NMRT 2017-2018 Candidates: Vice President/President-Elect

ALA elections are here and this year NMRT is electing a Leadership Development Director, Vice-President/President-Elect, and Secretary. Below, our candidates answer a few questions about their plans for the position.

Why are you interested in this position?

Nicole LaMoreaux: The New Members Round Table (NMRT) has allowed me to find my place within the American Library Association (ALA) and has provided me so many opportunities since becoming a member. To be given the opportunity to give back by becoming the Vice President/President-Elect would be an honor. If elected, I hope to inspire new librarians and library paraprofessionals to find their place within ALA and encourage them to become an active member and leader in NMRT.

Nicole Spoor: Since I first became active in ALA, NMRT has been the “place” that I call home.  NMRT has helped me become a better librarian and get involved in our professional community through professional development opportunities and the chance to take on leadership roles early in my career. I am interested in the Vice-President/President-Elect position, because I see the need for an organization that supports people early in their career and I know that NMRT does this well. I plan to use my time as Vice-President/President-Elect to promote NMRT among new librarians and more experienced librarians who might have never seen the benefit of being involved in a professional organization.

Amy Steinbauer: I love being a librarian, and I want to help others get involved in what I view, as the best profession! When I was a graduate student, I was involved in numerous organizations—President of our student chapter of ALA, Vice President of Hui Dui (our social organization), and Captain of our Web Team. Those experiences taught me what could be accomplished when passionate people came on board to help, but when graduation loomed, I feared that I would lose that momentum. At the time, I reached out to one of my peers about how we could get career ready for our impending graduation—and she said we had to join NMRT, and that’s how we would learn how to flourish in the library world. Her advice really stuck with me, and once I could afford to join the professional organizations—

I made it my top priority to get involved with NMRT.

NMRT is also responsible for connecting me with my first mentor! Going to ALA Annual is probably the highlight of my year, but it took me a long time to feel comfortable enough to attend. I was so nervous that I would stick out like a sore thumb—which led me to sign up for a NMRT Conference Mentor! I really lucked out with a conference superstar who patiently sat with me and worked out my scheduler and introduced me to amazing children’s library people. At that moment- she confirmed that I was in the exact right place in my life, and I was so pumped for the day that I could start giving back.

What skills and experiences do you bring to the position?

Nicole LaMoreaux: I have been an active member of NMRT since joining the round table in 2011. I am currently the NMRT Secretary. I have also either been a committee member or chair of the following committees: NMRT Midwinter Social Committee, Student Chapter of the Year Award Committee, Student Reception Committee, LLAMA/NMRT Joint Committee on Collaboration, and the NMRT Awards Committee (now known as the NMRT Annual Social Committee). I believe that these experiences will allow me to put what I have learned back into the round table and hopefully inspire others to move into leadership positions within the organization. I am currently the Assistant Director of Research and Instructional Services at The New School and before this position; I was the Reference and Instruction Librarian at LIM College where I was the organizer of a three-day conference in New York City. These two positions have allowed me to expand my leadership and project management skills. I think these experiences will be the key to being a successful Vice President/President-Elect for NMRT.

Nicole Spoor: When I joined NMRT worked on committees for about four years, chairing both the Orientations Committee and the Resume Review Service Committee. I am currently serving a two-year term on the NMRT Board as the Leadership Development Director overseeing five committees charged with providing leadership and professional development opportunities. It is important for the Vice-President/President-Elect to be visible and communicative in order to help keep NMRT functioning effectively. My organizational skills and willingness to be available to support NMRT make me a great candidate for this position.

Amy Steinbauer: As mentioned earlier, I love contributing to the professional organizations for librarians and library workers. Previously, I have served on the NMRT committee—Student Chapter and Student Outreach, which was really rewarding for me because I had the opportunity to get close to current LIS students and help them with the transition to working professionals. I have served as a Board Member at Large for the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) for the last two years. Currently, I am on the Public Awareness committee for ALA.

I tend to get involved in lots of organizations—because my interests in librarianship really vary. I love outreach, early literacy, and helping new librarians connect. My passions help me to really get to know lots about different areas within ALA—and I can take that all back to NMRT.

Previously, I also volunteered for the site, INALJ.com finding and formatting jobs daily, and writing articles about how the job search process for library workers.

In 2015, I was awarded the Conable Freedom to Read Foundation Scholarship and Award to attend ALA Annual, which celebrated my work in providing equal and free access to all types of readers. It In 2016, I was selected to be a member of the California Library Leadership Institute where I was taught hands on leadership techniques to employ in real-life library situations.

As Vice-President/President-Elect (more information) one of your responsibilities will be preparing for your Presidential term the following year. How will you work with the current President to advance her/his initiatives while planning for your own presidency?

Nicole LaMoreaux: I am of the mind that learning by doing and assisting is best. I believe that while assisting the President to accomplish her own initiatives, I can use this time to learn from her. I think that this will not only allow me to be a better Vice President/President-Elect, but to better prepare my successor when the time comes.

Nicole Spoor: I think that communication is key. I would make sure that I am always on the same page as the president and would look for ways to help them advance their initiatives. I would also make sure to keep the lines of communication open between myself and other board members so that I could support the needs of all NMRT constituents when planning my own presidency.

Amy Steinbauer: I love the idea of working with the current President to merge elements of their vision with mine—I enjoy meeting of the minds moments that committee work brings to core ideas. I would love the opportunity to see what has worked and what needs improvement through the eyes of someone else who has just successfully gone through this. I like to think of each person I meet in this field as a potential mentor—like we are always helping each other out—so, this would only help me more. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel every year—we can instead build on what works and scaffold the achievements for all.

What do you hope to learn if elected?

Nicole LaMoreaux: I have had the opportunity to work within NMRT in different capacities, but I believe that if elected this would allow me to learn how everything fits together so seamlessly. I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue on this legacy of our past Vice President/President-Elects and Presidents. I also hope to build my long-distance leadership skills. I believe that I will be able to expand these skills quite a bit through this role.

Nicole Spoor: If elected I hope to learn more about how NMRT functions within ALA. By learning more about how NMRT functions within ALA, I hope to find new opportunities for collaborations that will support ALA and NMRT members.

Amy Steinbauer: In a simple way—I hope to learn more. I am always learning more… and I look forward to learn HOW to make NMRT work better for all it’s members and potential members. I spend a lot of time thinking about what the career process is like for early librarians—it is hard out there—the job search is a horrible process—but there is hope, and I want to be there with NMRT along the road for support and reassurance!

If elected, what time management skills will you employ to ensure that your NMRT duties remain a priority?

Nicole LaMoreaux: I find that if I block a set amount of time to work on a specific role that I am able to successfully accomplish what is required of me in that position. I believe that if I implement this method that I can make sure that my NMRT duties remain a priority and are completed with thought and care. I also think it will be vital to maintain bi-weekly or monthly meetings with the President so that we can stay abreast of everything that each of us are working on for the round table.

Nicole Spoor: I have the good fortune to work at an institution that not only expects and supports my participation in professional organizations like NMRT, but also provides ample time for me to be fully involved. Because of this, I know that it will be easy for me to balance my job duties and my role as Vice-President/President-Elect.

Amy Steinbauer: Being involved in so many professional development organizations had afforded me the benefits of learning time management skills! My work is very supportive of my connections to professional development opportunities, and would be able and willing to work with me to best support the duties of this position.

I am the type of person that loves to juggle a lot of work. I think about work all the time—in what I hope is not an extremely workaholic way– and just more of in an extremely excited way! I can’t stop thinking of fun new ideas to file away for maybes and one-days… and to you—that would mean that I have boundless energy for this stuff.

I like to both start and end my day with a to do list. In the beginning of my day, it helps me focus on my priorities. At the end of the day, it helps me condense my accomplishments and also set an intention for the next day. This strategy has enabled me to push myself hard, but also stay in check with the limits of a day.

In addition, I am active on social media, and in general love discussing libraries, advocacy, and ways to help others in the field. I want to make myself as available to the members as possible.  Ideally, any member should feel like they are able to reach out to me with questions, comments, concerns, or just to say hi! ?

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NMRT 2017-2018 Candidates: Leadership Development Director

ALA elections are here and this year NMRT is electing a Leadership Development Director, Vice-President/President-Elect, and Secretary. Below, our candidates answer a few questions about their plans for the position.

Why are you interested in this position?

Holly Kouns: The position of Leadership Development Director gives me the opportunity to partner and lead with others to provide experiences that could be paramount to someone’s career goals, which is something that really excites me. I enjoy helping others reach their metric of success and knowing I could contribute an experience or opportunity that was positive, in any way, is why I’m interested.

Leigh Milligan: I have been a member of NMRT for the last three years as a committee member and a committee chair of the Online Discussion Forum. I feel this is the next logical step for me for advancing my involvement and leadership in NMRT. I want to expand my professional network by making conference attendance a priority and being able to attend the NMRT Executive Board Meetings.

Veronica Milliner: In general, I enjoy committee work and, with my involvement in ALA, I’ve had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with others across the country. This has allowed me to expand my personal knowledge and professional development. I’m interested in the Leadership Development Director position because I view it as an opportunity to help other NMRT members receive this same fulfilling experience, to celebrate their professional accomplishments, and to provide leadership development opportunities. It is important for the round table, ALA, and our field as a whole to continue to recognize and support innovation, interesting ideas, and hard work. I’m interested in this position because I feel it is important to provide opportunities for members to share skills and tactics that they can use in their own positions. As a result, I hope to support leaders in NMRT in order for them to act in the future as mentors, collaborators, and inspiration to fellow colleagues in the roundtable.

Madison Sullivan: I’m passionate about supporting library and information science (LIS) students, early career librarians, and new professionals as we all find our way in this field. I think it’s important that we support new ALA members in navigating our complex organization, and that we use positions like these to amplify new voices. I see NMRT as a place where this happens, and can continue to happen. Simply, I want to help!

As the Leadership Development Director for the New Members Round Table (NMRT), I’ll be a part of a team that provides tangible benefits and opportunities for those new to the organization who want to become more involved. I believe that NMRT is one of the organizations within ALA that is striving to break down barriers to entry in our organization. I want to see more LIS students involved in ALA leadership. I want to see more people of color involved. I want to hear more from new and diverse voices about library leadership. This position is one way I can personally work toward these shared goals.

Because ALA is such a large organization, it can be intimidating. I want to help anyone who is interested in professional leadership find their way in ALA and within our field. At the same time, I’m still learning! As a new librarian, I’m excited that this position will allow me to become further involved in NMRT and ALA, and help others do the same.

What skills and experiences do you bring to the position?

Holly Kouns: I am currently the Assistant Department Head of User Engagement and Services at the University of Texas at Arlington. In my role, I’m responsible for the management and leadership of a large public services department. A big piece of my job is providing professional development for my staff and student employees. I  regularly meet with staff to establish goals and metrics of success, while helping them provide the same development for our student employees.  I’m skilled at managing variables and arranging them to be the most productive, as well as helping people achieve milestones to reach their ultimate goals. My goal is to walk alongside my staff members to guide and build on to the work they’re doing and I see the same with this position

Leigh Milligan: While I am involved in ALA NMRT, I am also involved in some committees with Special Library Association’s Philadelphia Chapter. I am going on my second year as the Hospitality and Events Coordinator where I meet and greet current and new members of the association and help them feel welcome. I feel that skill of making others feel welcome is definitely important skill for a leadership director, making new NMRT members feel welcome and a part of our huge roundtable.

With that same position, I am also expected to attend and contribute to the board meetings, which I am looking forward to doing as leadership development director if elected.

I am also involved in the programming committee with SLA Philadelphia, where I have achieved time management, budgeting and project management skills. I have also been a volunteer librarian as medical librarian in Philadelphia where I have experience-managing volunteers, collection development and grant proposal experience.

Veronica Milliner: Through NMRT, I have found a space to feel motivated and to pursue a role in improving ALA. My involvement in NMRT includes serving on the Membership Promotion, Diversity & Recruitment Committee, President’s Program Committee, and Orientation Committee. For the 2016-2017 cycle I’m also a Co-Chair of the Orientation Committee which plans and conducts sessions at Midwinter and Annual aimed to inform and engage participants regarding NMRT opportunities and the conferences as a whole.

Additional library association involvement outside of NMRT includes being a member of the Managing Children’s Services Committee within the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a member of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and a member of the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT). This year I’m also one of the track organizers for the Radical Libraries, Archives, and Museums track at the Allied Media Conference in Detroit.

I’m currently working as an Outreach Librarian for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The passion of my work focuses on exploring the role of the library as a community asset and library programs and services that improve lives in these communities, with a focus on marginalized and vulnerable populations. I hope to use my skills forming partnerships and organizing/implementing programs and services to this NMRT position as well.

Madison Sullivan: I love working with the people I’m serving to create impactful experiences and opportunities to connect, learn, and engage with our profession. I’m someone who strives to bring multiple voices and perspectives to the table in any endeavor. As an early career librarian, I can understand how intimidating and confusing ALA can be. I understand that participation in your professional organization can be met with barriers. I understand that the ability to participate in your professional organization is correlated to varying degrees of privilege. I hope to listen and to work with you to figure out how we can make participation more accessible to all who want to contribute.

I have been a member of ALA, ACRL, and NMRT since 2013. I currently serve on several ACRL committees, and I was named a 2016 ALA Emerging Leader. These experiences have helped me contribute to the organization in a variety of ways – from conference program planning, to communications and publicity, to building a resource for library publishing services.

While in library school, I was an officer for the University of Illinois ALA Student Chapter from 2013-2015. I was also a member of our SLA and SAA student chapters. In these three roles, I organized and led many professional development and networking events over two years.

Professionally, my work in librarianship has included outreach to undergraduate programs. I work to facilitate learning and professional development opportunities with the populations I serve through building relationships with career services, student affairs, and other campus groups.

As Leadership Development Director (more information) you will oversee the activities of committees that support & encourage professional leadership in NMRT members.  What do you believe are three biggest challenges that new librarians face when taking on a leadership role, and why? How will you work to develop leadership skills of NMRT members?

Holly Kouns: In my experience the three biggest challenges are 1. Knowing where to start, 2. Finding  professional development opportunities 3. How to prioritize

I’m learning that few librarians intentionally decide on a leadership and management track, but many find themselves in a position to provide both of these. Regardless of the track you intentionally choose, development plays a huge role in learning and becoming the best leader you can. One of the first issues I think most of us run into is where to start? There is a learning curve with every new position or responsibility, but more so in those requiring leadership of others and it can be overwhelming when you feel unprepared. This is where professional development comes into play. It is difficult when you’re starting out to identify proper outlets for professional development. These types of opportunities are not always built into your organization and if they are, they can’t satisfy every need. In addition to undertaking your own development, you’re oftentimes responsible for the development of others. Learning how to prioritize is key in these types of situations, but can be a hard balance to learn with failures being part of it.  As a new librarian and a new manager, I understand these challenges on a personal and daily basis. I want to develop opportunities that will be engaging and available to everyone. Through webinars, grants, listservs, blogs, etc. I want to develop opportunities that address these issues that will be engaging and accessible to NMRT members.

Leigh Milligan:

  1. Communication- Communication is key to any leadership role. If communication is not there, others will not know what is expected of them.
  2. Time Management- Time Management is always tough especially if you are unsure of the tasks you are taking on and the time it will take to complete said tasks.
  3. Follow-Through-It’s so easy to take on a leadership role because it will develop you as a professional and will look great on your resume. However, it will not look so great if you do not follow-through, and a lot of leaders struggle with this especially if communication and time management are not there.

As Leadership Development Director, I will develop skills of NMRT members by keeping open communication. I want members to be able to come with me with their ideas and have their voices heard. It’s important to have your voice heard in such a large association and I will make that a priority. I will also make sure that the chairs I am assigned to oversee keep to their assigned tasks and deadlines. I would also like to offer advice on how NMRT members can manage their time best, because once achieved, time management is a great skill to have as a leader and it makes team work smooth.

Veronica Milliner: The three biggest challenges that new librarians face when taking on leadership roles are:

  1. Not being heard, Not having experience acknowledged – New librarians are sometimes ignored when they are in a leadership position. No matter what their experience is, new librarians may be viewed as not knowledgeable or too inexperienced and therefore their input is not taken into consideration. This can be amplified if new librarians do not have enough support, feel like they are experiencing microaggressions in the workplace, are continuously questioned about their work backgrounds, etc. All of this can influence how motivated or effective someone feels in their position.
  • The encouragement of expressing ideas is important in helping the profession (and librarians themselves) learn and grow. NMRT’s online discussion forum is a great way for members to have an influential voice, receive advice, and to share ideas that can be valuable to others. It’s also a great way for members to support each other and to have camaraderie in the struggles they face and to brainstorm solutions. I hope to achieve that by supporting an effective forum and encouraging increased participation. I hope that the topics discussed in the forum is something that members can take back to their current and future positions.
  1. Knowledge of Continued Opportunities – Not everyone in a leadership position is aware of all the opportunities to develop professionally. Continued growth is important for everyone.
  • I hope to assist with this aspect by helping committees highlight leadership opportunities available within the association and straightforward steps on how to get involved. Additionally, recognizing NMRT members for their leadership work in traditional and non-traditional roles will do a lot to encourage continued professional development as well as to show others different forms of leadership.
  1. Imposter Syndrome (or a lesser version of this) – Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. Taking on a new leadership position may cause some librarians to hold back from highlighting their accomplishments because they don’t feel it is noteworthy or are intimidated by what is considered “success” in field.
  • I hope that by addressing the previous two issues we will open a dialogue for members to feel empowered and confident. I will work with the committees to support members to feel engaged in NMRT through these discussions, opportunities, and skill-sharing with fellow members, NMRT leaders, and across ALA.

I hope to use the role as Leadership Development Director as an opportunity to further the career growth of new members, highlight the experience of members, and bring power to their voice.

Madison Sullivan: Getting up to speed. You might be walking into a group that has been around longer than you have been a librarian. It’s hard to learn the politics, where to focus your efforts, and to learn where the organization has been when planning where it’s hoping to go next.

Secondly, I think it can be difficult to determine or assess the needs of those you serve. If you want your work to be of use to others and to have an impact, you have to listen and work with others to make those determinations.

I would also say the usual: communication and time management. That’s four. 😉

I would work to develop the leadership skills of NMRT members by listening as a peer and colleague and building my work off that. I would want to include members in our decision-making and planning process in whatever we do. I would want our members to feel empowered to create or pitch their own ideas or events that could benefit fellow members. I would work to help create opportunities for members to share their own knowledge and skills.

I think we can also continue to partner with other ALA divisions and interest groups in developing worthwhile programs, events, webinars, and discussions around leadership and professional development. There’s opportunity to work with the Spectrum Scholarship Program, the Emerging Leaders Program, and ALA Student Chapters across the United States. I would also want to brainstorm more opportunities for informal networking and peer-to-peer mentoring among new ALA members and leaders.

What do you hope to learn if elected?

Holly Kouns: I want to learn from the vast experiences of the NMRT membership. So many have come before me, and the lessons from their successes and failures are invaluable. I want to use this opportunity to learn by partnering with them and experiencing it together.

Leigh Milligan: I want to learn about the higher-up inter-workings of NMRT and ALA as a whole.  I would also like to learn more from our members on what we can do for them. This way we can develop our members as leaders, which is a great skill to have as a librarian and in the professional world.

Veronica Milliner: In general, I hope to continue to learn from fellow NMRT members. As I mentioned before, it is important for us to learn from each other as a means of personal and professional growth. If elected, throughout my term I hope my interactions with committee members and NMRT participants will be a fruitful learning experience. I also hope this experience will help me learn skills and techniques of project management on a large scale and collaborating between multiple people.

Madison Sullivan: I want to learn more about the kinds of services and opportunities members want. How can we support our members – especially those that haven’t been well represented in this field? What do librarians need to lead happy, healthy, successful professional lives – how can the NMRT help? Do we have a role to play in providing holistic support to the “whole librarian?” How can we further involve LIS students in what we do?

Ultimately, I want to learn how I can be of better use to other librarians. Where’s the need? How can I help?

If elected, what time management skills will you employ to ensure that your NMRT duties remain a priority?

Holly Kouns: I use my Outlook calendar on a daily basis and schedule my days and deadlines using it. If elected, I plan to be diligent about scheduling deadlines and work time to ensure they’re being appropriately met.

Leigh Milligan: I am a super busy person. I work a full-time job, I volunteer in a library, I run a side business with my husband ( 8BitFusion) and I am involved with NMRT and several committees with Special Libraries Association. I also travel a lot and stay busy with my social life. Many people ask me, how do you do it, when do you sleep?  Honestly, I tend to flourish when I am super busy and have a lot going on, otherwise life would be boring.

With that being said, I am a champion when it comes to time management. I keep my schedule with my Google Calendar,which alerts me of all my events and deadlines. I am also a To-Do list maker, making sure everything on my lists get done in a timely fashion. I also recognize the need for self-care, so I do not burn out while doing my tasks. My NMRT duties have always been a priority and that will not change as leadership development director.

Veronica Milliner: There are a few time management strategies that I hope to bring to this committee leadership position. I believe that setting personal deadlines for work is a great way to keep up with responsibilities. Also, in terms of managing the leadership development committees, I hope that by providing open communication between them and myself I will be able to help with any time management issues that they are having and to assist when needed. This will help to address issues and problems in a timely manner. I also find it personally helpful to write down my goals for the day and/or week, to make myself responsible for certain actions during the week and to hold myself accountable. Lastly, and most importantly, I think one of the best time management tactics is to not take on too much. By having too much on your plate it’s easy to get overwhelmed. In this position I’ll make sure that committee members, as well as myself, have set manageable goals and duties for ourselves that will allow us to effectively complete them.

Madison Sullivan: It’s a privilege to work at an organization that supports (and actually requires) professional development and contributions to the broader profession. It is expected that some of our work time will be spent on service. As librarians, we wear many hats. We have had to learn how to balance and negotiate our time because our work demands it. I use multiple physical and digital calendars (and alerts!) to schedule every day hour-to-hour. Before bed, I go over my schedule for the following day. I didn’t always used to be such a planner, but I’ve found this to be an effective strategy for me in making sure I meet deadlines, get my work done, and come to meetings prepared. I make a point to set deadlines and timelines at the beginning of a project to keep myself accountable. Checking in with others on a regular basis is another way I keep myself honest and on task with my work. I understand that this position may require that I work some evenings and weekends to fulfill my responsibilities, and I am willing to do so.

 

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NMRT Member of the Week – Sierra Laddusaw

 

Name: Sierra Laddusaw

Institution/Location of Institution: Texas A&M University Libraries, College Station, Texas

Job Title: Map Librarian

Brief job description: As Map Librarian I provide instruction around the map collection, design outreach activities and events, catalog cartographic materials, and handle collection development.

What are some things you like about your job or about working in libraries in general?

I love connecting people to the materials they need and with maps it is a scavenger hunt! I also enjoy building the collection, there are a number of interesting collections within the map collection – including our Maps of Imaginary Places, Cuba, and Texas A&M Collections – and purchasing new material to add to them is exciting.

What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?

At the Texas A&M Libraries we are in the process of creating a new diversity plan. Our previous plan worked fine, but had reached the end of its life. I am excited to be a member of the team that is crafting the new plan, in our meetings we are having difficult conversations and addressing those elephants within our organization. We hope that the new plan, once completed, will help move our organization forward and be a living document that can grow and evolve as our library does.

What got you interested in libraries?

My parents instilled a love of reading in both my brother and myself. My mother would take us to the public library during summer break where we devoured the books in the children’s section and I remember looking at the images of mummies, exotic animals, and foreign countries in the encyclopedias in the reference section. When out shopping I can’t remember a time where either of my parents told me no when I wanted to buy a book. Alongside that, there are a number of librarians that made an impact on me. My middle school librarian who would set aside books that she thought I would enjoy, my junior high librarian who gave me my first student position in a library, my high school librarian who was more of a guidance counselor to me than the staff with that title, and the librarians at my undergrad who hired me and gave me fascinating projects to work on (alongside the dreaded shifting). These librarians were women who were smart, were in charge of caring for material I loved, and made me feel welcomed, I wanted to grow up to be like them.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

The opportunities to get involved at a national level. As a new librarian I didn’t think it would be easy to get to serve on a national level committee. Thanks to NMRT I felt empowered to apply for committee work and was selected to serve on the NMRT Student Chapter of the Year Award Committee.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

Say yes to opportunities and don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. It is easy to sit at your desk and only do the work that is in your job description. You’ll do fine, you’ll probably get good marks on your evaluation, but librarianship has much more to offer and becomes such a fruitful endeavor when you step outside of your comfort zone.

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Building Bridges in ALA

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by ALA’s size? Are you confused by the many ALA Divisions and their functions? Join us for the 2017 NMRT President’s Program, Building Bridges in ALA, an ALA Pre-Conference Workshop hosted by Kate Kosturski, on Friday, June 23, 2017 from 9am to 12pm. NMRT will have a panel of transitioning ALA presidents and presidents-elect on hand to help answer your questions about ALA’s organization and the opportunities available to you for career advancement.

In this interactive pre-conference event, participants will explore the challenges of navigating through the larger ALA organization by listening to a panel discussion composed of Vicki L. Sipe, Mary Beth Thompson, Ann Campion Riley, Jeanette P. Smithee, Andromeda Yelton, John Spears, Pixey A. Mosley, Felton Thomas, Jr., Pam Sandlain Smith, Chris LeBeau, and Susan J. Schmidt. Ask questions and network with the panelists while enjoying light refreshments. The cost of participating in the workshop is $20 for NMRT members; $22 for non-NMRT but ALA members; $25 for non-ALA; and $15 for students.

 

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Apply for the 2017 Professional Development Attendance Award

This year’s Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award committee is happy to announce that they are now accepting applications for the 2017 cycle. This award will allow two recipients to attend a ticketed event of their choice ($100 or less) at the 2017 Annual Conference in Chicago.  This award is intended to help NMRT members attend an event that will enhance their professional development and networking experience that might be otherwise out of reach.
You must be an NMRT member to apply and have plans to attend the Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. Not an NMRT member? Be sure to go to the ALA website (link: http://www.ala.org/) to learn more about NMRT and join. Applicants are required to explain how attending a ticketed event will help them both personally and professionally in 250 words less.
Applications are due by April 15, 2017 at 6pm EST. Winners will be notified by May 6, 2017.
Questions? Feel free to contact committee chair, Amelia Vander Heide (amelia.vanderheide@yahoo.com).
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February 2017 Live Twitter Chat Summary: Professional Development

By: Carrie Fishner

The focus of our live Twitter chat on February 23, 2017 was “professional development with limited budget and/or time”. The discussion was lively, with many responders sharing some of their biggest hurdles, as well as tips for making the most of what you have available.

The first question posed to our Twitter audience was to ask what the biggest roadblock to professional development that people face is. Many of those who participated identified the focus of our topic, which are lack of time and a limited budget. Finding time that you can dedicate to professional development can be difficult for many reasons, including short staffing, working on large projects, and juggling many commitments. On the budget side, identified issues included no funding through employment, funding available through your organization may be prioritized to those who are full time or have seniority, and the difficulty in locating and competing for grants through organizations such as ALA. Webinars can be great for the time issue, as most are archived after their initial air date, so often you can sign up and then watch when it is more convenient to you.

Our next topic was about goals, what are you goals when you are looking at professional development activities? For many they were directly related to current or future projects, but for others is had to do with finding new perspectives and approaches. Having a clear idea of what your goals are as you search for opportunities can be helpful, as this may lead you to more specific providers, as well as funding opportunities that might otherwise have been missed. Developing specific skills was another very popular answer for this question, as many felt that they would get the most support from their organizations if they could directly link the professional development activity to a specific work related skill.

Many participants offered great insight into their professional development goals and struggles, but one of the most important questions we discussed was where to locate those activities. Where do you look for professional development? A lot of great answers were shared! Our participants had a varied approach for seeking out professional development activities that included sources such as Twitter, List-servs, conference networking, and the more traditional library associations and organizations. One recommendation was to look at what skills you are hoping to develop, and then to look at other organizations or fields which may also offer you the development in that area. Community and local development activities were also discussed, as connecting with this population can be quite important.

We wrapped up our discussion by asking participants what resources they would find most helpful in the future for this topic. The main suggestion was to look early for resources, ALA and similar associations offer many professional development activities, as well as grants and scholarships. However, many of the deadlines for these money opportunities are early, so you need to pay attention and plan ahead.

Professional development is an area that most would say is highly important to their field, and yet it can often be left as an after-thought. Taking time, at least once a year, to lay out a set of goals and to look for opportunities can be what is needed to jump-start your professional development plan. Don’t be afraid to try something new or out of the box, you may discover a development gem!

 

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Notes from the President – March 2017

Happy Spring NMRT! (Unless you live like I do in the Northeast, where the groundhog was unfortunately right and we’re getting every last day of our six weeks of winter.) Things at NMRT are heating up (if the weather outside isn’t), so I wanted to give you a few updates.

  • Attending the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) conference later this month?  While NMRT won’t have any formal events at the conference, several board members will be in attendance – Outreach Director Ariana Santiago, VP/President-Elect Mandi Goodsett, and I. If you see any of us at the conference, don’t be afraid to say hello or ask us questions.
  • Want to apply for a committee next year?  You can look for the committee form to open later this spring.  Note that if you are already on a committee and want to stay on that committee, you will need to complete the volunteer form again.
  • Elections!  The ALA Election period will be open starting March 13th and running through April 5th, with the winners announced a week later (April 12th).  You may have received a test email from ALA verifying your email address last week. Ballots will be sent between March 13th and 15th, so don’t panic if you don’t get it right next Monday – there are a LOT of emails going out from the ALA Home Office, it takes some time! You can view the list of candidates on our blog, and look for more information on the candidates soon.

Finally, I am very happy and heartened to see the great discussions that have been taking place on our listserv, both through our Online Discussion Forum committee and in reaction to how ALA has responded to various moves by our current government. People are listening with empathy and expressing their views constructively, avoiding nasty and explosive discussion that leads to hurt feelings and broken friendships. A professional association is as good as its members, and you are making ALA your own – keep up the good work!

-Kate Kosturski, New Members Round Table President

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Extended Deadline: Application for the NMRT Student Chapter of the Year Award is Due March 17

The deadline to apply for the ALA NMRT Student Chapter of the Year Award has been extended to March 17th!

In the spirit of ALA’s New Member Round Table, the Student Chapter of the Year Award is presented in recognition of a chapter‘s outstanding contributions to the American Library Association, their school, and the profession. The purpose of the award is to increase student involvement in ALA through student chapters, and to recognize future leaders in the profession. The Student Chapter winner will receive $1,000 to help defray travel expenses to ALA Annual; the winning chapter and the runner up will each receive a certificate. Both will be recognized at the NMRT Student Reception at the 2017 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. The seven categories of Student Chapter of the Year Award criteria include:

  • Membership Engagement
  • Programs
  • Communications
  • Leadership
  • Financial Health
  • Awards and Honors
  • Student Chapter Advisor Statement

All ALA Student Chapters in good standing are eligible to receive the ALA Student Chapter of the Year Award. There is no limit on the number of times a student chapter may win the award. Any ALA Student Chapter advisor, Student Chapter officer or member, or ALA member may nominate a Student Chapter, and self-nominations are encouraged.

Please e-mail the completed form and any supporting documents in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format to the committee chair, Kristen Mapes (kmapes86@gmail.com). Deadline for submitting completed nomination forms is March 17th, 11:59pm EST. All nominations will be acknowledged upon receipt.

More information, including the nomination form, may be found here:http://www.ala.org/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/awscotya/scotya

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Meet Your NMRT Board Member, Nicole Spoor

Name: Nicole Spoor

Job Title: Business Librarian

Institution: University of North Carolina at Charlotte

NMRT Board Position/Title:  Leadership Development Director

What role does your Board Position serve in NMRT?  I oversee three awards committees, the NMRT Online Discussion Forum, and the Annual Social Committee.

How long have you been an NMRT member? I think for about 7 years.

What’s your favorite thing about NMRT?  It is really the people.  I have made so many connections through NMRT.  NMRT is, in my opinion, the most inviting, inclusive group in ALA.  I would also have to say that I have a special place in my heart for the NMRT Resume Review Service.  I served on that committee for quite a few years and it was very rewarding. I have seen the great work done by the committee and the volunteers.  It was always wonderful to hear that the service helped someone find a job.  

What advice would you give to someone just joining NMRT this year? Show up and get involved.  Don’t be shy about it.  Everyone in NMRT is in the same boat or has been there at some point.  It is one of the best ways make ALA work for you.

Meet Your NMRT Board Member is a 2016-2017 series to help NMRT members get to know their board. If you have any questions about this series, please contact the NMRT Communications Committee Chair, Melanie Kowalski (melanie.t.kowalski@gmail.com).

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NMRT February Live Chat: Professional Development with Limited Budget/Time

When: Thursday, February 23, 2017

Time:   2:00pm to 3:00pm, US/Eastern

1:00pm to 2:00pm, US/Central

11:00am-12:00pm, US/Pacific

Professional development is a priority for most librarians. In today’s world of limited budgets, and sometimes even more limited time – how do you find professional development opportunities? What are the best sources in your area for these opportunities? Where else can you look? If you do need to ask for funding, how do you do that?

This chat will be happening on Twitter. To join and follow the chat, follow Carrie Fishner @CJFishner and/or follow the hashtag #nmrtchat You can follow the tweets by typing #nmrtchat into the search box or use something like TweetDeck or HootSuite to filter the tweets.

The most important thing is to include #nmrtchat in all of your tweets to make them visible for all participants.

When the chat starts, send a tweet to introduce yourself, it’s always helpful to know who everyone is.

Carrie, the chat moderator will be asking 4 questions in the Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 format, and followers will use the #nmrtchat and answer in the A1, A2, A3 and A4 format.

Feel free to retweet any comments you like or agree with, and share any articles or blogs of interest.

Look forward to seeing you all at #nmrtchat !

 

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