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.
Exciting news! Our latest release of Endnotes is now available for you to view: https://journals.ala.org/index.php/endnotes
Congratulations to all of our contributors and big thanks to all of those who serve on the Endnotes Committee!
The weather was unusually cold and icy in Baltimore, Maryland, as we all made our way into the expansive convention center, ready for a day of meeting new people and getting to work. Although each of us had flown in from different states, we now all sat at the same table, decorated with a large picture of a giraffe. We were the emerging leaders’ team G, assigned to work on a project for the New Members Round Table.
As we engaged in icebreakers, leadership and personality tests, and initial planning and brainstorming sessions, we found ways to complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We formed an idea of how to accomplish our goals over the next several months. Our tasks included publishing five new informational videos, launching a new biannual newsletter, making a poster to present at the ALA annual conference in San Diego, and creating a report, blog post, and video detailing our experiences along the way.
We discussed the tools and skills we could each bring to benefit the team and set up monthly meetings. At each check-in, we progressed, falling into a rhythm of scripting, storyboarding, recording, and editing the videos. Stella wrote the scripts, and everyone provided feedback. Tynisha and Annmarie took on alternating roles of storyboarding and recording the scripts, while Kate did the daunting task of screen recording and editing the videos. This rhythm was somewhat interrupted when ALA completely redesigned its website in the middle of our project. Luckily, we were able to adjust the videos we had already finished and pivot to focusing on the newsletter while the dust settled.
For the newsletter, we considered the visual appeal, minimalist design, and the aspects of NMRT programming and participation that would best be highlighted in the inaugural issue. In conversation with the NMRT leadership and communications teams, we decided to focus on three main areas: spotlighting current members, upcoming events, and critical NMRT services. We ended up including a welcome from the current NMRT president, Julie Gabb, as well as upcoming event articles, NMRT benefit highlights like the resume review service, a feature page on the NMRT Member of the Month, Carissa Neary, and an advertisement for the new informational videos we created a part of this project.
As ALA San Diego approached, we decided to meet more frequently. Over the months, everyone has been supportive and accommodating as we each navigate our own lives and full-time jobs and meet the demands of this project. We hope that the materials we have created will help new librarians find the resources and communities they need to thrive as part of ALA. We want our work to be informational and inviting, to welcome students and professionals into the world of librarianship. Everything has been set up to be easily continued, even after our time as team G has ended. We each learned and gained so much from this experience, which we hope can be shared with those who engage with the things we worked so hard to create.
The NMRT 2024 Emerging Leaders:
Annmarie Magurany – magurany@uchc.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Annmarie Magurany is the Interlibrary Loan Librarian at the University of Connecticut Health Sciences Library in Farmington, CT, where she is the leader of the Interlibrary Loan Department. She Co-Chairs the Connecticut Academic Library Conference. Previously, Annmarie was a reference librarian at the University of Hartford, where she taught classes to first- and second-year students on navigating the library’s resources.
Stella Hudson – stellahhudson@gmail.com
Pronouns: she/her
Stella Hudson is the Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian at American University in Washington, DC. She is part of the Research, Teaching, and Learning team serving the College of Arts and Sciences and oversees all instruction, research assistance, honors programming, and collection development efforts in her assigned areas. She previously served as the social science and Assessment Librarian at Wheaton College, Massachusetts.
Tynisha Dungey – tdungey@willard.lib.mi.us
Pronouns: she/her
Tynisha Dungey is the Director of Youth Services and Community Engagement at Willard Public Library in Battle Creek, Michigan. Tynisha leads a team of three Youth Services librarians and two clerical staff. She oversees all youth programming collection development, provides budgetary oversight, and coordinates all of the library’s community engagement initiatives. Her current initiatives are training all Youth Services staff in the Science of Reading, continued diversification of the children’s print collection, and adapting services to meet the needs of library patrons.
Katherine (Kate) McNally Carter – kmcarter@uh.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Kate McNally Carter is the Open Educational Resources Librarian at the University of Houston Libraries. In her role, she works with the Head of Open Education Services, Ariana Santiago, to support instructors in the adoption, adaptation, and creation of OER in order to meet teaching and learning needs and advance the University’s student success goals. Prior to joining UH Libraries, she previously worked as a Research & Instruction Librarian at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
ALA Annual is almost here! Please check out the interactive map that the Local Arrangements Committee put together for the conference in San Diego. Hope to see you at Annual!
Attending the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego on June 27-July 2 2024? New Members Round Table will be at the conference, hosting conference sessions and events throughout the weekend. To narrow down your schedule, here’s a complete listing of all of the NMRT events. You can find out more details using the ALA Conference Scheduler and selecting “NMRT” as the Sponsoring Unit.
Friday June 28 2024
Beyond the Books: Decoding the Application and Interview Process for Public, Academic, and Special Libraries
9:00am-12:00pm, San Diego Convention Center, Room 29, A B C
TICKETED EVENT
In Beyond the Books: Decoding the Application and Interview Process for Public, Academic, and Special Libraries, 4 experts from various library sectors will present on best practices to navigate through the job search journey in their sector, with time for Q&A after each presentation. The last segment of the preconference will break into small groups for interview practice and coaching from representatives of each library type. Whether you are a LIS student, early career library professional, or someone wanting to make a switch in your career, you will step away from this preconference with insight and resources to pursue your goal of landing a library position.
NMRT Conference Orientation
1:30-3:00pm, San Diego Convention Center, Room 29, A B C
New to ALA or the Annual Conference? Join the New Members Round Table (NMRT) for an introduction to the conference, ALA, and San Diego. Learn about the exhibit hall, network with peers, find out how to get involved in ALA and NMRT. A panel of experienced conference attendees, locals, and leaders within ALA will provide tips and tricks and answer your questions about the conference, ALA, and San Diego.
Saturday June 29 2024
NMRT President’s Program: Protecting the Right to Read in Challenging Times
1:00-2:00pm, San Diego Convention Center, Room 4
How do you defend a book or a collection subject to removal when facing this challenging situation for the first time? How can you approach your first patron complaint about a children’s book being inappropriate for its current placement? This session will have a presentation and panel discussion featuring representatives of the Office of Intellectual Freedom, the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, and a community member who chose to fight back against book censorship. After this session, you will leave with actionable steps you can take to address intellectual freedom and book ban threats, and resources to support yourself.
Sunday June 30 2024
NMRT Executive Board
8:30-10:00am, San Diego Convention Center, Room 14 A
The New Members Round Table (NMRT) will host its annual conference meeting of the Executive Board. This meeting is open to everyone.
NMRT Annual Social
5:00-7:00pm, Marriott Marquis, Grand Ballroom, Section 1
New Members Round Table (NMRT) and the Sustain Round Table (SustainRT) are co-hosting the annual social. Come enjoy some refreshments while NMRT recognizes recipients of the NMRT Professional Development Grant, the Shirley Olofson Memorial Award, the Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award, and the Student Chapter of the Year Award, and SustainRT recognizes recipients of the Citation for Wellness in the Workplace Award and the New Voices in Sustainability Award! Join your colleagues to network, socialize, and celebrate this year’s winners in a relaxed and fun environment. After, join GameRT, RUSA, & NMRT for the Annual Trivia Championship!
ALA Trivia Championship
7:00-9:00pm, Marriott Marquis, Grand Ballroom, Section 5
TICKETED EVENT
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.
By Margaret Bates, Research and Instruction Librarian, University of Alabama Libraries
Conference season is upon us with ALA Annual taking place in San Diego from June 27-July 2. Conferences can be intimidating for first time attendees, especially large conferences like ALA. Here are some Dos and Don’ts, and some tips, for first (or second!) time attendees.
DO: Check the program ahead of time
Find breakout sessions that sound interesting to you or your institution and note when meals and breaks are scheduled.
DON’T: Disregard locations
In bigger conferences like ALA, different sessions and speakers may be scheduled across the conference center. Take note of the locations of sessions you want to attend and try to get strategic about planning to attend events near each other.
DO: Attend the conference orientation
These orientations are usually optional events on the first day of the conference. These orientations are a great way to meet other first-time attendees. They also can help you understand the conference program, the layout, and they may have more useful tips and tricks than what you found here.
DON’T: Be a wallflower
Networking can feel tedious and intimidating, but remember that everyone who attends a conference is there to learn new things and meet people! Usually there will be Meet & Greets and mixers scheduled throughout the conference. Try and attend at least a few. These are also where those first-time orientations can come in handy, as you might find people you have already met, who can introduce you to more people.
DO: Be engaged
You get out of a conference what you put into it, make sure to bring a notebook or laptop or tablet to take notes. If you are an audio learner ask the moderator or presenter if you can record the session for personal use.
DON’T: Ignore your limits
Conferences can feel like a marathon. Although they can be super exciting for first timers, make sure you also take time to rest and absorb what you’ve learned. Make sure you are eating and sleeping enough and bring comfortable shoes to change into if you are attending a large conference (like ALA).
DO: Take home what you learned
Not every session you attended may be perfectly applicable to your institution, but think of the broader concepts and ideas and brainstorm how you can take something you learned at the conference and develop or improve something for your users.
DON’T: Be a stranger
One of the best parts of conferences is meeting people in your profession from all over the country. If you make a connection during a conference, keep in contact! These people may be great resources for co-authors, co-presenters, or external reviewers. Or they may have great ideas to help you get something started or improved at your institution.
DO: Consider starting ALA Annual off strong by attending our preconference
New Members Round Table will be hosting a preconference focusing on the job application and interview process for public, academic, and special libraries on Friday June 28, 9a-12p. NMRT members and student members can register for a discounted rate. For more information about the session, please see below.
You can register for the preconference session and ALA Annual by visiting https://2024.alaannual.org/registration/rates-and-registration. Hope to see you there!
REMEMBER: NMRT will be present at ALA to help you navigate your first time. Take advantage of this resource to make sure you get the most out of your conference attendance!
What other questions/advice do you have for first-time conference attendees?
Congratulations to our two winners of the Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award!
Theresa Bruce
Certified Library Media Specialist at KIPP Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland
Library/Archives Specialist IV at RAND Archives and a Library Science student at the University of Alabama
Congratulations to our 2024 Student Chapter of the Year Award Winner: San Jose State University i-School (SJSU)! The chair of this chapter is Briana Morales.
The school offers students who take the required course INFO 200 a one-year membership to a professional organization. They measure activity by new ALA membership, event attendance, and social media interactions.
On behalf of NMRT, the Student Chapter of the Year Award (SCTOYA) Committee would like to congratulate this year’s winner, the San Jose State University (SJSU) iSchool. The committee was especially impressed with the iSchool’s support of students’ professional development endeavors. You can read more about SJSU’s ALA Student Chapter (ALASC) here.
Congratulations to our NMRT Shirley Olofson Memorial Award recipient!
Rachel Games is the Library Media Specialist at Yukon High School in Yukon, Oklahoma.
New Members Round Table will be hosting a preconference focusing on job searching for public, academic, and special libraries. NMRT members and student members can register for a discounted rate. For more information about the session, please see below.
You can register for the preconference session and ALA Annual by visiting https://2024.alaannual.org/registration/rates-and-registration. Hope to see you there!
