Candidates needed for the 2018 ASCLA Election

we're looking for volunteers

Please consider nominating an ASCLA member or yourself as a candidate for next year’s ASCLA elections. Service on the ASCLA board of directors is very rewarding and a great way to meet colleagues from around the country who share your interests within larger ALA. We are small and mighty and we have strong voice for those we represent.Send me the names of those you think are exemplary (and that includes yourself!) no later than September 5, 2017.

ASCLA is in need of outstanding individuals to run for the following offices:

  • President-Elect (this is a three year term consisting of president-elect year in 2018-19, presidential year 2019-20, and past-president in 2020-21)
  • ASCLA Division Councilor (three year term, 2018-2021)
  • Director-at-Large (two year term, 2018-2020)
  • Designated Director, Special Populations (two year term, 2018-2020)
  • Designated Director, Cooperatives and Networks (two year term, 2018-2020)
  • Designated Director, State Library Agencies (2018-20)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me atrhondag@wwrurallibrary.com. Thank you so much in advance!

Rhonda
2018 Chair, ASCLA Nominating Committee

Call for 2018 Conference Proposals

Annual Conference 2018 logo for New Orleans

crowd clapping during a programALA is now accepting program proposals for the 2018 annual conference. Please refer to the following for additional information:

Deadline to submit proposals for a 2018 program is September 5, 2017. When submitting, please choose ASCLA as the division you’re proposing your program to. The link to the submission site will redirect to the ALA log-in page.  All submitters are required to have an ALA profile, but are not required to be ALA members. See the submission site for additional instructions and how to submit.  

Please contact the committee with any questions.

Midwinter 2017: Kitchen Conversation about Accessibility for People with Disabilities

Dear ASCLA Members,

If you will be in Atlanta at Midwinter 2017, please try to attend this series of conversations on accessibility for people with physical, mobility, visual, auditory or cognitive disabilities. All conference attendees are encouraged to take part, whether or not they use accessible services. More information here.

 You all have a very happy holiday and new year!

Susan Hornung

Executive Director, ASCLA/RUSA

 

[Deadline Extended 12/2] ASCLA’s Online Learning Proposals Submissions

Do you have an idea for a webinar or online course you would like to present? The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites subject matter experts and experienced librarians to submit a webinar proposal or online course proposal by Friday, December 2, 2016. Presentations will take place from December 2016 and August 31, 2017 as a part of ASCLA’s outstanding online learning offerings. See the list of suggested “hot topics” below.

ASCLA welcomes proposals on topics that will assist our diverse membership in improved service delivery and job performance, as well as topics that reflect ASCLA’s expertise and are valuable for all types of libraries, librarians and library support staff across the profession, as well as our core member groups of state library agencies, library consultants, libraries serving people with disabilities, consumer health libraries, prison libraries and library cooperatives.

Proposal topics for courses and webinars may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • ADA updates for libraries
  • Assessing accessibility knowledge
  • Benchmarks and evaluation measures
  • Budgeting basics for the first time manager
  • Collaborative digitization
  • Correctional libraries and Adult programming
  • Correctional/prison librarianship 101: covering the basics of a successful prison/jail library
  • Data analysis and assessment
  • Dealing with learning disabilities
  • Designing effective surveys
  • Download training for patrons who use accessibility tools like screen readers
  • E-books and cooperatives
  • Emerging technologies for those with special needs, including apps and iPads
  • Evaluating and improving cooperative services
  • Evaluation content analysis
  • Future trends in library service
  • Grants: how to find grant funding and write your proposal
  • Group purchasing
  • Health literacy
  • How to be a consultant
  • How to be a futurist
  • How to deliver online training
  • How to hire a library consultant
  • Innovations in library service
  • Innovative services for an aging population
  • Law librarianship for correctional librarians
  • Library cooperatives: managing and improving services
  • Low-literacy adults
  • Marketing library services to special needs populations
  • Marketing on a shoestring budget
  • Navigating book selection sources
  • Nonprofit leadership
  • Outcomes-based education
  • Outreach skills training
  • Outreach to visually or physically handicapped populations
  • Partnering with community organizations
  • Recognizing great service in member libraries
  • Seeking grants for consultancy work
  • Serving library patrons with cognitive or mental impairments
  • Standards and guidelines to improve library services
  • Technology trends for special needs populations
  • Training staff to serve library users with disabilities, and raising awareness of this important population
  • Utilizing focus groups to prioritize services to the disabled
  • Working with refugees

Webinar presenters and online learning instructors are compensated for their work and will receive training and support for Adobe Connect, the webinar technology platform used by the division, and Moodle, the online tool used for courses. Review current online offerings for more information. More information about the submission process is here. Submit a webinar proposal or online course proposal by Friday, December 2, 2016.

About ASCLA
The Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) is the premiere destination for ALA members to find information and build capacity to serve populations that are served by state library agencies, specialized libraries, library cooperatives and library consultants. ASCLA enhances the effectiveness of library service by advocating for and providing high quality networking, enrichment and educational opportunities for its diverse members.

Have questions about submissions or about ASCLA’s online learning programs? Jennifer Cross, Web Services Manager, ASCLA has the answers. Email her today.

Deadline Approaching (12/1) – Travel to The Netherlands & Belgium with ASCLA

Tulips in full bloom on the river in The Netherlands with river boats on the water

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) will be traveling to The Netherlands and Belgium during Tulip Time as their annual fundraiser. Hosted by AMA Waterways, this seven night river cruise from April 3-10, 2017 is one not to be missed! Deadline to book this trip of a lifetime is December 1, 2016. This adventure is open to the library community and their family and friends. There are no membership requirements in order to participate. Come along and travel the world with us!

Travelers will arrive and depart from Amsterdam, a modern city with a rich and fascinating 700-year old history with time to explore its unique and elegant architecture, lively cafés and markets, and vibrant nightlife. Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and Rotterdam are some of the towns that travelers will be able to explore. A tulip farm, the Royal Palace, the Van Gogh collection at the Kröller Müller Museum, Antwerp Castle in Belgium, Belgian chocolate tasting, guided bike rides, and The Hague, are just a few of the choices travelers may choose to tour during this cruise. A complete, detailed itinerary can be found here.

Cost: Staterooms have sold out. Next cheapest, French Balcony, starts at $3,666 per person, but only one left! 20 meals are included (see itinerary). Nonrefundable deposits are due upon booking – $400 per person. Port charges are $168 per person. These are LAND ONLY prices, airfare is not included (once airfare is purchased, it’s not refundable unless refundable tickets were requested). For single people, room sharing is available; otherwise the Single Supplement applies.

Reserve a space TODAY: For more information on stateroom costs and deck plans, and to book a space on the river cruise, please contact Deb Gisby, 847-579-9898 at Frosch or email deb.gisby@frosch.com.

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. More information about ASCLA can be found at www.ala.org/ascla.

Message from ASCLA President, Michael Golrick

Dear ASCLA Members,

I invite you to volunteer for one of ASCLA’s committees or interest groups – we are still seeking volunteers for this year (2016-2017) to fill out our committees.

If you are not yet a member of any of our committees, please join by sending a note to the ASCLA office, ascla@ala.org stating which committee(s) you’re interested in. They will assist me to appoint you to committees that you have an interest in or affinity for, or suggest some that you might be interested in.  I will be appointing the committees for 2016 through June 30, 2017.  Tell us about your experience and why you can be of help to these groups in your note.

If you are already a committee or interest group volunteer, thank you for your service: you are so much appreciated!  Because of your contributions, our division accomplishes much. ASCLA, through its volunteers, has provided:

  • Member expertise on accessibility and diversity for ALA committees and work groups, such as the Advocacy Coordinating Group and the Working Group on Digital Content and Libraries
  • Standards and guidelines, such as those for libraries serving the blind and physically handicapped and for state library agencies
  • Outstanding conference programming
  • A great member newsletter
  • Assistance vetting online learning opportunities of value to ASCLA members
  • Special recognition of people and library services such as awards for specialized library services for people with disabilities or the homebound.

This is just a small sampling of what our volunteers plan and take part in, and what makes ASCLA a terrific place for opportunities for service, your professional growth, and networking with colleagues.

Thank you again to all our current, past and future volunteers – you are truly what makes ASCLA such a wonderful awesome, and fun, place to be!

Best Wishes,

Michael Golrick
ASCLA President
michael.golrick@gmail.com

ASCLA offering eCourse on Captioning Instructional Videos

Beginning Monday, August 1, 2016, the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) will offer a four-week course on creating and synchronizing captions for library instructional videos for patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Watch the promo video here:

 

Retired librarian and longtime universal access advocate, Kate Todd, will introduce participants to some free tools to use for composing useful and meaningful captions, script preparation and video creation. Participants will be able to discuss usefulness and importance of providing this type of access to instructional videos to patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Librarians and library staff in public, school, academic and/or special libraries will benefit from this course, which supports ASCLA’s mission for libraries serving special populations, including users with disabilities. More information on this course can be found here.

Registration costs are $130 for ASCLA members; $175 for ALA members; $210 for non-ALA members; $100 for student members and retired members. You can register here.

Active Shooter Awareness Training!

In light of the recent events in Orlando that have become far too common in our society, ASCLA would like to invite you to an active shooter awareness training at Annual this year. In addition, our past president was featured on the Dewey Decibels podcast in May discussing this topic. Information about the program and access to the podcast are below.

Active Shooter Policies in Libraries Program: Be able to complete an environmental scan to identify potential risk areas at your library, as well as write an active shooter policy/procedure for your library. Most libraries have policies dealing with a problem or unruly patrons. Find out how to protect your patrons and staff from a darker problem, someone intent on inflicting actual physical harm. The NDSL active shooter procedure will be presented as a model as well as tips for writing your policy. Speaker:  BreAnne Meier, North Dakota State Library, Date: Saturday, June 25, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Location: Orange County Convention Center, W101B. Schedule it.

ASCLA Past-President in the News: Active Shooter Training: ASCLA Past-President Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer (director of New Mexico State Library) speaks in the Dewey Decibels, episode 2 podcast, May 23, 2016, about library security and making your space safer!  Listen to the podcast here (at about 38.23) as Kathleen explains about some of the active shooter training programs she made available to her staff at the New Mexico and New Jersey state libraries. She talks about the programs’ usefulness for frontline staff and the model that was used at Scott County (Ky.) Public Library.

Calling for 2017 Program, Preconference, Institute Proposals

Do you have innovative ideas, services and programs to share with your library colleagues? Why not present one at the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conferences? Submit a proposal to the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) today!

The 2017 Midwinter Meeting, January 20 – 24, 2017 will be in Atlanta GA, and the Annual Conference, June 22 – 27, 2017 will be in Chicago IL.

The deadline to receive online proposals for 2017 is June 13, 2016. 

The link to submit a conference program/preconference/institute proposal is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ASCLA2017Proposals.  

Once collected, the ASCLA office will send the proposals to the ASCLA Conference Programming Committee to oversee, organize and recommend for approval to the ASCLA board at Board Meeting II at the Annual Conference in Orlando FL, 2016.

Please spread the word to anyone who you think would like to present a valuable program for ASCLA. Our conference program committee is specifically looking for proposals that would appeal to:

  • ASCLA interest group members.
  • Librarians who serve people or youth who are incarcerated or in detention
  • Library consultants and independent librarians
  • Library staff who serve people with disabilities
  • Staff of library cooperatives and consortium
  • State library staff

Please feel free to contact Susan Hornung at shornung@ala.org if you have any questions.