NMRT Notes

The NMRT Shirley Olofson Memorial Award Committee is seeking applicants for a $1,000 award, intended to defray the costs of attending the ALA Annual Conference. Shirley Olofson was a well-respected NMRT President who died during her term of office. After her death, the NMRT Executive Board decided to authorize the establishment of an award to honor her memory. The award is given to current or potential NMRT members who have attended no more than five American Library Association Annual Conferences.

Applicants must also be members of ALA and NMRT, participate actively in the library profession, show promise or activity in the area of professional development, and have a valid financial need.
Those interested in the award may submit an application online at this webpage: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/initiatives/applyforfunds/shirleyolofson

The due date for applications in December 14th, 2015. The chosen recipient will be notified in late January/early February. Please direct all questions to Jennifer Stout at jastout@vcu.edu.

Looking for Publication Opportunities?

Consider Writing for Footnotes!

What is Footnotes?
Footnotes is the official, electronic newsletter for the New Members Round Table (NMRT). With new issues published four times a year, Footnotes strives to bring relevant news and information to NMRT members (for free!), including articles of interest to new library professionals about all things library-related, book and website reviews, ALA conference information (including recaps of NMRT sessions for those who are unable to attend), NMRT Board actions, and more! Footnotes depends on you to write and share information with your peers and colleagues.

Why Publish?
Publishing is a great way to get more involved in the library profession. By sharing what you know/learned/experienced, you’re helping to spread your knowledge to the NMRT community. Some library positions also require publications and Footnotes is a great, low stress way to get started with professional writing. Plus, publications always look great on a resume/curriculum vitae!

Who can Write for Footnotes?
Library school students, recent graduates, new library professionals, new librarians…if you have an interest in libraries, we encourage you to consider writing for Footnotes!

The Footnotes Publication Process
The thought of publishing anything can be intimidating, but Footnotes is a non-scary place to get started. Since this is a newsletter, articles are generally in the 500-1500 word range and these articles do not go through the peer review process. When you have an article (or book/website review, etc.), just send it on to the Footnotes editor (currently Anita Dryden anita.riley@gmail.com<mailto:anita.riley@gmail.com> for 2015-2016). The editor will review and assign your article for copy editing to a member of the Footnotes editorial committee. If there are questions, the editor will email you. Yes, it is really that easy!

Got an Idea?
If you have an idea but you’re not sure if it is something that would be of interest to other new librarians and library school students, send it on to the Footnotes editor (currently Anita Dryden anita.riley@gmail.com<mailto:anita.riley@gmail.com> for 2015-2016) anyway! Articles are accepted on a rolling basis and will be included in the next issue (issues are published February, May, August, and November).

Coming up with an idea can be one of the hardest aspects of publishing. Think about what you do everyday: an information literacy strategy you use, programming you created, or a tool you use daily could very well be something many of us are not familiar with and would love to hear about.

For more information or to view previous issues, please visit http://www.ala.org/nmrt/footnotes

Holly Dolan
University of North Texas

What drew you to library and information sciences?

I worked in university libraries as an undergraduate student and had such a great experience learning about academia, research, and library issues. As my love for my work environment grew, I realized I should make a career out of it! I’m so proud to be a LIS professional and an MLS candidate. Our profession is a true force for good in the world and I’m excited to start a career that helps promotes literacy and access to information.

What’s your dream job after graduation?

I’ve always been drawn to the world of digital libraries and repositories. I love the thought of digitizing content to make it easily accessible for those that might not see it otherwise. I also have a background in art history so I don’t want to wander too far from my love of the humanities. I guess my dream job would be working in digitization in cultural heritage institutions.

What do you like most about NMRT?

NMRT has always been great about making sure my ALA Student Chapter, the UNT Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA), knows about opportunities available to students and new members. I love that NMRT has liaisons for student chapters. As a student organization president, it’s invaluable for me to be directly connected to someone with in our parent organization with information about student involvement.

Kai Alexis Smith
University of Notre Dame
Librarian-in-Residence

A little about Kai’s job:

Kai Alexis Smith is the Librarian-in-Residence at the University of Notre Dame and is an aspiring research librarian interested in the arts and humanities. The Librarian-In-Residence Program is intended to recruit a recent library school graduate who can contribute effectively to the diversity of the profession and the university while developing career interests in various aspects of academic librarianship. The residency program is 2 year appointment.

Currently, Kai is spending the next year in the Architecture Library located in Bond Hall. She will not only provide research support for architecture faculty and students, but also teach multimedia literacy classes in the Writing and Rhetoric courses and library consultations in Africana Studies and assist in class presentations of artists books and rare books from the Latin American collection. Kai also serves as the LINk Librarian to Alumni Hall.

At the end of her residency, she hopes to secure a permanent position as an art and/or architecture librarian in an academic institution.

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

I like that everyday is different and I get to work with awesome people. This includes librarians, staff, faculty, and students.

What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?

There are so many. A project I just finished up was learning about and exploring materials libraries. The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)’s Visual Resources Librarian Mark Pompelia describes what this collection is best in the white paper Materials Collection Creation and Administration: A New Role for Libraries, “A materials collection is a body of physical items and samples acquired across various industries to be utilized as objects for inspiration and in project specification by architects, designers, artists, and researchers in the practice of those and allied fields.”

I conducted a survey of Art Library Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)’s Materials Special Interest Group, reviewed literature published on the topic, and incorporated the results into a report where I made recommendations for the Visual Arts Librarian as she is interested in acquiring or building a collection to support the Art and Design department’s teaching and student research at the University of Notre Dame.

Regarding committees, I am the chair of the Art Library Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)’s Diversity Committee (DivCom). We are doing great things to get diversity embedded into the organization and are collaborating with several other committees within the organization. Some of these collaborations have resulted in webinars. We are working hard to get language on diversity and inclusion into the next iteration of the strategic plan and are working to update documentation. In addition, we are planning a Diversity Forum for the annual conference.

Most recently, I was appointed to the Keynote Speakers committee for the Academic College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Baltimore Conference in 2017. I look forward to working with committee members on attracting an incredible line up like the one in Portland.

What got you interested in libraries?

I was in my previous career in corporate lifestyle and entertainment magazines and websites as a writer and research editor. Honestly, it wasn’t my calling and I started taking classes at the local college to get the necessary coursework to apply for PhD in an Art History programs. A professor of mine encouraged me to explore art librarianship as a path. She said that I could always pursue a PhD. When I spoke with librarians at art museum libraries, academic art libraries, and public art libraries they all loved what they did. That is when I decided to change course and pursue the art librarianship path and I have not looked back since.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

I love that everyone is so welcoming. As a newbie to the profession, it is comforting to know that I am not alone and that there are other people that I can chat with going through the same things issues and challenges.

I am also so appreciative of NMRT and the opportunities to learn and meet people. I was the 2015 Shirley Olofson award recipient to attend ALA Annual in San Francisco. There I was not only able to serve on committees but also continue to build my network which is crucial for new librarians.

Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

I hope other new members keep an eye out and take advantage of opportunities to attend events and apply for awards. As much face-to-face time you get with people as a new librarian in the profession the better. Take advantage of the NMRT local socials. There are some incredible people in NMRT and the profession. Get to know them.

Want to get the most of your Midwinter Meeting in Boston? Reserve a room in the NMRT Midwinter Hotel block. Space is limited, so book today! The block is at the Seaport Hotel located on One Seaport Lane.

The Seaport Hotel features include:
· 0.2 miles from the Convention Center
· Shuttle to Convention Center
· 3 Restaurants/Lounges
· Breakfast Included
· Room Service Available
· Complimentary WiFi in all rooms and public areas
· Business Center/Fax
· Exercise Facility
· Pool

You must register for the Midwinter Conference before you can book a room at the ALA-rate.
· If you previously registered for the 2016 Midwinter Conference by purchasing the bundled registration, you can book a room in the NMRT block by calling 800-584-9047. Don’t forget to mention that you are looking for a room in the “NMRT block”.
· If you are registering for the Midwinter Conference online through ALA, make sure to mention that you are a member of NMRT.

ALA Rates for the Seaport Hotel:
· Single: $189
· Double: $189
· Triple: $199
· Quad: $209

Need a roommate to keep costs down or just want a conference buddy? Consider posting or responding to room share requests made on NMRT-L, other listservs, and the NMRT Facebook page.

Disclaimer: NMRT is not providing a roommate matching service this year.

Information about the 2016 ALA Midwinter Conference, including travel and hotel information is available at: http://2016.alamidwinter.org/.

Happy Monday NMRT members! Are you looking for new ways to become more involved? Volunteer to be an ALA-NMRT Liaison.

If you are an NMRT member and a member of another library section, roundtable, division, or organization, then you are eligible to serve as a liaison. NMRT liaisons play a key role in increasing awareness of information and ideas of mutual interest to NMRT and liaison unit members with a minimal time commitment.

To be considered you must be a member in good standing of both ALA-NMRT and the unit you serve. Your assignment will be for one year and conference attendance is not required. If you are interested, please fill out the volunteer form by September 30, 2015. For a full list of liaison units, please see list below.

Contact Nicole Tekulve (Nicole-Tekulve@utc.edu) with any questions.

Liaison Units

Alaska Library Association

American Association of Law Librarians (AALL)

American Association of School Librarians  (AASL)

American Indian Library Association (AILA)

American Library Association (ALA) CPE

American Library Association (ALA) Legislative Assembly***must attend Annual

American Library Association (ALA) Membership Meetings

American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA)

Arizona Library Association

Arkansas Library Association

Asian Pacific American Library Association (APALA)

Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Section (AAMES)

ACRL Anthropology and Sociology Section

ACRL African American Studies Librarians (AFAS)

ACRL College Libraries Section (CLS)

ACRL Community and Junior Colleges Section (CJC)

ACRL Distance Learning Section (DLS)

ACRL Education & Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS)

ACRL Instruction Section (IS)

ACRL Law and Political Science Section (LPSS)

ACRL Literatures in English (LES)

ACRL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS)

ACRL Science & Technology Section (STS)

ACRL University Libraries Section (ULS)

ACRL Western European Studies Section (WESS)

ACRL Women and Gender Studies Section (WGSS)

Association Library & Information Science Education (ALISE)

Association Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Association Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends & Foundations (ALTAFF)

Association of Research Libraries

Association of Rural and Small Libraries

Association Specialized & Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)

Beta Phi Mu

Black Caucus American Library Association (BCALA)

Canadian Library Association

Catholic Library Association

Chinese American Library Association (CALA)

Colorado Association of Libraries

Connecticut Library Association

Delaware Library Association

District of Columbia Library Association

Federal & Armed Forces Libraries Round Table

Federal Library & Information Center (FLICC) “NewFeds” Group

Florida Library Association

Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF)

Georgia Library Association

Government Documents Round Table (GODORT)

Guam Library Association

Hawaii Library Association

Idaho Library Association

Indiana Library Federation

Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT)

International Relations Round Table (IRRT)

Iowa Library Association

Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC)

Kansas Library Association

Learning Round Table (LRT)

Library History Round Table (LHRT)

Library Information & Technology Association (LITA)

Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT)–to be confirmed

Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA)

Library Research Round Table (LRRT)

Library Support Staff Interest Round Table (LSSIRT)

Louisiana Library Association

Maine Library Association

Map and Geospatial Information Round Table (MAGIRT)

Maryland Library Association

Massachusetts Library Association

Mississippi Library Association

Michigan Library Association

Minnesota Library Association

Montana Library Association

Mountain Plains Library Association

Nassau County Library Association

Nebraska Library Association

Nevada Library Association

New England Library Association

New Hampshire Library Association

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York Library Association

North Carolina Library Association

North Dakota Library Association

OCLC

Ohio Library Council

Oklahoma Library Association

Office for Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee (OITP)

Oregon Library Association

Pacific Northwest Library Association

Pennsylvania Library Association

Public Library Association (PLA)

Reference User Services Association (RUSA)

Rhode Island Library Association

Retired Members Round Table

Social Responsibilities Round Table (SSRT)

South Carolina Library Association

South Dakota Library Association

Southeastern Library Association (SELA)

Special Libraries Association (SLA)

Staff Organizations Round Table (SORT)

Texas Library Association

Theatre Library Association

Utah Library Association

Vermont Library Association

Video Round Table

Virgin Islands Library Association

Virginia Library Association

Washington Library Association

Wisconsin Library Association

Wyoming Library Association

Randal Harrison, Ph.D.
University of Norte Dame
Emerging Technologies Librarian

A little about Randal’s job:
My job is “Emerging Technologies Librarian.” The official description is: “I assist users with the identification, evaluation, and use of emerging technologies in the creation of a variety of media-rich projects, explore innovative online tools and related services, and identify learning and engagement opportunities to support student research and promote student success.” It’s a new position at Notre Dame and I’ve been in it for 7 months or so.

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

I’ve worked in libraries for about 3-ish years, though. My last position (2.5 years) was as the web developer for the Van Pelt and Opie Library at Michigan Tech, while I finished a PhD in communication, there. What I love about academia and about libraries in general is the intellectual calibre you usually find in them. Most people I’ve found in academia are both smart and well-meaning. Libraries, in particular, seem populated with people who aren’t here for the money, but for the chance to help spread access to information, and through this, increase the change of greater social justice. There are always exceptions, but this has proved the rule for me.

What got you interested in libraries?

I’m new to being faculty in a library setting, but chose this position over, say, an asst. professorship in communication because
of my great experiences in libraries, before. My job here affords the opportunity to be of use to people in all the ways I enjoy, including instruction, outreach, and even building digital interfaces. As an example, being in Academic Outreach and Engagement, I headed over today to our Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning and helped the Assistant Director there and his team to conceptualize and wireframe a new interface for the Remix portal (a multimodal teaching and learning space) that they want to turn into a single web presence (from, currently, three). With my background in both teaching and User Experience Design, I’m a fit to serve on/consult for teams like this that guide student workers in how to rebuild this portal. I think—keep in mind that I’m new to libraries—that if we want to keep libraries relevant moving forward, we would need to create the impression that libraries are the central intellectual hub (well, and social spaces, too) on campus, where rich collaboration happens, both lo-fi and with technological resources.

What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?
I’m new to this. My colleague and friend Kai Smith recommended to me to put my name out there to get involved. Getting involved in others’ projects and in conversation generally is a great way to start building those professional relationships .

NMRT offers training, opportunities, and a wide variety of programs on the national, state and local levels to assist, encourage, and educate those new to the association and the profession. Now is the opportunity for you or a librarian you know to take a leadership role in that mission!

The NMRT Board needs nominations for the following six open positions on its 2016 election slate. The terms-of-office, attendance obligations, and responsibilities vary between the positions. Nominations (self nominations welcome) are due by September 23, 2015.

Nominations should be sent to NMRTNominations@gmail.com.

Vice President/President Elect

• Three year term of office (Vice-President 2016-2017, President 2017-18, Past-President 2018-19).
• Must physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The Vice-President/President-Elect assists the President in performing those duties the President assigns and prepares for their Presidential term the following year.
• The Vice-President/President-Elect handles committee appointments and acts as a representative of NMRT.

More information.

Secretary

• One year term of office (2016-2017).
• Must physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The Secretary attends all NMRT Board Meetings, and is a voting member of the Board.
• The Secretary also requests reports of Board members and committee chairs throughout the year and coordinates NMRT social networking presence on the appropriate tools.

More information.

Treasurer

• Three year term of office (2016-2019; one year as Assistant Treasurer/Treasurer-Elect,followed by two years as Treasurer).
• Must physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The Treasurer attends all NMRT Board Meetings and (after the first year) is a voting member of the Board.
• The Treasurer serves as fiscal officer for NMRT, channeling the funds of the Round Table as needed; serves as the financial clearinghouse for NMRT funds including coordinating the payment of bills and monitoring funds spent and encumbered so that the NMRT budget is followed; reserves the NMRT hotel blocks at the Midwinter and Annual Conferences according to NMRT needs; and trains theAssistant Treasurer/Treasurer-Elect in the third year of her/his term.

More information.

Networking Director

• Two year term of office (2016-2018)
• Must virtually or physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The Networking Director oversees the activities of the following committees: Awards Reception Committee, Annual Conference Local Information Committee, Association Options Committee (formerly called Membership Pavilion Committee), and Midwinter Social Committee and Orientations Committee.
• The director provides assistance, advice and support to these committees as needed. The Networking Director also acts as liaison to the TOLD committee.

More information.

Outreach Director

• Two year term of office (2016-2018)
• Must virtually or physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The Outreach Director oversees the activities of the following committees: Student Reception Committee; Student and Student Chapter Outreach (SASCO); Membership Promotion, Diversity and Recruitment (MPDR); Liaison Coordination and Support (LC&S); and Student Chapter of the Year Award (SCOTYA). The director provides assistance, advice and support to these committees as needed.

More information.

Councilor

• Three year term of office (2016-2019)
• Must physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings throughout the year is expected.
• The NMRT Councilor serves on the NMRT Executive Board.
• The Councilor reports to the NMRT Executive Board and to the membership on ALA Council activities and presents those ALA issues and Council documents upon which the Executive Board may wish to act.
• The Councilor receives direction from the Executive Board regarding positions to be taken on ALA Council issues and sponsors Council resolutions as requested by the Executive Board.

More information.

Member Services Director

• Two year term of office (2016-2018)
• Must virtually or physically attend both Midwinter and Annual conferences, and participation in e-board meetings through the year is expected.
• The Member Services Director oversees the activities of the following committees: Web committee, Resume Review committee, Mentoring committee, and Footnotes committee. The director provides assistance, advice and support to these committees as needed.
• The Member Services Director is also appointed to the Membership Promotion Task Force, a subcommittee of the ALA Membership Committee.

More information.

The 2015 NMRT Professional Development Grant Award Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the Mango Languages/NMRT Professional Development Grant Award and Gale Cengage/NMRT Professional Development Grant Award. These $1,000 awards were graciously sponsored by Mango Languages and Gale Cengage Learning. This award provides funding to cover airfare, lodging, and conference registration fees for attendance at the American Library Association Annual Conference and fosters in-person participation in ALA and NMRT professional activities.

Nora (at left) with Connie Carter, Head of Science Reference Section at the Library of Congress

Nora Ohnishi is the recipient of the Gale Cengage Learning/NMRT Professional Development Grant Award. She is currently completing an internship at the Library of Congress as a Web Archives Assistant, selecting websites for inclusion into online collections. She received her B.A. from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, and completed her MIS from the University of North Texas, focusing on health informatics. Nora has interned at the Disaster Information Management Research Center and National library of Medicine, working to provide disaster and emergency medical health information to the general public. Nora’s interests focus on early career librarian advocacy, bridging the digital divide, providing access and information to rural communities, and expanding access to health information.

Veronica Leigh Milliner is the recipient of the Mango Languages/NMRT Professional Development Grant Award. She works as a Library and Information Services Trainer for the St. Lucia Public Library System in the Eastern Caribbean. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BA double major in Ethics, History, & Public Policy and Film & Media Studies. She went on to receive a MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010. Veronica’s interests in the library field include library services for poor and marginalized people — both domestically and abroad, public programming/outreach, and ways in which libraries serve as transformative and beneficial institutions within our communities.

More information about the NMRT Professional Development Grant, including a list of past recipients, is available on the NMRT Awards, Grants, and Scholarships webpage.