The Case for Faculty Status for Academic Librarians

Book excerpt: In the late fifties the 'ad hoc' Committee on Academic Status was established by the University Libraries Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries. The purpose of the committee was concern with the status of librarians in academic institutions, as expressed by the publication of papers by members and approved by the committee. After a long debate, the committee made the decision to publish here only those papers which helped make the case for faculty status. Not all members have seen eye to eye on all points or fully agreed with the central proposition of the committee, and the committee was aware that some of their academic library colleagues do not believe in professorial status and titles for academic librarians. A number of head librarians, directors of libraries, and colleges and universities have not provided full academic status for the professional library staff and are not interested in doing so. The committee concedes the controversial nature of the debate and while it disagrees with this opposing point of view, it respects it.