NMRT Notes

Evan Meszaros

Kelvin Smith Library | Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Digital Research Services Librarian for the Sciences

A little about Evan’s job:

My position straddles two library teams, one being the team for Digital Learning & Scholarship, for which I’m tasked with data services/management/visualization support for STEM researchers at my institution. The other team is Research Services, for which I play more traditional librarian roles, such as reference, collection development, instruction, and liaison support to my department.

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

While I’m still new to the profession of academic librarianship (about 10 months as of this writing), I’ve really enjoyed the breadth of subjects I’m exposed to, the variety of tasks I’m assigned, and the interaction with colleagues and patrons as part of my daily responsibilities. I’d also be lying if I said that libraries, as quiet places of contemplation, don’t appeal to me more generally, so I see my workplace as an added incentive to work in this field.

2) What got you interested in libraries?

With a background in science and a longtime interest in “organized skepticism,” my transition to an academic library career seemed like a logical choice, allowing me to fulfill my desire to support scholarship while also working to address our society’s dire information literacy needs.

3) What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?

That it exists at all! I suspect that most professions are somewhat bewildering to newbies, and to have a group like this, composed of other, relatively new entrants is comforting. Though I haven’t done so yet, I plan to take advantage of the NMRT’s mentoring program soon for some added guidance in my transition from padawan library school learner to full-on jedi master librarian!

We are in need of more NMRT Member of the Week nominations! Want to be our next member of the week? Know another new librarian who deserves to be in the spotlight? Fill out our nomination form here!

Congrats to our newly elected 2015-2016 NMRT Executive Board Members! It was a close race with many excellent candidates; congrats to all of those who ran and I can’t wait to see what exciting new things our leaders have in store for NMRT!

Vice-President/President Elect: Kate Kosturski
“NMRT is an organization close to my heart – as I recall from my own student and new member experiences in 2007, ALA is vast and confusing. To be able to lead this fine group and help open doors for new members to their proper place in ALA is a true honor, and I look forward to continued work on the board and for our members. Thank you to all who voted!”

Secretary: Karen Doster-Greenleaf
“I’m excited to take a more active role in NMRT leadership and appreciate the opportunity to promote the great work the Round Table brings to the ALA community.”

Leadership Development Director: Nicole Spoor

Member Services Director: Julia Frankosky
“I’m super excited to be the new NMRT Member Services Director! I can’t wait to start working with the fabulous Board and all the fantastic NMRT members and prospective members.”

The Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award Committee is pleased to announce our two awards recipients.

April Grey will be attending the International Librarians Reception. April is an Assistant Professor and the Catalog Librarian at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. She is also the liaison for the Psychology Department. April serves on the ALA Committee on Diversity and the ALCTS Copy Cataloging Interest Group.

Michael Mungin will be attending the Freedom to Read Foundation & Merritt Fund 45th Anniversary Party. Michael is the Psychology Liaison Librarian at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he provides reference, research, and instruction services to JMU’s dedicated students and faculty. He is active in the Black Caucus of the American Librarian Association, The Psychology Committee of ACRL EBSS, and the GLBTRT of ALA.

Congratulations to both, and have a wonderful conference!

Networking is an essential ingredient in a successful job search, but taking the first step can be intimidating. An online program sponsored by the New Members Roundtable (NMRT) Annual Program Committee will offer networking tools, tips and resources for stepping boldly into your new library career.

Join us Tuesday, June 9 at noon (EST) for “Networking and Your Job Hunt” and learn the art of effective networking in the library profession from our presenters, Rachael Altman, Kate Kosturski, and Mary-Michelle Moore. The session will be accessible online through Adobe Connect at http://ala.adobeconnect.com/networkingprog/. Please sign in early, as space is limited to 100 participants.

Rachael Altman is Chief Operating Officer of INALJ (I Need A Library Job LLC). She has a MLIS from Syracuse University and undergraduate and graduate English degrees from Bradley University. Rachael currently works as a corporate research analyst with Grant Thornton International, Ltd. in Chicago. She volunteers with SLA-Illinois Chapter and the Chicago Chapter of Ellevate and Project ENABLE.

Kate Kosturski is JSTOR’s Senior Institutional Participation Coordinator for the UK and Northern Europe, advising libraries on the best JSTOR products to fit their needs. Kate received her MLS from the Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science, and also holds a BA in Government from York College of Pennsylvania. Kate is active in ALA and was recently elected Vice-President/President-Elect of NMRT.

Mary-Michelle Moore works as a library assistant for the University of California, Irvine. She has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from UCLA and a MLIS from Rutgers. Mary-Michelle has seven years’ experience as a paraprofessional and is looking for her first professional level position. She volunteers with INALJ as a senior editor and is active in ACRL and CARL (California ACRL chapter).

The NMRT Annual Program Committee sponsors online programs designed to support library professionals. For further information, contact the committee co-chairs Alyse Ergood at ergood@palmbeachstated.edu or Beth Canzoneri at bcanzoneri@uidaho.edu.

The New Members Roundtable (NMRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) invites you to join us to recognize our award winners and to network and socialize with other NMRT members (non-members welcome!) at our Awards Reception on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 7:30PM at the Parc 55 Hotel during the ALA Annual Conference. The reception will be held in the Embarcadero room on Level 3 of the Parc 55 Hotel. The Parc 55 Hotel is located at 55 Cyril Magnin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Please RSVP on ALA Connect: http://alaac15.ala.org/node/28763

or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/395958850588987/

Hope to see you there!

Crystal Ellis
Centre College, Danville, KY
Reference and Interlibrary Loan Librarian

A little about Crystal’s job:
I staff the reference desk 20 hours a week, serve as the Division 1 liaison, as well as supervise two student workers in Interlibrary Loan. We are in the process of creating tutorial quizzes for our first year students and will be starting some digital humanities projects in the upcoming months.

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

I love my coworkers and the students at Centre College. They make coming to work enjoyable and worthwhile.

2) What got you interested in libraries?

I have loved libraries, reading, and books since the 4th grade. I was an unmotivated reader until my elementary librarian handed me a book and ever since I have loved to read. I became a K-12 certified librarian for that reason, but ended up in a job that I love at Centre College.

3) Do you have any advice for other new librarians?

My advice to new librarians is to try new things, make suggestions, and don’t be afraid to fail. Many times we continue doing what we have always done because it’s the status quo, but there is so much more that can be done by just speaking up.

We are in need of more NMRT Member of the Week nominations! Want to be our next member of the week? Know another new librarian who deserves to be in the spotlight? Fill out our nomination form here!

The NMRT Resume Review Service Committee is recruiting volunteer resume reviewers and booth greeters as well as taking resume review appointments for ALA 2015 Annual. We are in need of volunteers to greet participants, and/or review resumes and cover letters. Librarians from all types of libraries and specializations are invited to volunteer.

The NMRT Resume Review Service booth, located inside the ALA Placement Center, is open Saturday, June 27th, and Sunday, June 28th, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The service is free of charge to anyone. Appointment are 30 minutes long and usually fill up quickly. While we encourage advance appointments, on-site walk-ins are seen as time permits. More information about volunteering and making an appointment is available at http://bit.ly/1vArIPT . If you have questions, please contact the NMRT Resume Review Service Committee Chair, Nicole Spoor, at nicolespoor@gmail.com.

Natasha White
Southern Technical College, Florida
Regional Librarian

A little about Natasha’s job:
I am the regional librarian for a small technical college called Southern Technical College. My region is located in central Florida. I oversee two campus locations–Sanford and Mount Dora. I ensure that Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools standards are met across all central Florida locations. In addition, I manage the library locations by purchasing all the materials, coordinating all library instructions and workshops, reference, website and any other duties that are needed.

1) What are some things you like about your job or about working in libraries in general?
In my position, I really like having a variety of jobs or tasks. There is always something new and exciting that is happening and I have a lot of flexibility to manage the library as I see fit. I also enjoy working with the students. The students are a variety of ages just looking to advance their career. In general, I love libraries because they stand for freedom of knowledge. I have worked for a variety of libraries and they all have that one thing in common: the freedom to learn to expand one’s mind and be something more. Libraries are a true service to their surrounding communities and are often taken for granted.

2) What’s a project or committee you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?
I suppose the most exciting project I am working on right now is the project to standardize all the Southern Technical College libraries. The original Southern Technical Colleges expanded to purchase several locations in South West Florida and now all the libraries need to be on the same path with similar resources, similar programs, the same website, the same cataloging system and overall uniform. It is a very time consuming and often difficult, but it is a wonderful opportunity with many benefits.

3) What got you interested in libraries?
While studying for my Bachelors at the University of Central Florida, I spent many long hours in the library, working with the librarians, getting to know the resources, and becoming more and more fascinated with what libraries and librarians could offer. After graduating with my bachelors and being unable to find a job in my chosen career, I started exploring other career paths. My mind kept wandering back to my days and nights spent in the library, searching the databases and talking to the librarians. After careful consideration and a lot of research, I decided to get my Masters in Library and Information Sciences. Before I completely committed, I began volunteering at my local library,  and that is really what sealed my fate of being a librarian.

4) What is one of your favorite things about NMRT?
NMRT offers opportunities for new professionals in the field to really get their foot in the door. Working for a small college does not present a lot of opportunity for me to meet many library professionals and I am lucky if I am able to make a conference. So the fact that NMRT is able to connect new and upcoming professionals is very exciting.

5) Do you have any advice for other new librarians?
Don’t take the first position that comes your way. I know it seems hard to find a paying position, but not all library positions are the right one. Take your time, really read the description, and interview the library and staff during the interview process.

Are you a new NMRT member? Consider nominating yourself for our NMRT Member of the Week spotlight–we want to get to know you! New or experienced, give the gift of recognition by nominating a librarian that deserves to be featured here!

The New Members Round Table (NMRT) and the American Library Association (ALA) Awards Committee wish to congratulate the University of South Carolina as the winner of the 2015 ALA Student Chapter of the Year Award and Indiana University as this year’s runner-up.

The Student Chapter of the Year Award is presented in recognition of a chapter’s outstanding contributions to ALA, its school, and the profession. The purpose of the award is to increase student involvement in ALA through student chapters and to recognize its leaders. Official ALA Student Chapters are organizations formed by students at schools offering accredited programs of library and information studies. The winning student chapter receives a $1,000 travel grant to help with the cost of ALA conference attendance.

This year’s Student Chapter of the Year Award Committee praises the University of South Carolina for its excellence in each of the six categories – communication, financial health, membership, leadership, and programs related to the Student Chapter of the Year Award. Items that especially impressed the committee included the chapter’s commitment towards creating a sense of community with their on-campus and distance students alike through various communication efforts and streaming events, its leadership both within their own LIS program as well as within local library associations, and its creative fundraising efforts and social activities. Congratulations, University of South Carolina!

The runner-up of this year’s award is the ALA Student Chapter at Indiana University, who was particularly commended for both the diverse slate of programming the provided their chapter throughout the year, such as its on-going speaker series and career panels, as well as the frequent collaborations they established with other student groups.

Both chapters will be recognized at an award ceremony during the NMRT Student Reception at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. The reception will be held on Sunday, June 28 at 6:30-7:30pm at the Parc 55 San Francisco, Embarcadero room (55 Cyril Magnin Street / San Francisco, CA 94102). Please save the date and join us in congratulating our award recipients!

The members of the SCOTYA Committee, NMRT, and the ALA Awards Committee appreciate the time and effort put in by all of the nominated ALA student chapters this year, and we encourage all to keep up the great work!

SCOTYA Committee 2015:
Michelle Demeter (Chair), Tarida Anantachai, Maureen Cropper, Kristen Mapes, Natalie DeJonghe, Elena Azadbakht, Lindsey Taggart, Amanda Melilli