What do you hope to accomplish as part of NMRT’s leadership?
As a member of leadership, I hope to be instrumental in providing opportunities for involvement and/or training for professional engagement on the national, state, and local levels.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
I am branch manager of the Gaston County Public Library, Stanley Branch and I enjoy mentoring my staff and empowering them to be future leaders.
What skills and/or experience would you bring to this position that would benefit NMRT and the profession overall?
I have 27 years of library experience and I have been a member of ALA for over 5 years. I am currently a Doctoral candidate at Gardner-Webb University in Organizational Leadership. My current leadership roles are chair of Student Chapter of the Year Award Committee and chair of the NMRT Nomination Committee.
(From the NMRT Membership Page) The New Members Round Table ( NMRT) provides a place for those members of the American Library Association (ALA) who are new to the library profession, new to ALA, or new to both. NMRT brings together people from all types and sizes of libraries and information centers, serving their diverse needs and interests as a gateway to the profession, pathfinder through ALA, and a stepping-stone to higher places. How would you support this in the role you applied for?
As a NMRT leader, I would look for opportunities to include diverse needs and interests through workshops and webinars.
What changes if any do you see need to happen for NMRT to make it more welcoming and inclusive to all?
I think NMRT is a great resource for new librarians. Integrating tools to network with others would be a great asset to the organization.
What changes if any do you see need to happen for NMRT to make it more welcoming and inclusive to all?
I would like to see more webinars and online professional development programs offered to the members of NMRT.
Presenting at conferences can be a rewarding opportunity. Whether it is at a state, regional or national level it is a great experience. With the arrival of Covid-19, many conferences moved to a virtual setting. This has allowed more people the opportunity to present, who may not normally be able to. Also presenting online may be less nerve wracking for presenters than standing in front of a group. So, what is the best way to get a topic accepted? How do you prepare once it has been accepted? What is the best way to work with co-presenters? Also, what are some differences presenting online rather than in person.
Getting a Topic Accepted
When thinking about presenting, first you need to find a conference that is looking for presenters. A good place to find these proposal calls are listservs. There are many listservs for various aspects of librarianships. Often when conference time comes around these will be flooded with calls for presenter proposals. You can check the websites of associations to see when the next conference is. When it gets a month or two from the conference, calls for proposals generally go out. However, they can be as early as 6 months away.
It is important to review these calls thoroughly. Hopeful presenters should make sure they have an idea that falls within their themes or guidelines. If there are such keywords, for example “metadata, diversity, or public services”, incorporate them into the proposal. Also make sure the proposal follows all guidelines and is a complete idea. This will help if it is to be accepted.
Also, investigate state and regional conferences. These are generally held at a different time of year from national conferences. They can be a good testing ground for a presentation that you might want to present nationally later. If the audience on the state and regional stage have questions or concerns about the presentation, use it. Address these concerns and edit your proposal for the national conference.
Preparing for a Presentation
Once the proposal is accepted then the work begins. Here different people have different methods. Some presenters pull in all the information and research they can find and sort it out later. Then they use their presentation as a guide to stay on topic. Some use the proposal as a starting point. Everyone has different research and writing methods. When presenting some presenters prefer to use scripts or outlines. These can help presenters keep on track and avoid awkward pauses filled with “um…”. However, others prefer to just wing it and go forward. Whichever way you present, if you can, make sure to have a run through or a practice session. Ask coworkers or family and friends if you can practice your presentation with them. During one such practice session, my family made a point to all be on their phones, talking and not paying attention. This was done so I could focus more on my presentation and not be distracted by what the audience was doing. It certainly helped me focus when it came to the actual presentation.
It is also important to stay true to your proposal and include the material that has been “promised” to attendees. For example, if your proposal is about the use of children’s books, do not create a presentation on World War 2 unless it ties into children’s books somehow. There have been many presentations in which the written description did not match the actual product and that can be disappointing to those attending.
Also, prepare to answer some questions afterward. Almost ever presentation session will have a few minutes for questions. It is important to know enough to answer some questions, but keep in mind it is also alright to say, “I don’t know”. It is impossible to predict everything people may ask you. Keep note of the questions and that way you can incorporate answers in future presentations or even into a paper if you so wish.
Working with Co-presenters
A presentation with co-presenters can have unique challenges. Above all communication and understanding are key. It is important to know who is covering what topic and how it ties into the overall presentation. Having an overall timeline can also be useful. That way everyone can keep on track and there will be a limited chance of surprises. This can all be done without appearing to be overbearing or micromanaging. Everyone of the group wants to do well and be a part. Let everyone agree on their part and the timeline and do not appear to “take over”. Also, understand that not everyone works the same or has the same process. You can not expect a coworker to think and work the exact same way as you. If there seems to be a problem, talk with them. Address the problem before getting too close to deadline time. That way if there is a problem, it can be fixed. Make sure that everyone can get together, either online or in person and run through the presentation several times. If you can, practice in front of a mock audience, like other coworkers. Also, make sure to have everyone’s notes and slides just in case something happens and someone can not make it.
Online vs. In Person
With the arrival of Covid-19 in 2020, many conferences moved to an online setting. This has allowed many people to present who would not be able to. Instead of traveling, finding a hotel, and going to a conference center, people can now present from home or work. However, that does not mean there are not some pitfalls with online conferences.
With online presenting one of the biggest challenges is the technology itself. Some committees and conferences will have a tech run through before the presentation day. Make sure to get on the platform at least once and become familiar with it. Find out important functions such as how to share the screen, record, etc. Also, it is important to test the audio and camera. If using the camera, make sure it is on your face and not over your head or on your neck. With the audio it is important that the audience can hear you, but at the same time you do not want to sound like you are shouting. The day of the presentation make sure to look in the camera and not at the screen. Your audience is of course the camera.
Online presenting can help those who are nervous standing up in front of an audience to present. It is much easier talking to a camera and screen than a room full of people. However, there is the downfall in that you cannot read your audience. There is no way to tell if you need to expand on a point or not. This is the same with the questions. There is no way to look at a person’s face and see if they understood the answer or not.
It is easy to get nervous about all the things that can go wrong or might happen with presenting. At the same time, it is very rewarding when they go right. By making a successful proposal, preparing well, and communicating with co-presenters, presenting becomes less fearful and more challenging. A challenge that can be very rewarding.
For anyone who could not attend ALA Midwinter or did not have the time to join NMRT for the orientation session, on behalf of the NMRT Orientation Committee, we are happy to provide you the slides from their presentation! Enjoy!
Lauren Puzier is the User Experience Librarian at the UAlbany Libraries. Her research interests include the incorporation of new and emerging technologies in higher education, user-centered and service design, and reference services. Previously, she was the Acting Head Librarian for the New York Library at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
(5-minute read)
Tech tools is a topic we like to revisit again and again because technology is continuously changing and there are always new tools and apps to test out. There are tools for everything from productivity, audio, communication, content creation and design, coding, automation, VR, video, etc. The NMRT Online Discussion Committee asked members what tools they have found useful in their work, at their library, or at home over the past year. Members shared tools they were interested in trying and which apps helped their daily workflow.
When it comes to productivity, PomoDone App helps get jobs done. “It is a little timer that uses the Pomodoro Time Management Method.” This is a method where you work for a set period, such as 20 minutes, and then take a 5-minute break. “You can customize it with sounds, and it can also be used to track tasks and time spent on specific projects/documents. It helps me stay on task.” (Puzier, 2021). Add it as a browser extension to quickly set the timer when you start working on a project.
Slack and Twist also made our list as beneficial for enhancing productivity. Twist is a collaboration tool for the workplace. It combines instant messaging, emails, and more into a clean workspace. It’s “great for organizing team communications and reducing the number of emails that I have to look at.” (Weingardt, 2021). Similarly, Slack is a collaboration tool that allows for easy messaging, the creation of channels (specific groups of people), and endless integrations. Slack features the ability to collaborate across institutions, allowing multiple synchronous conversations in one space. (Johnson, 2018, p. 148).
The rapid shift to working remotely over the past year may have increased emails resulting in unmanageable inboxes. McMurtry defined email overload as “the feeling of being overwhelmed by the constant flow of messages appearing in the inbox and the inability to manage the high volume of messages effectively” (2014, p. 31). If the volume of email in your inbox becomes overwhelming, our members found Unroll.me extremely useful. This app helps to streamline emails making it simple to flip through emails and organize them. “You can quickly unsubscribe from any subscription emails or choose to “rollup” emails that you’d like to read all together as a digest” (Birkenhauer, 2021). The popular service has just released an app making it even more convenient to declutter and manage emails.
A few members noted that a tool they plan to experiment with more: Google Jamboard. Google released Jamboard in 2017, and even if you do not have access to the official 55-inch screen, 4k, collaborative whiteboard, you can still create jamboards online with Google Suite (Sheppard, 2017, p. 80). Jamboard is an interactive whiteboard tool with several features allowing you to quickly pull images from the web, draw, add sticky notes, highlight, and more. It is ideal for brainstorming with others. This may be a good tool for those who are using G Suite already.
Puzier, L. (2021). Space Planning Jamboard [digital image]. UAlbany Libraries.
If you are using Google Slides, PowerPoint, teaching, or engaging with patrons, check out Pear Deck. “As an educator, I have been using Pear Deck to make my Google Slides presentations more interactive by adding questions. This has been particularly useful for remote teaching” (Weingardt, 2021). Pear Deck enhances Google Slides with formative assessments and interactive questions. Pear Deck can prompt your viewers to answer questions as you flip through a slide deck. It has been found to successfully create interactive asynchronous learning experiences for students working at their own pace and even for in-person sessions (Fulfer, 2020).
Tech tools are also helping catalogers. One member noted that Google Translate and Translate Box (iOS or Android) are fantastic tools when you need to do a quick translation. “I deal with a great deal of non-English materials, so I have to find ways to translate them, I can only read English. There are a few translator apps that I like to use. These have a camera function so you can take a picture of the book and it will translate the picture” (Dubose, 2021). Members agreed on the value of the Google Translate app, noting “Is this app perfect? No, but it often gives me just enough bibliographical information to do my job” (Cull, 2021).
Further recommendations included the Roman Numeral Converter. “I often forget my Roman numerals, and older rare books tend to use Roman numerals for publishing dates. I started using the Roman Numeral Converter. It is so handy” (Cull, 2021). Cataloging Calculator was also recommended. This tool helps catalogers figure out author cutters when creating call numbers.
Roman Numeral Convertor. (n.d.). Google Play. From https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cmgapps.android.numeralsconverter&hl=en_US&gl=US. Screenshot by author.
Airtable is a tool that was praised for project management not only at work but also at home. It is a cloud service described as a spread-sheet database hybrid lending itself to all types of projects and tasks. Airtable has many project templates so that you don’t have to start from scratch. One member shared that “For work (special library), we have a paid account. We use it as a digital repository for images, to keep track of events, scheduling, and organizing conferences. For my personal life, I use a free account to keep track of the courses I’ve taken and those I still need to take. I have a base where I input all the movies, tv shows, and books I’ve watched and read. I’ve also used it for calculating hours spent doing freelance work” (Darling, 2020).
Finally, a well-curated list of tech tools and apps called E-learning by Traci Parish was shared, “the author also accepts suggestions and comments for sites (including ones I have sent to her). I’ve tried (and continue to try) many of the things found here” (Rebar, 2020). The list is sorted by type making it easy to scan and discover new things. Categories include screen capture, authoring tools, image editors, and more. If you have any tech tools that have been helpful that were not mentioned here please leave a comment and let us know what has been working and what you would like to try.
Fulfer, W. (2020). StayCentred: Maintaining Personal Education at Centre College During COVID-19. Journal of Chemical Education, 97(9), 2783–2787. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00726
Hello, NMRT members and librarian friends! The time is almost near for ALA elections and voting. NMRT will be updating you about upcoming events and engagement opportunities with this year’s slate of ALA President candidates. Stay tuned to NMRT’s social media accounts for more information as things come down the pipeline!
If you would like to know the candidates a little better until then. Here are the ALA President candidates social media accounts!
Is this your first virtual conference? Are you looking to meet more librarians? Do you have questions about ALA, your professional journey, or librarianship? This is the place for you!
Join us this year at ALA Midwinter Virtual Meeting & Exhibits on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 9 to 10 AM. Use this link to access the meeting. Note that ALA student members and employees with reduced hours can register for Midwinter for FREE. We have put together a fun and interactive orientation session that will help you get your bearings: to the New Members Round Table (NMRT), to ALA, and to a virtual conference setting.
Our panel guests include Dani Cook, Vice-President of NMRT; Tina Coleman, ALA’s Membership Marketing Specialists and brings 20 years of experience with ALA membership and services; and Kim Redd, program manager at ALA who has all of the answers and is more than willing to share them!
The sooner you know what the NMRT has to offer, the sooner it can be a resource for navigating the first years of your career as an information professional.
For more information about this session and other virtual events not listed in the Midwinter Scheduler, click here.
Ms. Lear, Behavioral Sciences and Education Librarian at Penn State Harrisburg, has more than two decades of experience working in libraries, including the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., and the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. She deeply enjoys helping people and cites library interactions with children, formerly incarcerated persons, international students, LGBT students, military veterans, students with disabilities, and other diverse clientele as enriching her understanding of what college librarianship can be (and should be). In 2009-2010 and 2013-2014, Mrs. Lear was Chair of LHRT, and she served a third term in 2020-2021. From 2008 to 2017, she served as Chair of the Archives and History Committee of the Pennsylvania Library Association. Other areas of interest are American Indian history and literature, which were the focus of her Master’s degree in American Studies at Penn State Harrisburg, and Children’s Literature, a new focus in her research.
“Be a history major, and then you can study the history of anything!”
It was my second year of college and Dr. Stott had just overheard me telling another classmate that I needed to declare a major and I couldn’t decide which one to choose. I had started in The George Washington University’s International Affairs program and although I was doing well, I didn’t feel like I fit in with the career I was training for or the fellow students that would become my colleagues. I loved to learn about the viewpoints and customs of other people. I was especially interested in Eastern Europe and Central and Eastern Asia, and I had taken courses in Russian and Chinese history. But at the time, GW’s focus was preparing new employees for the U.S. Department of State. Although the Soviet Union was being dismantled and perestroika/glasnost encouraged hopes for new approaches to global relationships, it seemed that a lot of my professors, guest lecturers, and classmates had retained adversarial Cold War attitudes. Within the Economics and Political Science courses that formed the backbone of the International Affairs program, too many of my comments were labeled as “naïve,” “unimportant,” or “leftist.” I’m ashamed to say it now, but the fact that I was the only female in most of my classes intimidated me too.
So when Dr. Stott suggested that I choose history as my major, I didn’t need much convincing. He was absolutely right about History enabling you to study anything. Over the years, I’ve worked as a subject specialist in Business, Science, Engineering, Education, Psychology, and Health, and I’ve drawn on my historical background in each of those roles. From helping public library customers figure out the value of old stock certificates; to assisting a college student in identifying children’s antiwar books like Munro Leaf’s The Story of Ferdinand; to helping a faculty member locate early news reports related to HIV/AIDS before it was known by that name—History is a body of knowledge and a method for making sense of the world that has helped me on the job and beyond it. A lot of people who believe they don’t like History associate it with the “whats”—dry facts like names, dates, and events. But the questions of “why” that History can answer are meaningful and rewarding. History can help us understand today’s people, events, and material culture, which have often been shaped by the past. History can inspire us with ideas for approaching our challenges—and help us recognize blind alleys that have already failed. History can anger us enough to take action, and it can help us make peace with things that we can’t change. Although it’s seen as an intellectual endeavor, it does important psychological and social work as well.
If you majored in History or you value it as I do, you can keep that interest alive as a librarian. There are several potential homes for you within ALA:
If you don’t work with historical materials or answer history-related reference questions, but you have an abiding interest in how our profession developed and where it’s headed, ALA’s Library History Round Table is a great place for you. Despite the winding path of my career, it’s been my consistent home for more than 20 years. By reading LHRT’s publications, attending its programs, and networking with its members, you can learn the history of services for diverse groups, as well as the history of collections, cataloging, and every other area of librarianship. While the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) is often described as ALA’s conscience, LHRT is ALA’s memory—and strives to keep that memory honest and inclusive. The round table’s blog and its scholarly journal,Libraries: Culture, History, and Society include not only the admirable strides libraries have made, but also the internal challenges that libraries have had with misogyny, racism, and other social issues. You can contribute to this important effort by reviewing books for LCHS and contributing to the blog, as a number of our student members and new writers do. And although professional librarians are an important part of these stories, LHRT embraces stories and volunteers coming from the retiree, trustee, and community arenas. Truly, anyone who wants to know more about libraries can (and should!) become a member of LHRT.
If you work with archives/special collections—especially technical aspects like acquisitions, arrangement/description, cataloging, preservation, and security—the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is for you. Not an academic librarian?—don’t let the “C” in ACRL scare you away. A variety of public librarians, museum employees, and other types of professionals are members too. RBMS welcomes new volunteers to serve on committees. Its blogs, journal, and other publications are vital resources and means of communicating with others.
Besides these 3 entities, other units with ALA engage in history-related initiatives. For example, within SRRT, the Feminist Task Force has a Women in Library History Project which raises awareness about females’ contributions to the profession. For those who are literary-minded, the Intellectual Freedom Round Table provides a Banned Author Birthday Calendar and other items that can help you delve more deeply into controversial books. The Library Research Round Table offers awards, a conference, and other opportunities that are open to library historians as well as other scholars. ALA also has an archives, located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is a treasure-trove of information and primary sources about ALA’s history.
Feel free to contact me (bal19 @ psu.edu if you’d like to build connections between your love of history and your chosen profession. Although I know the most about LHRT, I’d be happy to help you navigate RBMS or HS and find friends there as well.
Join us on Sunday, January 24 from 6-8 pm CST for the always exciting NMRT Midwinter Social as we move virtual! What better way to meet and network with your peers than by defeating them in a friendly competition – or joining them in our discussion rooms?
All conference attendees – not just NMRT members – are welcome to join as we play fun games and network with peers. Space is limited, so register soon!
