LHRT has reached a pivotal moment in how we advocate for our field within the LIS curriculum. As ALA approaches its landmark 150th anniversary, the LHRT Executive Board wants to ensure that our foundational documents are as robust and relevant as the history we preserve.
While our current statement remains a vital resource for LIS faculty, particularly for accreditation documentation, it currently lacks a date and has not been formally updated in several years. After discussion, the LHRT Executive Board suggests a three-step approach to balance immediate needs with long-term quality:
- Reaffirmation (2026): Formally reaffirm the existing statement this year to provide a current date for immediate accreditation use.
- Substantive Revision: Following the reaffirmation, we will begin a deeper project to modernize the language to reflect today's LIS landscape.
- Sustainability: We propose building a requirement for periodic revision into the LHRT Handbook so the statement remains updated.
Before the Board moves forward, we want to ensure this path aligns with the needs of our members. Your feedback is essential to ensuring our advocacy for library history remains relevant and impactful.
We would appreciate hearing if you agree with LHRT reaffirming the existing statement this year (or reaffirming with minor revisions), and moving forward with a substantive revision and Handbook update later. Any suggestions or feedback you have regarding the statement in general would be appreciated as well.
Please feel free to post your comments here or contact LHRT Chair Jennifer Bartlett. Thank you!
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Jennifer Bartlett
Chair, Library History Round Table, 2025-26
Associate Dean for Engagement, Learning, and Public Services
University of Tennessee
John Hodges Library
jbartl22@utk.edu------------------------------