IN THIS ISSUE OF ASCLA DIRECT 

• 2016 Annual Conference
• 2016 Elections
• ASCLA’s New Strategic Plan
• Award Nominations
• Exclusive 2016 Calendar
• Online Learning
• Travel to Prague & Vienna – September 2016
• Volunteers Needed for 2^ndAccessAbility Module

2016 ALA Annual Conference is 99 Days Away!

Don’t miss out on Early Bird Registration rates, which end at 12:00 PM (CST) on March 16, 2016. You can register for the conference using this link: ALA Annual Conference Registration.

The conference will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, June 23–28. Celebrate the honorable work of your colleagues at the ASCLA Awards Ceremony & Reception, attend outstanding workshops and programs, network, and cruise more than 800 vendors in the exhibit hall. Register here.

ASCLA Preconference
Freelance Success: Building a Business as a Library Trainer, Educator, Writer, Researcher, or Consultant – Ticket Purchase Required
Do you want to provide consulting, programs, services, and products to the library community or use your library-related skills in the larger market? How will you know self-employment, freelance work, and/or building an enterprise is for you? Learn what it takes. Read more here.

2016 Elections

The 2016 ALA Elections will open on March 15th and close on April 22nd. Please click on this link to view the following ASCLA members who will be running for ASCLA offices in the 2016 Elections. For more information on the ALA Election process, please view this link: ALA Election Process.

We would like to thank these members for agreeing to stand in for election! Be sure to vote in the Spring elections!

If you have any questions, please email ascla@ala.org.

New Strategic Plan

ASCLA has announced a new strategic plan to guide the organization in its planning, activities, and initiatives. The strategic plan includes the organization’s mission, vision, strategic priorities, goals, and key objectives.

Read all about it here: http://www.ala.org/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclastratplan.

A very special thank you to:
Michael Golrick
Carrie Banks
Wendy Knap
Kathy Moeller-Peiffer
Chris Corrigan
Lily Sacharow
Greg Pronivitz

ASCLA Awards

ASCLA is accepting nominations for its 2016 awards – Deadline is April 1st
ASCLA recognizes projects focused on library services to people with disabilities; the advancement of library services for the blind and physically handicapped; exceptional achievement in extension and outreach services; exemplary leadership and achievement in consulting, state library services and library cooperatives; and service to ASCLA. Read more here.

Exclusive 2016 Calendar 

ASCLA’s Exclusive Calendar – New low price!
After shooting hundreds of photos at some of the most beautiful libraries in Chicago, such as the Harold Washington Library, Newberry Library and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, only a select few were specially chosen for ASCLA’s very first fundraising calendar. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the division that is committed to enriching the services and information that ASCLA provides to its members. Photography and design volunteered by Amy Stieve. Thank you for supporting ASCLA’s mission! Purchase one here.

Online Learning

Webinar
Tiny questions, big results: How to create rich assessment tools
Learn practical, time-saving techniques for getting the most information for the least effort. Register here. Read more here.

ASCLA invites and encourages you to participate in our informative and exciting courses — you can register online now. Registration starts at $40 for ASCLA members. Group discounts are available for two or more participants from the same library, library system or network. Learn more about these courses and other educational opportunities at the ASCLA online learning page. 

Travel with ASCLA

Come along with us to Prague & Vienna in September of 2016! We’ll visit gorgeous historical sites, indulge in local cuisine and wines, and try our own hand at local dishes with a cooking class!

Take a look at some of our previous trips here: ASCLA Travel.

Volunteers Needed

ASCLA is looking for experts who can help advise our project manager working on the second AccessAbility Academy Module. Our topic is: Improving Services to Library Users with Mental Illnesses.

Advisors will be asked to participate in at least one teleconference, review outlines of the online tutorial, and provide feedback on the free webinar that will be used to refine the final version, among other things.

If you have expertise in the area and are willing to serve as advisor, please contact ASCLA Executive Director, Susan Hornung at shornung@ala.org before February 8, 2016.

Want to make your library a more welcoming and empowering place for people with disabilities? Not familiar with ASCLA’s AccessAbility Academy? View here to learn more: AccessAbility Academy 

IN THIS ISSUE OF ASCLA DIRECT 

• 2016 Annual Conference 
• Award Nominations
• Exclusive 2016 Calendar – New Low Price!
• Online Learning
• Travel with ASCLA 
• Volunteers Needed for 2^nd AccessAbility Module!

The 2016 ALA Annual Conference is 140 Days Away!

Don’t miss out on Early Bird Registration rates, which end at 12:00 PM (CST) on March 16, 2016. You can register for the conference using this link: ALA Annual Conference Registration.

The conference will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, June 23–28. Celebrate the honorable work of your colleagues at the ASCLA Awards Ceremony & Reception, attend outstanding preconferences and programs, network, and cruise more than 800 vendors in the exhibit hall. Register here.

ASCLA Preconference

Freelance Success: Building a Business as a Library Trainer, Educator, Writer, Researcher, or Consultant – Ticket Purchase Required
Do you want to provide consulting, programs, services, and products to the library community or use your library-related skills in the larger market? How will you know self-employment, freelance work, and/or building an enterprise is for you? Learn what it takes. Read more here.

ASCLA Awards

ASCLA is accepting nominations for its 2016 awards. Deadline is March 1st
ASCLA recognizes projects focused on library services to people with disabilities; the advancement of library services for the blind and physically handicapped; exceptional achievement in extension and outreach services; exemplary leadership and achievement in consulting, state library services and library cooperatives; and service to ASCLA. Read more here.

Exclusive 2016 Calendar

ASCLA’s Exclusive Calendar- New low price!
After shooting hundreds of photos at some of the most beautiful libraries in Chicago, such as the Harold Washington Library, Newberry Library and Pritzker Libraries, only a select few were specially chosen for ASCLA’s very first fundraising calendar. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the division that is committed to enriching the services and information that ASCLA provides to its members. Photography and design volunteered by Amy Stieve. Thank you for supporting ASCLA’s mission! Purchase one here.

Online Learning

How to Articulate your Library’s Value
Every librarian needs to be able to articulate his or her value at any given moment. Otherwise, you lose a chance to explain your work, to defend libraries, and to teach someone why the internet can never replace a library. If you cannot explain what your expertise is and why it’s vital in two or three brief sentences—in words that your listener will understand and remember—then you need this webinar. Register here. Read more here.

Arms Open Wide: Library Outreach to Customers with Print Disabilities
This webinar will focus on understanding the characteristics of patrons with print disabilities and how to make valuable community connections in order to reach the print disabled population. Participants will come away with a toolbox of quality library services to offer the print disabled population. Register here. Read more here.

ASCLA invites and encourages you to participate in our informative and exciting courses — you can register online now. Registration starts at $40 for ASCLA members. Group discounts are available for two or more participants from the same library, library system or network. Learn more about these courses and other educational opportunities at the ASCLA online learning page. 

IN THIS ISSUE OF ASCLA DIRECT 

• Award Nominations
• The Perfect Holiday Gift – Exclusive 2016 Calendar!
• Midwinter Meeting 2016
• Online Learning
• Seeking Proposals for the Position of Project Director
• Travel with ASCLA
• Volunteer Opportunities (Special note about Consumer Health Librarians) 

ASCLA Awards

ASCLA is now accepting nominations for its 2016 awards.
ASCLA recognizes projects focused on library services to people with disabilities; the advancement of library services for the blind and physically handicapped; exceptional achievement in extension and outreach services; exemplary leadership and achievement in consulting, state library services and library cooperatives; and service to ASCLA. Read more here.

The Perfect Holiday Gift

ASCLA’s Fundraising Calendar
Photos were all taken by Chicago’s very own photographer, Amy Stieve. After shooting hundreds of photos at some of the most beautiful libraries in Chicago, such as the Harold Washington Library, Newberry Library and Pritzker Libraries, only a select few were specially chosen for ASCLA’s very first fundraising calendar. Calendar’s cost $24.99 and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the division that is committed to enriching the services and information that ASCLA provides to its members.  Thank you for supporting ASCLA’s mission!

Midwinter Meeting 2016

ASCLA Institutes: 

Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to be a Successful Library Consultant
Ticket Purchase Required
This full day Institute is designed to prepare participants to begin – or advance – a successful consulting career. Seasoned consultants Nancy Bolt and Liz Bishoff will present an overview of the consultant’s role and guide participants through a self-assessment. Participants will work together in an active and engaging format to explore the different roles that consultants play; the variety of services consultants may deliver to clients, and how to align consulting opportunities with experience and skills. Register here.

Sustainable Staff Development: 5 Steps to Create a Culture of Learning Ticket Purchase Required
This half day workshop addresses the ongoing need that all libraries face to encourage professional development and growth amongst staff. It is especially important now as libraries take on major strategic changes that are reshaping the role of the library. From maker-spaces to information commons, community outreach to campus outreach, technology to tool libraries, libraries must support a culture of staff learning to drive transformative strategic change in the library. This session will give library directors, consultants, managers, and staff the tools to help create and sustain a learning culture within their organization.
Register here.

Only 55 days until Midwinter Meeting 2016! Don’t miss out on the Advanced Registration rate by 11:59am CST. January 4, 2016. Register here     ‪

Seeking Proposals for the Position of Project Director

ASCLA is seeking an individual to serve as Project Director to oversee revision of the 2011 Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The Project Director will facilitate and coordinate all phases of the standards development process including managing a working team and project advisory committee of consumers and librarians. Read more and get all the details here.