About the Friends of the NSS Library and Petition
Who are
ěFriends of the Libraryî?
Friends of the NSS (FOL) Library
is an informal group of NSS members who have come together to voice their
opinion on the future of the library of the National Speleological Society
(NSS). To support that effort,
Friends of the Library have established a website (www.cavebooks.com/fol/) that provides information about
the NSS Library and NSS BOG actions with respect to the NSS library. The website will be referenced
throughout this article. FOL is
also circulating a petition that states that it would like the NSS to continue
to take full and complete financial responsibility for the library, that the
NSS continue to take responsibility for the libraryís development, care and
maintenance, and that the NSS Library remain intact to retain its status as a
special collection.
The petition does not support the
housing or loan of the library to non-NSS entities. It does support making the
library more accessible to NSS members and to researchers. The FOL believes
this can be achieved without splitting the NSS Library Collection and/or
relinquishing custody of any part of the library to a non-NSS
entity.
Establishment of satellite NSS
libraries by using duplicate materials from the NSS library is
acceptable. We understand that
the purpose of satellite libraries would be to make NSS materials more
accessible to more NSS members.
What is the
purpose of the FOL Petition?
The purpose of the FOL petition is
to communicate to the BOG the opinion of many NSS members with respect to the
present and future disposition of the NSS Library. Since the BOG represents the NSS
membership, FOL feels that it is appropriate to express NSS member opinion to
the Board in this fashion.
The petition does not carry any
authority with the NSS Board of Governors (BOG). Its sole purpose is to let the BOG
know that there are many NSS members who do care about the disposition of the
Library and to make suggestions on the future direction that the BOG takes
with the NSS library. We all
understand that decisions on the actual disposition of the library and itsí
care are made by the NSS BOG.
What
instigated the current actions of FOL?
The future of the NSS library has
been a topic of discussion at NSS Board meetings for at least the past five
years (see
NSS BOG Discussions link) and probably much longer. Discussions involved everything from
the development of a joint NSS Library/NSS Museum, to construction of a new
library building, to establishment of various NSS satellite libraries across
the US and in Puerto
Rico, to
lending a portion of the NSS Library to the
National Cave and Karst Research institute
(see history
link) or other non-NSS entities.
However, it is the NSS Ad Hoc
Committee Library Discussion paper that caused concern about how the NSS may
choose to deal with the NSS Library in the future. The paper offers three options: 1) Do nothing; 2) Construct a New Library and
improve support of the Library; 3) Transfer the Library to an outside
facility. Each of the options are discussed in more
detail in the paper, which can be found on the FOL website (see Ad Hoc
Committee Library Discussion Paper link). It is item 3 that causes concern to FOL individuals who have been extensively
involved with determining the future of the library.
The NSS BOG has formally stated in
minutes of the March 2003 Board meeting the following:
The NSS tentatively
agrees in principle with the 'Statement of Work'* in Attachment One to the
Presidentís Report dated February 15, 2003 that describes a potential future
relationship among the National Park Service, the National Speleological
Society and the National Cave and Karst Research
Institute. The NSS will reconsider the Statement of Work at its 2003
convention meeting. No agreement shall be consummated or NSS Library items
be decided upon or transferred without the knowledge
of the NSS membership and explicit approval of the NSS Board of Governors.
(*see statement
of work link on the website)
Though
the BOG has agreed that there will be no transfer of NSS library materials
without knowledge of the NSS membership and approval of the BOG, this does not
guarantee that in the future, the BOG will not decide to transfer some portion
of the NSS library to a non-NSS entity (and not necessarily NCKRI).
Consequently, one of the main
statements in the FOL petition is that the members who signed the petition
want the NSS to always maintain direct responsibility and control of
the NSS Library. This is the crux
of the petition.
Is the FOL
petition against a relationship between NSS and
NCKRI?
Absolutely not! We all recognize that future
cooperation between the NSS and NCKRI is most positive and can offer a win-win
situation for both the NSS and NCKRI.
FOL does question whether the NSS/NCKRI relationship should be solely
based on a loan of library materials.
However, that decision is up to the NSS Board to make. All we can do is express an opinion
which is that a more general statement of cooperation without a list of
specific tasks may be a more effective and flexible agreement between the NSS
and the Institute rather than basing the relationship on a loan of library
material.
What will happen to the FOL Petition:
The
petition will be presented to the NSS BOG at the upcoming convention in
California. As stated previously, the intent of
the petition is to let the BOG know that there are many NSS members who care
about the future of the NSS Library and that these members would like the
opportunity to offer their input.
Friends of the Library Website:
The purpose of the FOL website is
to provide information about the NSS library and to compile information links
that will allow NSS members to review NSS actions with respect to the library
so that members can make their own decisions on whether they agree or not with
how the NSS BOG is dealing with the future of the NSS Library. The
website address is www.cavebooks.com/fol/.
FOL
encourages NSS members to offer their input to the NSS BOG regarding the
future of the NSS Library. FOL
also hopes to instigate dialogue between NSS members and the BOG about the
future of the NSS Library. Not
only is the library one of the advantages of being an NSS member, it also
represents the heritage of the NSS.