Library Research Round Table | The American Library Association Archives

The first business meeting of the Library Research Round Table (LRRT) was held at the Washington D.C. Midwinter Meeting in January, 1969 (1). The mission statement of the LRRT includes the following:

1. Contribute toward the extension and improvement of library research (1969) (2).

2. Educate ALA members concerning library research techniques (1969).

3. Serve as a forum for discussion of the literature and information needs of the profession (1986) (3).

4. Provide public program opportunities for describing and evaluating research projects (1988) (4).

5. Disseminate the findings of research (1988) (4).

In response to librarians' interests in research, LRRT initiated a Research Program Series at the 1975 ALA Annual Conference (5). At that meeting, LRRT inaugurated the Research Competition award, the winner of which receives $500. The criteria for judging the winner are the following:

1. Definition of research problem.

2. Application of research methods.

3. Clarity of reporting.

4. Significance of conclusions (6).

In 1987, the prize's name was changed to the Jesse H. Shera Award for Research, in honor of the prominent librarian and library researcher (7).

In 1976, the LRRT established a Research Information Exchange Suite at the Annual Conference to provide opportunities for the discussion of research projects in an informal setting (8).

In 1983, LRRT created a task force from the Library and Information Literature Membership Initiative Group (LI'L MIG). Later in 1983, by amendment of the LRRT by-laws, LI'L MIG was incorporated into LRRT under the name of the Library and Information Science Task Force (LILT). Its objectives are the publication and dissemination of research (9).

In 1987, the Steering Committee formed a standing committee on doctoral students, and LRRT revised its handbook and organizational procedures.

Sub-Groups:

1-Steering Committee

2-Publications

30-Nominating

31-Program

32-Research Development

33-Membership Promotion

34-Endowment Fund

35-Information Exchange Suite

36-Doctoral Students

37-Resarch Forums

38-Shera Award

39-Task Force on Library and Information Science

1. ALA Bulletin, October 1968, Vol. 62, p. 1044.

2. ALA Handbook of Organization 1982-83, p. 145.

3. American Libraries July/August 1986, Vol. 17, p. 521.

4. ALA Handbook of Organization 1988-89, pp. 163-4.

5. ALA Yearbook 1976, p. 306.

6. Ibid.

7. ALA Yearbook 1988, p. 205.

8. ALA Yearbook 1977, p. 197.

9. ALA Yearbook 1984, p. 190.

10. ALA Yearbook 1988, p. 205.