The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites all participating in the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago to its programs addressing important topics such as services to special populations, collaboration and resource sharing.
By sharing the expertise of its members with conference attendees, ASCLA, a division of the ALA, provides opportunities for librarians and library staff in all types of libraries to acquire new skills to improve service delivery at their libraries, as well as gain information and learn about tools that will help them solve challenges they or their library may be facing.
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This year’s ASCLA programs include:
Moving Mountains: Latest Trends in the Physical Delivery of Library Materials
Saturday, July 11, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
How do you move 5, 10, or even 20 million items a year between libraries? The 2008 Moving Mountains Symposium in Cincinnati explored the best methods for delivering materials between libraries as well as new trends in home delivery. A panel will present Symposium highlights including best practices in current delivery, future trends, home delivery, automated material handling systems, and ways to collaborate.
What Can $930 Million Do for Library Services Nationwide? The Impact and Future Directions of LSTA
Saturday, July 11, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
How do states use their LSTA dollars to improve library services? An IMLS study examined all of the states’ five-year evaluations and reported on the observed major trends. A panel of speakers will present new state projects in technology infrastructure, reference and information services, special populations outreach and literacy and reading development.
Large Print for All: Bigger is Better
Sunday, July 12, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Aging baby boomers, struggling young readers, individuals with reading disabilities and persons with low vision are increasing demand for large print materials. Learn what publishers are producing in large print, how to display and promote large print collections for all ages and current research findings on the uses and benefits of large print.
ASCLA President’s Program: Revitalizing the Library Experience
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In a world where information is an off-shored commodity, where Google handles more questions in a second than a reference librarian will answer in a career and where social gatherings have migrated to online networks, how can our libraries thrive, how can we demonstrate the greatest return on funders’ investment? ASCLA President Carol Desch invites you to the President’s Program to discuss these questions with library pundits Joan Frye Williams and George Needham, who will challenge you to rethink library services, turning some old stereotypes on their ears while making our work more valuable and more fun.
Future Perspectives: Collaboration and Innovation
Sunday, July 12, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
How do we nurture innovation? How do we advance library services that meet patron needs today and in the future? Join Brenda Bailey-Hainer, executive director, BCR, Lorcan Dempsey, vice-president of research and chief strategist, OCLC, and Veronda Pitchford, vice-president, membership and communications, Urban Libraries Council, in a panel presentation and discussion of the role of collaboration in strategic innovation as libraries strive to respond to the rapidly changing environment in which they now operate.
Multiple Intelligences @ Your Library: A Tool for Better Services
Monday, July 13, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences can empower you to reach out and more effectively serve your entire community, including special populations. This panel discussion will present a brief theoretical overview and a practical showcase of services to children and youth. Attendees will learn how to improve readers’ advisory, programming outreach, reference, book discussion and collection development in public, school and academic libraries. Patrick Carman, award-winning author of the best-selling series The Land of Elyon, will speak about using technology with literature.
Libraries and Hospice: Developing a Vital Community Partnership
Monday, July 13, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
As hospice care becomes an integral part of American family life, opportunities arise for program alliances with both academic and public libraries. This program highlights these partnerships and will feature representatives from hospice organizations as well as a panel of librarians who have worked with hospice on programs, collection development, and community education.
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Participation in any of these programs is included with annual conference registration. Register for the Annual Conference using the online registration form, by calling 1–800-974-3084, or by downloading a printed registration form, which can then be submitted via mail or faxed per the instructions on the form.
Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.