NCLIS sets strategic goals

Information Outlook, Sept, 2004

The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science has set three strategic goals to guide its work in the immediate future:

* Appraising and assessing library and information services provided for the American people.

* Strengthening the relevance of libraries and information science in the lives of the American people.

* Promoting research and development for extending and improving library and information services for the American people.

NCLIS Chair Beth Fitzsimmons noted that the legislation that created the commission affirmed that "library and information services adequate to meet the needs of the people of the United States are essential to achieve national goals" and that "the federal government will cooperate with state and local governments and public and private agencies in assuring optimum provision of such services."

"It was that Congressional statement that guided us in our decision," said Fitzsimmons, of Ann Arbor, Michigan. "The mandate to the commissioners couldn't be clearer, and we thought long and hard about how we could best work with the American library and information community to ensure that services are adequate. Targeting these goals will position NCLIS for doing its best work, we think."

NCLIS members have identified eight strategic subject areas in which the commission expects to be active, and each of these is being given attention by a task force composed of volunteer commissioners. The task forces and their leaders are:

* Appraisal/assessment/statistics, Jose Aponte, Colorado Springs.

* Digitization, Allison Druin, College Park, Maryland.

* Economic development/job creation, Bridget Lamont, Springfield, Illinois.

* Educational achievement, (Commissioner Allison Druin, College Park, Maryland.

* Emergency preparedness, Stephen Kennedy, Dunbarton, New Hampshire.

* Joint NCLIS/ICSECA activities, Joan Challinor, Washington, D.C.

* Libraries and consumer health information, Mary (Mitzi) Perdue, Salisbury, Maryland.

* Universal services section, (Section 245) Telecommunications Act of 1996, Fitzsimmons.