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Library Consultant Interest Group reviews “Library Consultants Code of Ethics” draft in Dallas

The Library Consultant Interest Group–a member group situated within the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of ALA– invites independent librarians, library consultants, state library consultants of all types, regional library consultants and any librarians or library staff who help others learn and solve problems to join the conversation!

 

In addition to ongoing discussions via the group’s ALA Connect space, there are also several activities taking place at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas:

  • An open forum to discuss a draft Library Consultants Code of Ethics on Sunday, January 22 at 4:00 to 5:30 pm, Dallas Convention Center, Room D224.  Nancy Bolt, of Nancy Bolt and Associates will moderate the open forum. Visit http://connect.ala.org/node/160463 to see the draft Code of Ethics.
  • The ASCLA/COSLA Reception, a division-wide dessert reception where you can informally gather with colleagues and share a drink. This year’s event will be held Sunday, January 22, 8:00-10:00pm in the Fountain Room at the Fairmont Hotel, 1717 N. Akard Street.

 

The Library Consultant Interest Group replaces the former Independent Librarians Exchange (ILEX) special interest section of ASCLA. Membership is open to all ALA members; ASCLA membership is required for those interested in leadership positions within the group. The group supports professional development by providing programs, information exchange and networking opportunities of interest to independent librarians, library consultants and others who want to push the boundaries of librarianship. Join the group by visiting the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group ALA Connect page and clicking on the “Join” button. ALA login is required in order to access the interest group page.

 

More information about all of ASCLA’s events in Dallas can be found here.
The group will also host two programs at the upcoming 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim:

    • “Essential Facilitation: Practical Tools for Guiding Groups”: Monday, June 25, 10:30a.m.-12:00p.m., with presentations by Interaction Associates, Inc.
    • “Consultants Give Back”: Consultants can contribute an hour of free consulting to librarians seeking advice or seek consulting help from the consultants who volunteer their time. Date and location TBA in late spring 2012.

More information about ASCLA’s Annual Conference programs is here. Updates about ASCLA’s activities are also available via the division’s Twitter feed, Facebook page and blog.

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ASCLA members establish “new” Library Consultant Interest Group

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) welcomes the Library Consultant Interest Group to its list of active member interest groups.

ASCLA also invites independent librarians, library consultants, state library consultants of all types, regional library consultants and any librarians or library staff who help others learn and solve problems to join.

The Library Consultant Interest Group replaces the former Independent Librarians Exchange (ILEX) special interest section of ASCLA. Membership is open to all ALA members; ASCLA membership is required for those interested in leadership positions within the group. The group supports professional development by providing programs, information exchange and networking opportunities of interest to independent librarians, library consultants and others who want to push the boundaries of librarianship.

Several group activities are planned for 2012, including:

  • An open hearing and discussion at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas about a draft ASCLA Library Consultants Code of Ethics.
  • Two exciting 2012 ALA annual conference programs:
    • “Essential Facilitation: Practical Tools for Guiding Groups” with Interaction Associates, Inc.
    • “Consultants Give Back” where consultants can contribute an hour of free consulting to librarians seeking advice or seek consulting help from the consultants who volunteer their time.
  • Building a collection of helpful resources, tools and discussions for Library Consultant Interest Group members on ALA Connect.
  • Supporting ASCLA development of online learning opportunities re: topics of interest to library consultants (building on the success of ASCLA/ILEX consultant preconferences).

Join the group now by visiting the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group ALA Connect page and clicking on the “Join” button. ALA login is required in order to access the interest group page. Use this handy ALA Connect tip sheet (PDF) if you are having difficulty connecting. More information about all of ASCLA’s interest groups is available here. Interested in joining ASCLA? Learn more about member benefits and how to join at the ASCLA website.

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2012 program, preconference, institute proposals: due May 1

The  deadline for submitting proposals for 2012 institutes (Midwinter/Dallas), preconferences and programs (Annual/Anaheim) is MAY 1, 2011.

PROGRAM proposals must be submitted by this date using this online form: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ASCLA_Program_Proposals

PRECONFERENCE/INSTITUTE proposals must be submitted by this date using this online form: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ascla_preconfinst_proposal

We have posted a Word document version of both of these forms at the ASCLA website under Our Association>ASCLA Forms. The Word doc should be used to help prepare submissions, however all final proposals should be sent via the online form.

Any problems with the forms or website should be sent to Andrea Hill, RUSA web manager (ahill@ala.org).

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Networking Uncommons at Midwinter: What it is, how to use it

We wanted to make you aware of the Networking Uncommons space at the upcoming Midwinter Meeting. It’s ideal for impromptu meetings or continuing discussion group conversations beyond the official meeting space.

Hours

Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location

Located in the San Diego Convention Center. More details on the exact location soon.

What is it?

The official hashtag for the Networking Uncommons is #unalamw11 – follow it for updates and news about what’s happening there.

Make the connections you want at the new Networking Uncommons space in the San Diego Convention Center. It’s a dedicated area where you can gather in small groups to have a quick meeting, polish your presentation, or just recharge your batteries.

We’ll have tables, chairs, free convention center wifi, and a projector and screen, as well as some gadgets in case you want to push content out in real-time. And power strips. Always the power strips….

Schedule

Sign up for a time slot if you want to plan ahead – otherwise, just show up. During open times, the area is up for grabs, although it’s big enough that multiple groups can use it at once, even when someone has scheduled something. Or just look at the topics each day to see what interests you. Note that signing up for a time slot reserves the projector for you.

Gadgets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note that we won’t be able to provide desktop computers or laptops in this space, so you’ll need to have your own laptop. If you have a Mac and you want to use the projector, please be sure to bring your VGA dongle, too.

Ways you can use this space

  • Have a seat on your own for a few minutes to power down.
  • Power up your tech.
  • Continue your group’s discussion the day after your meeting.
  • Offer a short, impromptu talk about a topic (just advertise it on Twitter, etc., and show up).
  • Summarize your meeting and use our webcam to stream it live or record it for posting. It’s totally up to you.
  • Have a hot topic everyone’s buzzing about at Midwinter but there’s no formal meeting to discuss it? You’ve found your space – just pick a time and tell everyone.
  • Whatever else you can think of!

Meet and greet, or bring something to eat – it’s your space to use.

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Consulting workshop: prices drastically reduced!

Due to a change in the event agenda–specifically, the elimination of a working lunch–the prices for the “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant” institute at the ALA Midwinter Meeting have been drastically reduced!

Until registration closes on December 29, you can sign up at the following prices: ASCLA member, $215. ALA member, $225. Non-member, $260. Retired and Student members of ALA, $170.

If you have already purchased registration for this event, you will receive a refund from Experient, our 3rd party registration manager.

At both the 2010 Midwinter and Annual events, this workshop sold out, and with good reason: Nancy Bolt, Sara Laughlin and Beth Bingham offer a presentation that is informative, collaborative and inspiring. Past attendees have raved about how the workshop provided them with the confidence and the guidance to pursue consulting as a viable career option, or improve one’s current consulting endeavors. The agenda includes an overview of library consulting and a self-assessment to determine personal consulting potential. Participants will then work together in an active and engaging format to explore different roles that consultants play, services consultants may deliver to clients, marketing consulting services, managing a consulting business and finding clients.

The workshop will be held 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, in Room 05A of the San Diego Convention Center. Interested participants can register for this event only (event code ASC1) or can register in conjunction with Midwinter Meeting registration by adding it as a ticketed event. For institute-only registration using the online form, select “SO-Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list.

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Interface submissions due Dec. 15

Interface, the official e-newsletter of ASCLA, is now accepting submissions for the next issue. The deadline is December 15th so that this issue can be published before the ALA Midwinter Meeting and provide the membership with details on all the ASCLA-related meetings events taking place in San Diego.

The goals of Interface are to 1) present the latest developments in the field of specialized and cooperative library activities through substantive articles and special focus issues, 2) communicate effectively among the diverse elements of the division and 3) report official acts and activities of the various units of the division. We would like to particularly focus on bringing all of the communities of ASCLA together through their common issues, as well as introducing the unique aspects of each community to the others.  In particular, Interface is a great place to report on a successful program at your library or agency.

Articles should be sent as Word (.doc) attachments, and should include the name, title and institution/organization name for any authors. Articles of any length are accepted, however the length should be appropriate for an e-newsletter publication.

Send submissions by Dec. 15 to Anne Abate, Interface editor, at anne@librarydiscountnetwork.com. Ideas for issue themes and article topics can also be submitted to the editor at the same e-mail address–we want to hear from you, the members, and learn more about the important work you’re doing.

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Upcoming ASCLA webinar sessions of interest to students and library schools

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites students and library school faculty to take advantage of the affordable and convenient learning opportunities offered by the ASCLA Virtual Convergence—a webinar series that will be hosted online by ASCLA Tuesday, Jan. 18-Friday, Jan. 21.

The Convergence offers webinars addressing topics that go beyond classroom learning, including:

  • Grant writing: where to find out about grant opportunities and how to prepare effective grant applications.
  • Services and information access for disabled and differently-abled patrons, including copyright policy affecting persons with print disabilities and Web 2.0 tools
  • Services to teens of all types, including at-risk teens
  • Providing effective distance reference services
  • Effective library programming for Latino populations
  • Federal library jobs: careers in federal libraries; how to find a federal job; and resume writing and interview techniques

Attending a session is a great way for students to acquire information that will enhance their library school experience, and also give you a leg up in this highly competitive job market for internships and full-time employment. Library school faculty looking to add something extra to their courses or raise awareness of a specialized area of library services should share this information with students or arrange for a group of students to participate in sessions.

A list of relevant webinars can be found in  download here. It contains the complete descriptions, dates and times for the sessions. There are a handful of other sessions not included in this flyer—to learn about them, download the complete schedule here. Webinars will be held throughout the day, and will last approximately 60 minutes, with time for Q&A afterwards. Interested participants are welcome to choose any number of webinars to participate in.

Student member registration is just $45 for a single webinar, and $43 each for two or more webinars. Group registration rates are also available, which makes signing up an entire group of students easy and affordable. To broadcast the webinar for a room full of participants, it’s just $99 per webinar. For multiple logins at a discounted group rate, it’s $38 per person per webinar, with a minimum of two people registered for a single webinar.

To register, go to the registration page. Scroll down to Virtual Convergence and click on “Register” to the right (ALA login required). A downloadable registration form is also available to sign up by fax or mail. Contact Membership and Customer Service with any questions at registration@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433, option 5.

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Virtual Convergence: Webinar series registration now open!

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites all members of the library community to engage in online learning with the 2011 Virtual Convergence: a series of professional development webinars that will be held in January 2011 immediately following the ALA 2011 Midwinter Meeting.

Registration is now open for this exciting event, which provides an opportunity for librarians to kick off 2011 with online learning they can conveniently pursue from the comfort of their work or home computer. The Convergence will offer webinars throughout the day from Tuesday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 21. Session topics will appeal to a broad range of library types and job functions, and are open to all interested librarians, library staff and library supporters. Webinars will last approximately one hour and include opportunities for Q&A.

Scheduled webinar sessions include:

  • “Grant Writing 101”
  • “Presenting Topics to People who are Autistic, Deaf, Disabled, and Non-Disabled”
  • “Teaching Ophelia: Assisting At-Risk Teenagers”
  • “Why Reinvent the Wheel? Tools for Serving the Fast-growing Teen Population”
  • “Knowledge Management: Process and Tools for Convergence”
  • “Using Learning Objects to Enhance Distance Reference Services”
  • “The Disability Experience in a Post- 2.0 World: Implications for Libraries”
  • “Contract Librarianship: Concepts and Strategies”
  • “Accessibility 101: Assure That Your Library Is Welcoming & Usable for Persons With Disabilities”
  • “A Copyright Policy Update on Access to Information for Persons with Print Disabilities”
  • “Public Computer Conundrums: Policy and Program Choices That Improve Patron Outcomes”
  • “How to Build a Bridge:  Connecting Different Types of Libraries”
  • “Starting a New Library for At-risk Young Adults in a Digitally Divided Community”
  • “Libraries and Information Access for Differently-able Patrons: What We Can Do to Ensure Equality”
  • “Extending Our Reach: Using Extension Programs to Promote Statewide Resources.”
  • “Attracting Latinos to the Library: It’s All About Relationships”
  • “Conducting Successful Virtual Meetings”
  • “Careers in Federal Libraries”
  • “How to Find a Federal Job”
  • “Managing Library Adult and Family Literacy Programs”
  • “Resume Writing and Interviewing Techniques”
  • “Saks Fifth Avenue Service on a Dollar General Budget”

A full PDF schedule with descriptions is available for download from the ASCLA website. Registration is available online—click on “Register” next to Virtual Convergence at this registration page (login required)—or by mail and fax. When registering for a single webinar from the series, ASCLA and Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table (FAFLRT) members pay $40, ALA members pay $50, non-members pay $65 and student and retired members of ALA pay $45. Those registering for two or more sessions will receive a reduced rate on each session.

Group registration rates for this event are available—those interested in more information should contact Liz Markel, marketing specialist, at lmarkel@ala.org.

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Consulting Toolkit workshop expected to sell out again at 2011 Midwinter Meeting

UPDATE: As of December 7, we have decreased the registration cost for this event by eliminating a catered working lunch from the event agenda.

Prices are now as follows:

Advance Registration (through Nov. 29): ASCLA member, $185. ALA member, $195. Non-member, $225. Retired and Student members of ALA, $145.

On-Site Registration (Nov. 30-Dec. 29): ASCLA member, $215. ALA member, $225. Non-member, $260. Retired and Student members of ALA, $170.

If you have already purchased registration for this event, you will receive a refund from Experient, our 3rd party registration manager.

REGISTRATION FOR ALL TICKETED EVENTS FOR ALA MIDWINTER WILL CLOSE ON DEC. 29!

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) will again offer the full-day workshop “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant” at the upcoming 2011 Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, and it is expected that this event will sell out prior to the close of Midwinter advance registration, which ends Monday, Nov. 29, 2010.

“Assembling a Consulting Toolkit” is the perfect event for librarians looking to strike out on their own in the library profession or those library professionals approaching retirement and seeking a flexible way to maintain employment. The workshop will be held 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, at one of the ALA conference hotels and is designed to prepare participants to begin – or advance – a successful consulting career.

Seasoned consultants and ASCLA members Nancy Bolt, Sara Laughlin and Beth Bingham will present an overview of library consulting for workshop attendees, who will then conduct in a self-assessment their personal consulting potential.  Participants will work together in an active and engaging format to explore different roles that consultants play, services consultants may deliver to clients, marketing consulting services, managing a consulting business and finding clients.

Interested participants can register for this event only (event code ASC1) or can register in conjunction with Annual Conference registration by adding it as a ticketed event. For institute-only registration using the online form, select “SO-Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list.

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Virtual Convergence: submission deadline extended to Monday, Sept. 20

The submission deadline has been extended to Monday, Sept. 20, for proposals for the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) 2011 Virtual Convergencea series of professional development webinars that will be held in January 2011 immediately following the ALA 2011 MidwinterMeeting.

The Virtual Convergence is an inaugural webinar series presented by ASCLA on topics of interest to both ASCLA members and the broader library community. It offers librarians, library staff and library supporters of all types an opportunity to, for one week, focus on acquiring important knowledge that will enhance and improve workplace performance and effectiveness. The event will be held from Tuesday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 21, with webinars scheduled throughout the day. The division currently seeks proposals for these sessions. Proposals may be submitted directly by presenters or, similar to the conference planning process, may be submitted by member volunteers who will coordinate presenter recruitment and/or facilitate a panel ofspeakers.

Successful proposalswill:

  • Show plans for presentations that fit within the 90-minute session blocks, including at least 15 minutes forQ&A.
  • Show how the presentation addresses a topic either of interest to ASCLA members, or represents an area of ASCLAs expertise that benefits other types of librarians. This may include but is not limited to: financial management; strategic planning; grant writing; services to special populations including the blind, deaf and hard of hearing and the incarcerated; and library consulting. Past topics addressed by ASCLA programming are listed in the ASCLA @ Annual 2010 guide, as well as the version of the guide that covers 2009 Annual Conference programming.
  • Include an outline of the points the presentation willcover.
  • Outline the audiences that will be interested in thistopic.
  • Include a description of the presenter and his/her relevant experience, e.g. education, job history, that illustrates their expertise in the proposed topicarea.

Proposals must be submitted using the online submission form no later than close of business on Monday, Sept. 20, 2010. Presenters for accepted proposals will receive compensation for their time and will also receive training for the webinar software. Questions about ASCLA or the Convergence can be directed to Liz Markel, ASCLA marketing specialist, or Susan Hornung, ASCLA executive director at lmarkel@ala.org and shornung@ala.org,respectively.

More information about the Virtual Convergence schedule, registration rates and other event details will be posted on the ASCLA blog and ASCLA website in mid-October,2010.