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NEWS: Innovation at your library: ASCLA workshops, programming and events at the ALA Annual Conference

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a small and mighty division of ALA, will offer innovative and insightful preconferences, programs and events at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference; this year’s topics include disaster response, leadership development, effective decision-making, accessibility, services to older adults, arts programs for incarcerated youth and service evaluation.

Participants in ASCLA’s preconferences will find themselves at the forefront of library trends, advocacy and self-empowerment. “Ports in a Storm: Your Library as Disaster Recovery Center” will revitalize the role libraries play in their community following a disaster and show you how to build partnerships and access resources to achieve this goal. Librarians can cultivate loyalty from employees and library users as they develop their servant leadership persona with the help of professional library trainer Linda Bruno at the “Servant Leadership in Your Library” preconference. “Discovery to Delivery: Rethinking Resource Sharing” will bring together resource sharing librarians from public and academic libraries to discuss innovations in discovery, trends in physical and virtual delivery, e-books and ILL finances. Review pricing and event details and register for these preconferences at the ASCLA website.

At the ASCLA’s President’s Program, ”Storytelling Mojo: Creating the 21st Century Library Narrative,” speaker Michael Margolis, CEO of Get Storied, will revolutionize your approach to promoting, communicating about and advocating for your library. The program will focus on how we can think strategically about how we communicate within and outside of our libraries more effectively. Through this engaging and interactive session, Margolis will provide simple ways to help design and deliver powerful messages. The ASCLA President’s Program will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at McCormick Place Convention Center. Get program details and add the program to your schedule.

ASCLA’s conference programs will also offer a multitude of valuable, cutting edge ideas to transform libraries, librarian careers and the way we think about library services:

  • School and youth services librarians won’t want to miss “Arts + School Libraries Inside,” where we’ll discuss how school libraries serving incarcerated youth can create partnerships with arts organizations and non-profits and collaboration with art teachers. We’ll also cover collection development, programming and professional development.

  • Hear from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation how to improve the quality of program evaluation at “Do Those Evaluation Statistics Mean Anything?” Topics for discussion include strategies for improving the capacity of libraries to use evaluation by creating a network linking those producing evaluation with those who use the information to make better decisions.

  • Learn how to make decisions more nimbly and confidently with speaker Joan Frye Williams at “Beyond Brainstorming: Making More Effective Decisions.” Williams will present new strategies for decision-making that address modern pressures of time, finances and transparency, as well as the increased pace of change in our professional environments.

  • Help your library serve all people, regardless of abilities, with the tools and tips presented at “Easy and Affordable Accessibility.” Libraries of all sizes will benefit from hearing the lists of go-to resources, easy-to-use adaptive equipment and ways to make your library environment more user-friendly to everyone that will be shared at this session.

  • Interested in new programming ideas for serving older adults? Add “Boomers to Seniors: Library Models for Serving and Engaging Older Adults” to your schedule.The program will highlight two complementary IMLS-funded model programs targeting Baby Boomers–adults born between 1946 and 1964–in a variety of settings inside and outside the library.

Conference participants are also invited to celebrate ASCLA’s 2013 award winners and network with the vibrant membership community at the ASCLA/COSLA Reception, 5:45 – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. Register for the ALA Annual Conference now to participate in conference programming and events. Conference registration is not required in order to register for preconferences–select “Ticketed Events and Preconferences Only” as your registration type.

ASCLA, a small, mighty and growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Learn more about ASCLA and how to join this innovative division.

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“Ports in a Storm” Preconference: A new, community-focused approach to library disaster planning

When disaster strikes, where can the members of your community go for assistance?

What does your community need in the wake of a hurricane, an earthquake or terrorist attack?

How can you prepare your library to provide the answers to both of these highly relevant questions?

On Friday, June 28, the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) will host a revolutionary workshop ALA Annual Conference Chicago logothat takes a completely new approach to disaster planning: it focuses on how your library can serve as an ad hoc Disaster Response Center, providing information, services and respite to those in need after any kind of disaster.

The valuable content of this preconference, “Ports in a Storm: Your Library as a Disaster Recovery Center”is even more relevant in light of the recent emergency events in Boston and in West, Texas. The event connects librarians with the emergency planning community, first responders, public health workers and community-based and faith-based groups with disaster-related responsibilities, and discusses the roles libraries and information professionals can play in supporting future disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.

The New Jersey State Library–the developers of this preconference content–recently ran this event in New Jersey and received rave reviews from FEMA representatives:
“You librarians really get it. We couldn’t have done it better ourselves.”

Register for the event now (event code ASC2).

At “Ports in a Storm”, library directors and branch managers will learn how to position their staff and facility to serve as an unofficial disaster recovery center after an incident, and hear about collaborative projects between librarians and community partners tasked with disaster-related responsibilities. Reference staff will especially be interested in learning about free health information tools and resources developed by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) to assist the public after a disaster. Check out these photos collected by the New Jersey State Library to see how people flocked to libraries following Hurricane Sandy.

Speakers at this event have firsthand experience providing these services after Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and New York in late October 2012, and expert knowledge of the subject:

  • Thomas W. Galante, president and CEO of Queens Library, Queens County, NY
  • Michele Stricker, associate director, Library Development Bureau, New Jersey State Library
  • Lori Foley, vice president of emergency programs at Heritage Preservation
  • Dan Wilson, associate director for collections and library services at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Library.

You–and your community–can’t afford to miss this event.

Register now.

Additional event details:
Ports in a Storm: Your Library as a Disaster Recovery Center
Friday, June 28, 8am-12pm
McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL
Registration Rates: $179, ASCLA member. $209, ALA member. $249, non-member. $159, ALA Retired and Student members.
You must register in advance, however you can register for this event without registering for the entire ALA Annual Conference–simply selected “Preconferences and Ticketed Events Only” as your registration type.

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Online Course: Sign up today for “Improving Library Services for People with Disabilities”

The next session of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies’ (ASCLA) valuable online course “Improving Library Services for People with Disabilities” will take place April 22 – May 19

This course includes two live online chat sessions, scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 3-4 pm Central Time and Thursday, May 16, 3-4 pm Central Time.

Registration will end at close-of-business on Thursday, April 18.

During this course, participants will identify library users with disabilities at their library and the resources and assistive technologies available to assist them; examine changes in attitudes, laws and technologies that have impacted people with disabilities; and will be able to recommend changes in personal and organizational behaviors to improve services for people with disabilities at their library. This course is truly designed for all library staff, including support staff, general professional staff, age-level or subject specialists, managers and administrators.

Act now, and register for this course.

Registration rates for this course start at $150 for division members; this rate includes the $20 fee for continuing education units (CEUs). Group rates are available–check the ASCLA online learning page for more details.

Here’s what some of our previous course participants had to say:

  • Several of our staff enrolled as a group, and used the course as a launching pad to have further discussion across the library. We all agree that there is much for us to do. It created momentum for us around the library about many issues of accessibility.  
  • We implemented a team to begin looking at all aspects of how our library assists people with disabilities. We have already begun making recommendations for improvement to our department heads.
  • We have already begun to look at programs and services in light of what we’ve learned and will be setting up a process that will prioritize new work to implement enhancements and improvements. Several recommendations have already been made in the areas of staff development and training, modifications to web pages and program statements and adoption of new technologies.
  • I feel I have a much more open mind about my programming and I definitely keep accessibility issues in mind when I plan now. The most valuable thing I learned in this course is to not be afraid to offer help and services to someone different to me.
  • The most valuable thing I learned was how to use “Person First Language.” Sharing ideas and having an open forum really helped my understanding of the public library’s goal of making things functional for everyone through technology, words and programming. I shared the information I learned from the course with the children’s staff at our annual meeting; as a library system we plan on doing more Sensory Storytime programs.

Are you part of a state library or a large public or university library network? We can arrange for a private offering of many of these courses for groups of 20 or more participants. Contact our web manager, Andrea Hill, at ahill@ala.org for more information. Group discounts for two or more participants from the same library are also available; links to rates and registration forms are included below.

Register now!

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Library Consultants: Sign up by April 30 to participate in Consultants Give Back event at ALA Annual Conference

The ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group (LCIG) will again be sponsoring Consultants Give Back (CGB) at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. We are currently seeking library consultants to participate in this event. This year’s sign-up process will be slightly different from previous years: we will now be using a website, www.consultantsgiveback.org, developed by Lori Ayre.

Using www.consultantsgiveback.org will be very helpful because:

  • You enter the information yourself on the website
  • You can include a photo of yourself
  • You write your own profile in any way you want
  • You can change it at anytime
  • Once you indicate you will be participating, your name will be listed as a CGB participant for 2013
  • You can indicate in your contacts need to make an appointment or if you are available at special times

CGB in Chicago will take place on Sunday afternoon from 1 – 5:30 pm, location TBA in May.  However, you can make appointments with contacts at other times as is convenient for both of you.

Publicity for the event begins May 1, so please sign up at the website by April 30! This includes registering yourself at www.consultantsgiveback.org, entering your information and indicate your availability for the Consultants Give Back event in Chicago. Only those consultants who will be available at CGB in Chicago will be listed on the website for now. (LCIG is also hoping to have a CGB at the next PLA Conference and next year at ALA in Las Vegas.)

Participation in CGB and registration at the website is free to all consultants, however you must register for the ALA Annual Conference in order to participate. Register for the ALA Annual Conference here.

While registration for www.consultantsgiveback.org is free, there are costs associated with maintaining the database–voluntary contributions are welcome to help offset these costs.

If you have questions about CGB, please email Nancy Bolt at nancybolt@earthlink.net.

If you have questions about or trouble with the website, contact Lori Ayre at lori.ayre@galecia.com.

Do you know about the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group? Consider joining ASCLA and participating in this cutting-edge, entrepreneurial group.

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BREAKING NEWS: Strategies for Storytelling: Get Storied’s Michael Margolis empowers libraries at ASCLA President’s Program

CHICAGO — Michael Margolis, CEO of Get Storied, will offer strategies for crafting powerful stories about the value of libraries at “Storytelling Mojo: Creating the 21st Century Library Narrative” – the 2013 President’s Program hosted by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of ALA.

The ASCLA President’s Program will focus on how we can think strategically about how we communicate within and outside of our libraries more effectively. Through this engaging and interactive session, Margolis will provide simple ways to help design and deliver powerful messages.

“As humans, we have used stories throughout time to help us communicate with each other. In a world of information overload, we must be able to share compelling stories with each other in our organizations and with our communities to be successful,” said Stacey Aldrich, ASCLA president and deputy secretary for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries in Pennsylvania.

The ASCLA President’s Program will be held Sunday, June , 2013 from 10:30 a.m. – noon in Chicago as a part of the 2013 ALA Annual Conference. The online scheduler for the conference will launch in late April, at which point attendees will be able to add this exciting event to their personal conference schedule. Register for the conference now. Learn more about ASCLA, a unique, diverse and dynamic division of ALA at www.ala.org/ascla.

Margolis is the CEO of Get Storied, an advisory and learning company devoted to transformational storytelling. For more than a decade, he has worked as a story architect – helping CEOs and CMOs redefine how the world perceives their brand, cause or message. Clients include AARP, Audubon, Bloomberg, NASA and Zappos. He is an anthropologist by training and an entrepreneur by trade. The son of an inventor and artist, he is committed to the biggest stories of our age – the cultural inflections that are reshaping reality. His work and ideas have been featured in Fast Company and Storytelling Magazine. He is also an evangelist for the global storytelling movement, serving a community of 15,000 change-makers who believe in the future of storytelling.

ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Not an ASCLA member, but interested in forming new interest groups, receiving discounted registration rates on ASCLApreconferences and online courses, and other important membership benefits? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership atwww.ala.org/membership.

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ASCLA Online Learning: Topics for upcoming offerings include services to Latinos, people with disabilities, youth in detention

Our calendar is overflowing with online learning events–keep reading to find one or more that fits your needs. Whether it’s grabbing some quick tips or best practices from a webinar, or gaining a new perspective or relevant skills from an online course, there’s something here to improve your resume and directly impact service delivery at your public, academic or special library.

Interested in proposing a webinar? Details about topics of interest and the submission procedures can be found here. Questions about the submission process, or about any of ASCLA’s online learning? Contact ASCLA Web Manager Andrea Hill at ahill@ala.org.

Online Courses:

Register for courses now!
Registration information for ASCLA, including groups
Questions about registration? Contact registration@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433, option 5.

Improving Library Services to People with Disabilities: April 22 – May 19, 2013
CEUs now available for this course!
Two live course chat meetings: Thursday, May 2, 3-4 pm Central Time and Thursday, May 16, 3-4 pm Central Time.
During this online course, participants will identify library users with disabilities at their library and the resources and assistive technologies available to assist them; examine changes in attitudes, laws and technologies that have impacted people with disabilities; and recommend changes in personal and organizational behaviors to improve services for people with disabilities at their library. Get more information or register now.

Webinars:

Register for webinars now!
Registration information for ASCLA, including groups
Questions about registration? Contact registration@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433, option 5.

Creating a Latino Friendly Library
April 10, 2:00-3:30p.m. Central
Latino communities continue to grow and we continue to puzzle over how to get this significant segment of our communities into the library. This webinar will introduce practical and simple techniques that libraries of all sizes can use to begin the process of making Latinos feel welcome and comfortable in the library. Participants will learn how to work with and challenge the language and cultural barriers that keep Latinos from using the library. Learn more or register now.

Detained and Forgotten: Informational Needs of Youth in Detention
April 17, 4:00-5:00p.m.
Knowing that recidivism is a chronic and persistent problem among youth who have been incarcerated, our presentation will take a fresh and exciting look at methods and ideas that will help support the youth offender both inside the detention and upon the youth’s release from the detention center. We’ll cover the informational needs of the incarcerated and recently released youth; how the library can support these needs inside and outside of the detention center; and the responsibility of the library to develop relationships with outside organizations and libraries that will continue to provide support to the youth upon release from the detention center. Learn more or register now.

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RFP issued for Revised Standards for Libraries Serving the Incarcerated

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) has issued an RFP for a project director to assist in the production of a revising the current ASCLA standards for libraries serving the incarcerated; responses are due by Monday, March 25, 2013.

ASCLA, a division of ALA, serves librarians who work  with the incarcerated of all ages and produces standards, guidelines and policies for libraries in its four core areas: state library agencies, specialized libraries, library cooperatives and library consultants. The standards for libraries serving the incarcerated were last updated in 1992. A project director will be hired to faciliate, coordinate and work with ASCLA members and outside stakeholders to provide revised standards that will assist librarians and staff serving the incarcerated.

Project deliverables include a library standards booklet and 2 webinars about the standards. A complete version of the RFP is available for download from the ASCLA website. Applicants must submit one print or email copy, and one copy on a CD of the proposal by 6:00pm CT on Monday, March 25, 2013: American Library Association, Attention: Susan Hornung/ASCLA, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795; e-mail: shornung@ala.org.

Email submissions must have “ASCLA Library Standards for Adult Correctional Institutions RFP” in the subject line of the message. Proposals not received by the date and time specified may not be considered and will be returned to the sender marked “LATE RESPONSE.” Faxed submissions will not be accepted. Contact ASCLA Executive Director Susan Hornung, shornung@ala.org,  or (312) 280-4395, with any questions about the RFP content or submission process.

ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Not an ASCLA member, but interested in forming new interest groups, receiving discounted registration rates on ASCLA preconferences and online courses, and other important membership benefits? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.

 

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Seeking Beta Testers: Webinar for ASCLA Accessibility Academy

ASCLA is developing an online interactive module on help improve library staff communication and interactions with people with disabilities. “Positive Interactions: Making the Library a Welcoming and Empowering Place for People with Disabilities” is the first presentation in our Accessibility Academy series.

We’re seeking a small group of “beta testers” who would be interested in attending a free preview version of “Positive Interactions”. The webinar is scheduled for March 14, 2013, and will run from 11:00a.m.-12:00p.m. Central/Chicago Time.

For more information about the webinar, visit the webinar page at the ASCLA website.

Participating in this webinar is free, but you must register in order to receive login information! Register now.We will be limiting this initial beta testing group to 25 people. Another webinar will be available later on the same topic for all ALA members, revised according to the feedback we recieve from the beta testers.

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ASCLA preconferences at ALA Annual Conference cover disaster response, servant leadership and resource sharing

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of ALA, will host three workshops at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference in Chicago covering important topics like disaster response, servant leadership and resource sharing.

Add any of these events to your conference registration *or* you can register for this event without attending the ALA Annual Conference (Reg. Type: Ticketed Events and Preconferences Only). Register here.

This year’s preconferences include:

Ports in a Storm: Your Library as a Disaster Recovery Center
Friday, June 28, 8am-12pm
This workshop focuses on community needs after an emergency, and will prepare libraries to actively function as disaster recovery centers by partnering with emergency responders and providing vital resources to the community. Hear firsthand how libraries in Queens County, NY and New Jersey responded to Hurricane Sandy. Learn what role your library can play in educating communities on disaster preparedness, and review the resources available via the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Emergency Preparedness & Response Initiative.
Speakers: Thomas W. Galante, president and CEO of Queens Library, Queens County, NY; Michele Stricker, associate director, Library Development Bureau, New Jersey State Library; Lori Foley, vice president of emergency programs at Heritage Preservation; Dan Wilson, associate director for collections and library services at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Library.
Registration Rates (thru April 12): $169, ASCLA member. $199, ALA member. $239, non-member. $149, ALA Retired and Student members. Rates increase after April 12.
Register now.

Servant Leadership in Your Library
Friday, June 28, 9am-4pm
Servant leadership can change the dynamics of a library–large or small–by cultivating strong loyalty from both employees and library users. Servant leaders focus outwardly and work in partnership with their staff and communities. Through exercises, group discussion, real-world stories and personal reflection led by professional library trainer Linda Bruno, participants will develop their servant leader persona.
Speaker: Linda Bruno, expert trainer and workshop facilitator
Registration Rates (thru June 21): $279, ASCLA member. $299, ALA member. $319, non-member. $239, ALA Retired and Student members.
Register now.

Discovery to Delivery: Rethinking Resource Sharing
Friday, June 28, 9am-4pm
Sponsored by ASCLA’s Physical Delivery Interest Group and RUSA’s Rethinking Resource Sharing Steering Committee
This event will bring together discussions of the critical components of resource sharing in the academic and public library environments, including innovations in discovery and ILSs as well as trends in both physical and virtual delivery of library materials to users. Attendees will learn about radical resource sharing theories, the finances of interlibrary loan (ILL) and e-books, and the latest trends in physical delivery that will provide efficient, fast and comprehensive access to patrons. In addition to panels and presentations, attendees will participate in breakout groups to further pursue ideas presented by the event speakers.
Speakers: Marshall Breeding, Jamie LaRue, Jason Kucsma, Lori Ayre and other representatives from public and academic library consortia.
Registration Rates (thru April 12): $159, ASCLA member. $189, ALA member. $209, non-member. $209, ALA Retired and Student members. Rates increase after April 12.
Register now.

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Volunteer for ASCLA! Plentiful leadership and virtual participation opportunities

Did you know that the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, as a small and mighty division of ALA, has excellent opportunities for you to become involved? There’s lots of room in our leadership ranks for you to collaborate, contribute and become a champion.

Are you a new member or even a non-member who wants to learn more about ASCLA? Stop by any of our events at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle–here’s an overview from the Scheduler. The ASCLA/COSLA Reception and ASCLA Leadership Session are excellent division-wide events for connecting with other members, and interest groups are good for meeting those in your field of work.

As an ASCLA volunteer, you’ll:

  • Support our advocacy efforts on behalf of the libraries, librarians and library users our members serve, including incarcerated adults and youth; the blind, deaf and hard of hearing; those with learning disabilities and other special populations.
  • Make direct contributions to the quest for equitable access to information and library services for all library users.
  • Participate in the development of online learning, conference programming, workshops, and other continuing education opportunities.
  • Help cultivate interest groups that represent the diverse interests of our membership.
  • Be a leader! It’s a great way to network with other influential colleagues and to gain valuable leadership experience.

Please consider volunteering for one or more committee to help us make our mission and vision a reality! Virtual members are encouraged and welcomed.

Volunteering can be done in just two quick and easy steps:

Remember, you must be an ASCLA member in order to volunteer for committee positions, with your membership current for the duration of your volunteer term. ASCLA dues are $52 annually plus the cost of ALA membership.

Visit www.ala.org/membership to update your membership record and add ASCLA, or call Membership and Customer Service at 1-800-545-2433, option 5.

We look forward to your participation!

Stacey Aldrich
ASCLA President

Sara Laughlin
ASCLA President-Elect

Carol Desch
ASCLA Past-President