Maintaining quality libraries and helping meet the needs of students requires adherence to professionally established standards for service. In the area of information resources and training, the library profession has a long tradition of setting and meeting meaningful benchmarks for institutions of higher education. The Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, has established both qualitative and quantitative standards, which help provide a basis for successful library programs. These standards are disseminated primarily through professional associations and graduate programs for professional librarians. Without this connection, institutions of higher education will not have access to the standards, programs, and resources of the broader library community.
Librarians play a pivotal role in higher education.
Like faculty members, librarians teach, develop courses, interact with students, evaluate materials, and prepare educational guides. Under Section IV of the same draft, the professional requirements for faculty are clearly stated. Previous issues of Texline are archived on the TLA website.