iwa1

 IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

 

 

 

 

SHEILA CRETH (1939-  )

 

PAPERS, 1957-2008

3.5 linear feet

 

 

 

 

ACQUISITION:

The papers (donor no. 678) were donated by Sheila Creth in 1999 and subsequent years.

ACCESS:

The papers are open for research, with the exception of Box 10, which is closed.  

AUDIOVISUAL:

Two audiocassettes (AC868-869) shelved in the audiocassette collection.

COPYRIGHT:

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa. 

PHOTOGRAPHS:

In Box 1.

PROCESSED BY:

Emily Broeckling, 2003; June Silliman and Sharon M. Lake, 2008. [CrethSheila.doc]

 

 

Biography

            Sheila Creth served as University Librarian for the University of Iowa Libraries from 1987 through 1999.  In this capacity, Creth assumed responsibility for a collection of over three million volumes located in the Main Library and distributed throughout eleven departmental libraries, coordinated the work of a full-time staff of 228 employees, and oversaw an annual budget of over seventeen million dollars.  Her most important contributions to the University of Iowa Libraries include the development of the Information Arcade in the Main Library, the Information Commons in the Hardin Library, the Iowa Women’s Archives, the User Education Program, a massive reorganization project, development of sources of funding through the Friends of the Library group, recruitment and staff development activities, and organization of the Symposium on Scholarly Communication in 1991.  During her tenure, Creth was awarded the LITA/Gaylord award for Achievement in Library and Information Technology in 1999.

 

Before her appointment at the University of Iowa, Creth held positions at the University of Michigan, the University of Connecticut, and Columbia University.  Creth has published extensively in the field of library and information science, particularly on the subject of personnel.  Her publications include the widely read text Effective on the Job Training: Developing Library Human Resources.  In addition to her publications, Creth has enjoyed numerous professional speaking engagements and has conducted training workshops and performed consultation services for university libraries for more than twenty years.  In 1999, Creth stepped down from her post with the University of Iowa to pursue a full-time career in independent consultation after thirteen years with the University of Iowa.

 

 

Scope and Content Note

 

            The Sheila Creth papers date from 1957 to 2008 and measure 3.5 linear feet.  The papers are arranged in five series: Biographical, The University of Iowa Libraries, Publications, Presentations, and Consulting.

 

            The Biographical series (1957-2008) includes Creth’s curriculum vitae; the transcript of an interview with Creth conducted in July 1998; newspaper clippings; and several snapshots, and photographs of Creth with University of Iowa President Hunter Rawlings and Iowa Writers Workshop director Frank Conroy.

 

            The University of Iowa Libraries series (1987-1999) includes correspondence and emails, presentations Creth made on campus, Creth’s goals and activities, salary letters, notification of awards recognizing the Information Arcade, and material related to the Symposium on Scholarly Communication.  Two folders containing letters of recommendation are closed.

 

            The Publications series (1979-1997) includes Creth’s published articles and writings arranged in chronological order.  The series includes Creth’s MA thesis and correspondence regarding the publication of her articles.  The Presentations series (1987-2006) consists of drafts of talks on topics such as staff training, library automation, the electronic library, budgeting, and collaboration between librarians and technologists.  The series is arranged chronologically. 

 

            The Consulting series (1981-2005) consists of records relating to Creth’s work with her consulting firm, Progressive Solutions.  It includes administrative files, correspondence with clients, and details about the work Creth did for each client.  The series is organized alphabetically by the client’s name; the administrative files are located at the end of the series. 

 

 

 

Box no.           Description

 

Box 1

BIOGRAPHICAL

General

Curriculum Vitae, 1999

Interview transcript, 1998

Donations, 1994-1995

Education certificates, 1957-1980

Honors, 1998-2003

Newspaper clippings, 1968-2008

Photographs, 1986-1999

Plaque, “Vita Veritas Victoria,” [1996?] [shelved in plaque box]

 

                        THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
                                    Appointment, 1987

ALA/Meckler Award, 1994 (for Information Arcade)

Campus discussion document: “Information Technology: Implications for Library and Information Services”

Conferences, 1988-1999

Correspondence, 1987-1999

Course taught, “Information Technology & the Organization,” 1991

Goals and activities [as reported to the UI Provost], 1991-1999

Letters of recommendation [CLOSED] [shelved in Box 10]

LITA award, 1999 (for Information Arcade)

Presentations on campus, 1988-1990

Retirement, 1999

Salary letters, 1986-1999

 

Box 2

Symposium on Scholarly Communication, 1991

UI Faculty Senate Open Forum:  “The Crisis in Scholarly Journals,” 1988

UI Strategic Planning Steering Committee, “New Initiatives, Directions, Priorities,” 1991

 

PUBLICATIONS

 “The Effect of Job Complexity and Job Diversity on 

Organizational Communication Behavior and Satisfaction,” M.A. thesis, University of Connecticut, 1979

Instructor manuals, University of Michigan, 1984

Job Training:  Developing Training Plans for Your Staff (ACRL, 1984)

Effective on the Job Training  (American Library Association, 1986)

Personnel Administration in Libraries (1989)

“Personnel Issues for Academic Librarians,” College and Research Libraries (1989)

“Alternative Credentials for the Academic Library Administrator—a Personal Essay,” Library Administration and Management (Summer 1989)

“Staff Development: Where Do We Go from Here?” Library Administration and Management (Summer 1990)

“Personnel Realities in the University Library of the Future,” University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science Occasional Papers, manuscript only (January 1991)

 “The Organization of Collection Development: a Shift in

the Organization Paradigm,” Journal of Library Administration, two manuscripts (1991)

“Beyond Technical Issues: the Impact of Automation on

Library Organizations,” chapter from Perspectives in Information Management, Charles Oppenheim ed., [manuscript only] (1991)

“Staff versus Collections: Assessing Budget Priorities for

the 1990s,” Library Administration and Management (Summer 1992)

“Information Technology: Building a Framework for

Change,” Library Issues (July 1992)

“Creating a Virtual Information Organization: Collaborative Relationships between Libraries and Computing Centers,” Journal of Library Administration, [manuscript only] (1993)

“Virtual Collections: The Implications for Library Professionals,” (1993)

“The Information Arcade: Playground for the Mind,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship, [manuscript only] (1994)

“Building Partnerships,” (1995)

“A Changing Profession: Central Roles for Academic

Librarians,” Advances in Librarianship, [manuscript only] (1996)

“Do You Have the Partners You Need to Survive?” (1996)

 “Technological Change and the Implications for the Library and the Library Professional,” undated

Reviews, 1984-1997

Correspondence re: publications, 1989-97

                       

PRESENTATIONS

“Library Recruitment and Staff Development,” Librarians’ Association, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 1987

 

Box 3

“Impact of Automation on the Organization,” AMIGOS annual users meeting, November 17, 1988

“In House [Staff] Training,” New England Technical Services Librarians Spring Meeting, April 26, 1990

“1990 and Beyond: Who We Are, Who We Will Be,” American College and Research Libraries Fall Conference, November 2, 1990

“Staff vs. Collections: Budget Priorities for the 1990s,” ALA/LAMA, July 1991

“Building a Collaborative Environment: Understanding Our Similarities and Differences,” Rutgers University Librarians and Computer Professionals Working Together Program, 1992

“Virtual Collections,” North Carolina State University Libraries’ I.T. Littleton Seminar. February 26, 1993

“Shaping the Future,” ALA/LAMA, 1993

“Changing Roles of Librarians and Support Staff,” ALA/LAMA, 1994

“Who’s Who:  The Changing Roles of Librarians and Support Staff”, ALA annual conference, 1994  [AC869: shelved in audiocassette collection]

“Keeping Everyone Informed: Communicating Change to Those Who Need to Know,” University of Nebraska Council of Libraries Staff Development Committee, April 13, 1995

“Collaboration Between Librarians and Technologists,” Iowa Research and Education Network annual meeting, June 1995

“Future of Information Services and Your Place in This World,” Minnesota Library Association annual meeting, October 1995

“The Electronic Library: Slouching Toward the Future or Creating a New Information Environment,” Follett Lecture Series, Great Britain, September 1996

Interview with Sheila Creth conducted by Frank Galligan, The Nine Line, BBC, Londonderry, September 26, 1996  [AC868: shelved in audiocassette collection]

“A New World Order or Chaos: Implications of Electronic Information on Collection Development and Services,” 1996

“Conducting Effective Employment Interviews,” 1997

“Designing a Library Future: The U of Iowa Libraries in 1987-1997”

“Goals Writing,” 1997

“Securing Full Opportunity in American Society: If Affirmative Action is Not Our Best Strategy, Then What?” ACRL National Conference, April 1997

“The Teaching Library and the Role of Librarian as Teacher,” EDUCOM, 1997

“The Specialized Monograph in Crisis,” 1997

“University Publishing in the Electronic Age,” 1997

“Libraries of the Future,” University of Iowa alumni, 1998

“Implementing Change: Skills to Survive and Thrive,” 1999

“A Scan of the University Libraries,” Johnson County Area Women’s Network, 1999

“Library System,” 1999

“Optimizing Organization Design for the Future,” 2000

“Minding the Generation Gap,” 2002

“Academic Library Leadership,” 2003

Keynote address to Triangle Research Libraries Network Symposium, 2005

“Do You Have the Partners You Need to Survive?” ACM talk, undated

“The Health Information Environment: A View of Organizational and Professional Needs and Priorities,” undated

“Higher Education Must Plan Ahead for New Tech Libraries,” undated

“Information Technology: Implications for Library and Information Services,” undated

“Preparing for Technological Change,” undated

“Scholarly Digital Resources Center,” undated

 

Box 4

“Securing Full Opportunity in American Society,” ACRL National Conference, 1997

“Workforce Issues for Academic Libraries,” 2006

“Thinking Out of the Box,” undated

“Wide World,” undated

Miscellaneous, 1987-1997 (2 folders)

 

CONSULTING

American Library Association Special Committee on Personnel Resources, 1990

Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, 1999

Association of SE Research Libraries, Atlanta, 2002

Australia, 1993

Brown University Library, 1998

“Building Partnerships: Library & Computing Professionals,” undated

CAUSE Institute on Partnership, 1997, 2001 (2 folders)

Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, 2002

East Tennessee Library Association, “Self Training and Learning,” 2001

Emory University, 1995

Florida International University, 2000

Georgia State University, “Organizing and Assessment of Liaison & Research Services,” 2003

Indiana State University, “Imagining Library Organization for the 1990’s,” undated

Irish Universities Information Systems Symposium, “The Electronic Library,” 1996 (3 folders)

Long Island University Retreat, 1998

Miami Universities Library, “Appointment & Promotion Criteria and Process, 2003

 

Box 5

CONSULTING

North Carolina LIVE, 2003

North Carolina State University, “Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning,” 2001

North Carolina State University, Fellows Retreat, 2003

Oakland University, “Organization of Information Technology,” 2001

Ohio University Library, 2000-2004

Palmer School of Library and Information Science, strategic planning, 1998

Rutgers University Library, 2004

San Jose public library, 2001-2004 (folders 1-5)

 

Box 6

San Jose public library, 2001-2004 (folders 6-10)

South Dakota Library Association & Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association, “Strategies for Surviving & Thriving in the 21st Century Library,” 2003

Texas, 2002

Triangle Research Libraries Network, retreat, 1999

Triangle Research Libraries Network, “Information Commons,” 2005

United Way, Johnson County, “Effective Meetings Workshop,” undated (2 folders)

University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois-Chicago, 1986-1987

University of Miami, “Assessment of Richter Library,” 1998

 

Box 7

CONSULTING

University of North Carolina Library, “Report on Organization Structure,” 2005

University of Notre Dame Libraries, 1995

University of South Dakota, 2002

Washington State University Library, 2005 (4 folders)

East Carolina University, Joyner Library, 2007

Miscellaneous workshops, 1981-1988

 

Box 8

Administrative

            Contracts, 1999-2002

            Correspondence, 1998-2005

            Letters of inquiry, 1997-2004 (folder 1)

Letters of inquiry, 1997-2004 (folder 2)

                                                Library consultants directory, 1998-2003

                                                McGovern, Gail, 2004

 

Box 9

            Proposals, 1999-2002

            Proposals, 2003-2004

            General

 

Box 10

[CLOSED]

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

                                    Letters of recommendation [CLOSED]