ALA

The event planner is now available. This is a useful tool for building a tentative schedule and list of exhibitors that you want to see (w/booth numbers). To login, you need to already be registered for the annual conference-
http://ala.cistems.net/Index2.php

Liaison areas & ALA Annual

In my next installment for "all things ALA" to know before July... in addition to the programs, exhibits, and networking you can also find a section/discussion group/committee/round table related to your program or subject area. i.e., Office of Diversity, Video Round Table, BRASS section (w/i RUSA for business), Law and Political Science section (w/i ACRL), etc. You might need to dig into the division, office, and round table pages.

Also, the New Members Round Table (NMRT) has an orientation "101" program on Friday night and again on Saturday morning. http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/2009/2009_prelimprogram_only_FINAL.pdf

Wiki for Annual 2009 in Chicago

Usually updates more often than the website- http://wikis.ala.org/annual2009/index.php/Main_Page

I've been back... just been busy & am catching up on things at the campus! Will send a message by Fri w/info from Midwinter.

Preliminary program is on the website


Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) Programs-
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/events/annual09/index.cfm

ALA July 2009

Registration rates are now available for the Annual Conference in Chicago. Registration begins Jan. 5 http://staging.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/2009/registration.cfm
ALCTS has added pre-conference & program information for the Annual Conference http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alcts/confevents/index.cfm

-->If you would like to get an idea of what schedules look like, the "full daily schedule" is online for Midwinter. Although, keep in mind the Annual Conference has programs and meetings, while MW is primarily for "business of the association".

ALA Chicago- Poster Session Proposals

Call for poster sessions for ALA Annual in; the deadline is January 31st-

http://www.lib.jmu.edu/org/ala/

Are You Where You Want To Be Professionally (from ACRLog)

I thought this post from ACRLog might be of interest as it relates to professional development-

It’s a thought that probably comes to every librarian at some point in their career. Professionally, am I where I’m supposed to be at this point in my life? Should someone my age be further along? Should I be an administrator by now? Should I have a bigger reputation in the field? And the ultimate question, should I be making more money? And when we seek the answers to these questions we often have no choice but to compare ourselves to others, whether it be a colleague down the hall, that blogger being profiled in the Chronicle, or folks who graduated in your MLS class. We seem to have the tendency to judge ourselves against the A listers rather than the mass majority of library professionals who are in all likelihood doing about the same as we are. It’s a harsh mirror into which we gaze. It’s hardly unique to librarians.
Rest of the post is at: http://acrlog.org/2007/12/05/are-you-where-you-want-to-be-professionally/

Call for Presentations – 15th Reference Research Forum, 2009 (ALA Annual in Chicago)

The Research and Statistics Committee of the Reference Services Section of RUSA invites the submission of research projects for presentation at the 15th Reference Research Forum at the 2009 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.

The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during the ALA Annual Conference, where attendees can learn about notable research projects conducted in the broad area of reference services such as user behavior, electronic services, reference effectiveness, and organizational structure and personnel. All researchers, including reference practitioners from all types of libraries, library school faculty and students, and other interested individuals, are encouraged to submit a proposal.

More info at http://rusa.ala.org/blog/2008/10/09/rrf/

Successful admin rep workshop

I had been prepared to show the Admission Reps the library introduction I use during student orientation. There are a few 'high-maintenance" reps who simply are too stubborn to use any of my previous suggestions, and in the spirit that repetition makes a consistent pattern, I was going to share with them how I introduce the library resources.

Of course, the ones that tend to be the "high-maintenance" reps were not there. I had only 4 of the 9 present, so I had them log onto the student portal and I took them through a 20 minute library session, and it was fantastic.

We went through the library website. I pointed out the meebo online reference box. We looked at the catalog, the ebooks, the journal article databases our students need to use. We looked at the APA citation help and showed them where they can see for themselves how papers need to be written look like. I showed them and encouraged them to log onto NoodleBib so they can experience the wonder that is NoodleBib.

It went really well. The 4 that were present are fantastic reps, and they do their job really well. They seemed to appreciate me going through the library website and its resources with them, and it has given me some ideas as to how we can follow up on this!

:)

Successful RSS workshop

We had 9 instructors attend a Professional Development program last night. My part was to introduce them to RSS and what it can mean for them. Our new full-time IT hire (yippee!) was the only one who knew what RSS was, so it was very new to the rest of them.

The things I highlighted were how it could eliminate the time it took to keep up-to-date, how easy it was to set up, how Google Reader was so easy to use, and sample RSS feeds they might want to try. Very successful!

Going to ALA in Chicago?

2009 Annual Poster Session Application Information

Chicago, IL: July 11-13, 2009

Applications for presenting poster sessions at the 2009 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, IL, will be accepted via the World Wide Web at:
http://www.lib.jmu.edu/org/ala/

Applications will be accepted between November 1, 2008 and January 31, 2009

An application form, guidelines for applying, helpful hints, and photos of sample poster sessions can be found at the website. If you don’t have access to the World Wide Web or to email, please contact Jody Condit Fagan, Chair, at 540-568-4265 (telephone) for instructions on how to apply.

Opportunity - ALA President announces virtual poster sessions

From ALA News -

This year, under American Library Association (ALA) President Jim Rettig’s leadership, members will have new opportunities to participate in ALA and to communicate their success stories. One of these opportunities is an ALA-wide virtual poster session.

The first of two poster sessions will debut this fall. Its focus is “Community Central.”

Share your experiences of making your library vital in your community (any kind of community). The possibilities are almost endless. Are you reaching underserved populations? Are you vital to local political activity? Is your library a center of learning? Are you visible outside the building? Demonstrate the specific purpose of your community involvement and the ways that you have achieved that purpose. Photos, images, and sounds may accompany your presentation.

To be considered for inclusion in the poster session, please send a proposal in the form of a summary of your library’s efforts, making sure to address the following points:

Question or problem (need not be stated as hypotheses)
Environmental context of the question or problem (such as public libraries, academic libraries)
Organizational context of the question or problem (internal services, outreach, community analysis, etc.)
Approaches to address the question or problem (i.e., the specific ways the library and its staff have addressed the kinds of programs and activities mentioned in the Community Central description)
Outcomes (details on the effects of the approaches, including data, testimonials or other evidence of community involvement)
The summary must be no longer than three pages, double-spaced (one or more photos or images may be included as part of the three pages).

The deadline for submitting proposals is Nov. 15. Approximately 25 submissions will be selected and will be available for viewing during January 2009. Please send the proposals via e-mail to Dr. John M. Budd at BuddJ@missouri.edu.

A second virtual poster session will take place in the spring of 2009.

Rettig’s initiatives for his presidential term are about “Creating Connections” –connections among our libraries; connections between the communities we serve and those who make funding and policy decisions; connections with prospective library workers; connections with ALA members. His initiatives address three critical issues: Advocacy, Diversity and Member Participation.

For more information about ALA President Jim Rettig’s initiatives, please visit http://jimrettig.org/content/initiatives/initiatives.htm .

WebJunction 2.0

I know that Sara told us all about WebJunction a while ago. Just thought I'd bring it to your attention that they have revamped their website to 2.0

If you aren't familiar with the site, they offer online courses, etc. specific to libraries-

http://webjunction.org/home