NMRT Notes

The ALA New Members Round Table is looking for committee volunteers for 2014-2015!  Appointed committee members will have terms beginning on July 1, 2014, and ending on June 30, 2015. You must be a dues-paying member of NMRT to serve on a committee.

Many NMRT committees do not require conference attendance, but please note that for some, attendance at the Midwinter Meeting and/or Annual Conference is expected.

As some committees fill up quickly, we recommend selecting all committees you are interested in being appointed to. If you are interested in multiple committees, please rank them in order of your preference. Detailed descriptions of committee work and responsibilities can be found at http://wikis.ala.org/nmrt/index.php/Section_4:_Committees

Offers to serve as member or chair of committees will start going out in late April/early May.

If you are interested in serving, please complete the NMRT volunteer form at http://www.ala.org/nmrt/nmrt-committee-volunteer-form

Please contact Megan Hodge directly (mlhodge@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Today’s 2014 Election post is by Sari Feldman, Candidate for ALA President.

The future of ALA is contingent upon a commitment to strong leadership development and member engagement. ALA must develop leaders able to take libraries into the future. The New Member Round Table is doing important work to better connect those new to the association and the library profession with the wide variety of opportunities that ALA provides.

ENGAGEMENT

As ALA president, I will support and sponsor initiatives that promote engagement with a special focus on leadership development. We cannot underestimate the value that ALA provides as a forum for learning and growing in the profession. ALA profoundly shaped my own professional development at critical stages throughout my career. Early on, ALA provided key leadership development opportunities that enhanced my professional skills. ALA became the place where I could share ideas with colleagues and learn about best practices.

I place a high value on engaging our members at all points in their careers. We need our members to understand the critical role they play in our advocacy efforts. I will work to help members see the ways in which their contributions are essential to the ongoing success of a future-focused, financially stable ALA.

DIVERSITY

Beyond engaging our members, it is crucial that we do more to attract a diverse group of library professionals and supporters to lead our organization. The key to building diversity in any organization is to foster a collaborative and inclusive culture. Part of creating that kind of culture is effective communication; the other part involves becoming comfortable with and adept at change. The fact of the matter is that we need to do more across ALA to communicate the broad changes in our profession and to encourage innovators and entrepreneurs to join us in the workforce and the Association.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

I want to ensure that the sense of community that ALA provides is sustained for generations to come, so it is imperative that we address the financial challenges affecting the Association. My ability to identify new revenue streams and increase fund development to ensure financial sustainability is an essential leadership skill that I will apply.

I hold a broad perspective on the critical issues affecting libraries of all kinds. In addition to my leadership experience in public libraries, I have served as an adjunct faculty member at Syracuse University for more than 20 years and co-authored articles on topics ranging from early literacy to broadband access. As ALA president, I will bring the necessary vision, talent and commitment to lead our Association into the future.

Today’s 2014 Election post comes from Maggie Farrell, Candidate for ALA President.

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my candidacy for ALA President Elect with the New Members Round Table.  NMRT performs a critical function within ALA by introducing librarians and library workers to ALA and quickly getting them involved in activities that advance the association.  I would be honored to work with you to be an advocate for libraries and to communicate the power of libraries in strengthening our society.

As President, my focus will be to evaluate the progress on our ALA 2015 Strategic Plan in order to develop the next plan that will include advocating for libraries and library issues, protecting intellectual freedom, promoting diversity, and creating a sustainable, fiscally responsible and efficient operation.  I will lead us forward in a way that strengthens our libraries, engages our members, and continues to promote our value to society and the world.  This requires a diversity of voices and inclusion of the full membership to develop a new plan of action.   I hope NMRT is deeply involved in this effort to ensure that our association provides pathways for new members to be engaged and that ALA is connecting in meaningful ways with librarians and library workers.

Please contact me if you have questions regarding my qualifications and vision at www.maggiefarrell.com or Facebook “Maggie Farrell for ALA President.”  Thank you for your service to NMRT and ALA.  I ask for your vote.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting information related to the 2014 Election Information. The first post addresses the proposed NMRT dues increase. Kari Weaver, NMRT Member Services Director breaks down the issue.

Where Were You in 1986?

Enjoying a Popsicle from the ice cream truck? Perfecting your Janet Jackson dance moves? Getting over your first crush? In 1986, NMRT was there waiting for you to discover your passion for librarianship and grow into a new professional.

Since 1986, many things have changed:

But others have not:

Cost of NMRT Membership        1986   $10                                               2013       $10

This means in real dollars, NMRT today has only $4.78 from each member to provide the services including Resume Review, Mentoring, Travel Grants and the professional development opportunities that have helped you engage with ALA and colleagues as a new professional.

We need your help. We are asking you to vote “Yes” on increasing NMRT membership dues. The dues increase will be as follows:

Student NMRT Membership……………$10

Personal NMRT Membership………….$15

Alumni NMRT Membership…………….$20

Corporate NMRT Membership…………….$50

Though we know nobody likes to see prices rise, this small increase will allow NMRT to continue offering the services you have enjoyed now and for future generations of librarians. You have moved beyond 1986, please help NMRT do the same.

*All consumer pricing information provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. For more information, see http://www.bls.gov/cpi/.

The NMRT Executive Board is pleased to announce the two proposed NMRT Projects have been accepted by the Emerging Leaders program* and were selected by 2014 Emerging Leaders! The Emerging Leaders get to select a project that interests them and are then separated into teams to complete the project for a division or round table within ALA. Each NMRT team will be supported by a Member Guide and the NMRT Staff Liaison, Kimberly Redd.

Team I will create a New Members Round Table Membership promotion video. Team I includes:

• Tameca Beckett
• Tegan Davis
• Laura Miller
• Shawn Walsh
• Andrea Mullarkey, NMRT Member Guide

Team J will work on the development and marketing of NMRT-branded merchandise.  Team J includes:

• Laura Arnhold
• Erin Berman
• Erin Huffman
• Kate Tkacik, NMRT-sponsored 2014 Emerging Leader
• Margaret Howard, NMRT Member Guide

Congratulations to the Emerging Leaders, and good luck on the projects. We are all very excited to see what you come up with!

*The Emerging Leaders program enables newer librarians from across the country to participate in workgroups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA’s structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity.