Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries

The Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) is a Caribbean library organization founded in 1969. It is based in the José M. Lázaro Library of the University of Puerto Rico.[1]

About ACURIL

The Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries was first created in 1969 at a conference sponsored by the Association of Caribbean Universities and the University of Puerto Rico's Institute of Caribbean Studies. The first leaders of the organization were: President Dr. Alma Theodora Jordan, Vice President Dr. Albertina Perez de Rosa, and Secretary/Treasurer Dr. Luisa Vigo-Cepeda. The ACURIL supports collaboration between university and research libraries.They believe in embracing different libraries who encompass research including public libraries and special libraries.[1][2] ACURIL has been essential to professional inspiration for many librarians in the Caribbean region, providing them with continuing educational opportunities and creating a conducive environment for collaboration with other professionals.[3] Growth of regional bodies of international associations such as ACURIL has been attributed to greater international awareness after the Second World War and to the regular and affordable air transportation.[4] Its name was changed to the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries in 1976.[2]

Goals

The mission of the ACURIL is to "facilitate development and use of libraries, archives, and information services and the identification, collection and preservation of information resources in support of the whole range of intellectual and educational endeavors throughout the Caribbean area".[5] Furthermore, the ACUIRL is determined to establish a distinct and effective organization of qualified individuals in the fields of archival and library science as well as to sustain an enduring presence within the Caribbean region with a unification of information professionals.[5]

Membership

Any type of library, archive, organization or individual in a country that borders the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean is eligible for membership in the ACURIL organization. There are four types of membership: institutional, organizational, personal and associate. Institutional membership includes libraries, archives and schools of library and information. Organizational membership includes national, regional and other special library organizations and associations. Personal membership is for practicing information professionals, students who are enrolled in information courses of study, non salaried librarians including retired and unemployed, and honorary members. Any individuals or organizations outside of the Caribbean and borders of the Gulf of Mexico are eligible for an associate membership.[6] The main official languages of ACURIL members include English, Spanish, Dutch, and French and encompass 26 different nations.[5][7]

Conferences

ACURIL 2015-Suriname

ACURIL 2014 - Bahamas

ACURIL 2013 - Puerto Rico

ACURIL 2012 - Haiti

ACURIL 2011 - Tampa, Florida, USA[8]

ACURIL 2010-Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

ACURIL 2009-Guadeloupe

ACURIL 2008-Montego Bay, Jamaica[9]

ACURIL 2007-San Juan, Puerto Rico [10]

ACURIL 1997- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. [11]

ACURIL 1992-Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago[12]

ACURIL, 1987- Miami, Florida, USA.[13]

Awards

Since 2000, ACURIL has given awards to three areas: institutions, information professionals, and the Caribbean information professional of the year. Each area encompasses several awards, which are given annually at ACURIL conferences.[14]

Institutions

The Stephney Ferguson Library Programmes for Special Information Needs

2014 Winner: Elizabeth Estates Public Library, Prince Dr., Nassau, Bahamas

The OCLC Recognition for Promoting the OCLC Cooperative in the Caribbean

2014 Winners: The Alma Jordan Library at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad & Tobago: Elmelinda Lara

The Sidney Martin Library at The University of the West Indies, Cave-Hill Campus, Barbados: Cheryl King

Leadership in the Use of New Information Technologies to Expand and Facilitate Access to Electronic Content

2014 Winners: The College of the Bahamas Libraries and Instructional Media Services (LIMS)

Dr. Arturo Carrión Pacheco Library at the Learning and Information Resources Center, Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC), in Puerto Rico

Innovative and Effective Information Services with the Application of Information Technologies

2014 Winner: Calvin McKain Library, University of Technology, Jamaica

Leadership in the Organization and Retrieval of Information with an Automation Program

2014 Winner: The Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS)

Leadership in the Development of Research Solutions that Connect People

2014 Winners: Sistema de Bibliotecas de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM)

Colleges Libraries Information Network of Jamaica (COLINET)

The Albertina Pérez de Rosa Information Units Alliances and Collaborative Projects in the Caribbean

2014 Winner: The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC)

2013 Winner: National Library of Aruba

Information Professionals

Excellence in Information Literacy

2014 Winners: Penelope Nottage, Bahamas Library Service

Elsie Bain, College of the Bahamas Library

Excellence in Research and Publications

2014 Winners: Carmen Margarita Santos-Corrada, Special Libraries Collection, Conrado J. Asenjo Library, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Library

Lorraine Nero, Special Collections Librarian, at The Alma Jordan Library, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago
Frank Soodeen, Head, Information Technology Services Section, at The Alma Jordan Library, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago

Caribbean Information Professional of the Year

Honors the individual commitment, excellence in performance, and outstanding professional achievement of an information specialist (librarian, archivists, documentalists, etc.) in the Caribbean, members of ACURIL (in any of the linguistic areas: English, French or Dutch and Spanish).

2014 Winner: Judith V. Rogers, Director of Libraries, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas[15]

Achievements

ACURIL's achievements include grouping together regional projects that work towards improving the retrieval of information that is created in the region.[2]

Contact Information

The General Headquarters of the Association is in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and physically located at the Caribbean Regional Library and Latin American Studies, within the José M. Lázaro Library of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 23317, UPR Station, San Juan, PR 00931-3317. Tel (787)790-8054; Fax (787)790-8054 [16]

References

  1. 1 2 Mathews, Thomas (January 1993). "Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries". In Robert Wedgeworth. World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services. American Library Association. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-8389-0609-5.
  2. 1 2 3 Spiegel (6 November 2013). "What is ACURIL?". ACURILNET. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Jordan, Alma (1982). "ACURIL-Treasure of My Dreams". COMLA Newsletter. 35
  4. ↑ Lor, Peter Johan (9 Dec 2009). "International and Comparative Librarianship". Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences. Third Edition. Taylor & Francis Online.
  5. 1 2 3 Jordan, A. (1989). The Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL). IFLA Journal, 15(3), 233-236.
  6. ↑ "Membership". ACURILNET. 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "ACURIL 2011: The Role of Libraries and Archives in Disaster Preparedness, Response and Research". 24 April 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries., ed. Long, A. K. (2011). ACURIL XLI: Proceedings from the annual conference : the role of libraries and archives in disaster preparedness, response, and research. Tampa, Fla: Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries.
  9. ↑ http://caribbean-connector.blogspot.com/2008/01/acuril-2008.html
  10. ↑ Digital Library of the Caribbean
  11. ↑ Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries. ACURIL XXVII : 27th Annual Conference, 18-24 May, 1997, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Annual Report, Programme and Papers Presented]. 1997.
  12. ↑ Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries. Management of Resources in Caribbean Libraries and Information Centres. S.l: s.n.], 1992.
  13. ↑ Caribbean collections : recession management strategies for libraries : papers of the Thirty-Second Annual Meeting of the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials, held jointly with the Eighteenth Conference of the Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries, James L. Knight International Conference Center, Miami, Florida, May 10–15, 1987
  14. ↑ "Acurilean Awards". ACURILNET. ACURIL Publications and Public Relations Committee. Jan 29, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved Sep 29, 2014.
  15. ↑ "UVI Librarian Named Caribbean Information Professional of 2014". University of the Virgin Islands. June 5, 2014. Retrieved Sep 29, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
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