Sparking positive change IN CHALLENGING TIMES
It was a different atmosphere on campus this fall, with the pandemic remaining in full swing. However, at the UI Libraries, we have seen that the pressure of challenging circumstances can herald opportunities for collaboration and positive change. This issue of BINDINGS highlights those efforts. Libraries staff worked hard to open our facilities safely for the fall semester. The gate counts have been lower than usual, but that was by design given our mandate to reduce occupancy. Traffic in our facilities increased over the course of the semester, and our scholars continue to access our resources, services, and expertise online. For details about the semester, see page 16. Even though we are still living in a COVID-19 environment, the work JOHN CULSHAW of the Libraries continues, and we continually scan our operations for opportunities to improve. Every seven years, the Libraries engages in a program review. This semester, we’ve been working on our self study, identifying areas of strength as well as areas for potential change or refinement. The detailed work of our self study has been complemented by the broad overview I am gaining as president of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). It is an honor and a privilege to serve in this role, and I’m finding it to be gratifying work. I value the opportunity to interact with peers at a different level, working with research libraries across the US and Canada to ensure the association is well positioned to aid member libraries through this time of change. In my role as ARL president, I am also learning more about the work of research libraries around the globe thanks to regular ARL interaction with international partners such as CARL (Canadian Association of Research Libraries), CAUL (Council of Australian University Libraries), LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche – Association of European Research Libraries) and RLUK (Research Libraries UK).
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WINTER 2021
