Scholarship to Attend ALA Annual Conference - Apply by April 6

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) has opened applications for the 2012 Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship, which will enable a library school student or new professional to attend ALA’s 2012 Annual Conference, held June 21-26 in Anaheim, Calif.

The goal of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship is to advance two principles that Conable held dear: intellectual freedom and mentorship.  The scholarship provides for conference registration, transportation, housing for six nights and six days per diem. In return, the recipient will be expected to attend various FTRF and other intellectual freedom meetings and events at the conference, consult with a mentor/board member and present a report about their experiences.  The recipient also will be invited, although not required, to provide daily updates about his or her experience on the Freedom to Read Foundation blog.

The deadline for submitting an application for the 2012 Conable Scholarship is Friday, April 6; the award will be announced in May.

Who is eligible: Students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree programor an AASL-recognized master’s programs in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving a library school degree) are eligible to receive the Conable Scholarship. Those interested must submit an application that includes two references and an essay detailing their interest in intellectual freedom issues. Applicants also are required to attach a résumé. If the recipient is already registered for ALA’s Annual Conference, he or she will have the conference fee refunded.

To apply for the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship, visit www.ftrf.org. For more information, please contact Jonathan Kelley at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4226 or jokelley@ala.org.

New Academic Librarians - SELA Call for Papers

SELA UCLS New Voices Program

Are you new to the profession and looking for the perfect venue to present and publish your research?

If you answered yes, then New Voices wants to hear from you! New Voices is an opportunity for new librarians to present and publish their ideas and perspectives on current library issues.

The University and College Section of the Southeastern Library Association will be selecting one librarian to present a paper at the upcoming GLA/SELA Conference. The winning paper will also be published in the SELA journal, The Southeastern Librarian.

What: Paper to be presented at the 2012 joint Georgia Library Association /Southeastern Library Association conference and published in The Southeastern Librarian

Theme: A current library issue of interest to the academic library community

Who: Professionally employed librarians with less than five years of experience. MUST be able to attend and present paper at the conference

When: October 3-5, 2012

Where: Macon, Georgia at the Macon Marriott City Center Hotel

Deadline: Completed papers MUST be received by May 3, 2012

Winning paper receives $150 honorarium sponsored by EBSCO

Please submit your paper and/or inquiries to Deana Groves, SELA UCLS Chair, at deana.groves@wku.edu

Great time at Columbia brunch!

Thanks for the wonderful turnout at DiPrato's last weekend!

The next brunch is scheduled for Florence-area librarians, Saturday April 28, 10:30 am, location TBA.  Don't miss it!

Opportunities: Columbia NMRT brunch, LIBRIS Conference, & ALA-NMRT

Don't forget about our NMRT Columbia brunch at DiPrato's on Saturday, February 25th at 10:30.  Please let me know by the preceding Thursday if you can attend (e-mail Amber at aconger at myrcpl dot com).  Dutch-treat and informal, come enjoy a fabulous meal in the company of fellow new librarians in the Columbia area.

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The SC LIBRIS (LIbrary Resources and Information Sharing) conference planners seek session presenters for the May 11, 2012 event at Francis Marion University.  I checked out the requested presentation subject areas and they are quite broad, so if you are interested in a regional presentation opportunity, I'll bet your topic of interest would fit their guidelines.  See http://sclibris.org/conference-program.html for proposal submission details.

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Lastly, the ALA-NMRT is seeking volunteers for 2012-2013 committee appointments. 
- Committee information:  http://www.ala.org/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm
- Detailed descriptions of committee work and responsibilities:  http://wikis.ala.org/nmrt/index.php/Section_4:_Committees
- ALA-NMRT volunteer form:  http://www.ala.org/nmrt/nmrt-committee-volunteer-form
- Contact Janel Kinlaw with questions, jkinlaw@npr.org

NMRT Networking Brunch - February 25!

Join us on Saturday, February 25 at 10:30 am at the delectable DiPrato’s Delicatessen in Columbia!  Meet fellow librarians and NMRT members for conversation and delicious brunch.    This is a relaxed event for NMRT members to connect with other librarians, discover possibilities for collaboration, learn more about opportunities within SCLA, and make new friends. 

Brunch is informal and dutch treat.  See the DiPrato’s website for their menu and directions.

Please RSVP by Thursday, February 23 if you plan to attend; e-mail aconger at myrcpl dot com.  Hope to see you there! 

* NMRT officers will also be hosting brunches in the upstate, lowcountry, and Pee Dee regions; dates and locations will be announced throughout the year. 

February 25: Save the Date!

Have you renewed your membership yet? 

SCLA has changed the terms of enrollment, and beginning January 1, 2012, all memberships will be valid for an entire year from the date of enrollment.  Prior to this year, memberships expired at the end of the calendar year.  This is a terrific change that will allow all of us to get the most out of our membership dues.  When you renew, please remember to mark NMRT on your application!  Renew online at http://scla.org/content/join-scla

Columbia-area librarians:  save the date!   On Saturday, February 25, we will be holding the first of four NMRT networking brunches to be held across the state.  I'll be back soon with details!

New Librarians Global Connection Webinars

“New Librarians Global Connection: best practices, models and recommendations“

“New Librarians Global Connection: best practices, models and recommendations“ is a new series of free quarterly webinars on issues of interest to new librarians, models of library associations and library schools working with new professionals, and groups by and for librarians. The free webinars are presented by IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning  and IFLA New Professionals Special Interest Group in partnership with ALA.

Below, the date and time of the first webinar. Save the date!

January 17, 2011

2:00 p.m. CST
3:00 p.m. EST
8:00 p.m. CET
7:00 a.m. EDT (next day)

Instructions for Registration: Coming soon!

Speakers:

Dr. Alex Byrne, New South Wales State Librarian and Chief Executive of the State Library NSW in Australia. IFLA President 2005-2007. Highlighting the topics: LIS school curriculum, gained skills and degrees vs. “the reality” at work. Bridging the gap between theory and practice. How to deal with generational differences at work?

Janice Lachance, J.D., CEO of the Special Libraries Association. Featuring a model of a library association’s work with new professionals in various regions of the globe.

JP Porcaro, Head of Library Acquisitions and Technological Discovery at New Jersey City University. Co-founder of ALA Think Tank, and originator of the Make It Happen philosophy for librarians. Featuring a group by and for librarians.

Future webinars

Speakers featured in upcoming webinars include:
Kay Raseroka, IFLA President 2003-2005
Maureen Sullivan, ALA President Elect
Barbara Ford, Director, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, ALA President 1997-1998
Jukka Pennanen and Mace Ojala, Cycling for Libraries
Rachel Bickley, LIS New Professionals Network

The series explore useful topics to help new professionals at various stages of their career, including:

·         LIS school curriculum, gained skills and degrees vs. “the reality” at work. Bridging the gap between theory and practice. How to deal with generational differences at work?

·         Mentoring and best practices including pros and cons of different approaches like peer-to-peer, and classical mentor-mentee relationships.

·         How to develop leadership skills as a new professional: programs, mentoring, learning by doing. Working abroad, leaving your home country.

·         Continuing Professional Development for new professionals, how to stay up to date from the very start even if conditions at work (funding/permission to attend conferences, support with writing articles, etc.) are not the best.

The webinars will be recorded and made available at a later date. For more information and updates: http://npsig.wordpress.com/webinars/

Questions and requests for information:
Loida Garcia-Febo
Coordinator of the series
loidagarciafebo@gmail.com