University at Buffalo Libraries

Finding Aid for the State University of New York Librarians Association Records, 1967-2008 (1967-1997 bulk)

MS 6

State University of New York at Buffalo. University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Stephanie Tocco, November 2007.
Finding aid encoded in EAD by Kuniko Simon, April 2009.
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid prepared using local best practices.

© 2010. State University of New York at Buffalo. All rights reserved.

Collection Overview

Administrative Information

[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 6, State University of New York Librarians Association Records, 1967-2008 (1967-1997 bulk), University Archives, State University of New York at Buffalo.

See the Special Collections' preferred citations instructions for additional information.

The State University of New York Library Association Records are deposited in the University archives by officers and members of SUNYLA. This collection contains records between the years 1967-2008 (1967-1997 bulk). Subsequent records will be treated as a separate collection.

State University of New York Librarians Association Records, 1967-2008 (1967-1997 bulk) are open for research.

Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Processed by Stephanie Tocco, November 2007.

Further accruals are expected to this collection.

Historical Note

Correspondence between librarians concerning academic status for librarians in the State University of New York (SUNY) system began in early 1967. Joseph Whitten, librarian at Maritime College, was the leading figure as Chairman of the 1967/68 SUNY Librarians Conference. During 1967, an ad-hoc Committee of Head Librarians was formed to determine what steps might be taken to deal with academic status. This committee first met in June and again in August for the purpose of discussing and devising a concerted plan of action. Manuel Lopez and Mary Cassata, members of the State University of New York at Buffalo Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Status, were in attendance along with representatives from eight other SUNY libraries. On September 21, 1967 the first meeting of the Professional Librarians Organization of SUNY at Buffalo was held. The organization later became known as the Association of Librarians of SUNY at Buffalo. In August of 1968 the state wide Task Force on Academic Status met in Syracuse and selected Manual Lopez to co-chair the Task Force on Personnel with the purpose of initiating action for the organization of a statewide association of SUNY librarians. The first meeting of the delegates of each library to the SUNY Librarians Association was held on January 17, 1969 with Mr. Lopez as interim president. The first constitution was completed and approved at a meeting of delegates held in February 1969, after which the election of officers and the appointment of committees began. First elected President, Mary Cassata and first elected secretary Lenore Kemp, State University of New York College at Buffalo.

[Compiled by Pat Tegler, student assistant at the University Archives, May 1975. Revised in May 2000.]

Scope and Content Note

This collection includes records about the history of SUNYLA, conferences, correspondence, financial records, membership, various committees, policies and procedures and records of past presidents and other SUNYLA officers.

Note regarding the SUNYLA Manual:

The following description is taken from the introduction by Diane C. Parker:

The SUNYLA Manual was developed as a project funded by a grant from the State University of new York Librarians Association. It provides a chronology of the Association’s first ten years, 1969-1979, and a summary of its policies and procedures. All of the Association’s minutes and newsletters as well as selected correspondence were reviewed for information that would be useful for conducting business. Significant items were summarized with the source document cited. Copies of the full documents are available from the University Archives at SUNY/Buffalo. The manual also serves as an annotated index to the SUNYLA archives. The main part of the manual is a summary of policies, procedures and past practice. Other sections were added to make it easier for officers to carry out the Association’s business. The sections for the Constitution and Bylaws and the Directory of Librarians in SUNY are self-evident. The chronology gives a sense of the Association’s history and interests. Because SUNYLA frequently has stated its position in the form of resolutions, there is a separate section which gives page references to resolutions. Another section describes the documents available in the SUNYLA archives. Finally, there is a subject index to the policy section.

Note regarding the SUNYLA Archives Indexing Project:

Official minutes of the Membership, Council and Executive Board will be indexed in full detail. Policy decisions will be summarized with a citation to source and authority. Summaries will be arranged topically in a loose leaf notebook for easy updating. There will be a subject index for policy topics. Resolutions and position papers adopted by SUNYLA will be indexed as well as minutes. In addition, copies of resolutions and position papers will be included in a second section of the manual. Finally, a brief chronology of the Association’s history will be included as a third section of the manual.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in nine series: