Introduction - The Role of Professional Associations

Library Trends, Fall, 1997 by Joy Thomas

Library Associations are found in Great Abundance and variety, from

the strictly local to the international. "Librarians . . . form readily,

usually enthusiastically, often uncritically, and almost always enduringly into

organizations" (Sullivan, 1976, p. 135), a trait which is not, of course, unique

to librarians. Practitioners of most professions and people of many special

interests band together into associations. In psychological terms, such groups

are a means by which individuals try to distinguish themselves from the masses

by aligning with a group that behaves differently and then adhering to the

standards of that group. This is a behavior which Maslach (1974) calls

"collective individuation" (p. 424). It has been suggested by sociologists

and anthropologists that such groups must tolerate some deviation from their

standards or risk losing members through an overly strict insistence on

adherence to rules (Herskovits, 1945, p. 160; Popielarz & McPherson, 1995, pp.

699, 703-704). Indeed, this has been the case as librarians "have demonstrated

. . . their love/hate relationships with associations to which they feel some

loyalty and by their willingness to form new associations or to reform old ones"

(Sullivan, 1976, p. 136). One reason that individuals in our occupation form and

join professional associations is "to establish . . . identity as a

member of the library profession or, given the wide latitude most library

associations offer, to indicate . . . interest in librarianship and its

improvement" (Sullivan, 1976, p. 137). Julie Virgo's (1991) excellent summary of

"professional association" includes these characteristics, which are not limited

to associations in the library profession:

* A volunteer membership;

* Access to a large number of people in the profession;

* [Members] . . . who collectively have a tremendous wealth of

experiences . . . in a common field;

* Access to pooled funds . . . to attack problems that are

industry-wide. . ..;

* Many competing interests . . . within its membership;

* Influence on entry into the profession, and . . . concern with

professional practice;

* General standards for the performance of its members . . . and

the expectation of continuing professional development;

* Literature for disseminating research developments and reports;

* The ability to attract a significant mass of the profession . . . [to]

meetings;

* The numbers to speak on behalf of the profession . . . on issues

affecting the profession; and

* The perception by outside groups as a[n] . . . authority about . . .

matters relating to that profession. (pp. 189-190)

As has been pointed out: "Associations reflect the interests of their

members" (Virgo, 1991, p. 190). This issue of Library Trends will provide

twelve explorations of those interests, written by a variety of

practitioners who include a cyber-editor, two paraprofessionals, a library

school dean, a director, a consultant, a doctoral candidate, two mid-level

administrators, and several everyday public service librarians. Professional

experience of contributors extends from two years to over thirty.

As the irrepressible Ralph Ellsworth (1961) pointed out a decade

before the beginning of my career, "the relationship between a practicing

professional and his or her. . . association is not always easy to understand.

. ." (p. 382). Most contributors to this issue have nonetheless

assayed to explore various facets of that relationship, illustrating themes

with the achievements of specific associations.

Tina Hovekamp explores the differences and similarities between

unions and professional associations, finding a basis for coexistence, while

Jordan Scepanski and Lea Wells discuss the roles of association staff, comparing

them with elected leaders.

Barbara Glendenning and James Gordon examine the roles that library

associations play in leadership development, grounded in a broader

discussion of career paths, whereas Joy Thomas focuses on the impacts

on individual leaders of state associations.

The features and benefits that influence librarians to support or not

support a particular association are sketched by Sue Kamm, while Don

Frank reviews the positive impact of active association participation on

the librarian's job and career development.

Using the examples of ALA, ALISE, ASIS, and SLA, Bill Fisher concentrates

on the ways that associations influence the research agenda of

the profession and professional development, while Cindy Mediavilla

tracks the history of a specific association's decades-long fight against

anti-Communist censorship in schools and public libraries as well as on the

legislative front.

Linda Owen reminds us that library paraprofessionals are too often

overlooked and traces the development of their associations and the role

of such groups within the library community. Also often overlooked are

ethnic library associations, which are explored by Tami Echavarria and

Andrew Wertheimer, who focus on Asian, Hispanic, black, and Jewish

organizations as examples of the development and role of ethnic associations.