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Applications Sought for Instruction Section (IS) List Administrator

May 16th, 2013 by David Free in Sections

The ACRL Instruction Section is now accepting applications for the Instruction Section (IS) List Administrator position. The IS List Administrator serves a one-year term and is responsible for maintaining the Section’s closed committee discussion lists, under the general direction of the IS Executive Committee and through consultation with the IS Web Site Administrator(s). The IS lists are crucial to maintaining communication within the Advisory Council, the Executive Committee, and other IS committees and task forces.

These lists will be hosted by ALA’s Sympa software, the same software used to host public listservs such as ILI-L and COLLIB-L.

The List Administrator has an appointment as a member of the Communication Committee and, as such, participates in the work of the committee throughout the year.

List administration responsibilities include:

* Maintaining lists with closed memberships for the IS Executive Committee and IS Advisory Council.

* Creating and maintaining additional closed lists for Instruction Section committees and task forces.

* Maintaining membership of Section lists and acting as list owner for settings and other changes.

* Updating the document Tips for the IS Committee List Administrator as needed.

Qualifications:

* Membership in the ACRL Instruction Section.

* Ability to meet deadlines and to communicate effectively through email.

* Commitment to respond quickly to the Section’s needs.

* Experience with mailing list software or list ownership, or demonstrated ability to learn.

* Knowledge of mailing list software settings and etiquette, or demonstrated ability to learn.

Appointment and term:

The IS Committee List Administrator is a volunteer who serves a one-year term, upon selection by the Executive Committee and appointment by the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. The appointment begins immediately after the ALA Annual Conference in 2013.

Application process:

Please submit a curriculum vitae or resume and cover letter to Kenneth Simon, Chair, IS Communication Committee, at kssimon@pasadena.edu. The letter of interest should outline experience and knowledge applicable to the position. Any samples of relevant work will also be accepted. The application deadline is Friday, May 31, 2013.

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Speakers Announced for Upcoming SPARC-ACRL Forum at ALA in Chicago

May 15th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in Conferences, Events, Scholarly Communication

Please join SPARC and ACRL for our 11th annual forum, which will take place on Saturday, June 29th at 3pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago Hotel – Grand A, during the ALA Annual Conference.

Understanding the Implications of Open Education:  MOOCs and More

The open access movement has focused on making scholarship freely available, expanding distribution while lowering barriers for re-use.  The open educational resources movement has focused on making teaching and learning materials freely accessible and openly licensed.  The skyrocketing rise in the popularity of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) has put this trend squarely on the front burner, bringing openness to pedagogy in a way not previously experienced in higher education – and expanding free distribution of a university course to tens of thousands of students around the globe.

This convergence holds great promise for open education, and also raises questions on what that future might look like.  Our panel of experts will explore the recent developments and policy implications of open education, the rise of open resources, and the potential impacts of this trend on libraries and higher education.  They will also discuss both the promise and potential pitfalls of MOOCs and OER as part of open education.

We are pleased to announce our featured speakers:

  • Kyle K. Courtney – Harvard Law School
  • Cable Green, Director of Global Learning – Creative Commons
  • Deirdre Woods, Interim Executive Director, Open Learning Initiative – University of Pennsylvania

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Immersion Program application extended to May 24, 2013

May 15th, 2013 by Margot Conahan in Events, Information Literacy

The application deadline for the ACRL Immersion Program Assessment and Intentional Teaching Tracks has been extended to Friday, May 24, 2013. The Information Literacy Immersion Program allows you to embrace your educational role by embarking on a path of teacher development and pedagogical inquiry in a community of practice for academic librarians devoted to collaborative learning and individual renewal.  The Assessment and Intentional Teaching Tracks will be offered November 20-24, 2013, in Nashville.  During the program, nationally-recognized faculty will lead participants through intensive information literacy training and education.

Assessment: Demonstrating the Educational Value of the Academic Library Track – Discover how to approach assessment from a learning-centered perspective. Participants will emerge with a broader understanding of assessment and how to use assessment as an important tool to guide evidence-based classroom, curriculum and program development,  This track is intended for experienced academic librarians who are active in teaching and learning or those in leadership roles for information literacy program development who want to improve their knowledge and practice of both classroom and program assessment

Intentional Teaching: Reflective Teaching to Improve Student Learning Track – Find out how to become more self-aware and self-directed as a teacher.  This track is aimed at the experienced academic librarian (5+ years teaching experience, in a library or other setting) and facilitates the process of critical reflection through peer discussion, readings and personal reflection as a pathway to professional growth and renewal.  The program offers a mixture of structured and co-constructed learning segments such as peer discussions, individual reading and reflection times, and participant-led communities of practice.

Visit the Immersion website for complete details about the program, including curriculum, learning outcomes and application instructions. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Central, Friday, May 24, 2013.  Questions concerning the program or application process should be directed to Margot Conahan at (312) 280-2522 or mconahan@ala.org.

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Library Copyright Alliance Applauds Introduction of Unlocking Technology Act

May 14th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in Uncategorized

Library Copyright Alliance LogoThe Library Copyright Alliance (of which ACRL is a member) released the following statement (pdf) on May 13:

The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) applauds the introduction in the US House of Representatives on May 9, 2013, of H.R. 1892, the Unlocking Technology Act of 2013, by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Jared Polis (D-CO). The bill guarantees that legitimate uses of digital works and technologies will not run afoul of copyright law, even if they require breaking digital locks. Prompted by the recent uproar over cell phone unlocking, the bill recognizes that issue as a symptom of a much larger problem and would fix that problem permanently.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), passed in 1998, made it illegal for owners of legally purchased digital media and technologies to modify their property if it would break digital rights management (DRM) and other forms of digital locks. The DMCA placed a shadow over a host of normal activities of libraries and their patrons: ripping DVDs to facilitate teaching and learning, converting e-books to accessible formats, modifying tablets to run different software, and more. Under current law, libraries and their patrons must ask the Copyright Office for special carve-outs every three years to allow these kinds of uses, even though they don’t infringe copyright. The Copyright Office has issued some favorable rules for library uses, but those rules are limited in scope, difficult to win, and can be revoked by the office at any future rulemaking. Indeed, it was the revocation of the cell phone unlocking exception that raised recent alarms about the DMCA and the power it gives the Copyright Office.

The Unlocking Technology Act does away with this bizarre aspect of the DMCA, freeing all non-infringing uses regardless of their effect on DRM. Importantly, the Unlocking Technology Act also permits the creation and distribution of tools required for unlocking, without which the right to unlock would be useless. LCA applauds the bill’s sponsors for their leadership and vision, and urges others in the House to support this important bill.

The sponsors’ press release, full text of the bill, and a section-by-section summary are available on Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s website.

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Member of the Week: Paul Kelsey

May 13th, 2013 by Mary Jane Petrowski in Member of the Week

Paul KelseyPaul Kelsey is Head of Acquisitions at the Southeastern Louisiana University Sims Memorial Library in Hammond, Louisiana. Paul has been an ACRL member since 2005  and is your ACRL member of the week for May 13, 2013.

1. Describe yourself in three words:  Caring, innovative, creative.

2. What are you reading right now (or listening to on your mobile device)? I am reading Tik Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum to my 10-year-old son along with Building and Managing E-Book Collections, edited by Richard Kaplan, for my own professional interests.

3. Describe ACRL in three words:  Exciting, helpful, authoritative.

4. What do you value about ACRL? ACRL provides unparalleled opportunities for networking and professional development.

5. What do you, as an academic librarian, contribute to your campus? As an academic librarian working in acquisitions, I contribute to the library by selecting and purchasing new collections of ebooks and print titles for the collection.  I have noticed that the students at Southeastern Louisiana University are studious and intellectually curious, and really use our library resources. I feel like I am contributing to their education in a very tangible and fundamental way.

6. In your own words: Although I don’t work in a public service area, I enjoy working in an academic library and being surrounded by students and faculty. I am also fortunate to be able to work with exceptional colleagues, who help to make my career interesting and enjoyable.

Editor’s Note: Are you an ACRL member? Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Contact Mary Jane Petrowski at mpetrowski@ala.org for more information.

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Library Copyright Alliance Comments on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

May 13th, 2013 by Kara Malenfant in Advocacy

Library Copyright Alliance LogoThe Library Copyright Alliance (of which ACRL is a member) has released comments (pdf) regarding United States negotiating stance on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership questioning whether the United States should negotiate an intellectual property section in the trade agreement given the differences between European Union and US copyright laws.

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ACRL Ethics Committee Online Forum On Ethics and Professionalism

May 9th, 2013 by Kathryn Deiss in Committees, Events

Join the ACRL Ethics Committee May 22-23  for a two-day asynchronous online forum, “Ethics and Professionalism: Where do they diverge? Where do they converge?” Moderated by Ethics Committee member Jonathan Cope and Vice-Chair Kelly Laas, the forum will explore ethical challenges and some “bigger picture” questions.

Day 1 Topic: When Professionalism and Ethics Collide: A Case Study – A university library debates whether to accept the papers of a politician with a troubling legacy, or not.

Day 2 Topic: The Crossroads of Ethics and Professionalism: The Role of Ethics in Professional Practice – A conversation about the role ethics plays in professional librarianship; the Code and real world application.    

Register by joining the Ethics Forum email list. Registration for the forum is free but required.

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College & Research Libraries – May 2013

May 8th, 2013 by David Free in C&RL

The May 2013 issue of College & Research Libraries is now freely available online. Visit the C&RL website for complete contents from 1939 to the present.

Editorial

Scott Walter. “The ‘Multihued Palette’ of Academic Librarianship.” Full Text (PDF).

Articles

Cory Lown, Tito Sierra, and Josh Boyer. “How Users Search the Library from a Single Search Box.” Abstract – Full Text (PDF).

Kun Huang and Diane Kelly. “The Daily Image Information Needs and Seeking Behavior of Chinese Undergraduate Students.”  Abstract – Full Text (PDF).

Ruth Sara Connell. “Maternity and Paternity Policies Available to Academic Librarians.” Abstract – Full Text (PDF).

Valerie Harris and Peter Hepburn. “Trends in Image Use by Historians and the Implications for Librarians and Archivists.” Abstract – Full Text (PDF).

Abiodun I. Ibraheem and Christopher Devine. “A Survey of the Experiences of African Librarians in American Academic Libraries.”  Abstract – Full Text (PDF).

Book Reviews

Harlan Greene. Patrick M. Valentine. A Social History of Books and Libraries from Cuneiform to Bytes, 2012. Lanham, Md.: The Scarecrow Press, 2012. 203p. alk. paper, $60 (ISBN 9780810885707). LC2012-020892. Full Text (PDF).

John Repplinger. David Lee King. Face2Face: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media Tools to Create Great Customer Connections. Chicago: Information Today, Inc., 2012. 194p. alk. paper, $24.95 (ISBN 9780910965996). LC2012-013506. Full Text (PDF).

Michael Ryan. Publishing the Fine and Applied Arts 1500–2000. Eds. Robin Myers, Michael Harris, and Giles Mandelbrote. London and New Castle, Del.: The British Library and Oak Knoll Press, 2012. 194p. $55 (ISBN 9781584562993). LC2012-003887. Full Text (PDF).

Marcy Simons. Library Services for Multicultural Patrons: Strategies to Encourage Library Use. Lanham, Md.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2013. 338p. $65.00 (ISBN: 9780810887220). LC2012-029338. Full Text (PDF).

Maurice C. York. Planning and Constructing Book & Paper Conservation Laboratories: A Guidebook. Eds. Jennifer Hain Teper and Eric Alstrom. Chicago: Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, American Library Association, 2012. vii, 230p. $67.95; $61 for members of ALA (ISBN 9780838986011). LC2011-053444. Full Text (PDF).

Keith Gorman. Pam Hackbart-Dean and Elizabeth Slomba. How to Manage Processing in Archives and Special Collections. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2012. 160p. alk. paper, $69.95 (ISBN 1-931666-43-1). LC2012-024050. Full Text (PDF).

Errata

Errata. Full Text (PDF).

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ACRL Circle of Friends: Patricia Wand

May 8th, 2013 by Mary Jane Petrowski in Circle of Friends

Patricia WandThe ACRL Circle of Friends acknowledges the sustained generosity of those who have been Friends of ACRL for five or more years. The Friends of ACRL was created to provide a means for the association to take bold steps above and beyond its traditional member programs and services. Rapidly changing demographic, economic, and technological trends are presenting academic libraries and librarians with new challenges and competition that demand immediate solutions. The Friends of ACRL have responded to these new challenges and provided additional support that will enhance and ensure the relevance of our profession. To join or learn more about the Friends of ACRL, please visit the ACRL website.

This month we profile ACRL Circle of Friends member Patricia Wand. Patricia is a consultant based in Bethesda, Maryland and has been a Friend of ACRL since 1998.

1. Describe yourself in three words:  I like people.

2. Why do you support the Friends of ACRL? I support Friends of ACRL because I believe in the power of communities whose members share a commitment to self-improvement.  In ACRL, our commitment to the information profession and life-long learning form the foundation of advancing learning, teaching and scholarship.   Hence, I support the ACRL community with my time, knowledge and money.

3. What might someone be surprised to know about you?  I grew up with seven siblings on an Oregon farm in the Columbia River Gorge.

4. Since you’ve become a member of ACRL, tell us about someone who influenced you in some way? A powerful mentor for me was JoAnn Segal, former executive director of ACRL.  JoAnn taught me about the external and internal characteristics of associations; how they differ from university, civic and commercial organizations and about the unique roles of staff and volunteers. In the late 1980s, I absorbed many valuable lessons watching JoAnn astutely manage in all directions as she brought us through the birth pangs of the first Operating Agreement with ALA.

5. What do you hope ACRL will achieve in the near future (or the long term)? I hope we continue building a toolkit to help us become stronger advocates for the importance of information in developing life-long learners, promoting creativity and innovation, generating new knowledge, and building democratic practices. To achieve these seemingly intangible goals we need tangible resources which include strong academic libraries, archives and information centers. Thus we must be proactive spokespeople with the skills and data to convince the decision makers of the need for financial support.

6. In your opinion, what is the most important work that ACRL does? The most important work that ACRL does is the venue it provides in bringing together committed professionals to improve learning, teaching, and research in higher education.

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ACRL Offering Webcast on MOOCs

May 7th, 2013 by Margot Conahan in eLearning, Higher Education

Join us for the ACRL e-Learning webcast, “Goodbye Cybrarians, Hello Moocbrarians: Envisioning the Role of Librarians in Massive Online Open Courses,” to be offered Wednesday, May 22 (1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Central).

Technology is enabling higher education to change more in the next ten years than it has in the past hundred. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are potentially one such technological innovation and have generated a lot of press in the past year. This live, interactive webcast will focus on the role of the librarian in these online courses. Examine what librarians are currently doing to provide support for these institutional course offerings and discuss possible future roles that librarians can play as MOOCs move from the margins to the mainstream.

Complete details including the full webcast description, learning outcomes, and registration materials are available online.  Contact Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org or call (312) 280-2522 with questions.

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