Call for proposals for ASCLA online professional development series

ASCLA seeks proposals for presentations for its 2011 Virtual Convergence—a series of professional development webinars that will be held in January 2011 immediately following the ALA 2011 Midwinter Meeting.

The Virtual Convergence is an opportunity for librarians to kick off 2011 with an intensive professional development opportunity they can conveniently pursue from the comfort of their hometown. The Convergence will offer webinars throughout the day from Tuesday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 21, that are open to all interested librarians, library staff and library supporters. ASCLA is currently seeking proposals for those webinar sessions.

Successful proposals will:

  • Show plans for presentations that fit within the 90-minute session blocks, including at least 15 minutes for Q&A.
  • Show how the presentation addresses a topic either of interest to ASCLA members, or represents an area of ASCLA’s 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 (PDF), as well as the version of the guide that covers 2009 Annual Conference programming (PDF).
  • Include an outline of the points the presentation will cover.
  • Outline the audiences that will be interested in this topic.
  • Include a description of the presenter and their relevant experience, e.g. education, job history, that illustrates their expertise in the proposed topic area.

Proposals may be submitted using the online submission form no later than close of business on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 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.

Submissions sought for ASCLA newsletter, August 2 deadline

The August 2, 2010 submission deadline for the Summer 2010 issue of Interface, the quarterly newsletter of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), is fast approaching, and potential contributors are encouraged to submit their articles promptly to the ASCLA office.

The theme for the Summer 2010 issue is services to special populations. ASCLA is the home to librarians serving special populations that include incarcerated youth and adults; the blind, deaf and hard of hearing; and other groups needing special accommodations for library services. Descriptions of programs, letters to the editor or any other ideas for articles that relate to the theme are welcome. ASCLA also welcomes contributions related to post-ALA Annual Conference wrap-up surrounding ASCLA events and/or programming relevant to our membership (special populations librarians; those affiliated with state libraries; networks, cooperatives and consortia; and independent library consultants). Contributors do not need to be ASCLA members.

Submissions must be e-mailed to Liz Markel, ASCLA marketing specialist and interim newsletter editor, [ lmarkel AT ala DOT org], as attached MSWord documents. Those submitting articles should provide their full contact information with their submission, including name, title and affiliation, phone number and e-mail address.

Resource-sharing experts appearing at upcoming ASCLA preconference

A stellar lineup of resource-sharing experts will present at the upcoming preconference “Giving People What They Want: Information Access in Libraries and Beyond,” a full-day workshop sponsored by ASCLA.

“Giving People What They Want”, which will be held 9a.m.-5p.m. on Friday, June 25, will feature a thought-provoking examination of technology and how its pervasive development is challenging traditional approaches to resource-sharing and content access. Presenters will examine users’ different information-seeking behaviors and how they differ significantly from how libraries have traditionally provided information. Participants will also discuss technological limitations inherent in sharing resources across disparate systems; innovative approaches that are broadening the definition of resource-sharing; and the impact of digital publishing, library end-user research, and innovative implementations of resource-sharing.

The event speakers include:

  • Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a non-profit “fact tank” that studies the social impact of the Internet. The Project has issued more than 200 reports based on its surveys that examine people’s online activities and the Internet’s role in their lives. Rainie is a co-author of a series of books about the future of the Internet and is working on one about the social impact of technology that will be published in late 2010. Prior to launching the Pew Internet Project, Rainie was managing editor of U.S. News & World Report.
  • Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research for the Vanderbilt University Libraries. As a part of the library’s management team, he focuses on issues related to the strategic use of technology in the library, designs and develops digital library resources and investigates emerging technologies. Breeding also serves as executive director of the Vanderbilt Television News Archive, a large-scale archive of digital video content. He frequently speaks and writes on topics of network technologies and library automation. He is the creator and editor of  Library Technology Guides and the lib-web-cats online directory of libraries on the Web, and has authored eight issues of ALA’s Library Technology Reports as well as many other articles, book chapters and books.
  • Kyle Banerjee, digital services program manager for the  HYPERLINK Orbis Cascade Alliance. He has written numerous articles and coauthored two books on digital library issues. Last year, he chaired a team responsible for migrating the 36 Alliance member institutions to a new resource sharing system.
  • Michael Lascarides, who is a specialist in information architecture, focusing on usability analysis and user experience design for the New York Public Library.  He is also an adjunct professor in the computer art departments at the School of Visual Arts (New York) and New York University.
  • Cyril Oberlander, associate director, Milne Library, at the SUNY College at Geneseo.  He has previously worked as the director of interlibrary services at the University of Virginia Library and head of interlibrary loan at Portland State University from 1996-2005. His consultation experience includes independent consulting services through OCLC Western and workflow design with various vendors. Oberlander’s research interests include organizational development, workflow design, mobile technology, information visualization and knowledge systems.
  • Bryan Skib, collection development officer at the University of Michigan. After earning degrees in French history from Princeton University and from the University of Michigan, he worked for 18 years in a variety of public service roles at the Hatcher Graduate Library, particularly in the areas of History, European Studies and Religion. He has been active in several academic and library associations, including the Western European Studies Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). As a member of the Library’s senior management team, he contributes to library-wide strategic planning. His current responsibilities include overall management of the materials budget, collection development strategy, preservation and document delivery activities for the University Library.

“Giving People What They Want” is open to librarians and library staff involved or interested in the field of resource sharing. Interested participants can register for this event only, 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 “Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list. Advance registration ends May 14, 2010. Advance registration prices for this event start at $205 for ASCLA members. On-site registration starts at $215 for ASCLA members and will be available online until Sunday, June 20. Step-by-step instructions for registering online can be found at the ASCLA blog.

This workshop is one of many ASCLA activities at the 2010 ALA Annual Conference, and ASCLA recently released its comprehensive guide to all the division’s activities at the conference.  Download the guide now from the ASCLA Web site, or learn more about the ALA Annual Conference at the  conference Web site. Interested participants are encouraged to register online (login requred) before Advance Registration closes on May 14 and event prices increase.

A stellar lineup of resource-sharing experts will present at the upcoming preconference “Giving People What They Want: Information Access in Libraries and Beyond,” a full-day workshop sponsored by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies.

“Giving People What They Want”, which will be held 9a.m.-5p.m. on Friday, June 25, will feature a thought-provoking examination of technology and how its pervasive development is challenging traditional approaches to resource-sharing and content access. Presenters will examine users’ different information-seeking behaviors and how they differ significantly from how libraries have traditionally provided information. Participants will also discuss technological limitations inherent in sharing resources across disparate systems; innovative approaches that are broadening the definition of resource-sharing; and the impact of digital publishing, library end-user research, and innovative implementations of resource-sharing.

The event speakers include:

  • Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a non-profit “fact tank” that studies the social impact of the Internet. The Project has issued more than 200 reports based on its surveys that examine people’s online activities and the Internet’s role in their lives. Rainie is a co-author of a series of books about the future of the Internet and is working on one about the social impact of technology that will be published in late 2010. Prior to launching the Pew Internet Project, Rainie was managing editor of U.S. News & World Report.
  • Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research for the Vanderbilt University Libraries. As a part of the library’s management team, he focuses on issues related to the strategic use of technology in the library, designs and develops digital library resources and investigates emerging technologies. Breeding also serves as executive director of the HYPERLINK “http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/”Vanderbilt Television News Archive, a large-scale archive of digital video content. He frequently speaks and writes on topics of network technologies and library automation. He is the creator and editor of  HYPERLINK “http://www.librarytechnology.org” Library Technology Guides and the HYPERLINK “http://www.librarytechnology.org/libwebcats”lib-web-cats online directory of libraries on the Web, and has authored eight issues of ALA’s Library Technology Reports as well as many other articles, book chapters and books.
  • Kyle Banerjee, digital services program manager for the  HYPERLINK “http://www.orbiscascade.org/” Orbis Cascade Alliance. He has written numerous articles and coauthored two books on digital library issues. Last year, he chaired a team responsible for migrating the 36 Alliance member institutions to a new resource sharing system.
  • Michael Lascarides, who is a specialist in information architecture, focusing on usability analysis and user experience design for the New York Public Library.  He is also an adjunct professor in the computer art departments at the School of Visual Arts (New York) and New York University.
  • Cyril Oberlander, associate director, Milne Library, at the SUNY College at Geneseo.  He has previously worked as the director of interlibrary services at the University of Virginia Library and head of interlibrary loan at Portland State University from 1996-2005. His consultation experience includes independent consulting services through OCLC Western and workflow design with various vendors. Oberlander’s research interests include organizational development, workflow design, mobile technology, information visualization and knowledge systems.
  • Bryan Skib, collection development officer at the University of Michigan. After earning degrees in French history from Princeton University and from the University of Michigan, he worked for 18 years in a variety of public service roles at the Hatcher Graduate Library, particularly in the areas of History, European Studies and Religion. He has been active in several academic and library associations, including the Western European Studies Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). As a member of the Library’s senior management team, he contributes to library-wide strategic planning. His current responsibilities include overall management of the materials budget, collection development strategy, preservation and document delivery activities for the University Library.

“Giving People What They Want” is open to librarians and library staff involved or interested in the field of resource sharing. Interested participants can register for this event only, 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 “Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list. Advance registration ends May 14, 2010. Advance registration prices for this event start at $205 for ASCLA members. On-site registration starts at $215 for ASCLA members and will be available online until Sunday, June 20. Step-by-step instructions for registering online can be found at the ASCLA blog.

This workshop is one of many ASCLA activities at the 2010 ALA Annual Conference, and ASCLA recently released its comprehensive guide to all the division’s activities at the conference. Download the guide now from the ASCLA Web site, or learn more about the ALA Annual Conference at the conference Web site. Interested participants are encouraged to register online (login requred) before Advance Registration closes on May 14 and event prices increase.

ASCLA releases guide to division programming and events at Annual

ASCLA has released a comprehensive guide for the division’s activities at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference, including preconferences, programs, discussion groups and special events.

The guide, which is now available for download, includes information about two workshops hosted by ASCLA from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 25 in Washington, D.C. “Giving People What They Want: Information Access in Libraries and Beyond” features a thought-provoking examination of technology and how its pervasive development is challenging traditional approaches to resource-sharing and content access. Attendees will examine users’ different information-seeking behaviors and how they differ significantly from how libraries have traditionally provided information. The sell-out workshop “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant” is also scheduled and offers a chance to prepare for library consulting success with this full-day workshop. Seasoned consultants Nancy Bolt, Sara Laughlin and Beth Bingham will present an overview of the consultant’s role and guide you through a self-assessment to uncover your consulting potential. Participants will work together to identify consulting opportunities and how to align them with their experience and skills. Each of these events requires advance ticket purchases; participants may register for preconferences without registering for the entire ALA conference. Registration instructions can be found in this ASCLA blog entry.

The guide also lists ASCLA’s 2010 programs and discussion groups, which cover topics relevant to all types of libraries. Highlighting this year’s programs is a joint President’s Program sponsored by ASCLA, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Library Leadership, Administration and Management Association (LLAMA): “Capitalizing on Crisis: Leading Libraries in the Post-Recession Era.” Other programs slated for 2010 will cover topics such as revenue generation for networks, cooperatives and consortia; innovative services for incarcerated populations and ex-offenders; and transforming library workplace cultures. ASCLA’s discussion groups provide an opportunity for colleagues to gather and discuss hot topics and ongoing professional challenges. They also offer a forum for collaborative problem-solving. Discussion group topics include collaborative digitization, library consulting, physical delivery, virtual libraries, youth consulting and LSTA coordination—a complete listing is available in the guide.

Download the guide now from the ASCLA Web site, or learn more about the ALA Annual Conference at the conference Web site. Interested participants are encouraged to register before Advance Registration closes on May 14 and event prices increase.

How do I register for preconferences and ticketed events at Annual 2010?

Annual Conference is a fun and exciting event, but we know it’s not for everyone, their budget or their schedules. Did you know, though, that you can register for ASCLA’s preconferences without registering for the entire Annual Conference?

We welcome any non-conference participants to these events, which will be held in Washington, D.C. as a part of ALA’s 2010 Annual Conference.

ASCLA’s 2010 ticketed events include:

Giving People What They Want: Information Access in Libraries and Beyond, Friday, June 25, 9a.m.-5p.m. Join us for a thought-provoking examination of technology and how its pervasive development is challenging traditional approaches to resource-sharing and content access. We’ll examine users’ different information-seeking behaviors and how they differ significantly from how libraries have traditionally provided information.

Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant, Friday, June 25, 9a.m.-5p.m. Considering consulting as your next career? Prepare yourself for library consulting success with this full-day workshop. Seasoned consultants Nancy Bolt, Sara Laughlin and Beth Bingham will present an overview of the consultant’s role and guide you through a self-assessment to uncover your consulting potential. Participants will work together to identify consulting opportunities and how to align them with their experience and skills. Takeaways include marketing tips, pricing your services and business management strategies.

Here are step-by-step instructions for the online form:

  • ACCESS THE ONLINE FORM. You will need to login–this will be your ALA website login. If you don’t have a login, follow the steps for creating a profile.
  • Complete the requests for profile information and badge information.
  • Under “Step 4: Registration Type”, select “SO Preconference and Special Events” if you are registering only for preconferences. *If you’d like to register for conference, select the registration that is most appropriate for you.
  • Add any guests who will be attending the event with you under “Step 5: Guest,” and complete the demographic info under Step 6.
  • Under “Step 7: Your Events” you will find a list of all events at conference that require a ticket purchase. Scroll down to ASCLA’s events to find our preconferences.
  • Select your desired event(s), then proceed through to payment.

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If you’d prefer to register via mail or fax, then download the printed registration form, and use the event codes listed above to register. Click on the linked event names above to get more info about the ticket prices for your membership type, event speakers and more.

REMEMBER! Advance registration ends May 14, and registration for all ASCLA events will close one week prior to the event.

Contact the ASCLA office with questions at ascla@ala.org.

National Bookmobile Day online toolkit now available

From our friends in the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services.

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The American Library Association (ALA) has launched a Web page with resources and tools to help libraries celebrate the inaugural National Bookmobile Day, Wednesday April 14, 2010, during National Library Week.

The page, www.ala.org/bookmobiles, features sample publicity materials, including a press release, letter-to-the-editor and proclamations for library staff and supporters to use in their communities. Also included on the page are downloadable National Bookmobile Day logos, bookmark templates, a customizable flyer and links to National Bookmobile Day on social networking sites.

In addition, the toolkit also has links to the National Bookmobile Day community in ALA Connect, where librarians can collaborate and share ideas on promoting the event. Participating libraries can share ideas and stories on how they celebrate the contribution of bookmobiles and direct-delivery outreach.

Part of National Library Week, National Bookmobile Day is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), the Association for Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).

For more information on National Bookmobile Day, please contact John Amundsen, Communications Specialist, ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, at (312) 280-2140, or e-mail jamundsen@ala.org.