Call for Candidates for the 2024 NMRT Elections

Posted on October 31, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

The NMRT’s Nominating Committee is calling for nominees to run on the 2024 spring ballot for the following offices:

Vice-President – 3 year appointment (Vice-President / President / Past President)
Secretary – 1 year appointment
Networking Director – 2 year appointment
Outreach Director – 2 year appointment

Help lead NMRT into an exciting future! All interested parties wishing to submit names for nomination, please contact any of the following individuals via e-mail:

Jules Shore      7shore@gmail.com                 Nominating Committee Chair
Erica Knapp     ericaj.knapp@gmail.com     Nominating Committee Member
Annice Sevett    asevett@gmail.com             NMRT Past President

For more information on the positions and other Nominating Committee activities visit https://www.ala.org/rt/handbook

Please address any questions to Jules Shore (7shore@gmail.com) The deadline for nomination is November 12th.

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Call for Papers for Endnotes

Posted on October 16, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

On behalf of the American Library Association’s New Members Round Table (NMRT), the Endnotes Committee is pleased to announce the latest call for papers to Endnotes: The Journal of the New Members Round Table. Please feel free to pass this call along to your faculty, staff, and students who may have an interest in publishing with us.

About Endnotes

Endnotes is a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal that addresses issues faced by librarians. This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Endnotes accepts research and practitioner-based articles. Each edition of the journal will contain 2-3 scholarly articles written by members of NMRT, as well as website reviews and scholarly book reviews of titles relevant to new librarians. 

Endnotes’s aim is to work with new authors to produce quality scholarly articles and provide an understanding of the publication process. It welcomes submissions from LIS students, early-career professionals and researchers, and first-time writers. Endnotes encourages potential authors to consider their course research projects or affiliated institutional programs, surveys, and studies, and how they might convert these options into publishable journal articles, posters, or reviews. 

Guidelines for Submission

Articles should range from 2,000 to 6,000 words and be written by LIS students or early-career library professionals. Endnotes welcomes research papers, technical papers, conceptual papers, case studies, and literature reviews. More information on these types of articles is available in our complete submission guidelines. Authors must be members of NMRT.

Topics that might be appropriate for Endnotes include, but are not limited to: 

  • Graduate student research and projects
  • Early-career research and projects
  • Training and mentoring
  • Job searching or hiring
  • Developing leadership and management skills
  • Library instruction and assessment
  • Developing new collections or services
  • Working with specific community groups
  • Committee work and development – at your library or university, regionally or nationally
  • Reviews of new books or other educational materials such as websites

How to Submit

Please submit completed manuscripts to our electronic form.

Those interested in discussing an idea for an article are encouraged to contact the editors, Sarah Lerner and Emily Zerrenner, at nmrtendnotesjournal@gmail.com to determine if the proposed article fits the publication scope. 

Submission Timeline

Manuscript submissions are due no later than January 31, 2024. Initial responses to manuscript submissions are typically sent out a month after the submission deadline. If selected for peer review, reviewers are given two weeks to evaluate a submission. Typically, 2-4 weeks are given for manuscript revisions between each peer-review evaluation. The publication date for Endnotes issue 12.1 is tentatively set for June 30, 2024.

Paper ideas and manuscripts may be submitted outside of this timeline, but are not guaranteed publication in the 2024 issue. 


For more information about Endnotes, including complete submission guidelines and previous issues, please visit https://journals.ala.org/index.php/endnotes/. Please feel free to contact the Endnotes editors, Sarah Lerner and Emily Zerrenner, at nmrtendnotesjournal@gmail.com with any questions.

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The ABCs of ALA

Posted on October 5, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Mary Kamela, University at Buffalo

Get to Know ALA

As a new academic year gets underway, students across the country are learning their ABCs. At ALA, many new members may also need a refresher on the various acronyms that make up our organization. For anyone feeling like they’re stuck in a pot of alphabet soup, here’s a review of ALA’s overarching structure and acronyms you may encounter:

  • ALA – American Library Association, the oldest and largest library association in the world!
  • Divisions—Due to ALA’s size, the organization is broken down into divisions that focus on specific roles and library environments. These eight divisions include:
    • AASL—American Association of School Librarians
    • ALSC—Association for Library Service to Children
    • ACRL—Association of College and Research Libraries
    • Core—Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures
    • PLA—Public Library Association
    • RUSA—Reference and User Services
    • YALSA—Young Adult Library Services
  • Round Tables—Round Tables are groups created to address aspects of librarianship that don’t fall within the scope of any single division. Current round tables include:
    • CSKBART—Coretta  Scott King Book Awards Round Table
    • EMIERT—Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table
    • FMRT—Film and Media Round Table
    • GAMERT—Games and Gaming Round Table
    • GODORT—Government Documents Round Table
    • GNCRT—Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table
    • IFRT—Intellectual Freedom Round Table
    • IRRT—International Relations Round Table
    • LHRT—Library History Round Table
    • LIRT—Library Instruction Round Table
    • LRRT—Library Research Round Table
    • LSSRT—Library Support Staff Round Table
    • MAGIRT—Map and Geospatial Information Round Table
    • NMRT—New Members Round Table
    • RRT—Rainbow Round Table
    • RMRT—Retired Members Round Table
    • SRRT—Social Responsibilities Round Table

Members of ALA can opt to add Division and Round Table memberships of their choosing to their ALA membership; pro-rated dues apply.

So, I’m a member of New Members Round Table. Now what?

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re likely a member of New Members Round Table, or at least new to the profession or organization. Here are just a few of the opportunities available with your NMRT Membership.

  • Get Involved—NMRT members can get involved by joining one of our committees! These committees help our Round Table run efficiently and from conference planning to mentoring, there are committees for every interest! Go to https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/oversightgroups/comm to learn more about our committees.
  • Stay Connected—As a member of NMRT, you have access to our space on ALA Connect. Make sure you stay connected by turning on email notifications for the NMRT (New Members Round Table) group (found under Settings on ALA Connect). You can also follow NMRT on Twitter @alanmrt and stay up to date with our NMRT Notes blog.
  • Take Advantage of Professional Development Opportunities—NMRT offers many services to help new members navigate the profession. One is our Resume Review Service, which helps newer information professionals perfect their application materials. To help new members navigate ALA Annual, NMRT also hosts an annual conference orientation. Look for more information in 2024!

Want to get started right away? The Resume Review Service is also looking for volunteers to review resumes–volunteer now!

Still unsure about what to do with NMRT or whether or not to join? Check out this document from ALA.

Readers, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to sound off in the comments.

  • How has NMRT helped you?
  • What questions do you have about NMRT or Round Tables in general?
  • Is there any specific content you’d like to see highlighted on the blog this year?

Posted in Committees, Get to Know ALA, NMRT, Volunteering | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Open Call for Resume Reviewers

Posted on October 3, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

Help ALA members refine resumes, acclaim achievements, and solidify success!

The New Members Round Table Resume Review Service Committee is looking for volunteers to review resumes for our virtual review service. Reviewers should have at least 5 years of professional work experience and involvement in hiring or service on a search committee is a plus. We especially need reviewers from public, school, and subject/special libraries. 

If interested, please contact the NMRT Resume Review Service at resumereviewnmrt@gmail.com to volunteer!  

Please include the information listed below in the body of your email: 

Name:

Employer:

Job Title/Position:

Library Type:

Area of Specialization (i.e., reference, cataloging, archives, children’s, etc.):

E-mail address:

We always seek to match a reviewer with someone from the same library type and specialization!

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NMRT Conference Orientation for ALA 2023 – Friday June 23, 1:30pm

Posted on May 31, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

The New Members Round Table will be hosting its annual Conference Orientation on Friday, June 23 1:30-3:00pm in W187B at McCormick Place at the ALA 2023 Annual Conference. The orientation will include information about ALA and NMRT to orient new conference attendees, remarks from ALA and NMRT leadership, and a panel discussion about getting involved in ALA, conference tips, and information about Chicago from a local. Previous conference attendees are welcome to attend as well!

Posted in ALA Annual | Leave a comment

Job Resources for Librarians and Information Professionals

Posted on May 30, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Tristan Draper, DeKalb Public Library

Looking for a new job, or a first job, in the library field can be daunting. The application and interview process can often seem like an endless cycle. For new library workers with fewer professional connections, finding a job can feel impossible, but there are resources that can help you find jobs and ace your interviews. This blog post is intended to highlight a few of the many library and information science career resources that can help you in your job search.  

Exploring and Planning Career Paths

Whether you’re new to the library and information sciences field or interested in a career change, the below resources can help you learn about the wide variety of library careers.

  • The ALA offers information about library careers including education and financial help as well as career pathways: link to ALA Career Information
  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers information on a number of careers. The following link will direct you to the Library Occupation page, where you can find information on entry-level education requirements, wages, number of jobs, and job outlook in a variety of library related fields: link to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • Blogs and social media can also be a good place to find information about working in libraries directly from library workers. These resources can give you a better idea of the day to day work that people do in different library careers. Some examples include the I Need a Library Job Facebook group and the LIS Career Options LinkedIn Group.

Job Boards

Now that you have an idea of what career pathways exist in the library science field, it’s time to start the job search! But where to look first? Below are a few of the many job boards you can look at to find library jobs.

  • The ALA has a job board that features a variety of library and information science job postings that can be filtered by location, job function, and job type. This is not an exhaustive list of available jobs, but it is a good place to start: link to ALA Job List.
  • I Need a Library Job is a popular job board for information professionals. Users can search by keyword or location to find available jobs: link to INALJ.
  • USAJobs lists federal government jobs, and they are often hiring librarians and/or information professionals for a variety of roles. Make sure to research the application process before submitting your application, however, as there are important guidelines for applying: link to USA Jobs.
  • Lib Gig is another job board that focuses on library and information science jobs. Jobs can be filtered by location, job function, and other factors: link to Lib Gig.
  • In addition to the above job boards that are more general in scope, make sure to look at specialized job boards as well. Professional societies often host their own job boards.
  • Colleges and Universities often offer job assistance to current students and alumni. They also often have career resource pages that are available online to the general public. These pages can be valuable resources themselves, or help you find other resources.
  • Don’t forget to check local library consortiums, library vendors, and state and local library associations for job postings. Thinking creatively about your skill set can open up a wide variety of job opportunities both within and outside of the library field.

Resume and Cover Letter Help

Good news, you’ve found a few jobs that you’re interested in applying for! All that’s left to do is fill out the application. Below are a few resources you can use to help make your resume/CV and cover letter stand out.

Interview Help

Your application was successful and you’ve landed an interview. Not sure how to prepare, what to wear, or what questions might be asked? The below resources can help you out!

Hopefully, with these resources you can feel more confident in your job search. Remember to think creatively about the skills you already have and don’t be afraid to reach out to your connections and network to ask for help. Best of luck in your career planning and job search!

Posted in Communications Committee, Finding jobs | Leave a comment

ALA Annual Games & Gaming Round Table Events

Posted on May 15, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

If you’re attending ALA Annual 2023, stop by the Games & Gaming Round Table booth in the Graphic Novels & Gaming Pavilion! Pick up some resources about gaming collections and programming, geek out with us about your favorite games and fandoms, play a game, or grab a sticker! You can find GameRT at Booth 1319. For more information about GameRT at ALA, email gamert@ala.org.

GameRT is also hosting some epic programs this year! Here is the GameRT schedule of events:

ALA Play
June 23, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM (CT)

Location: Hilton Chicago, International North

The Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) is back at ALA with another incredible ALA Play session! Gamers of all stripes are invited to join us for this free event, enjoy an evening of awesome games, and meet up with other awesome people who aren’t afraid to let their geek flag fly. We will also be announcing the 2023 Game On! Grant recipient.

GameRT Board Meeting at ALA Annual
June 24, 1:00 PM – 02:00 PM (CT)

Location: Hyatt Regency McCormick, Huron

Meeting of the Games & Gaming Round Table Board. All GameRT members are welcome to attend board meetings. If you’re not a GameRT member and would like to learn more about GameRT, please join us at this ALA Annual Conference meeting. Meet the board members and committee teams, hear updates on GameRT initiatives, and ask questions. Agendas for board meetings are posted in the GameRT ALA Connect forum.

Gaming in School Libraries
June 24, 4:00 PM – 05:00 PM (CT)

Location: McCormick Place, W183b

Presenter: Carolyn Vibbert, NBCT (she/her/hers), School Librarian, Sudley Elementary

Learn more about gaming programs for school libraries.

GameRT President’s Program: Creating Role-Playing Games in the Library
June 25, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (CT)

Location: McCormick Place, W193

Learn how to run a game jam and create a role-playing game at your library.

ALA Trivia Championship
June 25, 7:00 PM – 09:00 PM (CT)

Location: Hyatt Regency McCormick, Grant Park ABC

It’s well known that librarians are the best at trivia, but who is the best of the best? Join us at this national championship cosponsored by GameRT, RUSA, and NMRT and compete for the title of “Reference Champions of America” in this team-based trivia event.

In addition to conference attendance, event tickets are required for this event. Purchase via conference registration or event scheduler. And if you missed the signup during conference registration, we’d still love to have you – tickets can be bought onsite!

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ALA Annual Conference: NMRT Events & Customized Google Map

Posted on May 4, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

ALA Annual 2023 in Chicago is right around the corner and NMRT Committees have been busy putting together resources and events related to the conference. Whether this is your first ALA Annual or you have attended before, the resources and events listed below are meant to assist you in having the best conference experience that you can.

To help attendees find conference hotels, session locations, great restaurants, and attractions to visit while in Chicago, the Annual Conference Local Information Committee created a
customized Google Map. The map, which can be found here, is sure to be useful in planning
your time in Chicago.

Throughout the conference, NMRT’s Resume Review Service Committee will offer its popular
Resume Review Service in the placement center. Stay tuned for more information about how to
register for an appointment to have your resume looked at by individuals with hiring experience. The service attempts to match up reviewer and reviewee by library type to ensure you get feedback specific to the type of library you work in or are looking to work in.

The first NMRT event planned for the Annual Conference is the NMRT Field Trip on Thursday, June 22 from 1-4 p.m. The NMRT Field Trip this year will consist of grabbing lunch and going on a walking tour of downtown Chicago. This ticketed event is sold out, but we look forward to a fun afternoon of exploring and networking for those attending.

NMRT’s Conference Orientation, geared towards first time conference attendees, will take place on Friday, June 23 from 1:30-3 p.m. This session will include information about ALA and NMRT, followed by a panel discussion about getting involved in ALA, conference tips, and information about Chicago from a local.

NMRT’s President’s Program is on Saturday, June 24 from 1-2 p.m. Titled “Preserving the Past, Providing Access and Anticipating Future Needs,” the session will feature presentations by three librarians who are doing innovative work with preservation, access and user experience.

The Executive Board will hold its meeting on Sunday, June 25 at 8:30 a.m. Executive Board
meetings are open to everyone and I encourage those interested in learning more about how
governance works in ALA’s round tables to attend.


On Sunday night, join NMRT for a night of networking and fun at the Annual Social from 5-7
p.m. at Pinstripes (435 E Illinois Street). The Annual Social is a great opportunity to meet
current and former NMRT members. NMRT’s award winners will be honored at this event.
We hope to see you at one or more of NMRT’s events during the ALA Annual Conference in
Chicago!

Posted in ALA Annual, NMRT President Program | Leave a comment

Five Simple Rules for Navigating a National Conference

Posted on May 1, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Mary Kamela, University at Buffalo

In March 2023, I attended my first national library conference: ACRL 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA. Although I was initially worried about the size of the conference and the number of programs, I found the experience to be very manageable, as well as fun and informative!

Here are some of my biggest tips for others embarking on their first large library conferences:

  • Be flexible – When a conference has its full program available online, it’s great to go in ahead of time and pre-select sessions that seem the most interesting to you. That being said, some of my best conference experiences have come from last-minute changes, whether I end up randomly selecting a different session or following an invite from a colleague to something out of my comfort zone.
  • Make connections early on – Of course, networking is valid at any point of a conference, but I found that, with a longer event like ACRL, socializing and networking in my earlier sessions really added to my experience. I was able to find friendly faces at later events or related sessions and build meaningful connections that will hopefully lead to future connections and collaborations.
  • Take a break – The David L. Convention Center in Pittsburgh is a beautiful building with plenty of indoor and outdoor space to relax. We were lucky enough to experience some early spring weather, so taking advantage of the roof deck with its views of the Allegheny River was a definite highlight. I also found secluded spaces inside to unwind with a book or my phone when needed. In addition to relaxing, also consider taking a snack break! ACRL offered excellent morning coffee and afternoon snacks, including ice cream bars! If you’re feeling restless, take a stroll around the exhibit area and meet some of the vendors.

View of the Allegheny River from an observation deck at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center

  • Don’t fall victim to FOMO – There’s no possible way to do everything you want to at ACRL or a similar conference, so go in with the mindset that you may not be able to do everything you plan to! After a long day of conferencing, an evening event might feel like simply too much to take on, or a planned session may get replaced with a long lunch with a colleague. It’s okay! You can always catch up with online materials or reach out to presenters if you’d like more information.
  • Take time to explore – If you’re at an in-person conference, make sure you’re taking time to venture out into the host city. In Pittsburgh, I visited the Heinz History Center, which featured an excellent Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood exhibit featuring sets and puppets from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. I also enjoyed some Pittsburgh cuisine—lots of sandwiches with French fries, pepperoni rolls, and, of course, Heinz ketchup! If you’re attending a virtual or hybrid conference, consider taking advantage of virtual connection options. At ACRL, I attended an online team trivia contest that was a fun way to connect with virtual and in-person attendees alike.
An exhibit about the history of Heinz Products at the Heinz History Center
King Friday XIII’s castle on display at the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood exhibit

We’d love to hear about your conference experiences. Let us know in the comments if you have any tips or anecdotes to share with the NMRT community. Enjoy your upcoming summer conference season!

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Professional Development: Beyond the Conference

Posted on April 19, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Laura Birkenhauer

When thinking about professional development, we most likely think of attending webinars, workshops, classes, and conferences, or reading trade and professional publications. But the options for professional learning extend far beyond these choices.

The NMRT Online Discussion Forum Committee asked NMRT members to share how they’re engaging in professional development, with a focus on unconventional approaches (Birkenhauer, 2023). Members shared virtual, internal and DIY options — both formal and informal — for growing as a professional.

Virtual Options

While a select number of opportunities for wider audiences have historically included virtual attendance options — for example, the ACRL ULS Academic Outreach Committee’s online roundtable discussions — more and more professional development offerings have been made available in hybrid and online formats in recent years. While online professional development options are hardly novel post-2020, NMRT members shared some intriguing possibilities you’ll want to consider for yourself.

Formal

NMRT member Clarissa Ihssen detailed their experience with the Great Lakes Science Boot Camp for Librarians and the flexibility afforded due to the fact it took place virtually. “I was able to have a couple days for professional development because they took place over the summer and were virtual, so my boss had no problem giving me that time. If you’re a science librarian (or looking at becoming a science librarian) I highly recommend trying to attend one!” (Ihssen, 2023).

Informal

Online options can also make casual professional conversations accommodating and budget-friendly. “I have really enjoyed the shift to virtual for some PD activities. It grants so much flexibility. I was recently invited to join a bi-monthly, informal, virtual discussion with other Student Success Librarians in the state of Ohio. What a terrific chance to network and learn from others – without having to pay anything for gas money” (Birkenhauer, 2023).

Internal Opportunities

Internal opportunities will vary by institution. May these suggestions inspire you to suggest, expand or lead something brand new at your organization.

Formal

As a method for encouraging professional development, libraries can maintain an online guide dedicated to professional development. “The Professional Development LibGuide for my organization recently began to list memberships for many of our librarians and staff in order to facilitate questions […] For example, you may see in the LibGuide list that a fellow librarian is a member of an ALA roundtable on a topic you’re interested in. You can then reach out and get more information directly from that individual” (Birkenhauer, 2023).

Informal

“Coffee hour” conversations on subjects of interest may be a draw to those looking to learn and connect with colleagues. These may look like a casual discussion over a caffeinated beverage, a presentation with slides, a hands-on workshop… or something else altogether!

DIY Professional Development

Another outside the box approach: do-it-yourself (DIY) professional development. This self-led strategy puts you in charge of your professional learning.

Formal

NMRT member Bithiah Brown engages in proactive cross-training. After first requesting permission from their manager, Brown shares “I have started to reach out to other areas in my department to request anything to enhance my skills. An example would be our social media department[.] I wanted hands-on experience in creating videos or reels. I was allowed to create a video with [the] Tiktok app and researched how to improve it. They liked it and shared it on our official account” (2023).

Informal

Social media is another avenue to explore for self-guided professional development. For example, an ALSC blog post by Chelsey Roos details the learning that can happen on TikTok (2023). Instagram is another platform that NMRT members may think of as a primarily personal tool, but accounts like @lifeoflibrarians share tools, techniques, experiences and insight from librarians in all areas of the field.

References

Birkenhauer, Laura. (2023, March 8). Online Discussion Forum March 2023 Topic: Professional Development. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/

Brown, Bithiah. (2023, March 4). Re: Online Discussion Forum March 2023 Topic: Professional Development. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/

Ihssen, Clarissa. (2023, March 8). Re: Online Discussion Forum March 2023 Topic: Professional Development. Message posted to https://connect.ala.org/nmrt/communities/community-home/

Roos, C. (2023, February 16). I Learned It on TikTok: Professional Development from an Unlikely Source. ALSC Blog. https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2023/02/i-learned-it-on-tiktok-professional-development-from-an-unlikely-source/

Posted in ALA Annual, NMRT Discussion | Leave a comment