Biblio-Notes
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Biblio-Notes Issued by the Literatures in English Section of the Association of College & Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association #45 Spring 2005 ISSN 1076-8947 Notes from the Chair: I invite you all to attend our program, as well as the rest of the LES events at ALA Annual, as we navigate our own “rivers of change.” Rivers of Change Jen Stevens As I write this, the ACRL National LES Chair, 2004-2005 Conference in April is swiftly approaching. It’ll George Mason University probably have long been over by the time that [email protected] you see this column, but I think that its theme, “Navigating the Rivers of Change,” will still be relevant. Change seems to be the one constant for LES Mentoring Program academic and research libraries. Some of this Call for Volunteers change comes from larger changes in higher education, such as the growth in distance Are you seeking guidance and direction in education programs, while other changes seem your professional career? largely driven by technology. Of course, we’re not the only ones changing. Other libraries are Would you like to help colleagues navigate changing too. Ask a roomful of reference their way through librarianship? librarians whether there will still be reference desks in ten years, and you’ll likely to get a The ALA/ACRL Literatures in English Section roomful of nervous laughter. is actively working to match mentors and Not surprisingly, many of our LES discussions mentees according to their needs, areas of and programs have reflected that sense of interest, and work experience, among other change. We had a very lively discussion on criteria. graphic novels (also known as comic books) at Mentors can provide invaluable information last January’s Midwinter Membership Meeting, and advice on how to make the most of a discussion that’s been continued on the LES professional library careers. Successful discussion email list. Ten years ago, few mentoring involves a unique process whereby academic and research libraries collected each participant learns to respect and trust the graphic novels; now many of us are trying to partner’s commitment, experience, and decide how to catalog them. distinctiveness. A firm commitment to the Our upcoming program at the ALA Annual mentoring process and a willingness to invest Meeting in Chicago is on digital full text time and energy are most important. primary source collections and their impact on This program will give new and evolving scholarship. Many of these collections were librarians a unique opportunity to “learn the previously available in micro formats, but ropes” from those with broad and vast online full text versions have far more scope experience in their fields and areas of interest. and ease of use. Our speakers will be addressing the ways in which having access to Online form found at: such materials does more than make research http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/aboutacrl/acrlse “easier,” but actually transforms it. ctions/literaturesineng/lesmentoringform.htm Questions? Please contact Angela Courtney at [email protected] Life as a Literature Librarian with and developing cooperative efforts with international libraries and librarians to accurately and effectively begin building the IU One of the greatest challenges I faced upon Libraries’ Anglophone Literature collection becoming the bibliographer for English and both currently and retrospectively; to American Literature at Indiana University was determine sources for acquiring materials that not simply continuing to build and maintain a have historically been unavailable or difficult collection that is nationally and internationally to obtain outside of their country of origin; to recognized as one of high quality and document and publish my experiences of thoroughness, but rather how to augment its building an Anglophone Literature collection historical strengths by incorporating emerging and reinterpreting collection building trends in literary criticism and scholarship to techniques for the 21st century. The latter make a good collection stronger and more objective, a scholarly publication on the relevant to current and anticipated movements practicalities of starting, building, maintaining, in literary scholarship. Recent trends include and/or manicuring an Anglophone Literature Anglophone literature from Australia, New collection would be of great importance to Zealand, the West Indies, India, and more. Literature librarians who have no first-hand Historically, IU’s library has not actively knowledge or experience in this area. A collected literature (fiction, poetry, drama) particularly strong and resource-rich area of from Anglophone countries at the research Anglophone Literature is that of Australia and, level. Yet the terminology used in this context to a lesser-degree, New Zealand, and I saw this refers to literature written outside of Great as an appropriate avenue to begin with building Britain and America. However, many of the an Anglophone Literature collection, in part Anglophone writers are not particularly because of an interested and broad network concerned with the impact of colonialism on from which I could learn. their cultures, which is one reason that current During my trip to Australia and New Zealand, literary criticism does not always bear the funded in part by an International more common "Postcolonial," “Postimperial,” Opportunities for Libraries and Librarians Grant or “Commonwealth” literatures labels. Further, and the Herbert S. White Librarian these writers have not, historically, been Development Award, I began this process actively included in English literature library through which I could improve the IU Libraries’ collections. collections in Anglophone literatures. My goals In my first semester at Indiana University, I were: 1) to understand and establish collection realized that Anglophone literature was already patterns by meeting with and discussing becoming a part of the English Department’s cooperative efforts with international libraries curriculum. A survey of recent library and librarians to accurately and effectively literature indicates that little if anything has begin building the IU Libraries’ Anglophone been written regarding successful methodology Literature collection both currently and for retrospective assessment or collection retrospectively; 2) to determine sources for building, either prescriptive or anecdotal. Most acquiring materials that have historically been research publications that address this area unavailable or difficult to obtain outside of tend to be centered solely on compiling their country of origin; 3) to document my reference sources and pathfinders for experiences of building an Anglophone postcolonial literature and do not focus on Literature collection and reinterpreting actual collection building and international collection building techniques for the 21st cooperative efforts to expand this field. Many century. I am pleased with the progress on all scholars are making their reputations on work 3 areas. in Anglophone literatures. This dichotomy The people who I was fortunate to be able to creates a situation in which libraries must meet with were all genuinely interested in this either act quickly to keep up with the direction project and generously gave me their time and of the discipline or find themselves years down experience to help me develop a system of the road trying to catch up with faculty needs. retrospective and proactive collection Current scholarship will create a greater development. I visited the University of demand for Anglophone literature. Auckland, University of Sydney, and Melbourne My objective was three-fold: to understand University. Each visit proved to be very and establish collection patterns by meeting different and offered equally practical insight libraries and material, this time with an into undertaking such a project. interdisciplinary approach inspired greatly by I met with the Librarian for English my meetings in Melbourne. Literature at the University of Auckland. She took the unique approach of coordinating Angela Courtney meetings for me with their acquisitions Indiana University department, the special collections [email protected] department, and with a professor in the English department and an expert on New Zealand and Maori authors. The acquisitions department shared with me their preferred vendors, and The Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection noted which ones were particularly good for international purchases. The professor showed at Mount Saint Vincent University me many useful resources that students use for Library, Halifax, Nova Scotia, his classes, and he also walked me through new Canada digital initiatives that are underway. He also asked my opinion of their library’s collections Mount Saint Vincent - “the Mount” started as in American literature, particularly regional an academy established by the Sisters of writers. My librarian counterpart similarly Charity in Halifax in 1873. In 1925 the Nova showed me a variety of reference sources that Scotia Legislature awarded Mount Saint Vincent their library considers of the utmost the right to grant degrees, making it the only importance. My conversations with her were independent women’s college in the British particularly interesting because we were each Commonwealth. able to learn more about the other’s career At the time the college became Mount Saint and to see that the need for subject librarians Vincent University in 1966, there was a to create a network of similarly