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Consulting institute at Midwinter Meeting: registration now open!

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, won’t want to miss “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant” in Boston this January.

“Assembling a Consulting Toolkit” is a daylong institute offered by the ASCLA, a division of ALA. The event will be held Friday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., in conjunction with the ALA 2010 Midwinter Meeting, and is designed to prepare participants to begin – or advance – a successful consulting career.

Seasoned consultants and ASCLA members Nancy Bolt and Sara Laughlin will present an overview of library consulting for guide attendees, who will discover through  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.

“I’m pleased that these two long-time members of ASCLA’s Independent Librarians Exchange Section (ILEX) are willing to share their expertise in creating consulting opportunities with others,” said Brenda Bailey-Hainer, president of ASCLA.  “If you’re interested in starting your own consulting business, this is a session you won’t dare miss. ”

REGISTER ONLINE NOW!

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 “Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list.

Advance registration for the meeting and this event opens Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 4, 2009. Advance registration prices for this event are $185 for ASCLA members, $195 for ALA members, $145 for retired and student members and $225 for non-ALA members. On-site registration, priced at $215 for ASCLA members, $225 for ALA members, $170 for retired and student members and $260 for non-ALA members, will be available (including online registration) until Friday, Jan. 8.

All interested participants must register by Jan. 8—there will not be seats available at the door on the day of the event.

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Universal design best practices to be presented, discussed at 2010 ASCLA Midwinter Institute

Maximizing the library experience for all patrons, including those with functional differences, is a challenging endeavor-one that libraries can get help with by attending “Breaking Down Barriers: Best Practices in Universal Design for Libraries,” an institute at the ALA 2010 Midwinter Meeting sponsored by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA).

The topic of this intensive half-day event, assembled through a partnership between ASCLA and the Institute for Human-Centered Design (ICHD) (formerly Adaptive Environments), has become even more timely as a result of the recent economic crisis, which has brought people to libraries in record numbers to take advantage of the unique opportunities, experiences and services available there.

By implementing universal design principles, libraries can create physical, communication and information environments that minimize limitations and provide outstanding library services to all patrons, including those with functional differences. The agenda includes presentations on an array of best practices in universal design, including opportunities for experiential learning  and a forum for presenting your library’s universal design problem or aspiration and receiving on-the-spot consultation and solutions.

“It’s important for libraries to create a welcoming environment for everyone in their community,” said Brenda Bailey-Hainer, president of ASCLA. ” This institute is an excellent opportunity to learn about techniques for eliminating obstacles to library use for community members who are often underserved.”

“Breaking Down Barriers” will be held Friday, Jan. 15, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.,  at the ICHD, located at 200 Portland Street, Suite 1, in Boston. The MBTA’s North Station is only a few blocks away, providing easy access to the Green and Orange lines, as well as several commuter rail lines. Subway, commuter rail and other pertinent transit information and schedules are available at the MBTA website.

Interested participants should note that the institute (event code ASC2) is a separate ticketed event; registration for the Midwinter Meeting is not required in order to attend this event. For institute-only registration using the online form (login required), select “Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type, and proceed to select this event from the list. Advance registration for both Midwinter and “Breaking Down Barriers” opens Thursday, Oct. 1, with the following advance registration ticket prices available through December 4: ASCLA Member, $155; ALA Member, $155; Non-member, $155; Student/Retiree Member, $120.  Ticket prices increase after Dec. 4. Visit www.ala.org/midwinter for the most up-to-date information on registration.

IHCD is an international non-profit organization, founded in Boston in 1978, committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages and abilities. IHCD’s work balances expertise in legally required accessibility with promotion of best practices in human-centered or universal design.