Category Archives: American Library Association (ALA)

Conference Mentoring at ALA Annual

<Via LITA-L>

The New Members Round Table (NMRT) Mentoring Committee is pleased to announce that they are accepting applications for their Conference  Mentoring Program for the ALA Annual Conference in June!

Attending your first ALA Conference?
Overwhelmed by all the programs and events available at Annual?
Sign up for a Conference Mentor today!

The Conference Mentoring Program is open to all ALA members and is  designed to connect a first time conference attendee with a ‘seasoned  professional’ who can help them navigate the ALA Annual Conference. If you are on your way to becoming a librarian, or are new to the  profession, this program is for you!

Interested in having a Conference Mentor?  For the guidelines and an  online application form please visit
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/mentor/conferenceMentorApp.cfm

The application deadline is May 15, 2010 for first consideration.

Applicants will be matched with a Conference Mentor in June and  communicate via email or telephone prior to the conference and then  meet during the conference.

If you have questions, please contact the NMRT Mentoring Committee at  nmrt_mentoring(at)yahoo(dot)com

Please note that this mentoring program is not structured to provide career guidance, it is focused on issues related to the ALA Annual Conference.  NMRT also offers a Career Mentoring program that will begin taking applications at the end of the summer.  Please watch for an announcement regarding Career Mentoring later this year.

ALA’s Young Librarians Working Group wants your opinions

The Young Librarians Working Group was put together by ALA President Camila Alire to assess the way the association can better serve its young (under 35) librarians, in order to increase involvement and retention. They are presenting their final findings to ALA’s Executive Board at the Annual Conference and want to have as many opinionis reflected in their assessment and recommendations. Please take a minute to fill out the survey (if you’re young enough! I’m not!).

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FGGBL6P
The survey will be open until mid-May.

Arts-oriented Events and Opportunities at ALA Midwinter in Boston

Call For *virtual* presenters at ACRL-ARTS/ ALA Midwinter in Boston. Bryan highlighted this on the ArliSNAP blog a few weeks back http://arlisnap.org/2009/11/23/call-for-virtual-presenters-ala-arts-section/ . The deadline has been just been extended to DECEMBER 18, so there is still time to submit a proposal! This is a GREAT opportunity to add ‘oomph’ to your resume without having to travel or pay conference registration. See the original post for submission guidelines and contact info.

*****

(Cross posted from ARLIS-L) Love the arts?  Wanna get some culture in Boston during ALA Midwinter? Be sure to check out ACRL Art Section’s ArtsGuide!  This selective guide to cultural attractions and events will help you maximize your time outside of the convention center.

There’s also a helpful google map supplement:
http://tinyurl.com/y8euv86
Find the Boston guide, google map, and past guides at:
http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/about/sections/arts/artsguide/artsguide.cfm
Download the PDF to the Boston guide:
http://tinyurl.com/yeobyno

*****

ALA Midwinter attendees are cordially invited to participate in a FREE behind-the-scenes tour of the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) in Andover, MA, on Friday, January 15, 2010. Highlights include the paper conservation labs where many of the nation’s most significant cultural heritage materials have been treated, and the Center’s Imaging Services department where the digitization and preservation microfilm units operate. Preservation Services staff will speak briefly about workshops and conferences on topics ranging from basic book repair to scrapbook preservation to digitization.

A BUS WILL BE PROVIDED, leaving Boston at 1:30 PM and returning by 5:30PM. The tour is offered free of charge.  There are only a few spaces left – sign up today! RSVP by December 11, 2009 to Julie Martin, jmartin [at] nedcc [dot] org, or (978) 470-1010 ext. 217.

Do we need all those databases that librarians love?

I am being asked daily if we want to renew databases that in the past it would have been unthinkable to cancel.  Now, since I do most all of my own research on medieval pottery in Google et al., I tend to be discerning.  For instance, what do you all think about finding auction sale prices?  Can it be done in a webbed environment only?  In other words, do we need to pay so many subscriptions? thanks, lucie

ALA Annual Conference Roundup

ALA Annual is upon us in just a few days! Here are a few meetings, programs and services that ARLIS members – and especially those who are new to ALA conferences – may be interested in.

Job Hunting
ALA Job Placement Center: located at Grand Ballroom of McCormick Place, South
Resume Review Services are available at the Job Placement Center on Saturday, July 11 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, July 12 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Professional librarians will be available to provide feedback on your resume – drop by the Center to make an appointment. This service is provided by the New Members Round Table (NMRT).
NMRT’s meeting about Job Hunting in A Recession will be held Saturday, July 11, 1:30 – 3:30 PM, Hyatt, Grand D North

Connecting with other ALA Members
Parties and Receptions are an excellent way to meet new and seasoned ALA members in an informal and pressure-free setting (often with free food!).

Art-Oriented Events and Meetings
ACRL-ARTS All Committees Meeting: Saturday, July 11, 8:00-10:00 am, Sheraton Chicago BR 1
“If you’re not a member of a Section committee but you’d like to find out how to get involved, come to the All Committees meeting and jump right in.  Newcomers are always welcome!”
ACRL-ARTS Arts Discussion Forum: Saturday, July 11, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, Intercontinental Hotel, Toledo Room
“In lieu of our usual presentations by Section members, we are holding a special open discussion: Arts: The Next 50 Years.  Where are we headed as a section?  As arts librarians?  Where should we focus our energies in uncertain times?  Any issues from the current (the future of BHA?) to the more remote (virtual conferences?) are fair game, but this discussion is for you.  Please come and tell us what’s on your mind.”
Check out more ACRL-ARTS events, and don’t forget the Annual Artsguide (thanks for sharing, Meredith!)

Orientation
ALA 101 lists events for new conference-goers. Highlights include:
Conference 101: Friday, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. McCormick Place West (convention center), Room W-179, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive
“New to the Annual Conference, or ALA? Get a fun and informative introduction to the Annual Conference and Chicago, IL. Learn to navigate the exhibits, decipher the conference program, how ALA really works, and ways for you to get involved. NMRT provides tips from the pros and an orientation, which is full of information.”
Conference Orientation: Saturday, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. Palmer House Hilton, Red Lacquer Room, 17 E. Monroe Street
“New to the Annual Conference or ALA? Get a fun and informative introduction to the Annual Conference and Chicago, IL. Learn to navigate the exhibits, decipher the conference program, how ALA really works, and ways for you to get involved. NMRT provides tips from the pros and an orientation, which is full of information”
And if you’re in need of on-the-spot information, try the Text an Ambassador service. Answers to your conference questions are just a text message away!

Other useful links:
ALA Annual Wiki: All things Annual are collected here.
ALA Acronyms: Essential for deciphering the conference schedule.
ALA Annual Google Map
Follow ALA Annual on Twitter: @alaannual. Check updates from across the Twittersphere: #ala2009

Cool jobhunting link from ALA

I came across this link on ALA’s Libraries Direct – it’s “ALA’s Toolkit for Getting A Job In a Tough Economy”. It includes tips on resume writing, salary negotiation, networking and other skills that are useful whether jobs are plentiful or scarce; as well as information relevant to the current library job market.

http://www.getajob.ala.org/

What other resources do you recommend for job hunting in tough times?

Headed to Chicago for ALA?

Looking for museums, galleries, music, theater, or architecture?  Check out the ArtsGuide to Chicago, produced by our colleagues in the ACRL Arts Section

Make you conference experience enjoyable and productive: “Five Tips for a Better Conference Experience,” courtesy of ACRLog

Need to find restaurants, coffee shops, a good bar, a free show, or pretty much anything else?  The Chicago Reader or NFT Chicago can get you there.

Have tips for surviving ALA Annual?  A favorite spot in the Chi?  Let us know in the comments!

Professional development at ALA-Annual in Chicago

For those of you planning to attend the American Library Association’s annual Conference in Chicago, July 9 – July 15, here are two great programs which may be of interest to new librarians.

The Conference Mentoring Program (sponsored by the New Members Round Table, NMRT) is open to all ALA members and is designed to connect a first time conference attendee with a ‘seasoned professional’ who can help them navigate the ALA Annual Conference.

For the guidelines and an online application form please visit http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/mentor/conferenceMentorApp.cfm . The application deadline is June 15, 2009. Applicants will be matched with a Conference Mentor in June and communicate via email or telephone prior to the conference and then meet during the conference. Note: there will be a separate Career Mentoring Program for those interested in professional guidance, details TBA.

ACRL Research Writer’s Consultations – New for ALA Annual – Are you an ACRL member working on a research article? Would you like some constructive feedback? Submit a draft research paper for consultation. They will match new writers with experienced writers and the groups will meet face-to-face during the Chicago conference. Draft research papers must be submitted by June 1, 2009. Papers will be shared only among members of the designated groups. Submission details can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/ryqju9

More info to come on meetings and events of note as the conference approaches.

ALA Annual Conference website: http://www.ala.org/annual
Follow on Twitter: @alaannual