Apply for the NMRT Professional Development Grant

Posted on November 13, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

Short on cash but want to attend this year’s ALA conference? We’ve got you covered! Apply for the NMRT Professional Development Grant award by December 15th. This is your opportunity to receive $1,000 to offset the costs to attend this year’s Annual conference in Washington D.C. on June 20-25. Read for more information about the grant.

You must be a current NMRT member to apply. To join, visit the ALA website and follow the “Join ALA” link.

For questions, please contact Teresa Schultz, Chair of the NMRT Professional Development Grant Committee, at tmauch@gmail.com.  Good luck!

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October 2018 NMRT Online Discussion: Creative Programming at the Library

Posted on November 12, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

The discussion this October centered around creative programming in libraries. Recent media coverage of Drag Queen Story Hour has generated both negative and positive reactions from the public, and has brought attention to libraries’ efforts to offer inventive programs. Among the experiences and concerns raised by NMRT discussion members were programming idea sources, collaborating outside the library, and adapting to your community’s needs.

Sourcing your Programming Ideas

Discussion members had a variety of sources for their program ideas, though the majority centered around online sources. Among the online resources mentioned were:

Pinterest

Programming Librarian

ACRL Library Marketing and Outreach Facebook Group

ALA ThinkTank Facebook Group

Libraries on Instagram

Members also suggested that networking with other library staff could also prove fruitful. At a national level, this includes taking advantage of ALA resources such as the roundtables and networking at Annual and Midwinter. Robust networks of fellow librarians can act as sources of ideas and sounding boards for new ideas. At the state level, both state libraries and state library associations can also provide resources and contacts for programming ideas, conferences, and support. Some resources could be closer than you know, such as among the paraprofessionals or student workers of your library. Your network of library contacts, both online and in person, is an invaluable source of ideas.

Collaborating Outside the Library

Another valuable source of programming ideas and support comes from partnerships with organizations and groups unaffiliated with the library who share similar goals. Members discussed how in academic settings, they found Residence Life to be critical partners in programming. Other departments can also provide ideas or even put on programming together with the library. Faculty members were also mentioned as sources of both programming ideas and potential speakers at events. Integrating faculty and other departments both helps create collaborative, inventive programming and strengthens interdepartmental relationships. Similarly, public libraries should consider partnering with local businesses and organizations to build ties in the community and cross-promote services.

Adapting to Your Community’s Needs

One of the most important aspect of programming is considering the needs of your community. Academic librarians in the discussion stated that they often try to create programs based on the needs and desires of their students. Programming that centers on active, fun, and experimental events can be better received than programming that centers on the library’s traditional services. Programming that is unexpected and creative can challenge the patron’s stereotypical view of the library and invite them to take a new look at the resources it offers.

Understanding your community is the first step in finding programming that will fit the community’s needs. Academic librarians noted that they try to reach students in locations outside the library, as not all students go to the physical library for their educational resources. Paying close attention to the culture and topics of conversation among your customers may also provide guidance in what programming is desired. Public librarians may find that instead of books, their patrons are searching for a neutral space to discuss community concerns.

Continuing the Discussion

As libraries continue to play many roles in their communities, the demand for creative programming will only increase. Taking advantage of both online and in-person networking resources can help librarians plan and present successful programming, as well as provide support for failures. Partnering with local businesses or other organizations can result in successful collaborative programming and strengthened relationships. Paying close attention to the needs of the community and adapting to those needs is essential to creating successful programming. Librarians who are interested in creative programming should not hesitate to reach out to fellow librarians to discuss ideas, collaborations, failures and successes.

Have you presented creative programming at your library? What valuable lessons did you learn from the process? Do you have a resource not listed above that you utilize for programming ideas?

Submitted by: Katie Wheeler

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Authority File: Interviews with ALA Committee Chairs

Posted on October 30, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

This month, the NMRT Communications Committee is thrilled to introduce a new series for your reading pleasure—Authority File: Interviews with ALA Committee Chairs. We will be interviewing the Chairs of different ALA committees throughout the year and sharing their experiences as committee volunteers, their advice to new ALA members, and background about their committees. You may just discover your “next” ALA committee!

“Get involved!”

– Christina Rodriques, Chair of the ALA Membership Committee

To help us launch our new series, Christina Rodriques, Chair of the ALA Membership Committee, graciously agreed to be our first interview. Christina knows ALA extremely well; in addition to her role as a committee chairperson, she is also serving as Outreach Director on NMRT’s Board! The following interview with Christina was conducted through email.

How long have you been an ALA member?

I have been a member of ALA for just over 4 years now. I have served on committees for the International Relations Round Table (IRRT), and I currently serve as Outreach Director on the New Members Round Table (NMRT) board.

How long have you been Chair of the Membership Committee?

I have been Chair of the ALA Membership Committee since July of 2018 and my term will end in June 2019. I also served one year as a member of the committee before being appointed Chair.

Why did you decide to serve on this particular committee?

I chose to serve on the ALA Membership Committee because I believe it is the members of ALA, our fellow librarians, support staff, and LIS professionals that make the organization successful. Without membership we wouldn’t have the power to bring about change, to accomplish goals and to further the future of the profession. I chose to serve on this committee because I want to do my part to ensure that the barriers to entry for ALA remain low and that members see the value in this organization and what it can do.

Tell us about the Membership Committee—what is its reason for being, what are its goals or objectives, what are some of its current initiatives/projects?

The official charge of the ALA Membership Committee is “to establish general policies, programs, and procedures to secure new members; to be responsible for the implementation of these programs; to coordinate membership promotion activities of all units and chapters of the association; to make recommendations concerning membership dues; and to serve the association as a sounding board on membership”. Most recently the committee worked to approve a dues increase for membership that will ensure ALA can continue to fully serve its members while still keeping the cost incurred by them in mind.

How is this committee structured?

The Membership Committee consists of nine (9) members with staggered terms. There is a Chairperson who is appointed annually and one of the members is an ALA Executive Board Representative. There are no subcommittees.

What do you enjoy most about serving on this committee?

I enjoy serving on the Membership committee because I can voice my opinions and the opinions of others like me to ALA and its leaders. I also enjoy hearing the viewpoints and perspectives of others who are not like me. It makes for diverse and engaging discussions and we end up making better decisions because of it.

What would you say is the typical time commitment for serving on this committee?

It is relatively light. Most of our work is done virtually with very few meetings. We do meet in person at both the ALA mid-winter and annual conferences.

What advice would you give to someone considering serving on this committee in the future? Be sure to review the committee charge and activities before you fill out the volunteer form. That way you will know if the committee is something you would like to be a part of.

Do you have any advice for new members of ALA in general?

Get involved! Find a special interest group, round table or division and volunteer. New Members Round Table (NMRT) is a great starting point. I attended one of their meetings at an annual conference and right after that I had joined a committee and was working with my peers. NMRT really helps demystify the larger ALA organization and helps new members learn about all the opportunities and benefits that exist for them.

Submitted by: Alexandra Loewen

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ALA 101 Orientation Survey

Posted on October 29, 2018 by nmrtsecretary
Help us make ALA better! 
 
The ALA New Members Roundtable (NMRT) and ALA Training, Orientation, and Leadership Development (TOLD) Committee are working on building an ALA 101 orientation resource for new ALA members. Whether you are a new ALA member, an NMRT member, or not a member of either, we are interested in your feedback! Please tell us by November 23rd what your preferences and ideas are for an ALA orientation experience, as well as what you don’t know about ALA and wish you did. 
 
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2019 ALA Student Chapter of the Year Award: Nominations Open

Posted on October 28, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 ALA Student Chapter of the Year Award.

Completed nomination forms must be submitted by March 1, 2019 at 11:59 pm (Eastern) for consideration.

 2019 SCOTYA Nomination Form

Please e-mail the form and any supporting documents in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format to Michelle Osborne (michelle.osborne@gastongov.com). All nominations will be acknowledged upon receipt.

For more information on this award and the selection committee, please visit: http://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/awscotya/scotya

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NMRT Career Mentoring Program Accepting Applications

Posted on October 19, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

Are you new to the profession and looking to get the inside scoop on how the American Library Association (ALA), New Members Roundtable (NMRT), or the librarian profession works? Apply to be a mentee!

Do you have over 5 years of library experience and are looking for new ways to engage with other librarians? Use your wealth of knowledge to connect new librarians to their career path by applying to be a mentor!

NMRT Mentoring Committee is seeking both Mentors and Mentees for Career Mentoring from October 2018 to July 2019.

Membership in ALA is required, and NMRT membership is encouraged. Applications are due October 26, 2018, aiming to match pairs by the beginning of November.

You can fill out the application form here: https://goo.gl/forms/COBCMdPskH0ylVvo1 

On behalf of The NMRT Mentoring Committee

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Financing Your Professional Development as a Newbie Librarian

Posted on October 3, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

by Maddie Hines

When first getting into the library profession, a mentor once told me, “Go to everything, because you don’t know anything.” So, for my first three years in the field, I signed up for conferences, lectures, webinars, symposiums, you name it. I was constantly volunteering for stuff, while trying not to break the bank. If nothing else, we first-gen college students are a pack of persistent and relentless scavengers when it comes to resources and funding. 

Unless you’re already established within your field, most employers won’t outright pay for an expensive conference attendance (although many will pay for your membership fees). However, the old adage, “It doesn’t hurt to ask” always applies. Your employer may have excess money left over from the previous fiscal year or perhaps, deep in your organization’s policy manual exists information to help you bargain for funding for professional development. Sometimes organizations bank on employees not doing the work of filling out applications and getting approvals for special funding. Do the work. It will ALWAYS be worth it.

But, as we are mostly public servants, money can be tight and we can’t rely on our employers to finance our professional development. This is where grants come in. ALA.org has a nice list of grant funding available for all kinds of niche librarianship fields. But since this is the NMRT blog, I’ve curated a list for travel and professional development specifically for newbs like us. And because we’re all on deadlines, I’ve arranged the list by due date (you’re welcome)! So whether your goal is to attend ALA annual for the first time, or pursue a short fellowship, these grants are a great place to start.

Ebsco Midwinter Meeting Sponsorship

Award Amount: $1,500

Description: This annual award is designed to allow librarians to attend the ALA Midwinter Meeting

Eligibility: Must be ALA members, must currently work as a librarian or be a paraprofessional currently working in a library.

App Deadline: 11/01/2018

 

Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship

Award Amount: $4,000

Description: The Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship provides a $4,000 grant to a qualified children’s librarian to spend a total of four weeks or more reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature of the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville.

Eligibility: Must be a personal member of ALSC, have at least (8) years experience in direct service to children and a graduate degree from an ALA-accredited program.

App Deadline: 11/01/2018

 

Baker & Taylor Conference Grant

Award Amount: $1,000

Description: The two grants of $1,000 each are funded by Baker & Taylor and are awarded to librarians who work for or directly with young adults in a public or school library or library agency to enable them to attend the Annual Conference for the first time.

Eligibility: All applicants must be current personal members of ALA/YALSA at the time the application is submitted.

App Deadline: 12/01/2018

 

Ebsco ALA Annual Conference Sponsorship

Award Amount: $1,000

Description: This annual award consisting of $1,000 for actual reimbursed expenses is designed to allow librarians to attend the ALA’s Annual Conference.

Eligibility: Applicant must be an ALA member. Applicants must not supervise another professional librarian (MLS).

App Deadline: 12/01/2018

 

First Step Award/Wiley Professional Development Grant

Award Amount: $1,500

Description: This Wiley Professional Development Grant is intended to provide librarians new to the continuing resources field with the opportunity to broaden their perspective and to encourage professional development in ALA Conference and participation in Continuing Resources Section activities. The cash award is applicable toward round trip transportation, lodging, registration fees, etc.

Eligibility: Open to ALCTS members with five years or less of professional experience in continuing resources and who have not attended a previous ALA Annual Conference.

App Deadline: 12/01/2018

 

Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Award

Award Amount: $1,250

Description: This grant, awarded by the ALCTS Preservation and Reformatting Section, is to provide librarians and paraprofessionals new to the preservation field with the opportunity to attend a professional conference and encourages professional development through active participation at the national level.

Eligibility: Have five or fewer years of experience in the field of library and archives preservation, currently work as a librarian or paraprofessional within a library or archives preservation department or who has preservation responsibilities within their institution, or a person currently enrolled in a preservation-related graduate program. Have never attended an ALA Annual Conference.

App Deadline: 12/01/2018

 

Mango NMRT Professional Development Grant

Award Amount: $1,000

Description: The purpose of the MANGO/NMRT Professional Development Grant (sponsored by Mango Languages) is to encourage professional development and participation by new ALA members in national ALA and NMRT activities.

Eligibility: Applicants must be personal ALA/NMRT members who are working within the continental United States.

App Deadline: 12/15/2018

 

Bogle Pratt International Travel Fund

Award Amount: $1,000

Description: An award of $1,000 is given to an ALA personal member to attend their first international conference.

Eligibility: Recipients must be personal members of the American Library Association (ALA) for at least one full year.

App Deadline: 01/01/2019

 

About the BRASS Academic Business Librarianship Travel Award

Award Amount: $1250

Description: Established in 2012, this award presents a citation and $1,250 to an individual new to the field of academic business librarianship in order to support attendance to the ALA Annual Conference.

Eligibility: The winner does not need to be a member of ALA, RUSA, or BRASS but preference will be given to those that are, indeed members

App Deadline: 01/06/2019

 

Brass Public Librarian Support Award

Award Amount: $1,250

Description: This annual award sponsored by Morningstar, offers a cash award of $1,250* in travel funds for a public librarian, who has performed outstanding business reference service, and who requires financial assistance, to attend the ALA Annual Conference.

Eligibility: The candidate must be a member of ALA. If not a RUSA/BRASS member, the recipient must join RUSA/BRASS upon being selected to receive the award.

  • The recipient shall have a demonstrated interest in providing business reference services. This may be demonstrated by involvement in special projects, creation of a business website, business-related programming, publications, and related activities.
  • The award will be given to a recipient whose conference attendance is not fully funded by their institution.
  • Recipient must be willing to participate in BRASS activities at the ALA Conference for which the award has been made and to write a short statement regarding his or her experience at the conference for publication (e.g. RUSA Update) following the event

App Deadline: 01/15/2019

Maddie Hines
Digital Services Manager
Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

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NMRT Accepting Nominations for Open Positions

Posted on September 28, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

NMRT offers training, leadership opportunities, and a wide variety of programs on then national, state and local levels to assist, encourage, and educate those new to the association and the profession. Now is the opportunity for you or a librarian you know to take a leadership role in that mission!

The NMRT Board needs nominations for the three open positions, Secretary, Vice-President/President-Elect, and Leadership Development Director on its 2018-2019 election slate. The terms-of-office, attendance obligations, and responsibilities vary between the positions. Read more about the officer positions that will be available for 2018-2019 here:

Secretary

Vice-President/President-Elect

Leadership Development Director

Anyone interested in either nominating someone or nominating themselves should complete the nomination form by October 5, 2018. That form can be found here: https://aladsr.directnominations.net/Account/Login.

If you scroll down, the NMRT ballot is #72. Questions about the nomination and election process? Please contact Abigail Phillips (Nominating Committee Chair) with any questions at NMRTNominations@gmail.com.

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NMRT Networking Matters Webinar: 8/30

Posted on August 17, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

An important element in achieving career success is being well connected. This
means building a strong network of peers and colleagues, within and outside
libraries, who can support you and ultimately your library once you are
employed. Join Kim Bolan Cullin, Library Evolutionist and President of
Kimberly Bolan and Associates, to learn the keys to building positive and
professional relationships to help you succeed now and into the future.

About Kimberly Bolan Cullin:

Kimberly (Kim) Bolan Cullin, is an experienced librarian, consultant, and
author with a broad background in libraries. She is a “library evolutionist”
and the president of Kimberly Bolan & Associates, LLC a library consulting
firm established by Kim in 2004. Kim and her firm have consulted with hundreds
of public, school, and academic libraries across the United States and abroad
specializing in forward-thinking space planning and interior design,
transformation in library services, and strategic planning. Before starting
her consulting business, Kim was a librarian in New York State. She is a
Library Journal recognized “Mover & Shaker”, has published three books and
numerous journal articles, and is a frequent speaker at state and national
conferences.

Registration Below:
https://events-na8.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1087453682/en/events/event/shared/2081897519/event_landing.html?sco-id=2283978853

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May NMRT Online Discussion Board Article: Ways to Develop Your Leadership Skills

Posted on June 28, 2018 by nmrtsecretary

By Jessica Kiebler

Hello readers, my name is Jessica Kiebler and I am writing as a member of the NMRT Online Discussion Forum Committee to provide you with an update from our May discussion, hosted on the NMRT-L listserv.

May’s discussion topic focused on identifying qualities that are important to library leaders as well as sharing the strategies and resources for librarians can use to develop those skills.

The discussion questions encouraged sharing resources as well as personal experiences from both seasoned and newer library leaders about the ways they have developed their skills as leaders.

  1. What are the most important skills for library leaders to possess?
  2. How can librarians (new or seasoned) develop leadership skills in their current roles?
  3. What are the best resources you have used to hone your leadership skills?

What makes someone a leader?

There were many suggestions as to what qualities are important for library leaders to possess:

  • Having a vision
  • Time management
  • Active listening
  • Effective communication
  • The ability to build/work with a team
  • Passion/Drive
  • Self-awareness

The month’s discussion highlighted the need to know what your mission is for whatever team, project or library that you are guiding. Even if you are a solo librarian, there may be board members, stakeholders and those in the community that you are working with to move the library forward. If you work in a team of librarians, you must work together, along with various stakeholders, to lead your library to success.

A leader’s vision should be guided by the needs of patrons and those we serve so active listening is an important leadership quality to truly hear and understand what they need. Another component to crafting that vision is to have be self-aware of your strengths and incorporate them into a personal mission statement for yourself as a leader. Being self-aware can allow you to be open to seeing the strengths in others and empowering them to use those strengths to accomplish your library’s goals.

And sharing your vision with others is not just about delegating tasks but creating a team. To illustrate that point, a quote by filmmaker, Brett Culp, was shared: “Leadership is inviting people on a mission to do something extraordinary together.”

The discussion also touched on the misconception that introverts are not well-suited to be leaders. While introverts may be seen as quiet and adverse to teamwork, that is not the case. Librarians shared their personal stories of being introverted leaders who are confident, effective communicators who enjoy working in a team but may not exhibit traditional extrovert traits. Resources on introverted leadership were shared as well and can be found below.

Be a committee leader

One way to start on your journey to being a leader is to participate in library committee work. Whether it is internal to your institution or an external state/national committee, serving on a committee can provide opportunities to learn by example from committee leaders, see how the library community works together and practice leadership skills in a group. By watching other leaders, you can also see a variety of leadership styles to determine your leadership style. There is no one-size fits all leadership approach!

Some of the most important leadership skills that can be gained through committee work are time management, organization and teamwork. In order to work with others (especially virtually!), balance various commitments and attend meetings, these skills are essential. Reading the New Member’s Round Table Blog and signing up for the listserv are great ways to stay up to date on committee opportunities and get to know other library leaders.

Learn & lead where you are

You can also lead where you are! A few responses discussed how librarians can be empowered within their current roles by taking on responsibilities that require leadership skills such as leading a task force, chairing a committee or even just taking the lead on a project. Some organizations may offer optional training on leadership which can serve as an opportunity for new leaders to understand the traits, skills and behaviors to be successful in that type of role.

Leaders must be also be effective learners, always taking in new ideas and perspectives, which is a natural fit for those in the library profession!

Resources Shared

Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0
San Jose University’s “Day in the Life of a Leader” Webinar Series
Book: The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler
Books: Harvard Business Review series

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