NMRT Notes

Beverly Ingle
University of North Texas

What drew you to library and information sciences?

Libraries have always been my refuge, my “happy place,” and my primary resource to fuel insatiable curiosity. Some of my greatest discoveries were made in the countless hours spent in libraries: learning to read with my mother at the Austin Public Library; uncovering the meaning of my maiden name, Rudkin (Flemish; “little red one”) in the library at David Crockett High School; dusting off an obscure book about saints and their symbols that I read cover to cover (twice) in the Fine Arts Library at the University of Texas; and reverently examining some of the oldest manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland’s collection.

What’s your dream job after graduation?

I am fortunate to enjoy what has been, and continues to be, a long and very successful career in marketing. Yet whenever anyone has asked what I would be if I weren’t a marketing strategist, without any hesitation I have always professed “a librarian!” That answer was never a surprise to anyone that knows me well, as they also know my love of books, manuscripts, documents, research and the thrill of discovering new information. After my most recent declaration of “I want to be a librarian,” my husband looked at me pointedly and simply said, “Then be one.”

I am currently working toward my MSLS at the University of North Texas from where I am scheduled to graduate in December 2017 with a graduate certificate in archival management, as well.

I hope to leverage and apply my experience in consumer psychology and marketing to increase the appreciation of and improve usage of archives and special collections, thus widening access to information and resources not typically read by the general population. A precise description of my dream job is still a little elusive, but I can adamantly say that I would love to be an archivist for an organization that knows its history is important and relevant, and wants to create an archives from scratch.

What do you like most about NMRT?

I enjoy NMRT because it is a pathway for new members to connect with one another and the larger ALA family.

What is Endnotes?
Endnotes: The Journal of the New Members Round Table is the peer-reviewed, scholarly journal of the New Members Round Table. Endnotes publishes one issue a year with 2-3 peer-reviewed articles in each issue. The articles published in Endnotes address a variety of issues faced by new librarians. Endnotes accepts research and practitioner-based articles, and its aim is to work with new authors to produce quality scholarly articles. Endnotes also features book reviews.

Who can write for Endnotes?
Anyone! Authors must be a member of the New Members Round Table at the time of publication, but membership is not required in order to submit an article for consideration. New librarians, library school students, and recent graduates are especially encouraged to submit their work for publication in Endnotes. More established library professionals can also write for Endnotes, but they must address topics that are relevant to new librarians. Most people who publish in Endnotes are experiencing the publication and peer review process for the first time, and one of the goals of the journal is to be a non-threatening and supportive place.

 
What is the publication process?
Article submissions can be sent to the Endnotes Editor at nmrtendnotesjournal@gmail.com. Once an article is received by the Editor, it is distributed to members of the NMRT Endnotes committee for peer review. The peer reviewers then evaluate the article on a number of factors, including the methodology, the relevance to NMRT members and new librarians, and the strength of the writing itself. They are then asked to make a recommendation for the article – it can be published with minor edits, published with major revisions, resubmitted for another review peer review after major revisions, or rejected. The overall recommendation of the reviewers is then communicated to the author. When at all possible, Endnotes provides authors with detailed feedback and suggestions for revisions.

What should articles be about?
Articles published in Endnotes can present original research or case studies, and are generally between 2,000 and 5,000 words long. Some articles report the results of an original research project such as a survey, while others describe the development of a new program or service. Some people have been able to write articles based on projects undertaken for an MLIS program or as part of their job, so don’t be intimidated – inspiration is everywhere.

Got an idea?
If you have an idea but are not sure if it fits the scope of Endnotes, email the Editor at nmrtendnotesjournal@gmail.com. General topics that might be appropriate for Endnotes include:
· Training and mentoring
· Job searching or hiring
· Developing leadership and management skills
· Library instruction and assessment
· Academic librarian responsibilities: hiring, promotion, and tenure
· Developing new collections or services
In general, anything that might be relevant to someone new to the library world!

For more information or to view previous issues, please visit http://www.ala.org/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/schres

The NMRT Resume Review Service Committee is recruiting volunteer resume reviewers and booth greeters for ALA 2016 Midwinter Meeting. We are in need of volunteers to greet participants, and/or review resumes and cover letters. Librarians from all types of libraries and specializations are invited to volunteer.

We are also taking resume review appointments. The NMRT Resume Review Service booth, located inside the ALA JobList Placement & Career Development Center, is open Saturday, January 9th, and Sunday, January 10th, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The service is free of charge to anyone. Appointment are 30 minutes long and usually fill up quickly. While we encourage advance appointments, on-site walk-ins are seen as time permits.

More information about volunteering and making an appointment is available at http://bit.ly/1vArIPT . If you have questions, please contact the NMRT Resume Review Service Committee Chair, Melanie Kowalski at melanie.t.kowalski@gmail.com, or the Assistant Chair, Brandy Horne, at BrandyH@usca.edu.

If you are looking to connect with fellow new library professionals at your local state conference, you are in luck. ALA’s NMRT will be working with several state associations to help connect with new professionals in the field.

December

Where:  Hawaii Library Association Annual Conference (University of Hawaii @Manoa)

When:   Friday, December 4- Saturday, December 5, 2015

Time:    7:30-8:30am

Place:    Registration Booth

Look out for more information for following conferences next year!

March – Oklahoma Library Association

April – Washington Library Association, Tennessee Library Association, Alaska Library Association, Connecticut Library Association

May – Rhode Island Library Association, Delaware/Maryland Library Association, New Jersey Library Association

If you want to help coordinate something, email tinamarie.vella@gmail.com

This year the NMRT Online Discussion Forum will be hosting monthly discussions via the NMRT listserv- so be on the lookout for the prompts and we hope many of your can participate. These discussions are a great way for you to network and chat about current topics in the library field. It’s also a great way to participate in ALA if you cannot attend conferences. If you are not subscribed to the listserv already you can sign-up here: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/news/nmrtmailinglists

We will also be hosting live chats every other month. Our first live chat will be Monday, November 16 from 2pm-3pm EST/11am-12pm PST. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about upcoming chat events.

Please mark your calendars and participate if you can. More info will be available soon here: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm/online/onlinediscussionforum

The New Members Round Table (NMRT) is pleased to announce Mandi Goodsett as its representative in the 2016 Emerging Leaders program. Goodsett is currently working as the Performing Arts & Humanities Librarian at Cleveland State University in Ohio. She received her MLIS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. Before beginning her current position in 2014,  she spent a year working at Georgia Southwestern State University as Reference & Instruction Librarian.

Goodsett has served on a number of NMRT committees since becoming a member of NMRT in 2011, including the NMRT Footnotes, NMRT ALA Student Reception, and NMRT Endnotes committees. She also served on the NMRT Board as secretary from 2014-2015. Mandi’s research interests include the development of LIS education, the experiences of new librarians, and the use of technology in library instruction. She is excited for the publication of an article she co-wrote with Andrew Walsh titled “Building a Strong Foundation: Mentoring Programs for Novice Tenure Track Librarians in Academic Libraries” in C&RL in early November.

Goodsett is also in the process of beginning an organization for new information professionals in the state of Ohio. When Mandi isn’t geeking out about information literacy & library instruction, or doing homework toward a Masters in Adult Education, she enjoys traveling, playing her viola in a community orchestra, and baking treats for her library coworkers.

Mandi is deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as NMRT’s 2016-2017 Emerging Leader. “NMRT has been such a welcoming and supportive group, and its programs and opportunities have helped me immensely in beginning my professional development as a new librarian,” she said. “I’m honored to continue my participation in the group as Emerging Leader, and I look forward to further developing my leadership skills.”

“Mandi has established an impressive record of leadership within NMRT and a dedication to collaborating with other professionals. We’re excited to support the professional development of someone so enthusiastic and committed to librarianship,” expressed NMRT President, Kirby McCurtis.

 Goodsett is the ninth NMRT sponsored Emerging Leader. Previous NMRT-sponsored Emerging Leaders are Linda Crook (then Shippert) in 2008, Alexandra Tyle-Annen in 2009, Janel Kinlaw (then White) in 2010, Megan Hodge in 2011, Heidi Steiner in 2012, Margaret Howard in 2013, Kate Tkacik in 2014, and Stacey Nordlund in 2015.

The Emerging Leaders program enables newer librarians from across the country to participate in work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA’s structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. As NMRT’s 2016 Emerging Leader, Goodsett will receive $1000 towards the costs of attending the 2016 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Boston, MA, as well as the 2016 ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.

NMRT, a round table of ALA, is an organization for people with fewer than 10 years of membership in ALA. To learn more about NMRT, visit http://www.ala.org/nmrt .

The NMRT Shirley Olofson Memorial Award Committee is seeking applicants for a $1,000 award, intended to defray the costs of attending the ALA Annual Conference. Shirley Olofson was a well-respected NMRT President who died during her term of office. After her death, the NMRT Executive Board decided to authorize the establishment of an award to honor her memory. The award is given to current or potential NMRT members who have attended no more than five American Library Association Annual Conferences.

Applicants must also be members of ALA and NMRT, participate actively in the library profession, show promise or activity in the area of professional development, and have a valid financial need.
Those interested in the award may submit an application online at this webpage: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/initiatives/applyforfunds/shirleyolofson

The due date for applications in December 14th, 2015. The chosen recipient will be notified in late January/early February. Please direct all questions to Jennifer Stout at jastout@vcu.edu.

Looking for Publication Opportunities?

Consider Writing for Footnotes!

What is Footnotes?
Footnotes is the official, electronic newsletter for the New Members Round Table (NMRT). With new issues published four times a year, Footnotes strives to bring relevant news and information to NMRT members (for free!), including articles of interest to new library professionals about all things library-related, book and website reviews, ALA conference information (including recaps of NMRT sessions for those who are unable to attend), NMRT Board actions, and more! Footnotes depends on you to write and share information with your peers and colleagues.

Why Publish?
Publishing is a great way to get more involved in the library profession. By sharing what you know/learned/experienced, you’re helping to spread your knowledge to the NMRT community. Some library positions also require publications and Footnotes is a great, low stress way to get started with professional writing. Plus, publications always look great on a resume/curriculum vitae!

Who can Write for Footnotes?
Library school students, recent graduates, new library professionals, new librarians…if you have an interest in libraries, we encourage you to consider writing for Footnotes!

The Footnotes Publication Process
The thought of publishing anything can be intimidating, but Footnotes is a non-scary place to get started. Since this is a newsletter, articles are generally in the 500-1500 word range and these articles do not go through the peer review process. When you have an article (or book/website review, etc.), just send it on to the Footnotes editor (currently Anita Dryden anita.riley@gmail.com<mailto:anita.riley@gmail.com> for 2015-2016). The editor will review and assign your article for copy editing to a member of the Footnotes editorial committee. If there are questions, the editor will email you. Yes, it is really that easy!

Got an Idea?
If you have an idea but you’re not sure if it is something that would be of interest to other new librarians and library school students, send it on to the Footnotes editor (currently Anita Dryden anita.riley@gmail.com<mailto:anita.riley@gmail.com> for 2015-2016) anyway! Articles are accepted on a rolling basis and will be included in the next issue (issues are published February, May, August, and November).

Coming up with an idea can be one of the hardest aspects of publishing. Think about what you do everyday: an information literacy strategy you use, programming you created, or a tool you use daily could very well be something many of us are not familiar with and would love to hear about.

For more information or to view previous issues, please visit http://www.ala.org/nmrt/footnotes

Holly Dolan
University of North Texas

What drew you to library and information sciences?

I worked in university libraries as an undergraduate student and had such a great experience learning about academia, research, and library issues. As my love for my work environment grew, I realized I should make a career out of it! I’m so proud to be a LIS professional and an MLS candidate. Our profession is a true force for good in the world and I’m excited to start a career that helps promotes literacy and access to information.

What’s your dream job after graduation?

I’ve always been drawn to the world of digital libraries and repositories. I love the thought of digitizing content to make it easily accessible for those that might not see it otherwise. I also have a background in art history so I don’t want to wander too far from my love of the humanities. I guess my dream job would be working in digitization in cultural heritage institutions.

What do you like most about NMRT?

NMRT has always been great about making sure my ALA Student Chapter, the UNT Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA), knows about opportunities available to students and new members. I love that NMRT has liaisons for student chapters. As a student organization president, it’s invaluable for me to be directly connected to someone with in our parent organization with information about student involvement.

Kai Alexis Smith
University of Notre Dame
Librarian-in-Residence

A little about Kai’s job:

Kai Alexis Smith is the Librarian-in-Residence at the University of Notre Dame and is an aspiring research librarian interested in the arts and humanities. The Librarian-In-Residence Program is intended to recruit a recent library school graduate who can contribute effectively to the diversity of the profession and the university while developing career interests in various aspects of academic librarianship. The residency program is 2 year appointment.

Currently, Kai is spending the next year in the Architecture Library located in Bond Hall. She will not only provide research support for architecture faculty and students, but also teach multimedia literacy classes in the Writing and Rhetoric courses and library consultations in Africana Studies and assist in class presentations of artists books and rare books from the Latin American collection. Kai also serves as the LINk Librarian to Alumni Hall.

At the end of her residency, she hopes to secure a permanent position as an art and/or architecture librarian in an academic institution.

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

I like that everyday is different and I get to work with awesome people. This includes librarians, staff, faculty, and students.

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

There are so many. A project I just finished up was learning about and exploring materials libraries. The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)’s Visual Resources Librarian Mark Pompelia describes what this collection is best in the white paper Materials Collection Creation and Administration: A New Role for Libraries, “A materials collection is a body of physical items and samples acquired across various industries to be utilized as objects for inspiration and in project specification by architects, designers, artists, and researchers in the practice of those and allied fields.”

I conducted a survey of Art Library Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)’s Materials Special Interest Group, reviewed literature published on the topic, and incorporated the results into a report where I made recommendations for the Visual Arts Librarian as she is interested in acquiring or building a collection to support the Art and Design department’s teaching and student research at the University of Notre Dame.

Regarding committees, I am the chair of the Art Library Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)’s Diversity Committee (DivCom). We are doing great things to get diversity embedded into the organization and are collaborating with several other committees within the organization. Some of these collaborations have resulted in webinars. We are working hard to get language on diversity and inclusion into the next iteration of the strategic plan and are working to update documentation. In addition, we are planning a Diversity Forum for the annual conference.

Most recently, I was appointed to the Keynote Speakers committee for the Academic College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Baltimore Conference in 2017. I look forward to working with committee members on attracting an incredible line up like the one in Portland.

What got you interested in libraries?

I was in my previous career in corporate lifestyle and entertainment magazines and websites as a writer and research editor. Honestly, it wasn’t my calling and I started taking classes at the local college to get the necessary coursework to apply for PhD in an Art History programs. A professor of mine encouraged me to explore art librarianship as a path. She said that I could always pursue a PhD. When I spoke with librarians at art museum libraries, academic art libraries, and public art libraries they all loved what they did. That is when I decided to change course and pursue the art librarianship path and I have not looked back since.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

I love that everyone is so welcoming. As a newbie to the profession, it is comforting to know that I am not alone and that there are other people that I can chat with going through the same things issues and challenges.

I am also so appreciative of NMRT and the opportunities to learn and meet people. I was the 2015 Shirley Olofson award recipient to attend ALA Annual in San Francisco. There I was not only able to serve on committees but also continue to build my network which is crucial for new librarians.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

I hope other new members keep an eye out and take advantage of opportunities to attend events and apply for awards. As much face-to-face time you get with people as a new librarian in the profession the better. Take advantage of the NMRT local socials. There are some incredible people in NMRT and the profession. Get to know them.