ASDAL CELEBRATES 20th ANNIVERSARY

By Annette Melgosa

The 21st ASDAL Conference, marking the 20th anniversary of ASDAL, will be held at Pacific Union College (PUC), Angwin, California, June 20-24, 2001. It is especially significant that we meet at PUC where we met for the first time 20 years ago. We hope the location will make it easier for Pacific Rim librarians to attend.

"Bridging the Past and the Future," the theme for this special anniversary conference, provides an opportunity for us to plan for and anticipate the future of libraries. By reflecting on our past and combining the best it has to offer with present goals, we can look forward to a bright future for Seventh-day Adventist librarianship.

This conference will have a slightly different format. In addition to special anniversary events, meetings will be divided into three seminars: (1) ASDAL History, (2) Present Issues in Libraries, and (3) Future Trends in Libraries. Seminars will be approximately four hours long and are scheduled as general meetings so everyone will be able to attend them all. Attendees to this special anniversary conference will receive certificates of attendance.

Added features promise to make the 21st Conference the best ever. A special banquet, a historical SDA tour, and an inspirational vespers at Elmshaven are only a few of the special things planned. The complete conference schedule and application information will be published in the next ASDAL Action. Here is a glimpse of the schedule so far:

We look forward to sharing this special anniversary together with you at Pacific Union College. Mark the dates of June 19-24 on your calendars now. You will not want to miss this 21st Conference in celebration of ASDAL's 20th Anniversary. Please direct questions or suggestions to Annette Melgosa, President-Elect.

Annette Melgosa, ASDAL President-Elect, is Assistant Librarian at Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Silang, Cavite, Philippines

CALL FOR PAPERS

By Annette Melgosa

Proposals for presentations at the 21st annual ASDAL conference are now being received. Please submit your proposals by fax or email (amelgosa@aiis.edu) to Annette Melgosa.

The theme, "Bridging the Past and the Future," will be divided into three seminars as outlined below. Proposals should reflect the librarian's role in combining the best from the past with the goals of the present in order to achieve a sound future. Specify which aspect of the theme will be covered in the paper proposed.

Seminar 1: "Bridges: Engaging Our Past."

Topics related to the history of Adventist libraries and ASDAL. Historical perspectives on the Association are welcome. Other topics might include past achievements, successes or strengths within ASDAL and SDA libraries that can be incorporated into our present or carried into our future.

Seminar 2: "Bridges: Examining Our Present."

Present issues within our profession such as information literacy, global cooperation, the library's changing role in society, financial and professional implications of building a combined physical and electronic collection, or other areas affecting the profession today.

Seminar 3: "Bridges: Embracing Our Future."

Issues that will affect the future of our profession such as the growth of distance education, collection digitization, the social context of information and publishing, implications of the information age to library staffing, or other areas with implications for the future.

Proposals can be based on actual practice (case study approach) or on research and analysis. They should clearly describe (1) the problem or issue and (2) give a brief overview of how the issue will be addressed. Please limit proposals to 350 words. A limited number of supporting bibliographic references may be included.

Annette Melgosa, ASDAL President-Elect, is Assistant Librarian at Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE PRESENTS CANDIDATES

By Cynthia Mae Helms

The Nominating Committee under the chairmanship of Hernan Hammerly presents the following slate of officers and committee members. The list shows each candidate's current job title and ASDAL positions held. There is one vacancy for each position listed below.

Members will receive their ballots by postal mail. Completed ballots must be in the president's hands by May 31, 2001. Select one person for each office.

President-Elect (one year term followed by one year term as president)

Cynthia Mae Helms

Head, Information Services Department, Andrews University

Secretary, ASDAL Action editor, Statistics Committee, Resolutions Committee, On-Site Planning Committee, Nominating Committee

Linda Mack

Music Librarian, Andrews University

ASDAL Action editor, Scholarships and Awards Committee, On-Site Planning Committee

Constitution and Bylaws Committee (three-year term)

Jannith Lewis

Library Director, Oakwood College

President, Secretary, Treasurer, various other committees

Steve Sowder

Systems Librarian, Andrews University

Resolutions Committee

Scholarship and Awards Committee (three-year term)

Patricia Beaman

Periodicals/Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Southern Adventist University

No previous ASDAL office

Sandra Browning

Circulation Supervisor and Student Employment Coordinator, La Sierra University

On-Site Planning Committee, Committee to Study Certification/Curriculum for Paraprofessionals in SDA Libraries, Nominating Committee

SDA Classification Advisory Committee (three-year term)

Jonquil Hole

Cataloging Librarian, Newbold College, England

No previous ASDAL office

Tony Zbaraschuk

Special Collections Librarian, Archivist, and Library Webmaster, La Sierra University

Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Adventist Resources Section

SDA Periodical Index Board (five-year term)

Carol Nicks

Assistant Librarian in charge of Technical Services, Canadian University College

SDA Classification Advisory Committee

Margareta Sbacchi

Library Director, Atlantic Union College

No previous ASDAL office

Site Planning Committee (three-year term)

Norma Greaves

Vice President for Development and Public Relations, Caribbean Union College, West Indies (Former Director of Library Services, Caribbean Union College)

Ad Hoc Committee for the ASDAL Anniversary Conference, SDA Periodical Index Board

Ralph Köhler

Library Director, Friedensau University, Germany

Nominating Committee, Adventist Resources Working Committee

Statistics Committee (three-year term)

Josip Mocnik

Director, Mary Jane Mitchell Multimedia Center, Andrews University

No previous ASDAL office

Marsha Rasmussen

Associate Librarian in charge of Cataloging and Technical Processes, Southwestern Adventist University

No previous ASDAL office

The 2000/2001Nominating Committee is composed of the following: Hernan Hammerly, Chair; Sandra Browning; Morris Iheanacho; Cynthia Mae Helms; and Jo Lloyd.

Cynthia Mae Helms, member of the Nominating Committee, is Head of the Information Services Department at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

LONG DISTANCE CALLING

By Keith Clouten

Picture, in your mind's eye, a steamy, tropical country. The mountain areas are still covered with jungle where elephants and tigers roam freely. The capital city has palaces; fabulous temples; and clean, modern shopping centers--but also has toxic air pollution, dripping heat, and gridlock traffic congestion. Buses of all kinds and comfort levels provide cheap transportation throughout the country, though there are also trains serving some areas. That's enough. Welcome to Thailand.

Now picture a brand new Adventist college, literally carved from dense jungle in a rural mountain setting about one hundred miles northeast of the capital, Bangkok. The emerging campus is a showcase of design, both of buildings and landscaping. Campus roads are wide, fully paved with gutters and sidewalks. Academic buildings, including the library, are large and spacious, air-conditioned, attractively furnished, and provided with modern elevators. Hundreds of shrubs and trees, native and exotic, make the campus a virtual arboretum. This indeed is a school full of surprises. Welcome to Mission College!

I was privileged to spend ten days there last November, responding to an urgent appeal to come and help plan the growth of the library's resources and services. I've been to more than a dozen schools in developing countries, so I have some preconceived expectations about what I will find when I visit another campus. But my expectations were blown out the window when I arrived at Mission College.

In the realm of the unexpected: all of the dorm rooms with private balconies, telephones, fully tiled and semi-private bathrooms with marble vanities; well-equipped classrooms and labs, supplied with ceiling fans and air-conditioning; a 35,000 square-foot library of award winning design, fully carpeted, gorgeously furnished in fine teakwood (including the book stacks), desk areas ready and wired for 45 public computer stations, spacious staff workrooms and offices--including a director's office with picture windows at opposite ends. (How I wish ...!) OK, I'll stop drooling.

In case you're wondering, Mission College is the new senior college for the Southeast Asia Union Mission. Started in a small way in 1990, the school was suddenly thrust into a growth curve three years ago after the church closed Southeast Asia Union College in Singapore. The school closed when the Singapore government announced that it needed the college land for city expansion. The generous compensation given has enabled the Union to develop the lovely new campus in Thailand.

Have you at one time or another thought about doing a stint in the "mission field," but are a bit afraid of "roughing it" in some isolated backwater? That's understandable, but why not think about spending a few months or a year at Mission College in Thailand? Director Damian Ginajil is in desperate need of help with cataloging, audio-visual, and reference services. If you are retired, consider the opportunity of serving the church at your own pace in an exotic environment.

There are library needs in many other places, too. Be adventurous! Not all mission guestrooms come with scroungy bathrooms or a supply of cockroaches and scorpions. I've had that experience only once. Most institutions treat guests as VIPs, and you can expect to be secure, comfortable, and well fed. Possibly you will not be financially disadvantaged as a result of a mission term, but I can guarantee that your life will be enriched and you will never again be the same person--and I mean that in the best way possible!

Next time long distance calls, give it your attention and prayerful thought.

Keith Clouten is Library Director at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

A CRY FROM THE CARIBBEAN

By Norma Greaves

In response to ASDAL Action, I wish to share my "action" during the month of December 2000 while on a visit to the island of Barbados. Librarians feel satisfied when student workers perform well in their libraries and may voice that it would be just wonderful if such students would pursue the career of being a librarian. Student workers in our Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) libraries pursue various careers, and are not necessarily library science majors. Few pursue a career in library science because of the unavailability of this degree program at our SDA colleges. However, librarians are happy when student workers who have benefitted from the experience of working in a library setting are able to contribute their library skills to the work market when the opportunity arises.

During my Christmas vacation, I visited one such student. Dale Hardy worked with me in the library at Caribbean Union College (CUC) in Trinidad when he was a student pursuing a degree in Biology. He is now the Biology teacher at the SDA Secondary School in Barbados. Because there was a need for a librarian, Dale volunteered his services as a result of the experience gained when he was a student worker in the library at CUC. He took advantage of library management courses offered in the summer at an offshore U.S. university on a neighboring island and also attended library workshops that were offered in Barbados.

The principal of the school asked me and another college librarian to go to the school to assist, encourage, and offer support to Dale. Thus, part of my Christmas vacation was spent in this activity. Follow-up support was promised.

SDA schools in the Caribbean and other areas are crying out for qualified librarians. In the absence of such, those of us who are qualified must continue to look for opportunities to assist our churches in establishing and maintaining libraries and also do the same for our primary and secondary schools. We should also endeavor to continue encouraging students to enter Librarianship. ASDAL has recognized this opportunity, and has addressed this.

SDA librarians should also continue to extend their expertise outside of their direct workplace. An example of this is Keith Clouten who included CUC library in his busy schedule. I will always be appreciative of the services rendered by the Cloutens. Their valuable assistance will never be forgotten. Recently CUC also benefitted from the expertise of Steve Sowder of Andrews University. Sincere thanks are again conveyed to him for his valuable assistance to our library's development.

May God continue to bless the efforts of ASDAL and our SDA librarians who share their time and efforts with libraries worldwide.

Norma Greaves is Vice-President for Development & Public Relations and former Director of Library Services at Caribbean Union College, Trinidad.

OAKWOOD COLLEGE NETWORKS WITH VALLEY VIEW UNIVERSITY

By Ruth Maddox Swan with Vida Mensah

During Christmas break, I had the opportunity to visit and work with Librarian Vida Mensah at Valley View University (VVU). This was a blessed trip. As with all travel outside of our own spaces, we come back the richer for our journey. VVU, formerly Adventist Missionary College, is a very impressive Seventh-day Adventist institution. Since 1997, it has come under the management of the Africa-Indian Ocean Division. VVU is situated in the suburbs of Accra, the largest city in the country of Ghana, West Africa. The school sits on 285 acres of prime property and affords a beautiful view of the mountains on a clear day. Valley View is accredited by the Adventist Accrediting Association and the National Accreditation Board (Ghana). It has an enrollment of about 500 students. I was impressed with the dedication of the faculty and staff, and the visionary leadership of President Seth Laryea and his administrative team.

The weather in Accra was a tropical 85-90º F. and a very pleasant break from our worst Alabamian winter of record for some years. I found myself most comfortable in natural fabrics, comfortable shoes, a hat, and with bottled water in hand. I arrived in Accra on a Friday evening, and though jet lagged, did not want to miss church. I was glad that I made the effort to get out. I enjoyed the service, especially the performance of national music. The second Sabbath, I attended the campus church and spoke for the morning service.

The Valley View campus is spacious, allowing room for anticipated expansion. The library building is one of the facilities scheduled for replacement in the master plan. Even though it was Christmas break, I did get an opportunity to meet some of the library workers and the secretary. They were using the break to catch up with checking in, processing, and shelving of books.

VVU's library is in the midst of vigorous and planned development. I could directly see the benefit of cooperation with other Adventist institutions as student workers unpacked books purchased through the fine SAIL program administered by Keith Clouten. Being on the receiving end of these programs gives one a greater appreciation for cooperative programs and a greater sense of the need for them. Local economic constraints can hamper the efforts of the most talented librarian. Unlike some international institutions, VVU is blessed to have a local full-time degreed librarian on staff. Laryea and Mensah expressed appreciation for this opportunity to network together but I feel that I gained just as much as they did.

I was gratified to be able to raise enough funds, much of it from Oakwood College librarians and administrators, to purchase and take a computer to VVU for use in the library. Transporting it was a challenge, but their smiles made it all worthwhile! It is the fastest computer on campus and Mensah reports that it is a first for the library to own the most updated technology on campus.

My trip was not all work. I visited with Oakwood College alumni, pounded palm nuts, and enjoyed the local markets, food, and scenery. I picnicked and experienced my first speed boat ride on beautiful Lake Volta. I relished a variety of freshly picked and ripened tropical fruits such as pineapple, papaw (papaya), bananas, and of course my favorite beverage, coconut water.

My appeal to sister institutions in the States is that, as librarians, we reach across this shrinking globe to other librarians, and where possible, increase our efforts to assist them in developing their programs and collections. At this time, it would be wonderful for the VVU library to be able to collect reference materials in machine-readable formats that will be useful and convenient to ship. Most libraries need assistance with technological and collection development.

We North American librarians may feel that we are barely taking care of our own campuses, and can hardly afford to help others. However, when I look at the disparity between the resources and services of our libraries and those of international libraries, I am convinced that God would have us find ways to share more of His blessings. All of our students, wherever they study, belong to the same gospel family. What I have learned is that if we are willing, God enables us to help others, and in turn, we are blessed. What a challenge!

Ruth Maddox Swan is Media Librarian at Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama.

Vida Mensah is Director of Library at Valley View University, Accra, Ghana.

E-BOOKMARKS, ETC.

By Wolfhard Touchard

Are you interested in free encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, and other reference books online? Click on http://www2.andrews.edu/~touchard/eb-etc.html.

At the last ASDAL Conference (June 2000) I was asked to prepare a "... helpful session for the school librarians to learn about web sites that are particularly good for research at their level, free encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc ...."

I took another look at this presentation and realized that "e-bookmarks, etc." would serve a larger audience, namely academies, church schools, home schools, and homes. Most of all, this web site would serve the world field, a special burden of mine!

Here is a quick breakdown:

For Children

Children's Literature (and other wonderful things)
Kids Click! Web search for kids by librarians

Exploring the World Wide Web

My lecture on using the World Wide Web

Automobiles

Edmund's Automobile Buyer's Guide
Kelley Blue Book

Bible Studies

Includes resources for students and teachers
Bible Gateway
Bible Study Guides
Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Careers

Ten of the best job-search web sites

Citing Reference Sources

AMA Style
APA Style
MLA Style
Turabian

Cooking - Vegetarian

Cooking Light
Cooking Village
Home Canning
Vegetarian Pages
Veggies Unite!

Dictionaries

On-line Dictionaries (over 200 language dictionaries)
Acronym Finder
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
The Quotations Page
Roget's Thesaurus
Term-Online
WWWebster Dictionary

Education

Special Education
School Psychology Resources Online
AskERIC
Children's Literature Web Guide
ERIC/AE Test Locator
Internet Resources for Educators
US Department of Education

Encyclopedias

Britannica Online
MEL - Michigan Electronic Library
National Geographic Index
xrefer
Ready Reference

Geography / Travel

Includes 20 useful links

Governments (US)

States
US Government Printing Office

Health

Includes six popular general sites and five sites which illustrate body parts for teaching physiology and anatomy or health sciences

Humor & Laughter

Carolina Health and Humor Association and three more sites

Museums

Virtual Library Museums Page - the best and most comprehensive site I have come across thus far

News & Newspapers (US)

Covers all you would ever need and more

Outreach & Witnessing

Outreach Projects and their Resources
American Sign Language

Seventh-day Adventist Resources

Ellen G. White Writings
Sabbath School Lessons
SDAnet
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Online
Seventh-day Adventist Organizations
TAGnet

Statistics & Demography

Ten useful sites for church planting in the US

Taxes (US)

Federal & State tax forms

Telephone Directories - International

Eight of them

Weather

Five very good ones

Weights & Measures

Calculators Online Center
Date and Time Gateway
megaConverter

800 International Search Engines

Very useful for mission / travel / language studies

Wolfhard Touchard is Reference Librarian and Database Manager at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

FRIEDENSAU UNIVERSITY PLANS NEW LIBRARY

By Ralph Köhler

In January 1994, the Friedensau Library with holdings of 15,000 books moved into the Old School Building. Within the last seven years the holdings have more than quadrupled to 65,000. Since the library space was originally designed for 50,000 items, the interim library should have been replaced in 1999, but urgent reorganization of student accommodations was given preference.

By December 2000, an extension to the library was built to provide for 3-4 years' growth in acquisitions. This became possible by moving the dean's apartment into a remodeled student dormitory. Library offices were shifted to the first floor (unfortunately the structure will not support additional shelves). Additional secondhand shelves were set up on the ground floor. The library now has approximately 2 kilometers (6650 feet) of shelf space and an area of approximately 600 square meters (6500 square feet). Four rooms in the basement could be used in the future for open reserve and low use books after dehumidifying the 100 year-old building.

Simultaneously, a PC class room with 6 PCs connected by an educational network was built on the first floor. This room should be available for training sessions soon. The money for this space and for 5 new Internet PC's came chiefly from the Federation and the German Telekom. The library has a total of 25 PCs in a Novell network. Among them is an Ariel document delivery station with an A3 Scanner.

Remodeling plans for 2001 include three other spaces on the first floor to accommodate the music and audiovisual media collections as well as a deposit library of the Association for Church Growth (Verein für Freikirchenforschung, Münster). The concept of the new library as a learning and resource center was developed together with the departments of theology and social sciences. This was discussed with representatives of the political, cultural, and business sections of the region in order to obtain donations from the European Union.

Ralph Köhler is Librarian at Friedensau University, Friedensau, Germany.

REVIEWS

Knight, George R. A Search for Identity: the Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs. Hagerstown, Maryland: Review & Herald, 2000. 223 p.

George R. Knight needs no introduction to Adventist librarians, who doubtless have most or all of his more than 30 books on Adventist history and theology somewhere on their shelves. Recently he has been writing a number of useful introductions to Ellen White (Meeting Ellen White, Reading Ellen White, My Dear Brother M, Walking with Ellen White) and Adventist history (Anticipating the Advent, A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists). He now returns to the more complicated problems of Adventist doctrine, attempting to explain how it happens that "Most of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism would not be able to join the church today if they had to agree to the denomination's '27 fundamental beliefs'" (p. 17). As has frequently been evident in his earlier books, Knight is concerned not only to explain the past in its own right but also to explain how it applies to present-day concerns and controversies.

A Search for Identity is organized chronologically, providing a brief background in early 19th century American and Millerite thought, and then proceeding through the various stages of Adventist theological development. The subtitle invites comparison to John Henry Newman's great An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, though many of Newman's conclusions will find no parallels here. In particular, Knight sees Adventist development as a continual quest for truth, not an inevitable flowering of seeds already present at the beginning. (One also notes the distinct absence of anything comparable to Newman's argument that a divinely established governing authority must needs be present. While Ellen White is available, and sometimes serves in that role, Knight is quite clear that the Bible is the governing authority of the Adventist search.)

Knight lays his essential groundwork in the first chapter, discussing the nature of "present truth" and Adventism's willingness to seek new and better understandings of Scriptural truth. This section should be required reading for anyone engaged in theological controversies. There is a very useful exploration of the tension between keeping to the firmly established results of past Biblical study and moving onward in understanding.

Adventism was not born in a vacuum with only the Bible and some principles of interpretation. Knight follows with a brief discussion of the 19th century Protestant religious background. While most of this will be familiar to religious historians, many will find surprising new material here. I was aware, for instance, of the close connection between Adventism and Methodism (the church in which young Ellen Harmon was raised), but Knight's discussion of the ways in which Adventism is more closely akin to Anabaptism and the Restorationist movement of the early 19th century (which emphasized getting back to the Bible) than to Luther and Calvin came as a surprise. I had been aware that both James White and Joseph Bates were members of the Christian Connexion, but knew nothing of the beliefs of that group. Its emphasis on lost truths needing to be restored before the Lord came, and its anti-Trinitarianism, for instance, explain a great deal about early Adventism. And Knight's explanation of the Methodist background of Ellen White's use of the terms "sanctification" and "perfection," which differs considerably from Lutheran/Calvinist terminology, makes a great deal of sense.

Knight's brief summary of the Millerite background and the events leading up to 1844 will be familiar material to any Adventist concerned with the history of the denomination. Knight's interest here is to emphasize his theme that the confusion and disarray caused by the Great Disappointment left Adventists engaged in a search for identity (whence the title of the book).

The initial search led to the formation of a specifically Adventist belief system in the period 1844-1885. Knight focuses on the "old landmarks" of the Sabbath, the imminent Second Coming, conditional immortality, and the two-phase ministry of Christ in the sanctuary. The explanation is clear and concise, and it emphasizes the extent to which Adventism had developed a unified theology, not merely a list of isolated doctrines.

The role of Joseph Bates' early pamphlets, in particular, was critical (the exact extent of this is another fact that will be new to many readers). Knight notes that one reason for the Adventists' emphasis on their exclusive doctrines was the fact that they had emerged in a Protestant Christian milieu in which many basic Christian doctrines were not spoken about, at first because they were shared with other denominations to such an extent that emphasis on them seemed unnecessary, and after a while because Adventists had gotten into the habit of preaching and teaching nothing else, an approach that would lead to trouble.

The trouble period, centered around the Minneapolis General Conference of 1888, has had much written about it, including by Knight himself (he helpfully sprinkles chapter five with references to his earlier books for those seeking a more detailed discussion). The overall theme here is the Adventist rediscovery (or perhaps re-emphasis) of basic Christian truths, starting with Jones' and Waggoner's emphasis on the grace of God and proceeding through the resultant theological controversies about salvation, the nature of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the question of inspiration. Knight notes in particular the shift in the Adventist theology of Christ's nature (and the change brought about by Ellen White's writing in Desire of Ages). While he discusses each of these issues separately, in fact, they were going on more or less simultaneously, and were heavily involved with each other.

The numerous cross-references between the sections are enlightening. (Knight's discussion of Ellen White's role and self-understanding of it during the repeated theological controversies of the period will be especially helpful. Both sides appealed to her; she insisted on pointing to Jesus and the Bible. One cannot help feeling that Knight is making a subtle recommendation to current thinkers who try to use Ellen White to settle theological points.)

Up to this point, the primary controversies of Adventism had been internal; the next period (1920-1950) saw Adventism reacting to the fundamentalist/modernist split in the outside world, and moving very strongly in the development of fundamentalism. This period will be much less familiar to most Adventists than 1844 or 1888, and the discussion consequently more useful than the preceding chapters. Knight's discussion of M.L. Andreasen's "last generation" theology and its connection to current "historic Adventism" is very cogent.

Knight continues his theme of applying history to the modern Adventist church by pointing out two factors. First, there is a danger in fighting one view so hard you back away from the truth into an error opposite the one you are fighting (a situation that calls to mind Jones and Waggoner in an earlier chapter, and the Adventist switch to verbal inerrancy in the 1920's as a defense against modernism.) Second, he notes that the Adventist church had largely forgotten its own theological history by 1950, assuming that the church had always believed the same things it did currently, instead of arriving at its beliefs in a long and involved process.

This rigidity, in turn, sets the stage for another series of major shocks in the post-1950 period, which Knight covers as a series of separate tracks in chapter 8. He starts with the controversy over "historic Adventism," beginning with Walter Martin's investigations and Questions on Doctrine (which he admits was not entirely candid in its presentation of the then-current state of Adventist doctrine) and proceeding through M. L. Andreasen's Letters to the Churches (where he provides a cogent analysis of both the history and theology) and the Desmond Ford crisis. Knight then turns to the controversy over 1888, discussing Wieland, Short, and Sequeira. The discussion is fairly brief and readers interested in a complete view of the controversies involved will probably want to turn to Knight's other books. Tracks three and four discuss the closely linked controversies over Ellen White's authority and the nature of inspiration. Knight reiterates his earlier theme that the church's unawareness of its history in the 1920-1960 period left it vulnerable to shocks that a better awareness would have guarded against. One might summarize with "Those who forget history are doomed to be surprised by it."

Knight concludes with a brief chapter summing up the major lessons of his analysis. They will probably not be a surprise to anyone familiar with his oeuvre, but I suspect that most participants in current Adventist theological debates could use a refresher course. He sees theological polarization (fighting one error so hard you back into its opposite), theological rigidity (nailing down beliefs so hard that you are not open to new truth or necessary revisions of the old), and excessive focus on side issues (as opposed to continuing assertion of the basic truths) as the major dangers for Adventism in its continuing quest for identity.

All in all, A Search for Identity will be a very useful book for any library dealing with Adventist issues, but particularly for those involved in training Adventist thinkers or answering questions about the church's history. Highly recommended for purchase. (Catalogers may wish to note that the OCLC record omits to mention that this book is part of the "Adventist Heritage Series," despite its prominent mention on the cover and in the introduction.)

Tony Zbaraschuk is Special Collections Librarian & Archivist at La Sierra University Library, Riverside, California.

* * *

Winchester, Simon. The Professor and the Madman; A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. 246 p.

The Professor and the Madman has been on the New York Times best seller list from October 1998 through January 21, 2001. A bit surprising for a book about lexicography? Who but librarians and philologists would be interested in purchasing such a work? It does have a catchy and a bit incongruous title. One does not usually associate madmen, murder, and insanity with dictionaries.

This book is about two interesting and memorable characters: James A. H. Murray, professor and editor of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), and William Chester Minor, madman and major contributor to the OED. Their lives are intertwined with an account of the complexities, trials, and tribulations encountered in the ambitious endeavor to document the complete history and definition of every word that existed in the English language at that time. The OED which began in 1857 took 70 years to complete.

Author Simon Winchester weaves this fascinating tale expertly. The book provides both historical minutiae about life in 19th century England and the United States, including details of Minor's Civil War tour of duty; and insight into the personal lives of the two main characters.

Creating a best seller that is also a National Book Critics Circle finalist demands more than a clever title and a couple of unforgettable characters. An attractive format and distinctive writing style certainly help. The format and illustrations both help create a sense of the time period and topic of discussion. Each chapter begins with an appropriate entry from the OED. For example, the entry for the first chapter, "The Dead of Night in Lambeth Marsh," is the word murder. Reading the entries in and of themselves is fascinating, but they also offer insight into the topic discussed in the chapter. Black and white illustrations by Philip Hood enhance the Victorian feel of the work.

Winchester's writing style is colorful as well as descriptive. The plot unravels like a mystery novel and is embellished with unique comparisons such as these comments about the British Philological Society in 1857, "The English, who had raised eccentricity and poor organization to a high art, and placed the scatterbrain on a pedestal, loathed such Middle European things as rules, conventions, and dictatorships," (p.106-107). And, "No one had a clue what they were up against: They were marching blindfolded through molasses," (p.109).

A veteran writer with 30 years of journalism to his credit, Winchester had won several awards including Britain's Journalist of the Year. Although primarily published as a travel writer, he confessed that he couldn't pass up this extraordinary old-fashioned story. The Professor and the Madman was preceded by several other books including Prison Diary: Argentina, written after he was arrested while covering the Falklands War in 1982; and The River at the Center of the World: A Journey Up the Yangtze and Back in Chinese Time.

Among Winchester's most prized possessions is a lead-fronted, steel-and-antimony-backed letterpress printing plate from which the original OED had been printed in 1902. It is page 452 of volume 5 and contains the words from humoral to humour. The metal plate shares a gold frame with two printings of the plate-one in Oxford blue and another in Chinese red. The frame hangs on the author's wall above the dictionary open to the same page as a tribute to bookmaking, printing, and Winchester's love of words.

By Lauren Matacio, Head, Department of Bibliographic Services at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

* * *

Zecevic, Filip Besim. Cover Me! (Damir Zugec, Trans.). Review & Herald Publishing Association, 2000. 126 p.

This is a wonderful story of how God led a Muslim youth to Christianity and the Seventh-day Adventist faith through unlikely circumstances!

When only a teenage boy, Besim defended his town in the country of Bosnia. With his gang of friends, Besim found an abandoned church which became their fort of defense. He discovered later on that this was an Adventist church.

Thrilling reading will carry you through close encounters with death as God protects this young man and brings him into a knowledge of the truth. Cry with him when his own father tried to kill him. Besim's enthralling story will strengthen your faith in the God who covers us even before we seek Him.

By Bessie Lobsien, Retired Librarian, Redding, California.

PRESERVATION CORNER

Copying 101

By Randy Butler

"I need to make a copy of this, where is you copy machine?" Is this a familiar question or what! The copy machine is a dangerous implement in the wrong hands. It is responsible for the proliferation of copies of copies of copies in a world already full of phonies, and to make it worse, it can most definitely cause serious damage to paper or photographic materials.

Literally all special collections, heritage rooms, historical records, and E. G. White Estate facilities have rules regarding the photocopier (or, to be more precise, the electrostatic copier). Some libraries also have general use guidelines (excluding copyright law) for the copy machine as well, but they are the exception and not the rule. Not all rare books, brittle materials, or unique items are protected from general use in special facilities. Ten years ago the Preservation Department at Brigham Young University found over 500 rare books, some dating to as early as the 1500s, out of nearly two million volumes surveyed in the open stacks. This scenario has often been repeated from Yale to UCLA, from the New York Public Library to the Library of Congress (closed stacks but otherwise not protected).

The rare book, however, is not the sole issue. There are thousands of brittle (acidic paper) books, books with broken spines and torn pages, and other one-of-a-kind items in our general collections. When and how to copy these materials should be a concern. I am not talking about copyright, but rather the question as to when to make photocopy judgements based on the physical and/or aesthetic qualities of the materials. The issue is compounded when you consider materials in special collections--especially photographs and unique images. Every so often I am asked by a staff member whether or not they should allow a patron to copy an item that is rather old or in bad physical shape. So, I want to share with you some basic guidelines that I use when making these decisions and formulating policy:

1. Avoid unnecessary copying, period.

2. Do not allow the public to do their own copying of rare or unique items, or materials that are brittle and badly worn. In a special collections environment, the copy machine should not be accessible to patrons. There are horror stories from respected repositories where patrons have switched the copy for the original and where rare items have been fed through the paper-feed slot rather than placed on the glass platen.

3. Materials copied in a special collections environment should be handled with lint-free cotton gloves. Photographs/unique images should remain in their polyester sleeves to avoid finger prints and surface scratching.

4. Make a master copy of commonly requested photos or book passages and copy them rather than the original. Sometimes teachers may ask that a book be placed on reserve and then require students to copy a chapter or specific pages. A master copy will avoid unnecessary wear and tear.

5. Electrostatic copiers produce heat, ozone, and nitrous oxides which are deleterious to brittle paper and photographs in particular. The gaseous pollutants are also harmful to human beings, so copy machines should be used in ventilated areas only. Nitrous oxides are especially harmful to photographs because they attack the silver in the emulsion. Copiers should never be housed near a photo collection or rare brittle books--the oxides and ozone also attack paper.

6. Most libraries cannot afford to buy special edge copiers that spare bindings, or those that photograph from above the item, nevertheless, a book should never be forced open and pressured flat on the platen. Book spines were never intended to be subjected to such stress and pressure. Nor should the copier cover be forced down over a book being copied. We had one platen broken by a patron who forced the copier cover down on a bound periodical. One new technology that assists preservation is the use of a digital presenter (overhead copy) and a printer.

7. NEVER use the electrostatic copier for making copies of cyanotypes (also blueprints), albumen prints, collotypes, or Polaroids. These prints are sensitive to light and/or heat and absolutely cannot take exposure to the intense light and heat of the average copier. They will darken, fade, and change color in ways you do not even want to think about!

8. Use common sense when making a decision. If an item looks fragile or is rare, it probably should not be copied beyond making a single master copy, if that. Common sense is simply based on respect. Standards vary but using 1875 as a cut-off date is useful--that is the general date used to identify the switch to acidic book papers and mass production techniques.

So, the next time a patron asks to make a copy, maybe you should take a look at what they want to copy. Even outside the special collections environment, that one more copy may be one more too many.

Randy Butler is University Librarian at Southwest Adventist University, Keene, Texas.

FROM A DISTANCE . . .

By Marilyn Gane

Does your institution provide distance learning programs? Do you, as the librarian, know what they are? Are you a participant in the planning process? Are your faculty aware of what the library can provide for distance students? Does your administration know the standards to which library services should be provided? Do you receive additional funding to provide these services?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, including the last one, then you are doing really well. If you can answer yes to most of them, then there is most likely more work to be done. If your institution is just embarking on distance learning, this is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor, so to speak. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Ensure that the library is represented on both institutional distance learning committees AND departmental faculty distance learning committees.

2. Ensure that the members of those committees are aware that academic libraries in the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia have guidelines relating to levels of library service for distance students.

   United States:
   ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services 2000
   http://www.ala.org/acrl/guides/distlrng.html
   A full print copy of the 2000 edition may also be found in College & Research Libraries News 61 (December 2000):1023-1029.

   In addition, there are six regional institutional accrediting associations in the United States responsible for the accreditation of entire institutions. Each association has its own criteria for library services for distance students:

   Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
   http://www.msache.org/

   New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
   http://www.neasc.org/

   North Central Association (NCA)
   http://www.ncacihe.org/resources/guidelines/distance.html

   Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
   http://www.cocnasc.org/

   Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS)
   http://www.sacscoc.org/

   Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
   http://www.wascweb.org/

   Canada:
   Canadian Library Association Guidelines for Library Support of Distance and Distributed Learning in Canada 2000
   http://uviclib.uvic.ca/dls/guidelines.html

   Australian and British guidelines are in existence but have not been updated since the early 1980s.

• Remind the committees that library support (as well as administrative and technical support) is just as important as class content and delivery and that it should be carefully planned and budgeted.

• Use the American and Canadian guidelines as a basis for planning library support for your distance education students even if you work outside North America. The guidelines include sections on finance, management, personnel, facilities, and publicity as well as services and resources.

• Ask questions, join listserves, look at other university and college web sites. Learn from other people's expertise, creativity and mistakes. Don't reinvent the wheel!

And finally...

• The AVLL summer conference will be held on July 17-22, 2001 on the campus of La Sierra University. Inquiries should go to Marilyn Eggers, email: meggers@atie.org.

• The 17th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning will be held on August 8-10, 2001, in Madison, Wisconsin. Address your inquiries to Kimary Peterson, Conference Manager, email: distel@education.wisc.edu.

• A call for papers has been broadcast for the fourth Libraries Without Walls Conference to be held on the Agean Island of Lesvos, Greece on September 14-18 (now wouldn't that be wonderful)! Inquiries may be addressed to Geoff Butters, Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM), Department of Information and Communications, Manchester Metropolitan University, England, email: cerlim@mmu.ac.uk.

• A call for participation has been extended for the tenth Off-Campus Library Services Conference to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 17-19, 2002. For proposal forms email Connie Hildebrand, OCLS Conference Program Coordinator, Central Michigan University: connie.hildebrand@cmich.edu.

• Check out the article entitled "Free Scholarly Electronic Journals: What Access do College and University Libraries Provide?" College and Research Libraries 61(November 2000):500-508.

• The April 2001 issue of Computers in Libraries will be devoted to Distance Education.

• Check out the Distance Education link on the ASDAL web site for a list of resources, links, and helpful information relating to library services for distance students.

• Congratulations to Ruth Swan from Oakwood College on her appointment to the Adventist Distance Education Consortium Board which was formed recently to work on many issues that will help promote cooperation and collaboration in distance education/online learning in Adventist higher education.

Marilyn Gane, Chair of ASDAL's Ad Hoc Committee on Distance Education, is Coordinator of Off-Campus Library Services at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

ADVENTIST RESOURCES COLUMN

by Marilyn Crane

Carlsson, Susanne Chauvel. Pitcairn: island at the edge of time. Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia: Central Queensland University Press, 2000. 238 p. ISBN:1875998926. $28.00. Carlsson focuses on the "human story of the Pitcairn community itself" from its beginnings to the present. Three generations of her family have visited the island starting in 1932.

The Adventist Resources Column has existed for over ten years. The intent of the column is to help ASDAL members be aware of Seventh-day Adventist information that isn't included in church publications nor published by Pacific Press or Review and Herald.

Title suggestions are always welcome. Include bibliographic information as well as brief comments regarding the title's pertinence to the column. Send to Marilyn Crane by email: (mcrane@dwebb.llu.edu), fax, or mail: Del E. Webb Memorial Library, Loma Linda University, 11072 Anderson, Loma Linda, CA 92350.

Marilyn Crane is Special Collections Cataloger at Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.

BYTES AND BITS

Andrews University

After serving for 36 years in the Circulation Department of James White Library (JWL), Rebecca Twomley retired from active duty this past summer. Jess Oliver retired October 1 after being director of the Mary Jane Mitchell Multimedia Center for more than ten years. The new director of the Multimedia Center is Josip Mocnik, formerly Catalog Librarian.

Wolfhard Touchard, Reference Librarian, is a member and chair-elect of the Michigan Library Association's Marketing and Public Relations Roundtable.

Keith Clouten, Library Director, has been elected to the six-member executive board of the new Michigan Academic Library Council. Clouten will represent the interests of independent university and college libraries throughout Michigan.

JWL has purchased access to eBooks Michigan, Michigan Library Consortium's collection of 9,000 electronic books from netLibrary. MARC records have been downloaded into the Library Catalog for this collection.

Lauren Matacio

* * *

Friedensau University

In October 2000 the library hosted readings by three authors from the area during National Literature Days. These readings brought more than 220 visitors.

The library broke a new record in the year 2000: more than 70,000 visitors were counted. In particular, free Internet access to six computers Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon contributed to this.

Project SAIL Germany had a good year. In the year 2000, more than 270 books (duplicates) were delivered to Adventist libraries in Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria) and Africa (Mozambique). The Friedensau Library offered more than 5000 books (duplicates), mostly in the German language. Libraries who are interested in receiving books should send an email to ralph.koehler@thh-friedensau.de. A complete list of all available books is on the CD ROM FrieDa - FRIEdensauer DAtenbanken, which we will gladly send.

Ralph Köhler

* * *

Loma Linda University

David Rios, Director of the Del E. Webb Memorial Library, Loma Linda University (LLU) has accepted the position of Assistant University Librarian for the Sciences at University of California, Riverside (UCR) as of January 2001.

Rios began his work at the LLU Library in 1984 as editor of the SDA Periodical Index. He became Associate Director of the Library in 1986 and Director in 1990.

During Rios' time as Director, many positive changes have occurred in the Library. Among the major improvements are:

Installation of a new integrated library system which provides efficient catalog, acquisitions, circulation, and serials modules that share information and improve functionality;

Networked electronic resources, including WebbLine databases and electronic journals;

Significantly improved computer availability and accessibility;

Strengthening of the liaison program.

We appreciate David and all he has contributed to the Library and Library staff. We wish him all the best in his new career at UCR. Jerry Daly, currently head of campus Media Services and Microsystems Support will be the Library's Interim Director. Carlene Bogle, currently Chair of Public Services, will be the Interim Associate Director.

Leslie C. Hassett

* * *

Walla Walla College

Our library now provides wireless networking. This benefits patrons in two ways.

One, students can use their laptops virtually anywhere in the library while connected to the campus network and the Internet. We currently have five wireless network cards available for checkout, and this quarter they have been in constant demand.

The second benefit of wireless is that we have been able to place computers in convenient locations for catalog access, where installing network wiring would have been very difficult. We now have computers on all four floors for catalog access and web research.

Our wireless access points are Apple Airports, which comply with the 802.11b standard and cost less than $300. Our wireless network cards are Lucent Technologies WaveLAN, which work in PC, Mac, Linux, as well as other operating systems. The new cards cost approximately $150 each.

Gary Benton

* * *

Position Open

The James White Library, Andrews University, invites applications for the position of Head, Department of Patron Services/Collection Development. Available July 1, 2001. Salary commensurate with experience.

Primary Duties: Oversees circulation; print & electronic monograph collection development and management.

Required Qualifications: Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program; Experience in academic library public services and collection development; Effective interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work with faculty and students in a culturally diverse environment; Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing; Must be able to work in the United States.

For more information and complete job description contact the chair of the search committee. To apply, submit a letter of application; complete resume of academic preparation, experience and qualifications; and names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references to Linda Mack, Search Committee Chair, Music Materials Center, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0230; e-mail: mack@andrews.edu. To ensure consideration, applications must be received by March 5, 2001.

Linda Mack

* * *

African Digital Library

A new company in North America, NetLibrary, has developed an African Digital Library (ADL). This is a collection of several thousand books in electronic format which are accessible to any academic library in Africa that has Internet access. The great news is that the collection is FREE! The ADL began as part of the Technology Enhanced Learning Initiative in Southern Africa (TELISA) developed by the Association of African Universities and with support from the World Bank. If you are in Africa and your library has Internet access, you should log on to www.netlibrary.com and look for the ADL. There is no charge for your library or your students to access this collection.

Keith Clouten

* * *

Free Journal Subscriptions

At its December meeting, the Association of Information Systems (AIS) Executive Committee agreed that all university libraries in countries not listed in the World Bank's list of high income economies (see http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/class.htm#High_income) should be granted free subscriptions to the Communications of AIS (http://cais.aisnet.org/) and the Journal of AIS (http://jais.aisnet.org/).

These libraries should contact Jennifer Davis (jdavis@terry.uga.edu) of the AIS office. Questions related to this policy should be directed to Rick Watson (rwatson@terry.uga.edu), Interim Vice-President for Communications.

Mike Vitale, President of AIS