NMRT Member of the Month Spotlight: Carissa Neary

Posted on February 16, 2024 by nmrtsecretary

Our newest NMRT Member of the Month is Carissa Neary! Carissa is the Development Manager at New Castle Public Library, New Castle, PA. Many thanks to Carissa for taking the time to answer some questions about her role, NMRT, and advice for new librarians.

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

I love how much of an impact the local library has on the community. In my youth, I frequented the library a lot with my family enjoying the program especially with the visits from the dogs. After my teens, I primarily only utilized the library for my collegiate studies. Since starting to work at the library, I have come to greatly appreciate the services, resources, and programs offered along with the positive impact made on the community.

What got you interested in libraries?

I have had multiple positions in libraries and am really excited to be back at one. In college, I worked in the library at the circulation desk assisting students with research and filing their needed materials. After college, I worked as a long-term building substitute in a middle school (grades 6-8).

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

My favorite thing about NMRT is the welcoming, engaging community. I appreciate the support offered by the community forum and discussions.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

While I do not work directly in the service side of the library, I see many aspects and opportunities for growth and development of the library. I think it’s important for new librarians to be comfortable with trying out new ideas to engage with the community.

Do you know an outstanding librarian or librarian-in-training? Submit a nomination using our online form. Self-nominations welcome!

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Black History Month: Resources, Collections, and Events

Posted on February 9, 2024 by nmrtsecretary

By Margaret Bates, Research and Instruction Librarian, University of Alabama Libraries

February is Black History Month! The theme for 2024 is African Americans and the Arts. Here are some resources to help highlight different Black writers, artists, and movements at your library.

National Museum of African American History and Culture: The NMAAHC has curated an online collection including gallery tours, reading lists, exhibition highlights, and social media material. Make sure to check out their collection on the Black Women’s Literary Renaissance of the 1970s!

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History: is hosting virtual events all February covering different aspects of the theme African Americans and the Arts. On February 15th they’ll be hosting an evening talk about the Impact of the Arts in the Gullah Geechee Community!

The Smithsonian Institution: has events dedicated to Black History Month, some in person and some virtual, as well as lists of resources, online exhibitions, and a list of Black History Exhibits from its many museums. Check out the virtual exhibit from the Postal Museum, “The Black Experience.”

Penguin Random House: has released a list of featured speakers, including Nicola Yoon, a National Book award finalist and NYT bestselling author, and Percival Everett, a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. They have also published a Books for Black History Month reading list.

The American Association of School Librarians: has a helpful Black History Month Page with many resources and lesson plans on how to engage with learners and patrons on Black History Month.

Check out the ALA Advocacy page to support authors of banned books and advocate for building diverse collections.

The first week of February (2/2-2/10) is Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week. Check out the 2023 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Honors and Winners to highlight in your collections.

How is your library going to celebrate Black History Month? Are there any resources we missed?

In addition to Black History Month, here are some other holidays and observances for February that your library may want to keep in mind.

February is National Library Lovers Month; how do your patrons love the library?!

February 2 – National Wear Red Day to raise awareness for heart disease

February 2 – Groundhog Day

The Library of Congress has a short information blogpost about the origins of Groundhog day. Did you know it originated with the Celts?

February 7 – World Read Aloud Day

LitWorld has tons of Resources and Activities from live events, virtual bookshelves, booklists, and activities.

February 10 – Lunar New Year

Penguin Random House has great selection of books for all ages by Asian Authors from all over the world.

February 11 – Superbowl Sunday

February 11-17 – Freelance Writers Appreciation Week

Check out the Freelance Solidarity Project to learn more about how you can support freelance writers.

February 14 is Valentine’s Day

Try setting up Blind Date with a Book at your library, or some other fun activity!

February 19 – President’s Day

February 20 – World Day of Social Justice

Advocate for your local library! Find out more at the ALA’s State and Local Advocacy Page.

February 29th – Leap Day!

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Call for Applications: Student Chapter of the Year Award

Posted on January 24, 2024 by nmrtsecretary

Has your chapter had an outstanding year? Has membership in your chapter increased? Did your chapter develop and provide opportunities for members to participate in interesting and rewarding activities? Has your chapter received any awards? Do you have outstanding officers or members who should be recognized nationally?

If you answered YES to these questions:

Apply for the New Members Round Table Student Chapter of the Year Award!

Purpose of the Award:

The Award is presented in recognition of a chapter’s outstanding contributions to the American Library Association, their library school, and the profession. All interested applicants must be accredited ALA Student Chapters.

The Student Chapter winner will receive $1,000.00 to help defray travel expenses to ALA Annual; the winning chapter and the runner up will each receive a certificate.

The winners and runner up will be recognized at the NMRT Student Reception at the 2024 ALA Annual Conference in San Diego, CA.

Application Process:

Please visit https://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/scotya for more information on the award and nomination form. If you have any questions, please contact committee chair, Dr. Michelle Osborne, michelle.osborne@gastongov.com.

Deadline: March 4, 2024

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Get to Know LibLearnX 2024

Posted on December 26, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Mary Kamela, University at Buffalo

Want to kick start 2024 with an opportunity for professional development and networking?  

Consider attending ALA’s LibLearnX in Baltimore, Maryland from January 19-22, 2024.  

LibLearnX, also known as the Library Learning Experience, is an innovative conference for information professionals of all types and at all career levels. The programming at LibLearnX (LLX) focuses on engaging, interactive programs and activities in four different categories: Accelerators (nontraditional learning experiences), Ideas Xchange (peer conversations on vital topics), Learning Labs (action-based learning), and ShopTalk (short presentations with practical takeaways). Participants will also have access to the LLX Marketplace and the opportunity to engage with exhibitors about technology, education, and more. You can find a full list of programs at LibLearnX 2024 here.   

LibLearnX celebrates librarians and books by presenting the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, the I Love My Librarian Award, and the ALA Youth Media Awards at the conference, and highlights important voices across the library world. Featured speakers at LLX 2024 include Michele Norris, Kate DiCamillo, Jesús Trejo, Antonia Hylton, Mia Armstrong, and George M. Johnson. LibLearnX will also host a mainstage panel featuring ALA President Emily Drabinski, as well as a panel session entitled “AI and Libraries: A Discussion on the Future.” 

In addition to conference programming, awards, and an excellent slate of speakers, ALA is also offering participants an opportunity to take part in community service through the ALA Gives Back program on January 19, 2024. Participants may register to volunteer for two Baltimore-based service activities with the Living Classrooms Foundation or the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Note: Currently, both community service opportunities are at capacity, but participants can add their name to a waitlist when registering.  

Can’t attend in person? LibLearnX offers the LLX Digital Experience, which includes an accessible, curated selection of virtual programming for online participants. You can find more information, including a list of Digital Experience sessions here.  

Have any other questions? Check out the LibLearnX 2024 website – https://2024.alaliblearnx.org/, especially their helpful FAQ page.  

Finally, to get a taste of LibLearnX, check out the recap video from last year’s conference! 

We’d love to hear from NMRT Members in the comments – have you ever attended LibLearnX? What speakers or programming would you be most interested to see at this (or a future!) LLX?

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New Members Round Table (NMRT) Service Could Be For You!

Posted on November 28, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

Are you looking to polish your resume OR are you interested in volunteering to review your colleagues’ resumes? Whether you need some resume assistance or want to provide this support as a volunteer, NMRT’s Resume Review Service may be for you!

I want to….
Have my resume reviewed!Serve as a resume reviewer!
Next step to have your resume reviewed:
Submit your resume/CV and a specific job description (if available) as an attachment to resumereviewnmrt@gmail.com 

OR

Fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/J8bX3bfejeaEj3x47

Please note only ALA members are eligible for this service. To become a member of ALA or check your membership status, contact ALA Membership services at membership@ala.org.		Next step to become a resume reviewer:
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!

If you have any questions about becoming a reviewer or having your resume reviewed, please contact our committee at resumereviewnmrt@gmail.com.

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NMRT Member of the Month

Posted on November 27, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

Want to highlight an exceptional member of the New Members Round Table? Consider nominating yourself, a colleague, or student member for NMRT Member of the Month! Members of the Month will be featured in a blog post spotlight on NMRT Notes. To nominate yourself or someone else, please use our Google Form: https://forms.gle/CNq19h9XcX34BEh49

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NMRT Member of the Month Spotlight: Jay Williams

Posted on November 15, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

Our newest NMRT Member of the Month is Jay Williams! Jay (who uses they/them pronouns) is a Graduate Assistant in the Library and Information Science program at the University of Denver. They were nominated by their NMRT mentor, Morgan Brickey-Jones of the University of Texas at Arlington, who writes:

headshot of Jay Williams
Jay Williams

“Jay is currently in their last few semesters of library school and has been my mentee for the past six months. I’ve enjoyed meeting with Jay so much and their passion for library work- specifically archival work, is inspiring. Jay always comes to our meetings with questions and is always so engaged and interested in different aspects of libraries and professional development. Jay is an involved member of NMRT and is involved in their ALA student chapter at DU. I’m so happy I got to meet Jay and am excited to see their journey in libraries continue!”

Jay took time out of their busy school and work schedule to answer our questions about libraries, NMRT, and their dream job:

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

Libraries are one of the places that is open and welcome to all. I currently work for some of the public libraries in the Denver metro area and I love seeing the variety of folks come in with whatever they need. Whether it’s kids coming to the library after school, a language tutor is teaching someone, or someone just needs some place inside to spend their day, we are always welcoming. 

It has opened my eyes to all the resources that are available, not just for entertainment, but financial, legal, and civic services that are offered that hardly anyone knows about. I love talking these up so people have the opportunity to get what they need.

If you’re a library student, what is your dream job?

Currently, I am on track for digital archiving. My dream is to digitize materials for marginalized communities to create further accessibility to these materials and communities. I am lucky that I am also a graduate assistant for the University of Denver and get to live out some of my dream right now! I am working with Dr. Ruohua Han at the University of Denver to study mobile digitization units and (separately) look at DU’s archives to understand the experience of Chinese students here. I’m really enjoying seeing the history of the area and possible ways that we can make it come alive. 

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

I love the people I get to meet all over the country that are interested in the exact thing I am! Sometimes it can be difficult to explain to family or friends what is so crucial about what I do, and having a network of peers who support me is pretty incredible. I’m a part of the mentor program, working with the great Morgan Brickley-Jones and the folks over at UTA to help me stay on track of my goals inside and outside of school. Overall, I think library students should join because there are some great resources that could benefit everyone.

Thank you to Jay for the interview, and Morgan for the nomination. We look forward to Jay’s contributions to librarianship and digital scholarship!

Do you know an outstanding librarian or librarian-in-training? Submit a nomination using our online form. Self-nominations welcome!

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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Posted on November 7, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS now until December 1st!

Professional Development Grant Award 

Would you like to attend this year’s ALA conference, but don’t have the means to do so? Apply for the NMRT Professional Development Grant award by 11:59 PM on December 1st, 2023. The award offers $3,000 to one person to offset costs and expenses to attend this year’s Annual Conference in San Diego, California on June 27-July 2, 2024. You must be a current ALA and NMRT member to apply. To join, visit the ALA website and follow the “Join ALA” link.

To apply, please visit https://tinyurl.com/professionalgrant. Applicants will be notified in February.

For questions, please contact the chair of the NMRT Awards Committee, Jennifir Huston: jhuston@sailsinc.org

Shirley Olofson Memorial Award

Would you like to attend this year’s ALA conference, but don’t have the means to do so? Apply for the Shirley Olofson Memorial award by 11:59 PM on December 1st, 2023. The award offers $1,000 to one person to offset costs and expenses to attend this year’s Annual Conference in San Diego, California on June 27-July 2, 2024. You must be a current ALA and NMRT member to apply. To join, visit the ALA website and follow the “Join ALA” link.

To apply, please visit https://tinyurl.com/shirleyolofson. Applicants will be notified in February.

For questions, please contact the chair of the NMRT Awards Committee, Jennifir Huston: jhuston@sailsinc.org

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Nominate an Outstanding NMRT Member for Member of the Month!

Posted on November 7, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

If you’d like to highlight an exceptional member of the New Members Round Table, please consider nominating yourself, a colleague, or student member for NMRT Member of the Month! Members of the Month will be featured in a blog post spotlight on NMRT Notes. To nominate yourself or someone else, please use our Google Form: https://forms.gle/CNq19h9XcX34BEh49. 

Questions about NMRT Member of the Month can be directed to nmrtnotes@gmail.com.

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Resources for NMRT Members

Posted on November 7, 2023 by nmrtsecretary

By Margaret Bates, Research and Instruction Librarian, University of Alabama Libraries

Are you finishing your degree, entering your first librarian role, or do you have a few years under your belt and want to help new librarians? The New Member Round Table has several resources to help you break into the field, adjust to your new position, and build connections.

Resume Review Service

            The Resume Review Service is available year-round with volunteers from all types of libraries and different specializations available to help spruce up your resume! You can send your resume and/or cover letter as an attachment to resumereviewnmrt@gmail.com or fill out the Google form. You will receive your resume, complete with comments and suggestions from your reviewer, within a month.

            The Resume Review Service is also available on-site to anyone attending ALA’s Annual Conference or Midwinter meeting.

Mentoring Program

            The NMRT Mentoring Committee sponsors the Mentoring Program to help newcomers to librarianship navigate their way in the profession. As a Mentor or Mentee, you can participate in:

  1. Career Mentoring: A year-round program to connect a newer librarian with a seasoned librarian for a mentoring relationship relating to career development in librarianship.
  2. Conference Mentoring: This program is designed to help first time attendees of the ALA Annual Conference feel at ease by paring them with seasoned conference attendees. Conference Mentoring participants can choose to extend into the Career Mentoring Program at their discretion. Applications for Conference Mentoring will reopen for the ALA Annual 2024.
  3. For guidelines on being a mentor or mentee, please see the Mentoring Guidelines.

Volunteer for a Committee!

Committee appointments last for one year, beginning at ALA Annual (June/July) and ending at the next ALA Annual Conference. You must be a dues paying member of NMRT to serve on a committee.

Many NMRT committees do not require conference attendance. The following committees require attendance at one or more conferences: Annual Social Committee (Annual Conference); Midwinter Social Committee (Midwinter Meeting); Orientation Committee (Midwinter and Annual Conferences); and Resume Review Service (Midwinter and Annual Conferences).

More Information about NMRT committees can be found here. Please note as well that members can only serve on up to three committees across all of ALA during any year.

Keep up with the latest information by reading NMRT Notes, the Blog of the New Members Round Table of ALA, and Endnotes: The Journal of the New Members Round Table.

Readers, let us hear from you in the comments!

  1. Are you on a committee?
  2. Are you/ have you been a mentor/ mentee?
  3. What other resources do you think new members should know about?
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