Washington State University Libraries Faculty and LFAC Minutes, 1970-2014

While the Washington State University Libraries date to the first days of the college, and while librarians have certainly conducted meetings amongst themselves, the official organization of the Library Faculty in its current incarnation dates to a September 15, 1970 meeting. The groups purpose, as defined at that first meeting, was "to promote the group's professional involvement in the field of library and information science; to provide for the group's active participation in the library and academic affairs of Washington State University; and to fulfuill those duties as listed [in] the Faculty Manual as they pertain to the Library." Prior to that, a Staff Association had been created after an August 10th 1946 directive from the Office of the President which recognized professional librarians as "Library Staff" and non-professional library workers as "Office and Technical Staff." Initially the Staff Assocation filled a role similar to the current Library Faculty group, but by the end of the 1960s its focus had moved more to internal morale and communications.

The Library Faculty Study Committee was established on March 9, 1971 to undertake studies on professional development, faculty review procedures, salary levels, working conditions, and fringe benefits. On February 26th, 1974, the Library Faculty renamed the Study Committee the Library Faculty Affairs Committee (LFAC), and its goals were redefined to monitor, investigate, and report to Library Faculty on University and Library matters which could affect the Faculty, as well as to insure Library Faculty input into matters of concern to the faculty. Additional short-term tasks and projects were initially defined and continued or resolved; early projects included an investigation into breaking the library into departments, and the creation of a library faculty manual.