RBMS Manual / Standards and Guidelines Progression

RBMS has been one of the most active ACRL sections in formulating standards and guidelines. This progression lists the steps to be taken for development or revision of RBMS standards and guidelines. These supplement those articulated in the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee's Policy and Procedure Manual and the ALA Standards Manual. It is generally expected that three years will be required to complete the development process. Revision may take less time.

If only minor or editorial revisions are necessary in a standard or guideline, it may be possible to follow an abbreviated review process. The ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee adopted an expedited review procedure in June 1994 which was approved by the ACRL Board; refer to the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures for details.

All RBMS standards and guidelines must be approved by the RBMS Executive Committee, by the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee, and by the ACRL Board.

  1. When a need for an RBMS standard or guideline is perceived, or the five-year review of an existing standard guideline is due, the RBMS Executive Committee either assigns the task to an existing RBMS committee or appoints an task force committee.
  2. The committee charged with development or review (hereafter, "the committee") keeps the Executive Committee informed of its progress by placing Executive Committee members on the committee's mailing list and by reporting on hearings held to discuss the standard or guideline.
  3. The committee notifies the RBMS liaison from the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee of the work in progress.
  4. The committee presents a first draft to the RBMS Executive Committee, whose comments and views are reviewed for incorporation into the draft.
  5. The committee publishes a revised draft in C&RL News, inviting comment.
  6. The committee conducts a public hearing at an ALA conference and reviews comments from its constituency for incorporation into the draft.
    Note: Although a public hearing is required only at this stage of the review process, any RBMS committee charged with overseeing development or revision of a standard or guideline should feel free to hold a public forum at an ALA conference at an earlier stage in the process in order to gather comments and feedback from the membership. One possible such forum could be a seminar held at an RBMS preconference.
  7. The committee presents the revised draft to the RBMS Executive Committee, which recommends approval or disapproval. Minor revisions may be made at the Executive Committee meeting in order to expedite the progression.
  8. If the Executive Committee approves, the committee forwards the draft to the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee. If the Executive Committee disapproves, the progression is resumed at Step 4.
  9. If the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee approves, the draft may, depending on its topic, be forwarded by the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee to the ALA Committee on Standards, and then possibly to the ALA Council. If the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee or a higher ALA committee disapproves, the progression is resumed at Step 4.
  10. The draft standard or guideline becomes official at the successful conclusion of this review process and is republished in its final form in C&RL News whether or not changes were made in the document since its publication as a draft.
  11. The standard or guideline is reviewed every five years, per ACRL guidelines, and is continued, revised, or rescinded according to the above progression.

Rescinding ACRL Standards and Guidelines

Procedures for rescinding an ACRL standard or guideline are found in the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures.

Endorsement by SAA

In January 1993 the Society of American Archivists Council voted to endorse three RBMS Guidelines (Security, Theft, and Borrowing Special Collections Materials for Exhibition). A fourth guideline (Interlibrary Loan of Rare and Unique Materials) was forwarded to SAA for consideration in September 1994. An ALA-SAA Joint Statement on Access was adopted by SAA in August 1994, and the revised edition adopted in August 2009.

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