Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians Twenth-fourth Annual Conference June 20-23, 2004

Florida College of Health Sciences, Orlando, Florida

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

By Bruce McClay

This year's ASDAL Conference promises to be an enriching and entertaining experience for all. The theme, "Thinking Outside of the Box," will provide many new ideas as we share creative and innovative solutions to conventional concerns, or challenges to traditional methods and assumptions. Deanna Stevens, on-site coordinator, is working hard to ensure that our stay will be pleasant and interesting. Please consult the ASDAL Web site for updated information (http://www.asdal.org/).

All meetings will be held at the Florida Hospital Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2800 North Orange Ave., Orlando, FL. Sunday meetings will be in room 204. Monday and Wednesday meetings will be in room 105.

Bruce McClay, ASDAL President-elect, is Assistant Librarian at Walla Walla College School of Nursing, Portland, Oregon (mcclbr@wwc.edu).

2004 ASDAL CONFERENCE: PRELIMINARY BUSINESS AGENDA

By Paulette McClean Johnson

1. Appointment of Parliamentarian

2. Announcement of Election Results

3. Election of Nominating Committee (5 members)

4. Election of Resolutions Committee (3 members)

5. Reports from Officers

   • President - Paulette Johnson
   • Secretary - Marge Seifert
   • Treasurer - Lee Marie Wisel
   • Editor - Lauren Matacio

6. Reports from Sections

   • Adventist Resources - Jim Ford
   • School Library - Wolfhard Touchard

7. Reports from Ad Hoc Committees

   • Library Manual (second year) - Annette Melgosa

8. Reports from Coordinators

   • Distance Education - Ann Greer
   • Membership - Genevieve Steyn
   • Overseas - Annette Melgosa
   • Publicity - Patricia Beaman
   • Web Site - Stan Cottrell II

9. Reports from Committees

   • Constitution and Bylaws - Steve Sowder
   • Scholarship and Awards - Sandra Browning
   • SDA Classification - Stan Cottrell II
   • Site Planning - Ralph Köhler
   • Statistics - Linda Maberly
   • ALICE Board - Carolyn Gaskell
   • SDAPI - Lawrence Onsager

10. Reports from Chapters

    • Europe - Ralph Köhler
    • South America - Sergio Becerra
    • Inter-America -

11. Reports from Breakout Sessions

    • Directors
    • Distance Learning
    • Public Services
    • Systems
    • Technical Services

12. New Business

13. Report from Resolutions Committee

14. Installation of New Officers

Please contact Paulette Johnson to have additional items included (pjohnson@oaks1.oakwood.edu).

Paulette McClean Johnson, ASDAL President, is Director of Library Services at Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama (pjohnson@oaks1.oakwood.edu).

NOMINATING COMMITTEE PRESENTS SLATE

By Margaret von Hake

The Nominating Committee presents the following slate of candidates for ASDAL positions. You will notice that some of the positions have only one candidate. We may have missed asking someone who would really like to serve ASDAL in one of these positions. If that is the case and you would like to be a second nominee for any of these positions, please get in touch with Margaret von Hake immediately because the final ballots will be sent out soon (mvonhake@cuc.edu).

The committee extends its thanks to those of you who accepted our invitation to serve ASDAL.

President-elect (2004-2005, 2005-2006) (one-year term followed by one year as president)

• Linda Mack - Director, Music Materials Center, Andrews University

Secretary 2004-2006

• Marge Seifert - Public Services Librarian, McKee Library, Southern Adventist University

ASDAL Action Editor (2004-2006)

• Sallie Alger - Head of Bibliographic Services, James White Library, Andrews University

Constitution and Bylaws Committee (2004-2007)

• Steve Sowder - Systems Librarian, James White Library, Andrews University
• Tony Zbaraschuk - Special Collections Librarian and Archivist, La Sierra University Library

Scholarship and Awards Committee (2004-2007)

• John Kihlstrom - Director, Library/Media Center, Spring Valley Academy
• Lawrence Onsager - Dean of Libraries, James White Library, Andrews University

SDA Classification Advisory Committee (2004-2007)

• Carol Nicks - Assistant Librarian, Canadian University College

SDA Periodical Index Board (2004-2009)

• Carolyn Gaskell - Director of Libraries, Peterson Memorial Library, Walla Walla College

Site Planning Committee (2004-2007)

• Robert Baldwin - Library Director, Allegheny College of Maryland
• Carol Morse - Serials Librarian, Peterson Memorial Library, Walla Walla College

Statistics Committee (2004-2007)

• Karla Britain - Technical Services Librarian, Ella Johnson Crandall Library, Union College
• Deanna Stevens - Director, R. A. Williams Library, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences

Nominating Committee: Margaret von Hake, Chair; Sandra Browning, Morris Iheanacho, Joel Lutes, Ruth Swan

Margaret von Hake is Library Director at Columbia Union College, Takoma Park, Maryland (mvonhake@cuc.edu).

NEW E.G. WHITE CENTER AT SOUTHWESTERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY

By Randy Butler

There have been several positive developments on the Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) campus over the past academic year. One decided improvement involves increases in enrollment and a stabilization of income. The Chan Shun Centennial Library has continued to see an increase in the number of transactions and use of databases (particularly FirstSearch, Business Source Premier, Lexis-Nexis, Business Conference Board, CINAHL, ATLA, and MLA). In addition, the library will have a new full-time director, Cristina Thomsen. Thomsen is a former graduate of SWAU and recently served as the Reference Librarian on the Missoula, MT extension site of Walla Walla College. She is currently completing her master's degree at the University of Texas at Austin and will graduate in August 2004. We at the university library are all very pleased to have Thomsen join our campus family. Randy Butler will continue to serve the library as a volunteer Preservation Officer. After July 2004, he will be able to fully concentrate on the directorship and teaching responsibilities of the Criminal Justice Program.

The library is also pleased to announce the formal opening of the Ellen G. White (EGW) Seventh-day Adventist Research Center. The new EGW Center will provide an added dimension to the meaning of "university" at SWAU. The EGW Center is the result of a seven-year project initially begun as a goal for an EGW Study Center and university archives. On March 26 the new EGW Center was dedicated by James R. Nix, Director, EGW Estate, and other dignitaries. The expanded Adventist Heritage Center (AHC) now includes the EGW Research Center, the Rust-Carter Southwest Seventh-day Adventist Archives, and the University Archives and Special Collections. The Rust-Carter family was one of the first Adventist families in Texas.

Expanded facilities include a reading room, more storage and work space, and a secured office/work area for the manuscript collection. Mary Ann Hadley has been appointed by the EGW Board as the new director of the EGW Research Center. Hadley has worked for the university over the years and is a noted local/regional Adventist historian. Her knowledge and leadership have been crucial to the success of the development of the EGW Center. The other archival functions of the AHC will continue to be under the management of Donna Guerrero, Coordinator of the Curriculum and Media Library. A one-of-a-kind 3' x 12' glass sculptured and etched panel interpretation of the Alfred Lee painting, "The Christ of the Narrow Way," and a striking commissioned wall painting of the first Texas camp meeting (1878) with Ellen and James White as speakers by the renowned local painter, Sleepy Read, add beauty to the area.

It is worth noting that the EGW Research Center was totally funded by donations and university funds. This is the first EGW Center ever established without Division funds and is therefore helping re-write policy.

Butler wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to the many friends and colleagues in ASDAL for their support over the years. The past seven years at Southwestern as library director have been rewarding and fulfilling, especially with the establishment of the new Center—a dream come true. God bless you all.

Randy Butler is Library Director at Southwestern Adventist University, Keene, Texas (butlerr@swau.edu).

CLOUTENS ASSIST VALLEY VIEW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

By Keith Clouten

The first indication that Ghana might be on my travel itinerary came during the ASDAL Conference 2000 held at Andrews University. Vida Mensah, library director at Valley View University (VVU) in Ghana, was among several librarians who came to that conference from places worldwide. As the conference workshops drew to a close, Mensah stopped by my office to talk about VVU's need for a new library, and to ask for my help in preparing specifications for a building. Nothing was said, but there was an underlying assumption that I would come to VVU sometime soon to give some help.

Reality met expectation in February of this year when my wife, Ngaire, and I flew to Accra to spend three weeks at VVU, responding to a request to prepare a library building program and to help in developing some strategic goals for the library's development. We were kept busy as we expected. But we also experienced the exotic cultures, the ethnic foods, the torrid climate, the "off-again on-again" power and water supply, the wonderful people of Ghana, and a multitude of blessings.

VVU is a relatively young institution on an extensive tract of savannah land northeast of the capital, Accra. Lack of a reliable water supply has always dogged the university's development, but during our visit they were installing pipelines to connect to a new cooperative water project involving some nearby communities. The school is currently operating at maximum capacity with 900 students, but has ambitious plans to grow a campus capable of accepting 2,000 students within five years. The university has the good fortune, due to a special grant, to have retained two architects from Bauhaus University in Germany for campus development. A new library is high on the building schedule. First priority though is a campus church, which is one of the mission projects selected to benefit from the Sabbath School mission offerings in this second quarter of 2004.

The library now occupies a section of the university's administration/classroom building, and is packed solid with students at almost any hour of the day. The book collection is small but relevant to the three academic programs in religion, business administration, and computer science. Mensah has a full-time associate librarian, several fine support staff and, of course, student help. The needs are great, especially at this time for computers in acquisitions, cataloging, and public access.

What did we do during our three weeks in Ghana? Most of my work, of course, centered around the library. It involved meeting with university administrators, faculty, and library staff, writing a full-fledged library building program, and working with staff to develop nine strategic goals for the library's development. These reports were presented to a special committee that convened before we left. Ngaire helped with several library projects and conducted a seminar for the administrative secretaries on the campus. During the last two days of our visit, we both led in a complete physical reorganization of the library to increase space efficiency. At the end of that project we were exhausted and nothing was where it used to be.

During the second week I presented an all-day workshop on strategic planning to a group of 30 academic librarians who came from the public and private universities of Accra and central Ghana. The workshop was superbly organized by VVU and since it was the first event of its kind on the campus, attracted some attention from the public media. I enjoyed the day and learned a great deal about the challenges facing libraries in Ghana and West Africa.

At times Africa presents challenges for the visitor! A trip to the regional city of Kumasi was planned for us during our second weekend. On Tuesday morning they asked if I would preach at one of the churches there. I've learned never to go abroad without sermon notes, so I agreed, though not looking forward to having the sermon translated into the Ashanti language. But I prepared with that in mind. On Thursday afternoon came the good news that I would be preaching at the university fellowship church in Kumasi, where English was well understood. I thanked the Lord and spent the evening re-working my sermon. After we arrived at Kumasi on Friday evening, I was dismayed to learn that the arrangements had changed yet again. I would now be preaching at the largest church in Ghana, with a congregation of 1,500, and of course it would be translated! I argued with the Lord quite a bit that evening, but finally gave in. OK, Lord, just do whatever You want with me for the next twenty-four hours. That was a dangerous prayer, because I had to preach again at another church on Sabbath afternoon.

Ghana, in our opinion, is a lucky country. Unlike many of its neighbors, it has been politically stable since gaining independence from Britain in 1957, the first West African nation to do so. The stability is good for the economic development of the country, but it also means that it is a safe country to visit and travel. We feel safer on the streets of Ghanaian cities than we would in most North American cities.

Ghanaians are a happy, friendly people. In spite of their economic situation, the people exude happiness and contentment. Ghana is unashamedly a Christian country. Radio stations play hymns and Christian music constantly. On the day of our departure I tried to buy a CD of Ghanian folk music from the airport duty free shop, but to my surprise all the music on sale came from Christian groups. Christian slogans pop up everywhere on the streets. We saw the Showers of Blessing Hair Salon, King of Kings Bread, End Time Concrete Works, and (my favorite) the Hallelujah Pork Shop.

While many African nations are caught in an AIDS epidemic of catastrophic proportions, Ghana is fortunate to have a low incidence of the disease, and seems determined to keep it that way. This is indeed a lucky country. We were blessed indeed to have spent time there.

Keith Clouten is a retired librarian living in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada (clouten1@telus.net).

Those of you who are in the process of setting up or reevaluating your Library Instruction will be interested in this article about the beginnings of one of the most successful Library Instruction programs in the United States.

LIBRARY INSTRUCTION PROGRAM AT EARLHAM COLLEGE

By Xiaoming Xu

Evolution of Earlham's Program

Earlham College is a four-year liberal arts college, founded in 1847 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and located in Richmond, Indiana. It serves a student body of about 1000 students, of which 20% are minority and 7% are international students. Earlham is famed for its strong liberal arts program.

When Earlham College Library reference librarians had 50 students in a week ask for an interpretation of Falstaff or 100 students in two days ask for names and addresses of their congressman to fulfill class assignments, they realized the wastefulness of reference librarians' time and energy in handling and answering repeated inquiries. They thought there must be a more efficient and effective way for reference librarians to help students. They could teach the whole class the basic reference sources in a systematic and engaging way.

The above situations happened in the mid 1960s. By 1970, Earlham had already accumulated five years of experience in library instruction. At first, the instructional program was inadequately carried out. As Kennedy (1970) described, "The librarian simply brought the reference books to class, discussed them, and passed them around." The students retained very little of this kind of instruction. Librarians noticed that the bibliography they prepared was of some use. Students used it to check on sources. They also noticed that two factors affected successful library instruction: student motivation and timing. Students needed motivation from their teacher in the form of higher expectations on their assignment and timing of instruction could not be too early or too late. The best timing was within one week of the assignment. They discovered that course-related library instruction involving an assignment was most effective because the students actually applied what they learned. Library instruction was best when woven into a course. Thus integrated library instruction came into being.

Integration, demonstration, and gradation were the principles of their program according to Miller (1988). First, they integrated library instruction into course work in a practical, useful, and timely manner that led students to recognize, welcome, and accept it as an integral part of the course. Second, they arranged a class period or more for one of the library staff to demonstrate the use of library materials. Third, they structured their instruction in a way which built up students' learning experiences and skills over their entire four years of schooling at Earlham without excessive repetition. The skills and knowledge students acquired not only helped them complete their assignments at Earlham, but also prepared them for the future.

Librarians at Earlham took the initiative to talk to faculty members whose courses might require extensive library use. Then they worked with these faculty members to become aware of the class assignments which would require library research. With this understanding, librarians were ready to prepare whatever was needed to make the course whole and complete. Librarians compiled "a bibliography of the reference sources most relevant to the assignment, each source annotated as to scope, use, and special features" (Kennedy, 1970). They did everything in their power to facilitate the teaching and learning process.

According to Kennedy (1970) the entire program is graded into four levels of instruction. The first level is called "Freshmen Orientation." Prior to the beginning of the school year, librarians send a letter and sample test to new freshmen stating that during New Student Week they will be given a library knowledge test. The test is relatively simple, but helps both students and librarians realize that library instruction is needed to improve their success in college.

The second level is called "Research Instruction." At this level, librarians teach students basic search strategies and introduce basic reference sources needed when freshmen are assigned to write their first "research" paper. At the third level, "Disciplinary Sources Instruction," librarians help juniors become familiar with the basic reference sources in their major discipline. The fourth level, "Specialized Reference Sources Instruction," introduces students to key sources in other disciplines to prepare them for a long inter-disciplinary senior research project. Throughout this process librarians and students are in constant contact. Students think that the library and librarians are part of their educational program, and are their instructors and friends.

Philosophy Behind Earlham's Approach

The purpose of library instruction at Earlham is to help college students realize that there is a big difference between high school and college library instruction. Librarians are there to help students use the library effectively and efficiently, to save time, and to make them aware of materials they might not have known about so they can successfully achieve their goals.

During the 1970s most college librarians believed the role of the library was to support the educational program by building an appropriate collection, organizing it, and giving assistance when asked. The librarians at Earlham felt that, "No matter how good the collection, no matter how spacious or comfortable the facilities, if the collection is not used effectively, the librarians are not doing their job," (Kennedy, 1970). Only when students learned to use the library resources effectively could other library functions be justified. Librarians took the challenge to help students change their attitude toward the library seriously and felt that library instruction was worth the effort and time they invested. Kennedy firmly believes that academic librarians have a great longing for the library to serve as "the heart of the college" and an effective library instruction program "can bring the library into its rightful position as an essential element in the college education."

Relationship Between Librarians and Faculty

The success of the library instruction program at Earlham is attributed to the unusual rapport between librarians and teaching faculty. Kirk (2003) confirmed that "Earlham's program depends on faculty cooperation" and "collaboration with the library is understood as a faculty expectation." Librarians take the initiative to talk to faculty before the beginning of the term to find out whether their course needs extensive library use. If it does, and the faculty member agrees that some library instruction will be helpful, the librarian then asks the faculty member for an outline of the course and a description of the library assignment. They agree on a date for instruction. Over time, faculty have found that students who received library instruction showed improvement in their papers so they are willing to cooperate with librarians. Librarians and faculty members plan and implement assignments together.

Relationship to Overall Curriculum

The educational climate at Earlham, which encourages and integrates library use, is strong and healthy. Faculty are concerned with good teaching. They are willing to work with librarians and build library instruction into their courses according to Kennedy (1970). Librarians are able to design and implement a course-integrated instruction approach which reaches a broader spectrum of the curriculum. This program allows students to learn by doing. The course-integrated library instruction program has become an integral part of the college experience and strengthens the overall curriculum. Additionally, according to Kirk (2003), "multi-stage assignments are good for dealing with plagiarism issues. They also give students a better understanding of how the final project is arrived at."

Strengths and Weaknesses of Integrated Library Instruction

Librarians at Earlham realized the importance of library instruction. They developed a course-integrated approach which is practical and helpful. It became an integral part of the educational program at Earlham. Faculty and students appreciate it and welcome it. Administrators support it. It affirmed that librarians play an educational role and have the expertise and ability to teach.

The Earlham program is also a structured program which builds up students' library skills throughout their four years at Earlham. This approach cultivates students' lifelong learning abilities and provides a sound base for future graduate studies. The integrated approach strengthens faculty-librarian relationships and collaboration.

Though Kennedy had advised that librarians should be forceful in talking with reluctant faculty, that reality was that "recalcitrant faculty members are typically left alone." Kirk (2003) sees this as a weakness in their course-integrated approach because there are students whom the library does not reach.

The course-integrated and structured library instruction approach at Earlham has been successful and is recognized throughout the library world. Their experiences have become a driving force that pushed forward a library instruction movement. The most impressive contribution was that they not only shared their experiences but that they also devoted their efforts to promoting the importance of the instruction role of the library and librarians in higher education.

References

Kennedy, J.R. "Integrated Library Instruction." Library Journal 15 (1970) 1451-1453.

Kirk, T. Conversation with Tom Kirk. Indianapolis, IN, March 5, 2003.

Miller, M.A. "Course-integrated Library Instruction: Earlham College Revisited." Indiana Libraries 7:2 (1988) 24-33.

Xiaoming Xu is Cataloging Associate at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan (xu@andrews.edu).

MUSINGS ON MY FIRST YEAR AS AN ADMINISTRATOR

By Stephanie Carter

Last weekend as I dug in the heavy clay soil of my garden, I thought about what I had learned, or had confirmed, during my first year as a library director. My first year was not an easy one. In addition to having one of their peers become their supervisor, the library staff faced other challenges.

• The faculty coordinator position had been held for 20 years by a relaxed, old-world gentleman who spent 99% of his day in the library. He was replaced with an exempt administrator who possesses an energetic, Type A personality, and who is away from the library 30-40% of the time now, and will be gone even more in future as duties outside of the library are added to the job description.

• Out of a 6-person staff, we lost three fathers, starting with my own. Additionally, both parents of another staff member were diagnosed with terminal cancer. No matter how hard staff members tried to keep personal problems out of the office, friendships had been built over years of working together, and their pain and stress were felt by everyone else.

• My faculty position is just now in the process of being filled, so everyone has been carrying a heavier workload.

The day my hiring was announced, three men (our recently retired college president, the director of computer services, and a retired school superintendent) congratulated me and offered almost identical advice: (1) develop a thick skin; (2) don't expect to ever be right again-right or wrong, you will be blamed; and (3) everyone else thinks they know how to do your job better than you. It was disconcerting to have men who together possessed 100 years of leadership experience choose to impart such negative words of wisdom to a new leader.

Over the last year, as I've weathered the challenges of being a new library director, I have developed my own set of self-advice in the form of rules that, when practiced, have made my job easier:

• Rule 1: Find a mentor who cares about your success, has years of experience to draw upon, and will give you honest feedback.

• Rule 2: Value each suggestion for improvement. Be willing to self-examine. If the criticism has merit, change.

• Rule 3: Give others the benefit of the doubt; hopefully, they will return the favor.

• Rule 4: Forgive and forget. Don't allow resentment to build.

• Rule 5: Do not turn personnel issues into win/lose situations. Never let yourself think, "I'm going to win this argument." The moment that thought enters your head, you have stopped caring about that individual's needs.

• Rule 6: You set the tone for your staff, make it a positive one.

• Rule 7: When dealing with a personnel issue, don't just look at the surface behavior; something else may be going on in the person's life, or this issue may be the symptom of a larger issue. Take the time to find out—before reacting.

• Rule 8: Make opportunities to recognize the accomplishments of your staff: at staff meetings (record it in the minutes), in the monthly report to the Board of Trustees, at campus meetings, in conversations with other administrators and faculty, etc. Your kind words will get back to your staff. The person who says s/he does not need praise may be the one who craves it most.

• Rule 9: Confidentiality is key. Your staff member may tell the world his/her side of the story, but you cannot. This can be extremely difficult in a small library where issues tend to become common knowledge, and where well-meaning staff members may want to engage you in conversation.

• Rule 10: You cannot do everything. Learn to delegate sooner rather than later. Don't just delegate the task, but the degree of authority necessary to complete the task. It may not be completed the way you would have chosen, but it is the end result that counts.

• Rule 11: As a middle manager you are caught between the interests/mandates of your staff and those of upper management. It is up to you to help your staff understand which issues you can justify taking to your boss(es) and which you cannot.

• Rule 12: There will be times when you have to say no. Use this power sparingly.

• Rule 13: Practice preventative "health" strategies. Don't give directions to a staff member over your shoulder as you are rushing to another meeting. The potential for being misunderstood is too great. Very seldom do you invite an employee into your office for disciplinary reasons, so forestall anxiety by explaining why you want to speak with him/her, "I need to speak with you about..." or "I'd like to update you on..."

• Rule 14: Present a calm façade. Yes, you may be under a great deal of pressure or have a heavy schedule, but your staff needs to feel like you have time for them.

• Rule 15: You are a leader as well as a manager. Carve some time out of your schedule each week to work on strategic planning and visioning activities. Your schedule reveals what is important to you.

Stephanie Carter is Associate Dean, Library Services, Centralia College, Centralia, Washington (scarter@centralia.ctc.edu).

STUDENT ASSISTANTSHIP 101, ANDREWS UNIVERSITY VERSION

By Cynthia Mae Helms

Our library student assistants are our voice, eyes, and ears—our image! They probably see and interact with more patrons than we do. How many of us would have survived in our jobs without these valued employees? Here at Andrews University, they are so important that we have for many years offered a Student Assistants Orientation Program. This program gives every student assistant the same basic overview of the whole library no matter what their job is—whether they be shelvers, desk assistants, label makers, or packaging clerks, etc. The office manager and I coordinate the program. Since the office manager processes all the hiring papers of student assistants, she keeps track of the students that need the Orientation Program. She also arranges for the classroom and prepares folders, certificates, and supper. I handle the organization, content, and teaching aspects.

This program makes the student assistants realize who they are, what this place is all about, and how they fit into the total structure of the library. It does not address individual job descriptions or the detailed elements of their tasks because they need to get these from their own supervisors. If working here at the library is a preparation for employment after graduation, they need to learn that attendance at seminars, training sessions, and workshops is a normal part of the work experience now and in the future.

The current program consists of two parts, both of which are paid work times. Completing the first and second parts of the Orientation Program is important for continued employment at James White Library and it offers their first pay raise. Part 1entails a 1½ - 2 hour tour conducted by our cataloging associate and completion of the Preliminary Checklist. The purpose of this activity is to acquaint them with the physical layout of the building; meet library personnel in their respective departments; and be aware of locations such as the supplies closet, emergency kit and emergency exits, etc. Student assistants go down the checklist and mark each item as they visit the area and end the tour by answering questions that pertain to emergency information. Each new student assistant must complete this tour and the Preliminary Checklist before attending Part 2.

Part 2 is the Student Assistants Orientation Class. It runs from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., usually on a Sunday when there is less conflict with classes and laboratories. It is done as early in the semester as possible after all the hiring is done for that semester. When the students arrive in the instruction lab for the class each one receives a packet with a name tag which they are asked to wear immediately, a welcome letter from the dean of libraries, the computer policy, the organizational chart, the policy regarding the use of keys by student assistants, the James White Library User's Guide, the class outline, and lecture handouts.

I start this class by asking them to introduce themselves by giving their name, the department where they work, what degree they are pursuing, and their state or country of origin. This 10-minute period serves as an ice breaker as it allows them to relate to each other by the departments they work in, the countries they come from or their majors. Students keep their name tags on throughout the class period to encourage them to get acquainted with each other.

Because Andrews has a big multicultural population and students may work with and serve persons from another culture, the students receive a full hour of multicultural training. This training is intended to help them understand how cultures vary and how they should interact in various situations that involve people from other cultures. The students take a few minutes to do a Self-Assessment Checklist for Communicators and score themselves to prepare themselves for the accompanying video, Communicating Across Cultures (which may be replaced if I find a more current one that is as well-organized and clearly presented). They are required to note the key points in the video.

After watching the video, they are divided into groups to talk about their reactions to the video and how they can apply what they saw to the library setting. They may correlate what they saw with what they have experienced as patrons or employees of the library. They may also expand their discussions to include their multicultural experiences on campus with other departments. After the group discussions, spokespersons from each group share what their groups discussed with the rest of the class and everyone is given an opportunity to share ideas or react to their reports. After the group reports, the students are asked to review their own assessment checklists and privately mark those points that they need to improve on. The checklist is never collected but it serves as a reminder of the things they need to work on.

Next, I give a 20-minute demonstration and hands-on of the library's Electronic Resources. I tell them at the start that this is not a duplication of information received in course-related library instruction, but will introduce them to significant portions of the library Web site that are not normally covered in other library instruction sessions. In addition, I inform them of what is new or forthcoming. They are also warned about computer security, password protection, and patron privacy, and referred to the Computer Acceptable Use Policy in their folders.

The class then moves from the instruction lab on the main floor to the classroom on the top floor to give them a chance to stretch their legs. What follows next is a favorite part of all the students—a free supper which is usually different from what they eat at the cafeteria. Some of the foods are homemade and some specially ordered. Not only does this give them a break from the classroom atmosphere, but it also gives time to talk with their fellow student assistants and ask questions about the library in an informal setting.

The thirty-minute supper break comes to an end faster than anyone expects and they soon head back to the Instruction Lab for a lecture on the Value of Student Assistants taught by another library instructor. The Power Point covers the following points: facts about the library, our mission, where we rank as a service provider on campus, the importance of treating customers well, guidelines for dealing with customers, opportunities for student assistants, what student assistants should expect from the library, what the library expects from student assistants, policies, and procedures. The class ends with the awarding of the certificates of achievement, which I encourage them to keep in their portfolios. Whenever possible, the dean of libraries is invited to join the supper and to present the certificates. The students applaud and give words of appreciation for what we have done for them. They are happy to be one of us.

This is one way of making student assistants feel important, for we know that there is a correlation between job satisfaction and customer satisfaction. If we are nice to our employees, they will be nice to the patrons (Flannagan, 2001; Secretan, 2000). This is just a small portion of what it takes to improve staff morale.

References

Copeland, L. (Producer, Writer, Director). (1992). Communicating across cultures [video recording]. Volume 3 of Valuing Diversity. San Francisco, Calif. : Copeland Griggs Productions.

Flannagan, M.H. (2001, October 29). Job satisfaction seen as key in serving clients. National Underwriter (Property & Casualty/Risk & Benefits Management Ed.). 105(44), 32, 34. Retrieved April 6, 2004 from FirstSearch, Wilson Select Plus.

Secretan, L. (2000, May 15). Customer connections. Industry Week. 24(10), 25. Retrieved April 6, 2004 from FirstSearch, Wilson Select Plus.

Cynthia Mae Helms is Head, Department of Information Services at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan (helmsc@andrews.edu).

STAFF DEVELOPMENT AT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY

By Norma Greenidge

On April 15, 1986 it was suggested that a committee be set up at James White Library to plan for staff development activities. The committee, which changes every year, consists of five members including librarians and support staff. The main function of the committee is to offer library and personal development training to the staff.

Previous committees planned quarterly activities, but this year's committee has organized monthly activities, usually breakfast meetings, throughout the school year. There have been in house presentations on topics such as using the World Wide Web, or training in new Innovative releases. There have also been presentations from other personnel on campus, e.g. faculty from Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Communication, and Psychology departments have given us interesting and practical information.

At the end of the school year visits are organized to other libraries or places of interest within about three hours traveling distance. Last year we visited Wheaton College, the Billy Graham Center, and Morton Arboretum in Illinois. This year the staff has a choice between the Antiquarian Book and Paper Show in Lansing, and a trip to Chicago to tour the Newberry Library and another library.

The staff appreciates these opportunities to widen their horizons and learn what others are doing who hold similar positions in other libraries. These events are also occasions in which the staff can fellowship and communicate in a more social setting.

Norma Greenidge is Cataloging Associate at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan (greenidg@andrews.edu).

FROM A DISTANCE . . .

Search Behavior of Distance Learners

By Ann Greer

As more Seventh-day Adventist institutions of higher education branch into distance learning, libraries continue to do "more with less" and assign distance learning library support responsibilities to a librarian who may already have numerous duties. The easiest and most plausible solution for delivering the various services is a distance education Web page designed exclusively for the unique needs of distance learners. A hyperlink to the page may be placed within each teaching professor's online course to create awareness and convenience. And that's it! Or so we think.

We librarians often feel satisfied with developing a Web page that adheres to psychological and other design principles and has the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) "Bobby" approval (http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp). We are certain that providing full text databases, document delivery, and technologically sophisticated applications, such as desktop video conferencing e-mail (http://www.computerworld.com/managementtopics/outsourcing/isptelecom/story/0,10801,96580,00.html?from=story_kc), will satisfy our accrediting body's stipulation for library support "equivalent" to what on-campus students receive (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2003). But what, if anything, are the targeted users doing with our conscientious efforts? Following are insights to stimulate thought about future strategic directions for achievements in distance learning support.

Train up a child in the way he should go . . .

Children, as young as kindergarten, are being introduced to the World Wide Web to gain information. They interact with other children as they view each other with mini-cameras stationed on their computer monitors (Virtual Kindergarten, 2001). Adventist educators are not behind in using technology in their classrooms. The North American Division Office of Education in collaboration with the Adventist Virtual Learning Network (AVLN) offers continuing education units in its technology for early classroom courses (http://avln.org/learning/index.htm).

For nearly a decade the Internet has increasingly become a part of children's daily lives but youngsters are not the only age group intrigued by the possibilities of the World Wide Web of information. A recent survey at the University of California paints a picture of users of varying ages becoming self-sufficient by using search engines with great comfort. Even 34% over age 65 are banking, shopping, making travel and hotel reservations, seeking information, and chatting with friends and relatives online (Cole, 2003). Information is seamless and instantaneous and multitasking is common. The Online Computing Library Consortium (OCLC, 2003) summarizes the situation: "It has become increasingly difficult to characterize and describe the purpose of and the experience of using libraries and other allied organizations." OCLC relates the successes of "Google Answers" where inquirers pay as little as fifty cents for reliable answers to their questions; and Amazon.com's offers a free "Look inside the book" of approximately 250,000 electronic versions of printed books. Furthermore, in December, 2003, OCLC launched a major endeavor to promote the value of libraries. It partnered with Google by contributing access to 2,000,000 frequently cataloged WorldCat records. When searchers type an inquiry, they will be linked directly to libraries that own the item (www.oclc.org/worldcat/pilot/default.htm).

So how can distance learning support librarians be relevant?

Easy enough! Whether young or old, human mediated assistance to users as an important library service may be highlighted by our focusing upon teaching information literacy and fostering critical information skills—even from a distance. Increasingly, accrediting associations are requiring that libraries prove that learning through association with the library has indeed occurred during academic studies. Librarians who need help with instruction and documentation should refer to The Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), Instruction Section, http://cooley.colgate.edu/dbs/acrliep/showrec.html, a database of numerous tutorials that may be helpful in teaching information literacy to improve students' use of online resources. Since 1999, Southern Adventist University has documented its distance learners' library instruction and outcomes which proved valuable for its recent 2002 accreditation visit. Samples of the learner surveys may be found at http://disted.southern.edu/asdal/evaluations.html.

Conclusion

The search behaviors of distance learners are similar to those of on-campus learners. Technology and the Internet have been on the stage for ten plus years, and users are accustomed to convenient and instant gratification for information. The methods of delivering instruction to culturally diverse distance learners demand continuous growth by librarians charged with providing electronic library support. Although there are several significant changes that librarians would need to adopt to serve distant learners, instruction is paramount. It must focus on (1) developing and fostering critical thinking for students to locate, evaluate, and use information resources effectively; and (2) measuring and documenting information literacy competency.

References

Adventist Virtual Learning Network (AVLN). AVLN Courses (March 28, 2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://avln.org/learning/index.htm.

Association of College & Research Libraries. ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services (March 31, 2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/guidelinesdistancelearning.htm.

Association of College & Research Libraries. ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services (January 2001). Retrieved March 19, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/objectivesinformation.htm.

Association of College & Research Libraries. Internet Education Project Database (March 2003). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://cooley.colgate.edu/dbs/acrliep/showrec.html.

Association of Research Libraries. Evaluating Library Instruction, SPEC Kit 279 (December 2003). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.arl.org/pubscat/pr/2004/announcespec279.html.

Bobby. Welcome to Bobby (2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp.

Cole, J.I. The UCLA Internet Report: Surveying the Digital Future, Year Three (February 2003). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://ccp.ucla.edu/pdf/UCLA-Internet-Report-Year-Three.pdf.

Computerworld. Polycom announces desktop videoconferencing software (2004). Retrieved October 29, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.computerworld.com/managementtopics/outsourcing/isptelecom/story/0,10801,96580,00.html?from=story_kc.

Greer, A.T. Evaluations (1998). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://disted.southern.edu/asdal/evaluations.html.

Kenny, A.R., et al. (June 2003). "Google Meets eBay: What Academic Librarians Can Learn from Alternative Information Providers." D-Lib Magazine 9:6. Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.dlib.org/dlib/june03/kenney/06kenney.html.

North American Division Office of Education. NAD Technology and Distance Education Committee K-12 (January 14, 2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.nadtdec.org/teacherdecourses.htm.

Online Computer Library Center. An OCLC Initiative: Open WorldCat Pilot (2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/pilot/default.htm.

Online Computer Library Center. The 2003 OCLC Environmental Scan: Pattern Recognition (2004). Retrieved April 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.oclc.org/membership/escan/default.htm.

Richardson, J.V. "Reference is Better than we Thought." Library Journal 127:7 (April 15, 2002) 41-42.

Virtual Kindergarten. Kindergarten Classrooms (2001). Retrieved March 15, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.csrnet.org/csrnet/teachresource/kindergarten.html.

Ann Greer, ASDAL's Distance Education Liaison, is Distance Education and Document Delivery Librarian at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee (atgreer@southern.edu).

ADVENTIST RESOURCES COLUMN

By Marilyn Crane

Encyclopedia of Millennialism and Millennial Movements. Richard A. Landes, editor. New York: Routledge, 2000. 478 p. ISBN:0415922461. $139.00. (Religion and Society). This reference work covers a variety of subjects important to Adventists including: Anabaptists, End of the world, Davidians, Seventh-day Adventists, and Millerites.

Quevedo, Jane Allen. A Thousand Miracles Every Day: A Selection of Stories that Shaped the Mission and History of Adventist Hospitals. Foreword by Mardian J. Blair. Brushton, NY: TEACH Services, 2003. 276 p. ISBN: 1572582413. $8.00. A narrative, in brief chapters, of the Adventist health system in the United States and world-wide.

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

BYTES AND BITS

Middle East University Seeks Assistance

We urgently need a professional librarian who is willing to spend about 1-2 months on site giving advice and practical assistance when we move into our new library in September 2004. Let me briefly tell you of our present situation and what our needs will be at the time of moving.

Middle East University is in the middle of renovating the administration building that housed the library on half of the top floor. During the summer of 2003, we packed and stored most of our holdings (about 18,000 volumes). We are therefore running a very reduced library both in terms of size and services this year.

The new library will extend to all of the top floor (about 500 square meters = 5,382 square feet) and will be fully automated. We need assistance in setting up the library and its services from scratch in a professional way. Currently, we have only two part-time staff and a student worker. I have been working as the librarian for almost seven years with no formal training in library work. My assistant, Farid Khoury, will finish his Master of Arts degree in library science from the University of Wales in the summer of 2005. If you are interested in responding to this plea, please write Randi Myklebust by email: library@meu.edu.lb or postal mail: Middle East University, P.O. Box 90-481, Jdeidet El Metn, Metn 1202 2040, Lebanon.

Randi Myklebust (library@meu.edu.lb)

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Union College

Kathy Bollinger, Associate Professor of Human Development, is the recipient of Union College Library's first Teacher of the Year Award. She will receive $500 spending credit during the 2004-2005 fiscal year for library collection development beyond her department's usual library allocation. During the month of March, students and staff were invited to nominate faculty who they felt encouraged student use of the library, used the library themselves, supported library-sponsored programming, and made significant contributions to collection maintenance. The winner was chosen by the library staff. The award will be presented to Bollinger during National Library Week.

Sabrina Riley (sariley@UCollege.edu)

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Walla Walla College

Walla Walla College (WWC) welcomes Christy Berry to the library's team. Berry is the new Reference/Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Librarian. She comes to WWC from Columbia, Missouri where she was working at the Daniel Boone Regional Library. Her Masters in Library Science is from the University of Missouri-Columbia where she received a graduate teaching assistantship in the School of Information Science and Learning Technology. Berry also has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Union College. In addition to her responsibilities in Reference & ILL, she will begin assisting Sheila Clark with the Bibliographic Instruction program. One of her first projects is compiling the annual Faculty Publications & Presentations Bibliography and the annual luncheon honoring published faculty. The luncheon is part of the WWC Library's celebration of National Library Week.

Peterson Memorial Library Celebrates 60th Anniversary (1944-2004) this year. Peterson Memorial Library was officially completed in May of 1944. The Library is working on a new logo for the 60th celebration and will be hosting a special open house during Alumni Weekend April 22-25. Showcased will be the library's online photo and film archives, a time-lapse version of the Administration Building demolition, and more.

Carolyn Gaskell (GaskCa@wwc.edu)

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Job Opening: Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences

Florida Hospital College, located in beautiful Orlando, Florida is seeking applicants for a Learning Resource Center (LRC) Coordinator. Candidates should possess: a minimum of Bachelor's degree in library science (Master's preferred); strong IT skills; excellent organizational skills (detail oriented); effective leadership and interpersonal skills; and topnotch communication skills.

Job responsibilities include: overseeing all services and equipment in the LRC, including computer workstations; hiring, training, supervising, and scheduling student workers; working with faculty to enhance multi-media resources; selecting, ordering, and cataloging multi-media materials; participating as a member of the Robert A. Williams Library team; working on departmental projects (such as Web page development and maintenance); and participating in long term planning.

Interested candidates should contact: Deanna L. Stevens, Library Director, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, 800 Lake Estelle Drive, Orlando, Florida 32803. Send resume by email (deanna.stevens@fhchs.edu) or fax: (407-303-9622).

Deanna Stevens (deanna.stevens@fhchs.edu)

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Condolences

We extend our condolences to Marge Seifert who lost both of her parents within seven months of each other and to Sandra Browning for the loss of her father. Seifert is public services librarian at Southern Adventist University and Browning is circulation Supervisor at La Sierra University.