1. The History & Future of NCCCLRA

2. 1985 - History of Libraries and Librarianship Class at Columbia University Assignment “ LRA: A History of the North Carolina Community College Learning Resources Association”

3. Read the existing official records of LRA Microfilm, 1967-81 Print records, 1981-85 These sent to me by a member of LRA - wish I could remember who and thank them today!

4. An organizational unit within some community college typically organized into library, audiovisual, instructional components including testing centers, learning labs, self-instructional courses, or some mix of these. It has an administrative head such as a dean or director and is staffed with librarians, audiovisual specialists, instructional designers, testing staff, technicians, clerks, administrative assistants or other staff as defined by a college’s structure for Learning Resources. Establish Context - Definition

5. December 15, 1967 The Association of Community College Librarians Begins

6. 38 librarians from 33 of the 49 institutions 5 reps from the Department of Community Colleges meet Officers elected for one year and directed to develop bylaws and constitution

7. Mertys Bell - Rockingham CC - president Margaret Fulk of Western Piedmont CC - secretary/treasurer 3 directors, one for each of the geographic divisions of the state Eastern Division - Mable Howell, Lenoir CC Central Division - Edna Lorenz of WW Holding TI (now Wake TCC) - Western Division - Fay Byrd, Wilkes CC

8. Issues at 1st Meeting Task force to study the “feasibility of returning to a 5-part ‘book’ order form” Need for microfilm shelf list at “Library Services” LC or Dewey classification systems Quality of catalog cards

9. Remarkable Already an Office of Library Services providing centralized ordering and processing of all library books for the colleges and institutes and the Department of Community Colleges had only been formed in 1963 - just four years before!

10. July 19, 1968 Second Full Meeting of NCCLA Approved the conversion to LC from Dewey Discussed extending membership to AV personnel Approved first set of Bylaws with this purpose: To provide for the closer cooperation among librarians for the benefit of the Department of Community colleges, to further the cause of librarianship and to provide opportunity for social contacts among librarians.

11. Nov. 1968 - Third Meeting of NCCLA Operations and services changes in Office of Library Services Quality of services provided by the Office of Library Services Need for a professional librarian to administer the Office of Library Services Staffing shortages in libraries

12. May 22, 1969 Renamed the Educational Media Association of the Department of Community Colleges Purpose changed in Bylaws: The objective of the Educational Media Association is to promote closer cooperation among all persons concerned with production, distribution, and administration of educational media. Members approved a bylaws change to rename the organization. Those bylaws state that the objective of the Educational Media Association was to promote closer cooperation among all persons concerned with production, distribution, and administration of educational media.

13. October, 1969 Librarian Appointed Vera Melton, a librarian, named as the new head of Library Services Library Services section will help community college member libraries and does not intend to dictate, but to advise.

14. May 8, 1970 - Renamed the Educational Media Association of the North Carolina Community College System Swapped “the Department of Community Colleges” for the “NC Community College System” Officers terms extended from one to two years

15. 1969 - 1972 Organization concerned with refinement of services by various library/media programs in the system. Film loans, INWATS reference service and interlibrary loan began Annual conferences were institutionalized Newsletter began 1972, discussion about changing the name again and who should belong to this organization. Committees appointed to address these two issues.

16. April, 1973, EMA Becomes North Carolina Community College Learning Resources Association, NCCCLRA

17. NCCCLRA 1973 - 1985

18. STAFF DEVELOPMENT Conferences First NCCCLRA Conference - 1974 A learning and information forum for new developments and ideas for professional growth of members Guest speakers - issues of national, state and college-level import Banquets, vendors, exhibits. And always fun and food

19. STAFF DEVELOPMENT Conferences 1970 - president broke a tie vote about whether or not to hold a spring conference speaking of the “need for keeping the members together and stimulating the interest that has been created.” 1979 - Illinois LRA asked NCCCLRA to host its 14th Annual Community College Learning Resources Conference - 315 registrants from 25 state and 58 vendors

20. STAFF DEVELOPMENT Districts and District Meetings Jim Foster, president from 1976-77, recognizing the value of their communications function, made sure that each district reported on its activities for the past year Made professional development accessible and convenient to members

21. Staff Development Scholarships Mertys W. Bell Scholarship - was first NCCCLRA Scholarship 1979 - first committee appointed 1980 - placed $2000 in an interest bearing account 1980 - first $150 scholarship awarded to Janet Atwood 1984 - renamed upon Mertys’ retirement from GTCC

22. Scottie W. Cox Memorial Scholarship Established in 1981 at death of Scottie, president from 1975-76 For a community college LRA employee pursuing graduate or professional level work

23. Staff Development Communications NCCCLA Newsletter first published in 1969 - their only publication EMA published 3 newsletters LRA - first newsletter in April, 1973 named the “Mediator” Union List of Serials - published in 1975, an association project Website

24. Computerization of Library Operations August, 1979 - LRA Automation Committee of Media Processing Services and the libraries Standardization of cataloging practices to conform with principles MARC II and AACR2 System wide retrospective conversion project Automation of cataloging and processing by Media Processing

25. COMPUTERIZATION 1983 - Media Processing joins SOLINET 1983 - COMCAT Project begins - retrospective conversion of catalogs of 10 colleges. LRA gave $500 to this project

26. Erosion of the LRC Concept In 1981, System President Larry Blake did a major reorganization the System Office. Office of Educational Resources abolished Saw some local college reorganizations. Ernie Tompkins, president in 1981 said, “One of the serious issues facing us this year is how to deal with the continual removal of learning labs from the LRC organization

27. The Future and other Things I want to say about LRA

28. LRA has been a useful organization for the staff of community colleges libraries and learning resources programs as shown by the history of its first 25 years.

29. RETHINKING LRA What do we want LRA to be in the next five years? What is its purpose? Who are our members? Should we change the name?

30. Consider the purpose of the organization. Is it relevant, clear? "The mission of the North Carolina Community College Learning Resources Association is to advance the goals of the membership."

31. Is there a more suitable name of the organization based on a new purpose? We have a strong heritage of changing the name of this association Do we already have a new name? The website is instructive about a new name

35. What about the logo?

36. Continue conferences and increase staff development Look to NC LIVE, the State Library, and organizations outside the state for assistance in these matters

37. Increase the awards and scholarship program

38. Work with students Deliver services they want Get them involved in advisory groups Make students, friends of the library Make your students your advocates

39. Work with your president Whatever it takes and however you can, do it. For as difficult as it may seem, keeping president informed and aware and even valuing libraries continues to be our challenge Perhaps a useful staff development program would be about how to work with and influence your local college president.

40. Preserve our history, Collect all the records and put them in a safe place And, for goodness sakes, get someone to write the history of LRA for the past 25 years!