News

ARL has released the report (PDF) of its Joint Task Force on Services to Patrons with Print Disabilities, scheduled for final publication later this month in Research Libraries Issues(RLI). ARL formed the task force in May 2012 to expand upon the ongoing work of the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA), of which ARL is a member, in support of an international instrument for the print disabled that is under active consideration by the World International Copyright Organization (WIPO).

Photo Melanie Hawks and Paul Meyer, ISC facilitatorsAre you already working with library colleagues, faculty, and researchers on your campus for change in scholarly communication? Do you want to develop a deeper impact for your programmatic activities? If this describes your situation, you won’t want to miss the new ARL-ACRL Institute on Scholarly Communication (ISC) workshop “Increasing the Effectiveness of Your Scholarly Communication Program: Strategic Skills for Success” to be held April 9–10, 2013, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Washington, DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has published the ARL Statistics 2010–2011, the latest in a series of annual publications that describe the collections, staffing, expenditures, and service activities of ARL's 126 member libraries in 2011. Of these 126, 115 are university libraries (16 in Canada and 99 in the US); the remaining 11 are public, governmental, and nonprofit research libraries (2 in Canada, 9 in the US).

clockwise from top left: Karin De Jager, Joan Rapp, Sam Kalb, Don KingARL is pleased to announce the 2012 Library Assessment Career Achievement Awards. These awards recognize individuals with substantial contributions to effective, sustainable, and practical library assessment as evidenced through presentations/publications, methods, service, advocacy, and other work. The 2012 awardees are Karin De Jager and Joan Rapp from South Africa, Sam Kalb from Canada, and Don King from the United States.

Washington, DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) will host a webcast on Wednesday, October 24, 2012, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. eastern time, to discuss the Authors Guild v. HathiTrust decision and the implications of this victory for research libraries. The webcast will be moderated by Brandon Butler, Director of Public Policy Initiatives at ARL, and will feature discussion from:

Washington, DC—Wendy Pradt Lougee, University Librarian and McKnight Presidential Professor, University of Minnesota, began a one-year term as President of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) on October 11, 2012, during the ARL Membership Meeting in Washington, DC. She succeeds Winston Tabb, Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums, Johns Hopkins University. Tabb continues to serve as a member of both the ARL Board of Directors and the ARL Executive Committee as Past President.

The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) welcomes Judge Harold Baer's decision yesterday that the HathiTrust Digital Library’s (HDL) use of digitized works is a fair use permitted under the Copyright Act. Judge Baer's key holding was: "I cannot imagine a definition of fair use that would not encompass the transformative uses made by [HDL] and would require that I terminate this invaluable contribution to the progress of science and cultivation of the arts that at the same time effectuates the ideals espoused by the [Americans with Disabilities Act]." Judge Baer's ruling not only allows HathiTrust to continue serving scholars and the print disabled, it also provides helpful guidance on how future library services can comply with copyright law.

ARL has released a free recording of the MINES for Libraries® Webcast, held on September 18, 2012. The webcast provides potential and current participants with vital information about the MINES for Libraries® service, an online, transaction-based survey that collects data on the reasons people use electronic resources and on the demographics of users.

The Institute on Scholarly Communication (ISC), a coordinated effort by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), is hosting a two-day workshop, “Increasing the Effectiveness of Your Scholarly Communication Program: Strategic Skills for Success,” April 9–10, 2013, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Washington, DC—Online registration is now open for the 2012 MINES for Libraries® Webcast, a free workshop designed to provide potential and current participants with vital information on the MINES for Libraries® service, an online, transaction-based survey that collects data on the reasons people use electronic resources and on the demographics of users. This one-hour webcast will introduce the MINES for Libraries® assessment protocol, share the benefits and results of participation, and present useful case studies.