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Servant Leadership in Your Library: Register by June 21 for leadership development workshop hosted by ASCLA

ALA Annual Conference Chicago logo

“Servant Leadership” – what does it mean, particularly in a library setting? And why should it matter to you?

And you’re absolutely right. But in this ASCLA workshop, Servant Leadership in Your Library, you’ll learn how to integrate “serving” with “leadership” in a way that will positively influence how your library is perceived by patrons, staff members, and your community.You may be thinking, “Isn’t ‘serving’ what we do every day?”

In this full-day program hosted by experience trainer Linda Bruno, rather than a “cookie cutter” approach to leadership, we’ll delve into who you are as a leader. How can becoming a servant leader change the dynamics of your entire organization – from the inside out? We’ll discuss the importance of understanding the needs of your staff, helping them grow personally and professionally, being open to their feedback and input, and valuing their contribution to your organization. We’ll each develop our own list of what changes we want to incorporate to become servant leaders, and how we can help others in our library do the same.

Through discussions, group work, games, and assessments, you’ll come away from this session with a fresh perspective on your own leadership style – and ideas for incorporating servant leadership into your own organization.

Whether you’re a mid-level manager or a library director, understanding how servant leadership can benefit your library will help you become the leader you were meant to be.

Registration for this event ends Friday, June 21!

**No registrations will be available on the day of the event.

REGISTER HERE!

Great Lakes-area librarians! Did you know you can register and attend this event without registering for the entire conference? Drive in on Thursday night and spend the day learning with us on Friday. Select “Ticketed Events and Preconferences Only” as your registration type to make this happen.

REGISTER NOW!

Registration Rates: $279, ASCLA member. $299, ALA member. $319, non-member. $239, ALA Retired and Student members.

Learn more about Linda Bruno at her website, www.lindasworkshops.com. Linda has presented programs for ASCLA before and received rave reviews! She has 20 years of real-world management experience and has been helping people grow personally and professionally for more than 10 years.

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Q&A: Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer, incoming ASCLA Vice President/President-Elect

Congratulations to Kathi Moeller-Peiffer of the New Jersey State Library on her election to the ASCLA Vice President/President-Elect position! We asked Kathi some questions about her relationship with ASCLA and what she does when she’s not preoccupied with important library work. Swing by the ASCLA/COSLA Reception at the ALA Annual Conference to meet Kathi and other ASCLA members.

ASCLA Vice President/President-Elect Kathi Moeller-Peiffer
ASCLA Vice President/President-Elect Kathi Moeller-Peiffer

Why do you love ASCLA?

I love being an ASCLA member primarily due to the diversity of its membership. I’ve met librarians who work as independent consultants, at state library agencies, with cooperatives and consortia and as the main source of library service to underserved populations, such as the blind and physically handicapped and incarcerated youth and adults. I learn a little something from all of them.

What do you think the best parts of ASCLA are that would appeal to new members?

As mentioned above, the diversity. Also, it is one of the smaller ALA divisions which means that you get to know people more quickly and easily and can often find yourself being offered a leadership role in the organization sooner than in one of the large divisions. Finally, the very talented and bright people of both ASCLA and the ALA ASCLA office are a great benefit of membership!

In your opinion, how are current economic challenges affecting both the professions represented by ASCLA and the association itself?

It is stressful, no doubt about it. All of the professions represented by ASCLA are taking fiscal cuts which then impacts the number of librarians who can join the association, leading to fiscal implications for us as well. ASCLA professionals continue to advocate, educate and lobby funding bodies to restore monies cut. ASCLA as an association has been handling its finances very intelligently and has been creating money-making opportunities with webinars, pre-conferences and library trips abroad in order to weather these difficult fiscal times.

What is a significant change or improvement that you would like to see made within ASCLA during the next 3-5 years?

I would like to see the membership grow to the point where we have financial stability and therefore more time being allotted to us from ALA Headquarters. Right now we have 25% of our Director’s and Marketing Manager’s time. With just a small increase to 30% they could both do so much more in terms of fund-raising idea implementation.

What about the ALA Annual Conference are you looking forward to the most?

I am very much looking forward to the many groups that I’ll be meeting with for the first time in my role as vice president/president elect and the new knowledge that I’ll be gaining of both ASCLA and ALA. And, of course, the ASCLA/COSLA awards reception!

When you’re not spending your time at the library or at conferences, what do you like to do? Any hobbies?

Well, I do enjoy spending time with my husband’s and my three Labrador Retrievers. (That is not to say they couldn’t benefit from some time with the Dog Whisperer!) I also enjoy traveling, especially abroad. Over the past few years I’ve been to Hawaii, the Isle of Rhodes in Greece and Dubrovnik, Croatia and will be visiting Puerto Rico this fall.

Read any good books lately?

I’ve just started reading Karen White’s book After the Rain, which I’ll follow with her other recent books Sea Change and The Time Between. She is a tremendously gifted writer. Once I’ve started one of her books I simply cannot put it down.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?

I have never, ever been asked this question before…good job stumping me! I believe that I would want the ability to time travel, both into the past and the future. I would not use it to change anything, but simply to observe what is happening and learn more about myself and others.

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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

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Library Consultants: An invitation to get involved with ASCLA

Attention consultants and independent librarians! Carol Desch, chair of the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group, invites you to join ASCLA’s Library Consultants Interest Group, and to participate in this group’s many activities, including programs and social events at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim. If you have any questions about the information below, contact Carol at cdesch@mail.nysed.gov.

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Dear Colleague:

On behalf of the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group (LCIG), I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to join us. Whether you are a practicing library consultant, an occasional consultant, just beginning your career as a consultant, or thinking about whether consulting is for you, we hope you will consider joining the ALA Connect community for the ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group.

You can join the group by logging into ALA Connect, accessing the group page, then clicking “join” on the right side of the page. You do not need to be a member of ASCLA for the first year of your interest group membership, however we encourage you to join this amazing community of ALA members at your earliest convenience. Join ASCLA now.

JOIN US if you are interested in sharing information and expertise with and learning from other library consultants. Join us if you are interested in learning about and addressing issues of concern to library consultants.  For example, under the leadership of longtime expert consultant Nancy Bolt, the LCIG developed a Library Consultant Code of Ethics which is now being considered for adoption by ALA.

JOIN US if you would like to be kept informed about, or participate in planning ASCLA activities and programs of interest to library consultants such as these events occurring at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim:

  • ASCLA/COSLA Networking Party and Awards Reception, Saturday, June 23, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
    A great opportunity to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones! Build your consulting network at this free reception attended by many of the movers and shakers in the library world.
  • Program: “Consultants Give Back”, Sunday, June 24, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
    CGB is happening throughout conference, but this Sunday time slot is the open “office hour” time set aside for consultants who want a designated time and place to meet. See the list of participating consultants. Are you a consultant interested in providing services as a part of this event at a future ALA conference? Please contact Nancy Bolt (nancybolt@earthlink.net) for more information.
  • Program: “Essential Facilitation: Practical Tools for Guiding Groups”, Monday, June 25, 10:30 a.m.- 12 noon
    The featured speaker, Patty McManus from Interaction Associates, will speak on “Decision Making Without Pain: Tips and Tools for Leading Groups to Success.” She writes: “Everyone knows the agony of endless efforts to reach decisions in groups. Join LCIG and Interaction Associates to learn some practical tools for leaders and consultants. In this session, we’ll cover: Setting up decision making for success; Choosing a decision-making process that fits the situation; Structuring group discussions that make progress; Finally, hear how a state library and a library consultant have implemented this material for greater effectiveness in their groups. Sharing the podium with McManus will be Ann Joslin, Director of the Idaho Commission for Libraries and Nancy Bolt, President of Nancy Bolt & Associates. Both Ms Joslin and Ms Bolt have had extensive Interaction Associates training and use it in their daily work.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN LCIG

In addition to becoming a member of LCIG on ALAConnect you are also invited to assist us in shaping the future of the Library Consultants Interest Group by participating as a full member of the LCIG leadership team. Members of the LCIG Leadership Team must be ASCLA members.

There are also multiple opportunities to initiate and work on special projects.  For example, volunteers are needed to moderate discussion forums at ALA Midwinter, to assist with conference programs, to post information and questions on the ALAConnect site and much more.

If you are interested in participating on the Leadership Team, have an idea for a special project or are interested in volunteering, please contact incoming 2012-2013 LCIG Chairperson Jeannette Smithee at smithee@seflin.org.

I hope to see you on ALAConnect…and in Anaheim!  Questions?  Don’t hesitate to contact me or one of the other members of the LCIG Leadership Team.

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Leadership skills: become an effective facilitator with help of upcoming ASCLA webinar

CHICAGO–Managers and leaders from all types of libraries will benefit from the upcoming May 9 webinar “Being an Effective Facilitator” hosted by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of ALA that cultivates leaders in librarianship with a wide variety of relevant webinars, workshops and online courses.

During this 90-minute online session, Brenda Hough will prepare you to run meetings and lead planning discussions with confidence in both face-to-face and online sessions! The effective facilitation skills that will be covered in this session are relevant to many professional situations including focus groups, staff meetings, brainstorming and learning sessions, and countless other group opportunities where a leader is needed to guide the conversation. Hough will also provide tips for improving participation and productivity, and cover important topics such as group dynamics, learning styles, and models for running meetings and group sessions.

“Being an Effective Facilitator” will be held Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Central (Chicago) Time using Blackboard Collaborate. Registered participants will receive a link to the recorded session to rewatch at their convenience. Individual registration fees start at $40 for ASCLA members. Groups wishing to participate in this session can register for a single login ($99), or pay just $38 per person for multiple logins (minimum 2 participants from the same library, library system or network. State libraries who are members of ASCLA receive significant savings, paying just $69 for a single login or $29 per person for multiple logins.

Register online now for these and other webinars. Registration will remain open until close-of-business on Monday, May 7, 2012. Group registration information is available at the ASCLA online learning page.. Questions about registration? Contact the ALA registration team at registration@ala.org or (800) 545-2433, option 5. To add ASCLA to your ALA membership, contact membership@ala.org.

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 at www.ala.org/membership.

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Washington State Library’s Laura Sherbo receives leadership award from ASCLA

Read the official ALA press release here.

Laura Sherbo, branch library services program manager at the Washington State Library, is the 2012 recipient of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Leadership and Professional Achievement Award – an annual award presented to an ASCLA member who exemplifies leadership and achievement in consulting, library cooperation, networking, statewide service and programs and/or state library development.

According to her colleagues at the Washington State Library and leaders of institutional libraries in the State of Washington, Sherbo has accomplished miracles in the world of library services for incarcerated populations with her tenacity, her calm and focused negotiation and strategic communication skills.  Her leadership skills and her efforts to foster collaboration and engineer change have helped maintain a high level of service and staff performance even in the face of seemingly insurmountable changes. For two decades, the Institutional Services Division of the Washington State Library has endured budget cuts that laid off staff and closed branches. Despite these challenges, Sherbo inspired her team to re-prioritize library functions to meet the most critical needs of those institutionalized in correctional facilities, including uniformity of branch library procedures and an emphasis on collection development in parenting, substance abuse recovery, job training and employment.

During her tenure, Sherbo has also encouraged her staff to pursue training and projects that would benefit host institutions and library services. This encouragement has produced presentations at library conferences, visiting institutional services librarians, volunteering at host institutions for reading programs and historical preservation efforts, a library-sponsored book club and a pilot law library program. Under her leadership, Sherbo’s division team has achieved goals that exemplify the Library Bill of Rights, including privacy protection and access to interests, information from various viewpoints and enlightenment for all persons of the library community. For her successful efforts, she is well respected by the prison administrators and among the offender populations served by the libraries.

“Laura Sherbo has dedicated her professional career to ensuring that inmates of correctional centers and patients at two state hospitals receive the highest quality library services,” said ASCLA President Norma Blake. “Because of her inspirational leadership, libraries flourish in Washington’s major prisons.”

Sherbo earned her MLS from Western Michigan University. She worked as the head librarian at Logan Correctional Center, Lincoln, Ill. (1978-82) and subsequently as a librarian and branch manager at McNeil Island Corrections Center, McNeil Island, Wash. until 2002, when she took on her current role as branch library services program manager.

Sherbo will receive her award at the ASCLA/COSLA Networking Party and Awards Reception, which will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 23, 2012 at one of the ALAAnnual Conference hotels in Anaheim, Calif. All conference attendees are invited to this event, which will celebrate this year’s ASCLA award winners and also feature peer-to-peer networking activities. More information will be available at www.ala.org/ascla in late spring.