use of Academic Libraries by High School Students: Implications for Research." RQ 27 (Fall): 53-66.

Le Clerq, Angie (1989). "High School Library Access to an Academic Library." In Mensching, Teresa B. (ed.). Reaching and Teaching Diverse Library User Groups. Ann Arbor: Pierian Press, 11-17.

Le Clerq, Angie (1986). The Academic Library/High School Library Connection: Needs Assessment and Proposed Model. Journal of Academic Librarianship 12: 12-18.

McCabe, Gerard B. Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Areas: A Management Handbook. NY: Greenwood Press, 1992.

McNamarra, Jay R. and Williams, Delmus E. "High School Students in Public University Libraries." In McCabe, Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Libraries, 55-65.

Miller, Rosalind, and Russell, Ralph (1987). "High School Students and the College Library: Problems and Possibilities." Southeastern Librarian 37 (Spring): 36-40.

Mitchell, Eugene S. (1990). "General Circulation Policies for Private Citizens: The Practices of Publicly Supported Academic Libraries." In McCabe, Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Areas, 33-44.

Russell, Ralph E.; Robinson, Carolyn L.; Prather, James E (1989). "External User Access to Academic Libraries." Southeastern Librarian 39 (Winter): 135-138.

Tiller, Kathleen. "Private Academic and High School Libraries." In McCabe, Academic Libraries in Urban and Metropolitan Areas, 67-72.

U.S. Department of Education (1984). National Commission on Excellence in Education. Alliance for Excellence. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Paulette Johnson is Reference, Interlibrary Loan, and Instruction Librarian at Pacific Union College, Angwin, California.
(pjohnson@puc.edu)

SDA CENTENARIAN IS FOCUS OF CURRENT RESEARCH

By Linda Mack

What happens when a librarian--in the course of her "normal" work of marking and parking the CD's and musical scores, using the composer catalogs and encyclopedias for reference work--encounters a project that begs pursuit. Such a project has been enfolding for me over the past few years. The following is an account of work in progress.

First Encounters

It was 1968 when I traveled to Andrews University to complete my music degree. At that time, Dr. Blythe Owen was a professor in the Music Department. The women students in particular were intrigued with her. She had a doctorate (still unusual for an SDA woman back then), she was always dressed so elegantly, and she worked with such energy and enthusiasm we could not believe it when word got around that she was 70 years old.

Twenty-year-old students don't usually think too much about the past lives of their professors. With Owen, it was no different. She barely gave a hint of her distinguished 35-year career as a Chicago performer/teacher, but I know now that this experience added a wonderful richness to our classes. Enjoying composer-in-residence status, she gave us copies of her compositions to perform or use in our own teaching if we wished. Some of her piano and choral works have been published, but most of her other compositions have not. She was always so busy teaching and making music that she never seemed to have taken the time and energy to promote her work.

Finding the Treasures

With a library degree in hand, I returned to Andrews University in 1987 to serve in the James White Library (JWL). I saw Owen from time to time around the campus. She was still playing, teaching, and traveling some, but as she reached her upper 90's, those activities inevitably decreased.

In 1997, she realized that she could not live alone in her home any longer, so her home and belongings were sold at auction and she moved to a retirement home in Berrien Springs. She gave her pianos and cello to the Music Department and her books, papers, music, etc. to the JWL with the direction that whatever we could not use, would be given to students and other schools or libraries that could use them. Many of the books and scores have already traveled to libraries around the world through the Services to Adventist International Libraries program.

On the actual day of the auction, another group of documents came to light. Meredith Jones-Gray, who is currently writing a book on the history of Andrews University, noticed a pile of letters that people seemed to be interested in because of the stamps. Upon reading a part of one where the young Blythe was describing her studies in France and her illustrious teachers there, Jones-Gray quickly discerned that this collection must be preserved. They were subsequently acquired by the JWL.

It turned out that the letters, primarily written by Owen to her mother, cover a span of years from 1919 to 1962, from the time she first went to Walla Walla College as a young teacher until the time she had returned to Walla Walla as a professor. This group of approximately 1000 lengthy correspondences provide an incredible key to the life and times of this remarkable woman.

From time to time, students, faculty, and other patrons come into the Music Materials Center looking for music by and information about Owen. She is listed, briefly, in various standard music reference works, one of which includes a partial composition list.

How the Research Began

About the time that the library was acquiring and processing the archival materials, Peter Cooper, chair of the Music Department suggested that I work on a biography/catalog of the works of Blythe Owen. The idea sounded like a good one, but I did not do too much about it until the visit of a patron helped propel me into action. Julie Penner, Director of Vocal Studies at Southern Adventist University (SAU) and currently a doctoral student, visited Andrews during the summer of 1999 to begin research into Owen's solo songs as a subject for her dissertation.

In assisting Penner with her research, my own research agenda began to take shape. Together we began to discover what we did and did not have to work with. It was also during the summer that a call for papers for presentations at the Society for American Music annual conference was issued. I put together a proposal for a lecture-recital in Charleston, South Carolina and began constructing a web site devoted to her life and works. Please see (http://www.andrews.edu/MUSIC/bowen.html).

I also began visiting Owen who was by this time over 100 years old. I cannot say that I interviewed her and gleaned lots of information from these visits, but she was able to communicate many of the philosophies that were the essence of this warm, intelligent, talented woman. She could still access some memories of her very early life, but, as she pointed out to me a number of times, a hundred years is a long time.

The Presentation

The Society for American Music accepted the proposal for a lecture-recital "Blythe Owen (1898- ): One Woman's Century in Music, Illustrated by a Selection of Her Art Songs." Following the Music Library Association meeting in February, I traveled to SAU to work with Penner in finishing the preparation of our presentation. As this was a lecture-recital, preparation involved considerable rehearsal time. I had performed several of the songs with other singers, but this was her first performance of most of them.

The day after I arrived at SAU, I received word that Owen had passed away. This added a certain poignancy to our presentation, less than 24 hours after her funeral service took place in Berrien Springs. The format of the presentation was: a biographical sketch illustrated by slides showing her throughout her career from her first job at age 19 to a picture taken the day after she had lived into her third century (Jan. 2, 2000), a short analysis of the compositional style of her songs; a performance of a selection of songs, sacred and secular, spanning the years of 1940 to 1992. The presentation was enthusiastically received, both in interest about her life, and enthusiasm for publishing and recording her beautiful music.

In Collaboration

My experience so far with this project has shown me what every historian knows--one thing leads to another and no one works alone. At the Society of American Music and the Music Library Association meetings have been able to make good contacts with publishers and recording companies. The book that I hope to publish will be a collaborative project between several music faculty members and myself. Several recording projects are in the planning process. As a librarian, I am continually collaborating with the Adventist Heritage Center on collecting research materials on Owen.

The spring issue of Focus, the Andrews University alumni publication, featured a short article reporting on this research and asking for contributions of information, anecdotes, and works of Owen that the library does not currently own. A section of the web site is set up to show the works that are known and the ones that the library does not currently have. Several former students and colleagues have already responded as a result of this article. I solicit contributions from ASDAL Action readers as well.

In working on this project in the library setting, students have an opportunity to gain experience in this type of research. They obtain first-hand experience with the importance of preservation, archival, and access issues. So far they have helped organize the manuscript scores; ordered items through interlibrary loan; typed programs and texts; read and cataloged letters, pictures, and awards; and worked on the web site. I also plan to include them in preparing manuscripts for publication and working with the recording projects and performances.

Owen's Legacy

As the research continues, I see some other articles developing. Blythe Owen was a life-long committed Christian, a loyal Seventh-day Adventist, and a devoted teacher. When this legacy of a professional Christian woman and educator are more widely known, the inspiration given through her life will live on. When her fine music is published and recorded, the world will be much enriched by it. As the body of literature about her and the challenging times in which she lived is gathered and organized, further research becomes tenable. This is what can happen when a librarian moves from marking and parking to participating in the research process.

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Blythe Owen 1898-2000:
One Woman's Century in Music

Blythe Owen was born on December 26, 1898 in Long Prairie (Bruce Township), Minnesota. Attracted by the government's offer of free land, the family soon moved to the booming community of Lisbon, North Dakota. Encouraged by her musical mother, young Owen showed an early love of music, both in singing and playing the family's parlor organ. Her first lessons were from a neighbor who had graduated from the New England Conservatory. To the end of her life, she recalled the thrill when her father bought the family's first piano.

Following a move to the Pacific Northwest, Owen studied at the Pacific College Conservatory, graduating in 1917. As a teenager, she began giving piano lessons which she continued doing until the age of 97. After spending some time studying in Portland, Oregon with French pianist Dent Mowery, Owen was invited to join the faculty at Walla Walla College. Young single women teachers who were the same age as the students had a difficult time in those days, but she did gain valuable teaching and performing experience.

In 1926, Owen moved to Chicago to study and establish herself as a teacher/performer. Her Chicago debut, sponsored by the Young American Artists Series, helped launch an active performing career. During the late 30's she began work toward an undergraduate degree in piano performance at the Chicago Musical College. Although she had begun to compose much earlier, theory studies under Louis Gruenberg encouraged her interest in composition, an interest that grew to produce more than 150 works over the next 50 + years. She wrote for orchestra, wind symphony, various chamber ensembles, piano, organ, chorus and solo songs.

With the world at war, Owen had opportunity to study with French pianist Robert Casadesus who had taken refuge in the Chicago area. Following graduation in 1941, she immediately began working on a master's degree in composition at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, studying with Albert Nolte, head of the composition department. Upon graduation, Owen was invited to join the Northwestern faculty. She also continued teaching at the Cosmopolitan House Conservatory. In 1950 she left Northwestern to take positions at Roosevelt University School of Music and Chicago Teacher's College.

Beginning in 1946, she embarked on the doctorate in composition program at the Eastman School of Music during summers, studying with Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. She spent the summer of 1949 in Fountainbleu, France studying under Nadia Boulanger and others. One of the first women to do so, Owen earned her Ph.D. in Composition in 1953. Her dissertation was a piano concerto. In 1961, following 35 years of study, performing, and teaching in the Chicago area, Owen returned to Walla Walla College as professor of piano and composer in residence.

At the age of 66 when most people would be retiring, she moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan, joining the faculty of Andrews University where she taught composition, theory, and piano. Over the next 30 years, she continued her energetic career of composition, teaching, practicing, and tours. It was during these years that she traveled to a number of SDA schools overseas, on tours or spending entire terms as a guest lecturer. Throughout her entire professional life, she was active in women's music clubs, music teachers' organizations, and organizations promoting new music. Her compositions received many awards from these organizations and other groups.

Owen's students remember her as a warm but exacting teacher, encouraging them to aspire to their best. In December of 1998, friends, students and colleagues gathered to celebrate this remarkable woman's 100th birthday with a concert of her music. Having lived a full life of more than 101 years, doing what she most wanted to do--make music, teach, travel, enjoy wonderful friends, Blythe Owen passed away February 28, 2000 in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

Linda Mack is Music Librarian at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan
(mack@andrews.edu)

THE VALUE OF HANDOUTS OR STUDY GUIDES AS TEACHING TOOLS

By Wolfhard Touchard

How effective are handouts or study guides in today's education? Do they really serve a purpose? If they are still useful, what steps need to be considered in preparing them? Those of us who are involved in library instruction constantly seek ways to improve student learning. Will a new method of reaching students guarantee better library users? Oftentimes, the simplest method is more meaningful than the most scientifically designed method.

Purpose of Handouts or Study Guides

Basically, they are designed to assist students' learning by guiding them in determining what should be learned, how it can be learned, and how learning can be assessed.

Uses of Handouts or Study Guides

The major use of handouts or study guides is to manage student learning. Library instructors can use handouts and study guides for the following:

1. To introduce the course - Make the details for the course public, thus providing a valuable review of the course.
2. To highlight the expected learning outcomes - Describe the aims and objectives and explain terms and concepts.
3. To ensure uniformity - Work towards the uniformity of the curriculum while at the same time encouraging students to exploit the diversity of experience available to them.
4. To provide a framework - Students need a structure to build on.
5. To assist in planning and delivering an integrated program - Let students look at a topic from various viewpoints.
6. To inculcate in students appropriate study skills - Instructors should also identify inappropriate behavior.
7. To direct students to get further support if necessary.
8. To provide an outline, timetable, and available learning opportunities.
9. To describe and introduce students to the library and other student facilities that match the curriculum to the needs of individual students.
10. To outline the knowledge and skills required for entering the course.
11. To prepare students for examinations.

Handouts or study guides play a role in focusing on related learning. Library instructors can use handouts or study guides to encourage students to interact with the course and to pursue in-depth learning rather than superficial learning. Study guides can come in the form of a diary, a logbook, a portfolio, a record of achievement, or a list of activities related directly to the student's learning. Instructors can also utilize handouts or study guides in the form of a learning contract and a means of appropriate documentation.

Particularly in times when there is a lack of books and resource materials, handouts or study guides provide information on the subject in the following ways: they emphasize and highlight key or core information, they provide sources of information available that are out-of-date, and they present a range of perspectives and views which may not be apparent from the sources.

Steps for Preparing Handouts or Study Guides

Generally speaking, there are three steps that need to be considered in preparing handouts or study guides: Step 1 - Decide the function and format; Step 2 - Relate it to the curriculum; and Step 3 - Write the guide.

Be sure to give a list of sources used. Include tables, figures and graphs only if necessary. Students appreciate receiving the outline of a lecture with a glossary of terms and phrases. The format of the handouts should provide enough margin and space for note taking.

Context in which Handouts or Study Guides Continue to be Important

Handouts or study guides continue to play an important role in the teaching-learning situation because of the trends we are seeing in the educational realm.

1. Potential information overload - We expect students to learn more in the same period of time. Knowledge expands at more than 14% per year and expects to increase to 40% per year in the future.
2. Curriculum change - Previously, students learned mainly from lectures, standard textbooks, and laboratories. Today, there is access to too much information through the same means, and through the Internet, media, etc.
3. Spiral curriculum - There is interactive revisiting of topics or subjects at different levels throughout the educational program thus deepening the understanding of the subject.
4. Independent learning - Students can now continue their education on their own after graduation. There is a move from teacher-centered to student-centered education. Therefore, students take more responsibility for their own learning.
5. Work-based learning - Students do a lot of learning on the job.
6. Off-campus learning - Interaction of teachers and students is conducted at a distance.

This is a summary of a poster session to be presented at the LOEX conference in Ypsilanti, Michigan in May 2000. LOEX (Library Instruction and Orientation Exchange) is an organization for library instructors. The full text of this poster presentation is available at http://www2.andrews.edu/~touchard/LOEX-Lect.HTML.

Wolfhard Touchard is Reference Librarian at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
(touchard@andrews.edu)

AUDIO ADDICTION

By Lauren Matacio

"Hi! My name is Laurie. I'm an audio bookaholic."

It all began one hot day in August, 1998. Speeding down the dusty highway to yet another library meeting in Lansing (our state's capital-- 2½ hours driving time away), eyes heavy with sleep and brain heavy with boredom, I found myself thinking there must be a way to make better use of all this driving time. Suddenly it hit me-audio books!

Upon returning to James White Library I marched straight up to The Multimedia Center to peruse the collection of sound recordings. Having always loved the visuals of reading-print on page, the feel and smell of paper, and art of book design, I wasn't sure audio books would be satisfying, so I started out small with the two-cassette coming-of-age story, Growing Up by Russell Baker (Read by Mason Adams. Auburn, CA: Audio Partners, 1986) and a one-cassette collection of humorous essays on life in the United States, The Best of Daniel Pinkwater: Everyday Life (Read by Daniel Pinkwater. Beverly Hills, CA : National Public Radio, 1987). Little did I realize these two seemingly innocuous recordings would be the beginning of an addiction.

With two successful audio book experiences under my belt, I decided to try a longer recording. The title, Mind Over Matter, jumped out at me. Without any previous inclination toward Antarctic adventure stories, I rushed headlong into the six-cassette autobiographical odyssey read by author, Ranulph Fiennes (Hampton, NH: Chivers, 1993). This inspirational drama of man against the elements confirmed the certainty of my condition as an audio bookaholic.

According to The New Yorker (Oct. 19, 1998), Americans spent nearly two billion dollars on audio books in 1998. What, I wondered, has caused such a significant increase in the use and purchase of this type of media? One of the buzz-words of the nineties, on the job and at home, was multitasking-doing two things at once. Why not listen to a good book while driving, mowing the lawn, exercising, or doing household chores! Furthermore, it's easy. At the end of the day when eyes are tired from computer strain, give the ears a workout. Pop in the cassette and relax. If you don't get it the first time, hit the rewind button. Publishers, realizing that audio books are hot, are scrambling to provide a wider selection of fiction and non-fiction to meet the demand.

What makes an audio book so good that you just want to keep listening?! First, the text is critical. The text of an audio book must not only be well written but must be easily adapted to an oral presentation. The listener must be able to understand the material without relying on the visual structure of the printed book, attention must be grasped, and held. Non-fiction and fiction works present different challenges in regard to text.

Management Challenges for the 21st Century by Peter F. Drucker (Read by Mark Blum. New York: Harper Audio, 1999) provides an excellent example of a successful non-fiction audio book. Each chapter begins with a rationale and listing of major points of the chapter, the major points are expounded upon, and the chapter concludes with a summary of the major points. This structure, along with numerous stories illustrating the main ideas, draws the listener into the clear explanation of how new paradigms of management will change the practices and principles of management in the future. Jonathan Kozol's Amazing Grace: the Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation (Read by Dick Hill. Grand Haven, MI : Brilliance Corp., 1995), succeeds because Kozol's poignant stories about the struggles of poor children in inner city New York touch the heart of the listener.

In a work of fiction, a plot filled with suspense is imperative. A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe (Read by David Ogden Stiers. New York : Bantam Doubleday Audio Publishing, 1998) and The Testament by John Grisham, (Read by Frank Miller. Newport Beach, CA : Books on Tape, 1999) both use a suspense-filled text to hold the listener's attention to their tales of middle-aged men seeking redemption. A poetic text holds the listener by providing a lustrous sound experience. Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things (Read by Donada Peters. Newport Beach, CA : Books on Tape, 1998), begs to be heard. Rich with alliteration and poetic images of India, the printed page alone almost falls flat after the audio version.

Unlike printed books, which involve only the sender of ideas (author) and receiver (reader), audio books also include an oral interpreter, who in a sense mediates between the sender and receiver. The oral interpretation, whether by the author, or an actor or group of actors in a dramatization, is the second vital part of an exceptional audio book. Oral interpretation can make or break a recorded book. The interpretation must be clear and expressive and should complement the author's writing style. Creating different voices for various characters helps to flesh out characters for the listener.

Occasionally an author reads his or her own writing. This may or may not result in a better audio book. For example, Jazz by Toni Morrison is read by Lynne Thigpen (Prince Frederick, MD : Recorded Books, Inc., 1993) and the author (New York : Random House Audio Pub., 1992). Thigpen's deliberate, warm contralto woos the listener into the world of 1920s Harlem and complements the author's poetic writing style, whereas Morrison's brisk reading is less expressive and doesn't afford time to savor the poetic text. A dramatization by a troupe of actors is especially effective for a classic like David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, (Dramatization by Betty Davies. New York: BDD Audio, 1994). One could swear that Wilkins Micawber and Betsey Trotwood are still alive and well.

Audio books make a valuable addition to the library collection. They provide an opportunity to learn and grow professionally, keep abreast of contemporary publishing, and simply delight the senses with the enjoyment of a good story, while attending to all those necessary mindless duties our lives are filled with. Start a positive addiction-listen to an audio book.

Lauren Matacio is Head of the Department of Bibliographic Services at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
(matacio@andrews.edu)

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO MAYNARD LOWRY

By Gilbert Abella

On April 3, 2000, Maynard Lowry, La Sierra University (LSU) Library Director, left the position he had held for about 20 years and assumed a new leadership role for the University--this time in the Advancement Office.

Just a few days before the official career change, the Library staff and the Vice-President for Academic Administration honored Lowry during a farewell luncheon. During this special occasion, Kitty Simmons speaking on behalf of the Library, presented him with a wall plaque that read: "Presented to Maynard Lowry with appreciation for his leadership and for a vision fulfilled by innovations that have brought the Library from an unplugged past into the digital age."

These words summarize one of the main and most visible contributions of Lowry to this institution: his unwavering effort to modernize the Library and to move it to the digital age, even during periods of retrenchment.

Lowry's contributions to LSU Library started in the early 1970s, when Dr. George Summers, the Library Director at that time, recruited him as part of an effort to build a better and more forward-looking professional team. During the first few years, he assisted the Director in special projects, including automation planning.

On January 1976, he became the Associate Director of the La Sierra Campus Library. In that role, and as part of the administrative team for the Loma Linda University Libraries, he pushed for participation in OCLC when this organization was just barely beginning to expand beyond the borders of the state of Ohio. It was Lowry's vision and initiative that permitted the La Sierra and the Loma Linda campus libraries of Loma Linda University (LLU) to participate in the early stages of development of computerized library systems through OCLC, back in 1976.

In 1981, he became the Director of the University Libraries, being therefore responsible for the administration of the libraries of both campuses of LLU. In 1990, as La Sierra separated itself from Loma Linda, Lowry assumed the leadership of the LSU Library. He has maintained that role until April 3 of this year.

The legacy of Lowry goes far beyond the material level, defined by accomplishments such as the planning of buildings and the implementation of technological innovation.

From my perspective, his most outstanding professional contribution was the way he encouraged subordinates and colleagues to grow and to become the very best they could be. In terms of my direct experience, I must state that throughout all the years that I worked with him, I noticed that there were always two very stable elements that characterized the way he dealt with me. The first was his willingness to express faith in my capability to perform a task or carry out a particular function. The second was his strong commitment to ensure that I had the resources to carry out the assignment.

Professional discussions with Lowry were always stimulating. He read widely about any topic related to librarianship, higher education, technology, management, financial administration, and a variety of other topics.

On this campus, he became a living information resource. Administrators and faculty members could ask him questions on almost any subject and he had immediate answers backed up by facts and quotations from several authorities in the field. He could do so without any notes or written references. His brilliant memory allowed him to function as a walking virtual library. On the other hand, there was a reverence sometimes bordering on fear among those who dared to make statements in front of him without having done proper homework and research. Since Lowry had read widely on almost any topic, he could easily correct those who expressed ideas not backed by solid evidence.

One of the areas in which he excelled as administrator was the management of financial resources. In this regard, his most outstanding accomplishment was his ability to maintain the financial support for automation initiatives, online databases and electronic resources throughout periods of retrenchment. Indeed, he was able to handle financial crises with great skill, wisdom, creativity, and finesse.

Lowry's contributions to librarianship and to the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians (ASDAL) are not over. He will continue to work closely with our association at least until the next conference. Then, I believe that he will be able to work with his former colleagues in other ways.

During the luncheon in his honor, when he was presented with the wall plaque, I joked with him and suggested that, from his Advancement Office he could continue to help the Library. With a smile I told him that the Library would give him a bigger plaque when he would get us the first million dollar grant. His response was encouraging. "I will never forget where I came from," he said. "I will do whatever I can to continue to help the Library."

He spent his first week of the new career attending a long seminar. Yet, even in that setting, he did not forget the Library. During that same week, he told me: "I wrote my first grant. It is for an electronic classroom in the Library!" I was moved! I realized that he continues to be a part of our team!

In relation to ASDAL, I am firmly convinced that he will continue to work with us. I believe that there are two areas in which he can continue to make contributions to this organization. The first is as a speaker in workshops conducted during our annual conferences. He could lead out in sessions dealing with grant writing and fund raising. The second has to do with guidelines for accreditation. He has been a member of several visiting teams organized either by our regional accrediting organization or by the General Conference.

I have reason to believe that he could be persuaded to participate in any future effort ASDAL may decide to make in terms of creating standards for denominational academic libraries.

In personal terms, I have much to thank Lowry for. He was not just my supervisor, he was also my mentor, my friend, and the person that always supported my efforts to grow professionally. I believe as well that my colleagues at LSU Library and at ASDAL have ample reasons to be grateful for his professional contributions. We can all thank him for what he has done for our association.

In closing, I need to say that I am not planning to say good-bye to Maynard Lowry as a librarian. I say "au revoir." I know that our professional paths will continue to cross and that his contributions to Adventist librarianship are far from over.

Gilbert Abella is Chair of Public Services and Interim Library Director at La Sierra University, Riverside, California.
(gabella@LaSierra.edu)

HELDERBERG COLLEGE LIBRARY FINDS STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY

By Wendy Young

Hello to all Seventh-day Adventist librarians from the librarians of the Pieter Wessels Library at Helderberg College (HC) in South Africa!

HC is located on the slopes of the Helderberg (meaning "clear mountain") overlooking False Bay and the Cape Peninsula which juts into the sea from Cape Town. The tip of the Peninsula marks where two oceans meet--the cool, mighty Atlantic Ocean and the warmer Indian Ocean. At the other end of the Peninsula, Table Mountain broods over Table Bay and divides the roaring winds which save us from pollution and passivity. Cape Town, a busy port and tourist destination, has a charm and beauty all of its own.

Our library provides for the resource needs of HC staff and students, the Helderberg High School pupils, and other community patrons. We occupy three floors of a separate building which was at one time the ladies' residence. Visiting alumni like to regale us with the escapades of previous generations who enjoyed the lovely views from these same windows.

Library assets at present are as follows: 66,000 volumes of books; 359 periodical subscriptions; 2,051 audiovisual items; 55,000 items filed vertical files; electronic media; SABINET (South African Information Network) Online--access to bibliographic information and gateway to databases, both South African and overseas; OCLC's New FirstSearch; and last but not least--four librarians who are willing to go the extra mile, two part-time workers, and student assistants.

HC usually has less than 300 students and therefore the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. What we lack in numbers we make up in diversity. Our staff and students come from all over Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia. At present approximately 40 nations are represented. Add to that the fact that our own country has eleven official languages and many more population groups, and you can conclude that we have to consider the varieties of ideas and interests of our users to a greater extent than most other libraries.

The College offers courses in religion, business, and arts, and is affiliated with Andrews University and Southern Adventist University for degrees in those areas. Also offered are various business, secretarial, and health diplomas. An English Language School on campus enables international students to acquire the necessary language skills for further study.

Our students are interested in various activities such as football and cricket, which are catered for by our gymnasium manager and interested student groups; and off-campus activities such as hiking, cycling, or surfing which are encouraged by our environment. On a calm sunny day when the blue bay is visible and the waves are curling in on the nearby beaches, it is difficult for students to concentrate on studying. In winter we have rain and cold but no snow here, so a snowfall on the mountains would be another temptation for truancy. These are our "competitions," and we do not try to compete!

Instead we attempt to offer a service which is continually improving and evolving according to our students' study and research needs. We are not fully computerized but we do use computers for various functions. We have set up a network in the library in readiness for the integrated library software we hope to introduce this year. Once we have made the big decision as to which system to buy, we will need training and data-capturing before we can become fully functional on the new system. The staff are all excited about the anticipated improvements.

We do provide Internet access in the library and anticipate increasing the speed and access points. Many of our students from rural backgrounds need the opportunity to train in the new technologies, so one of our challenges is to provide that training in addition to more conventional information retrieval methods. Teaching students to be discriminating and to know which information is not relevant or trustworthy will be part of our duty.

In South Africa, the library profession has been well-developed. Professional meetings, workshops, and conferences are well-attended. The library staff try to attend as many as possible and enjoy the interchange of information and experience of other librarians. Library degrees at South African universities tend to be focused on information science and in-depth studies. Many changes have occurred since the collapse of apartheid, and the mutual respect and exchange of ideas communicated by different population groups can only improve the information services in this country. Libraries are being built in previously disadvantaged areas and technologies are being introduced for the upliftment of those people.

We wish we could participate in the exchange of ideas which must occur at the ASDAL conferences and meetings. We would love to participate regularly but are hampered by the devaluation of our currency (Rands). Since the beginning of the year we have gone from 1:6 to 1:6.5, and this has been the trend for several years. This also inhibits us in purchasing media making us envious of all the opportunities overseas. We are grateful for the help we receive from the Services to Adventist International Libraries office at the James White Library in Andrews University.

Please pray for us as we will for you. God bless you all.

Wendy Young is Library Director at Helderberg College, Somerset, South Africa.
(wyoung@sophia.net.hbc.ac.za)

SCHOOL LIBRARIANS' COLUMN

Reinvent Your Library!?

Nancy Kim, Coordinator and Author

We often hear and perhaps even use the expression, "There's no need to reinvent the wheel." If this expression is true, then we can say that "there is no need to reinvent your library." Hopefully by the end of this article you will agree that it would be good, even necessary and vital to reinvent your school library.

A few months ago Chris Cicchetti shared a book with me entitled, Reinvent Your School's Library in the Age of Technology, a Guide for Principals and Superintendents, by David V. Loertscher*. This book challenged me to take a serious look at my school library, to reevaluate the programs and services, and to do some reinventing.

Loertscher sees a new vision for school libraries in the age of technology. In the past the library was thought of as the center of the school, "a place where everyone comes to get materials and equipment." In his new vision, the library becomes decentralized yet while retaining its centralization in order to reach out to every space of the school and beyond the school into the homes of the students.

Collaborating with teachers in planning learning experiences for students is one of the most important aspects of the reinvented library. The teacher and the librarian create a partnership as they set up units of study that maximize all resources--teacher knowledge, librarian expertise, research materials, Internet information, etc.

A reinvented library still needs to continue a strong emphasis on a reading program. New books need to be added to the collection seriously and regularly. Old books need to be mended or weeded. Reading promotion programs need to be held regularly.

Technology fits so well into the infrastructure of a library that teaching technology has become a school librarian's responsibility. The librarian's teaching must include more than just how to use the technology, though. The librarian should also teach about the appropriate use of technology: it is just a tool, it does not replace print resources, sometimes it is just a waste of time, etc.

With the tremendous amount of information available today, students need to be taught information literacy. School librarians are in an ideal position to create information literate students. School librarians can help students learn how to be organized as they gather information. School librarians can teach students to think critically about the information they collect and to think differently and creatively. School librarians can also teach the students how to communicate their ideas effectively.

I feel the most important part of the vision of a reinvented library is building the information infrastructure. The school librarian can be the human interface for delivering the best information as students reach around the world and at times almost drown in the excesses of information they are able to access.

It is an exciting and challenging time to be a school librarian. It is, I believe, a time for reinventing school libraries. Hopefully we will all take a serious look at our individual school libraries and do our best to make them the best in the history of Adventist education.

*If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this book, call 1-800-873-3043.

Nancy Kim is Librarian at Redlands Junior Academy, Redlands, California.
(nkim@redlandsja.org)

REVIEWS

Yancey, Philip. What's So Amazing About Grace? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997. 292 p.

In this masterpiece, Philip Yancey calls "grace" the "last best word" in the English language, a word that has not been sapped of its original meaning by a secular society. Even nonbelievers have a good sense of what grace is. Yancey does not attempt a theological analysis; like the master teacher of long ago, he uses stories to show what grace is.

We live in a world of ungrace where the very best we can hope for is fair compensation for our efforts. God, on the other hand, lavishes grace on the good and the not-so-good. He is the lovesick father who goes to any length to save even one of his children. Since God has poured out grace and pardon on us, how can we refuse to extend it to others?

Yancey asks the hard questions: should we be expected to forgive unrepentant criminals, abusers, and the Gestapo? He concludes that grace is always unfair--it goes beyond fairness. (If God were fair, none of us would have a chance). It is the only way to free the victim of hatred, to break the cycle of revenge and retribution so evident in families as well as in countries such as Northern Ireland, and to liberate the perpetrator by opening the door to repentance and change.

Forgiveness works on the political scene, although this kind of visionary leader often pays with his life. For example Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi affected massive changes in society by working in a non-violent, forgiving way. German leaders took responsibility for the evils of the holocaust and established diplomatic relations with Israel. Japan, however, refused to accept responsibility for its aggression and still has strained relations with nations it invaded.

As for "cheap grace," understanding to what lengths God goes to save will inspire such love and devotion that "cheap grace" will not be an issue. Legalism presents a far greater threat to grace because it focuses on trivialities and works to "make" God love us by adhering to an external code of behavior. It leads to intolerance and extremism. Yancey takes a hard look at the attitudes evangelical Christians have towards the "sinners" in today's society such as liberal politicians and gay persons. He discusses the importance of separating church and state. The church can be a watchdog for the unethical acts of the state only if it is independent of it. He calls upon church people to accept God's magnanimous grace in their own lives and extend it to each other and to society. Everyone everywhere is thirsty for grace.

By Carol Morse, Serials Librarian, Walla Walla College, College Place, Washington.
(MorseCa@wwc.edu)

ADVENTIST RESOURCES COLUMN

By Marilyn Crane

Gaustad, Edwin S. Church and state in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. 157 p. (Religion in American Life) ISBN: 0195106792. $22.00. Seventh-day Adventists are mentioned in the chapter entitled, "The Free-exercise clause: religious liberty," in connection with Sherbert vs. Verner.

Makers of Christian theology in America. Edited by Mark G. Toulouse and James O. Duke. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997. 568 p. ISBN: 0687007666. $21.00. The section on Millennialism includes a chapter about Ellen White written by Ruth Alden Doan, associate professor of history at Hollins College, Roanoke, VA.

Morgan, David. Protestants and pictures: religion, visual culture, and the age of American mass production. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. 417 p. ISBN: 0195130294. $35.00. This is an important book in which a whole section, "Adventism and images of the end," covers Adventist themes used in graphic representa-tions. A variety of pictorial charts and a progression of Way of Life engravings are discussed. Many of the illustrations are from the Adventist Heritage Center, Andrews University.

Tucker, LaVerne. Be what God wants you to be: life story of LaVerne & Alma Tucker. Redlands, CA: The Quiet Hour, 1998. 464 p. $16.00. (Contact: The Quiet Hour, 630 Brookside, Redlands, CA 92373.) This is an inspiring biography of two individuals whose names have been associated with The Quiet Hour for nearly forty years.

Note: This column lists titles published outside the major publishing houses of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Marilyn Crane is Special Collections Cataloger at Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
(mcrane@dwebb.llu.edu)

PRESERVATION CORNER

Back to Basics

By Randy Butler

The recent Fort Worth tornadoes set me to thinking once again about basic disaster preparation. Before you can plan for a response, you have to first assess your building and holdings. How many of us know where the main water valve for the building is located? Do you have a key to access the water valve? Have you ever walked on your roof and looked at the drainage situation? Do you have trees that overhang your building's roof or window area? These are only a few of the many basic questions you must ask before you can plan a response for any catastrophe.

Too often we expect someone else on campus to have the answers to the above questions. Plant Services often do not provide keys for water valves and electrical boxes to building managers on campus. And it is a truism that no one really knows your building as well as you do, or should! Librarians are building managers and with that task comes a great deal of responsibility. The following factors need to be considered in preparing for a potential disaster involving your building.

First, know the geography of your area. Is your building in a flood plain or on a hill? What type of natural disasters are common in your area? You may need to know how your building can be reached in an emergency if the main road is cut. You can stockpile certain types of disaster supplies if you know what type of natural disaster is most likely. Second, know your building. When was your library built? What are the building materials? What are its weaknesses?

I use a checklist for conducting a building survey. Let me share a few of the questions or points of observation:

1. Does the roof have clear drainage?
2. Are electrical control panels and water main valves accessible? Are keys to locks on the premises?
3. Are hallways kept open/clear and neat--no stored boxes or other materials to block access or absorb water?
4. Are windows clear of potential falling debris?
5. Are photo collections in the basement?
6. Are windows made of panels? Are frames made of metal or wood? (Wood panels often leak and break.)
7. Are any materials shelved under skylights?
8. Are shelving units/stacks or ranges within ten feet of large window areas?
9. Is the sprinkler system wet or dry? How often is it tested?
10. Are fire extinguishers and hoses certified and checked regularly? Do staff know how to use them?
11. Are escape routes clearly marked and are drills conducted, at least with the staff?
12. Are book drops located inside the building? Are there fire-associated hazards?
13. Are system back-up tapes stored off-site?
14. Are floors carpeted or tiled ? (Carpet absorbs water.)
15. Are ranges cross-tied across the top by quake-proof bracing?
16. Is exterior siding made of wood, brick, metal, etc.?

These are only a few of the many questions and issues that need to be addressed before you really consider writing a disaster plan. The simplest and best expenditure you can make as a first step involves the purchase of rolls of plastic sheeting (heavy gauge) for placement over stacks in case of any water or wind emergency. You can find this material at any hardware, lumber yard, or similar business establishments.

Perhaps we can look at other disaster plan components at a later time. To be smart is to start with basics--know your setting and your building. You will never go wrong with the purchase of plastic sheeting material.

Randy Butler is Library Director at Southwest Adventist University, Keene, Texas.
For preservation questions, email butlerr@swau.edu.

BYTES AND BITS

Andrews University

LSTA Grant Award

James White Library has been awarded a sum of $100,759 under the federal Library Services and Technology Act to install the Ariel document delivery system throughout Berrien County in southwest Michigan. Installation of the Internet-based Ariel system enables 16 libraries of all types (public, school, corporate, hospital, community college, and university) to establish a rapid document delivery system within the predominantly rural county, and it may be a model for similar regions throughout the United States. The grant provides each library with computer, scanner, laser printer, and Ariel software, plus training in the use of the system.

Periodicals Plan 2000

In October 1999 James White Library established a team of librarians and department faculty to study the serials crisis and implement a new strategy for periodical resources at Andrews University. The team reviewed the literature on the subject, and recommended to the administration a 12-point plan for periodicals management. The main elements of the plan include restructuring the library materials budgets, financial commitment by the university, and a shift from an emphasis on print to a model that incorporates print, e-journals, full-text services, digital archives, and rapid document delivery.

Marketing the new plan to the campus involves having librarians meet separately with each academic department to create a profile of its library use, evaluate journal titles, and design a matrix of options to meet its need for periodical resources. The emphasis is on collaboration between teachers and librarians to create the best possible approach. These meetings are being scheduled throughout the Spring Quarter so that the plan can be implemented in the new budget year.

New Adventist Resources Center Opening

Construction on the lower floor of James White Library is on target for the new Adventist Resources Center to be open in time for the ASDAL 2000 Conference. The completely renovated Center will occupy more than 10,000 square feet of floor space and accommodate five separate collections and services - the Adventist Heritage Center, the Ellen G. White Resource Center, the Andrews University Archives and Records Center, the JWL Rare Materials Collection, and the SDA Periodicals Index. Integration of these services will be achieved by having a single reception/service desk, shared reading room and exhibit area. The combined collections approach 50,000 volumes, plus manuscripts and archives.

By Keith Clouten (clouten@andrews.edu)

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Atlantic Union College

Lee Parson officially left the G. Eric Jones Library in May 1999. To honor her, the library recently named the special collections room the Lethiel C. Parson Special Collections Room.

Margareta Sbacchi was acting director until March 2000 when she fully assumed the directorship. At the moment, a former staff member is filling the position of technical services librarian which should hopefully be filled soon by a librarian.

By Margareta Sbacchi (MSbacchi@falcon.atlanaticuc.edu)

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Southern Adventist University

Instructional Media has moved into the library, with Frank DiMemmo as the Media Librarian. He is a little crowded, but we are happy to have his office as a part of the library.

ANGEL is remaining in the library but will be moving downstairs in May. This will give their staff more room and will also free up some office space for the library staff. A great deal of shelf and furniture moving is going on now in preparation for the final move.

Loranne Grace is staying busy cataloging the music library (located in the School of Music) into our system and fortunately, finding most of the titles on Z-search rather than OCLC.

Patricia Beaman and Marge Seifert attended Computers in Libraries in March, bringing back new ideas which we hope to adopt.

By Peg Bennett (pbennett@southern.edu)

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Walla Walla College

We bid farewell and best wishes to Shirley Cody, Branch Librarian at our Portland School of Nursing campus. After serving our nursing students for 27 years, she will be retiring at the end of June. Shirley has seen a great many changes during her years at the School of Nursing library, including a move to its present location. Her plans for retirement include volunteering at a temporary agency and starting a walking program.

Bruce McClay has been named the next Branch Librarian for the Portland School of Nursing Library. His tenure begins June 19th. Bruce comes to us from the University of Texas, Pan-American where he has been Instructional Services Librarian, coordinating a team of five librarians and one assistant. We welcome him to our library faculty.

By Carolyn Gaskell (GaskCa@wwc.edu)

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Catching the Greased Pig

Part 1of this article, "Catching the Greased Pig," appeared in the Winter 2000 issue of ASDAL Action. Unfortunately, Part 2 is not in this issue as originally scheduled. Author Bruce McClay who was Instructional Services Librarian at the University of the University of Texas - Pan American when the first part was written has been busy with library remodeling, house selling, treasure storing, and getting ready for a major move from Texas to Oregon. By the time Part 2 gets ready for publication, he will be Branch Librarian of the Portland School of Nursing Library which as mentioned in the Carolyn Gaskell's report above. Apologies for postponing the rest of this article.

By Bruce McClay (bruce@panam.edu)

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Electronic ASDAL Action

This may be your last print copy of ASDAL Action. When you renew your ASDAL membership, please be sure to indicate if you would like to receive the print or the electronic version.

By Cynthia Mae Helms (helmsc@andrews.edu)

JOB OPENINGS

Library Director, La Sierra University

Immediate opening. Qualifications include master's degree from an ALA-accredited program, at least 5 years' academic library experience with administrative and reference duties, and a substantive record of professional participation and scholarship. For additional information or nominations, please contact Kitty Simmons, Search Committee Chair, La Sierra University Library, Riverside, CA 92515; email: ksimmons@lasierra.edu.

By Kitty Simmons (ksimmons@lasierra.edu)

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Reference Librarian, Health Sciences Library, Loma Linda University

The Del E. Webb Memorial Library is seeking a dynamic, motivated and service-oriented individual to be a part of the Public Services team to deliver information to the campus of Loma Linda University, a Seventh-day Adventist Health Science University. The library operates in a computer- intensive environment (Internet, electronic databases, Innovative Interfaces integrated library system, and various computer applications).

Responsibilities:
Provide general reference services; perform mediated literature searches; provide instruction in information retrieval and management, including formal classes and informal instruction at the reference desk for faculty, students, and staff; serve as library liaison to the School of Public Health, interacting with the faculty, staff and students in providing for their information needs; supervise Interlibrary Loan; participate in collection development; participate in library and campus committees.

Requirements:
ALA-accredited master's degree; excellent oral and written communication skills; strong commitment to service; ability to function effectively as member of a team; ability to provide large and small group instruction and training; ability to conduct reference interviews; experience in providing mediated literature searches; experience in using standard office software.

Other preferred qualifications include:
Member, Academy Health Information Professions, MLA; experience in a health sciences library; knowledge of established and emerging instructional technologies; experience working in electronic classrooms.

Rank:
Commensurate with experience.

Salary Range:

$37,372 Instructor--$45,880 Associate Librarian.

Applications received by June 30, 2000 will be given first consideration. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please submit a letter of application, resume, completed university application, and names of three professional references to: Chair, Search Committee, Library Administration Office, Del E. Webb Memorial Library, Loma Linda University, 11072 Anderson Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350-1704. (webblibrary@dwebb.llu.edu)

Loma Linda University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The University does reserve constitutional and statutory rights as a religious institution and employer to give preference to Seventh-day Adventists.

By David Rios (drios@dwebb.llu.edu)

ASDAL Action Edited for HTML by Steve Sowder and Stan Cottrell