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Strategic Plan |
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Strategic Plan for the Literatures in English Section of ACRL Editing change—no content changed—May 30, 2003 Revision approved by the LES Executive Committee January 25, 2003 Updated with the Section’s new name December 2001 Adopted by the membership, July 1996 MISSION: to provide a forum in which academic and research librarians who support literatures in English programs may exchange ideas, exercise leadership, and contribute to the improvement of library service in the field. PROGRESS REPORT: Within a month after the ALA Annual Conference the immediate Past Chair, along with the other members of the Planning Committee, will report to the membership on activities of the previous year, addressing specific points in the Strategic Plan. GOALS & OBJECTIVES (see LES Bylaws, Art. II) 1) Represent and support academic and research librarians specializing in literatures in English. a) Recruit and retain a diverse group of LES members. b) Collaborate with other ALA units and relevant professional and scholarly organizations to promote mutual interests. c) Advocate on professional issues. 2) Enhance the continuing professional development of LES members. a) Develop programming. b) Promote discussion among members. c) Promote and publish relevant research and professional tools. d) Track and share curricular and program developments in literatures in English programs around the world. e) Develop and disseminate standards for the work of librarians supporting literatures in English programs. f) Provide continuing educational opportunities for literatures in English librarians. g) Provide opportunities for formal and informal mentoring. 3) Promote the development, improvement, and use of resources and services relating to literatures in English. a) Promote the development of new resources, both print and electronic, and the improvement of old ones. b) Promote effective collection development. c) Promote effective use of library resources. ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF GOALS 1a) Recruit and retain a diverse group of LES members. * Publish Biblio-Notes. * Update and disseminate a LES brochure regularly. * Maintain and develop LES web site to support the professional needs of literatures in English librarians, including teaching materials, information on trends in departments, and reports on best practices. * Undertake and maintain a LES membership drive aimed at a diverse range of potentially interested parties, especially those from four year undergraduate institutions. * Encourage participation in mentoring programs in ACRL and LES. * Explore virtual participation at meetings. * Prepare welcome letter describing LES for new members. * Provide opportunities for informal networking and socializing. 1b) Collaborate with other ALA units and relevant professional and scholarly organizations to promote mutual interests. * Develop a list of such organizations, target a reasonable number for outreach, and assign an LES member to serve as liaison to each targeted body. * Confer with these organizations concerning strategies to promote equitable access to literary information, continued federal, state, and foundation humanities support, preservation and effective use of primary records, and adequate funding of literary library collections. * Collaborate as appropriate with other ALA units and other professional and scholarly organizations when planning the annual LES program. * Foster consultative and collaborative relations with the Modern Language Association (MLA). * Work with other groups of library subject specialists to develop collection management strategies appropriate for the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of the humanities. * Promote networking at state and/or consortial levels. 2a) Develop programming. * Identify key issues in the profession around which programming may be developed. * Put on one program per year at the Annual conference (collaborating whenever possible with other ALA units). * Develop programming for ACRL and other relevant conferences. 2b) Promote discussion among members. * Maintain and advertise an electronic listserv. * Sponsor informal membership discussions at both the Annual and Midwinter conferences. * Maintain the 19th Century Materials Discussion Group. * Maintain the Reference Discussion Group. * Encourage participation in the Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLAIB) Discussion Group. * Encourage the formation of discussion groups that meet members’ interests (e.g. a collection development and management discussion group and/or a college and medium-sized libraries discussion group). * Keep members apprised of activities of discussion groups via reports to LES media outlets (listserv, newsletter, website) * Use web site as arena for sharing ideas. 2c) Promote and publish relevant research and professional tools. * Create, edit, and identify a publisher for a book on teaching literary research. * Develop model collection development and management policies for literatures in English, and mount on the LES web site. * Develop model library instructional units and handouts for literatures in English and mount them on the LES web site. * Track and share observations about the needs and habits of literary scholars. * Maintain the bibliography “Studies of Interest to English and American Literature Librarians.” 2d) Track and share curricular and program developments in English departments around the world. Track and share curricular and program developments in literatures in English programs around the world. * Foster consultative and collaborative relations with the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). 2e) Develop and disseminate standards for the work of librarians supporting literatures in English programs. * Form ad hoc committee to explore possible pre-conferences, workshops, institutes, or other activities. 2g) Provide opportunities for formal and informal mentoring. * Encourage participation in mentoring programs in ACRL and LES. 3a) Promote the development of new resources, both print and electronic, and the improvement of old ones. * Encourage participation in the Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLAIB) Discussion Group. 3b) Promote effective collection development. * Maintain the 19th Century Materials Discussion Group. * Encourage Section activities such as creating lists of new journals and publishing product and book reviews in Biblio-Notes. * Encourage members to participate in cooperative and collaborative arrangements relating to literatures in English. * Develop model collection development and management policies for literatures in English, and mount on the LES web site. * Use web site as arena to share best practices and materials. 3c) Promote effective use of library resources. * Develop model library instructional units and handouts for literatures in English and mount them on the LES web site. * Maintain Reference Discussion Group. * Use web site as arena to share best practices and materials. * Create and make available “Core Competencies for Research in English Literature”. * Create, edit, and identify a publisher for a book on teaching literary research. |
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