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2016 VLACRL Conference Within-A-Conference

The Virginia College and Research Library Forum hosts the VLACRL Conference-Within-A-Conference every year to highlight sessions created for academic librarians, but open to all librarians interested in gaining new perspectives. For more information on the Virginia College and Research Library Forum, visit the VLACRL forum page. To view the full schedule for the 2016 VLA Annual Conference, download our preliminary program.

VLACRL Sessions

Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.
The Alchemy of Your Career: Spinning Straw into Gold Presenter: Caroline Osborne, Washington & Lee University School of Law This program discusses strategies for capitalizing on positive experiences and recovering from missed opportunities from the dual perspectives of the manager/supervisor and the employee.
Identity Theft - A First Hand Perspective Presenter: Barbie Selby, University of Virginia The U.S. government is looking out for you - or so we hope. A number of agencies at both the state and national level are working to make it easier to recover from identity theft and to make it more difficult to perpetrate. This session will give an overview of the process to follow if you or your library user’s identity is stolen.
Space Planning: Using Building Audit, Benchmarks, and Buy-In to Reconfigure Library Space Presenters: Kathryn Boone and Morel Fry, Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Libraries is reassessing the physical space of its main library to address future needs and better meet current needs of all users. A space plan was created through a comprehensive building audit and student/faculty/staff input to maximize efficiency and design areas to meet a variety of functions.
Publishing With Peers: Join a Writing Circle Presenter: Stacy Baggett, Shenandoah University Educate, advocate, promote, praise, and repeat through scholarly writing. When it comes to engaging in scholarship, librarians often need support, advice, and suggestions. This session will describe the presenter’s experience participating in a pilot project sponsored by ACRL’s College Libraries Section (CLS) Peer Writing Circle Service.
1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Back to the Whiteboard: Large Whiteboards and Group Activities in Library Instruction Presenters: Paula Kiser and Anaya Jones, Mary Baldwin University Learn how Mary Baldwin University librarians improved student engagement in library instruction by updating learning spaces with whiteboard paint. This session will cover how to plan a similar renovation, ideas for active learning in a whiteboard painted space, and how we measured increased engagement.
Building a Digital Humanities Community - A Collaboration Between Library and IT Presenters: Cori Strickler and Emily Goodwin, Bridgewater College Through a grant from the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges, representatives from both Bridgewater College’s IT Center and Library were able to create a Digital Humanities Working Group for faculty. We will outline our successes in building a learning community, along with the challenges that we faced along the way.
3:15 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Change is Inevitable. It’s how you Respond that Matters. Presenters: Shaunna Hunter and Brian Burns, Hampden-Sydney College; Tammy Hines, Longwood University Managers seek out employees who adapt to changing circumstances. From personal career decisions, to organizational level change, hear from a panel of librarians with first-hand experience navigating change in libraries today. Participants will hear our strategies for riding both sides of the change wave: personal and organizational, and begin to develop their own plans for adaptability.
Finding the Time to be Active in the Library Classroom Presenters: Lucinda Rush and Rachel Stott, Old Dominion University Libraries Finding time for active learning in library instruction is challenging when there is a lot to cover in one session. Providing short, active learning opportunities during one-shots can positively impact student learning. Participants in this session will engage in activities that can be used to increase student success in library one-shots.
An Open Textbook Approach to OER: VIVA and The Open Textbook Network Presenters: Anita Walz, Virginia Tech; Anne Osterman, VIVA; Claudia Holland and Genya O’Gara, George Mason University; Jimmy Ghaphrey, Virginia Commonwealth University; Olivia Reinauer, Tidewater Community College In the Spring of 2016, VIVA joined the Open Textbook Network (OTN) -- a growing collaboration of schools, universities, and institutions that promotes access, affordability, and student success through the use of open textbooks. Nominated by their Deans or Directors, three system leaders were selected by VIVA to attend the Open Textbook Network Summer Institute at the University of Minnesota, and over thirty campus leaders throughout Virginia were selected to attend Campus Leader Training in early October. Hear from VIVA representatives about the decision to join the OTN and their hopes for the future. Listen to a selection of these librarians discuss what they learned and their plans for their institution and in collaboration. Time will be reserved for discussion and questions.
4:15 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Improving the Health, Safety and Well-being of LGBT Populations Presenters: Tony Nguyen, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, SE/A LGBT individuals face many barriers in accessing healthcare, including discrimination, lack of access, misunderstanding, and fear. As a consequence, many LGBT individuals do not regularly access appropriate and timely care. The more informed healthcare professionals are, LGBT patients and clients will become more comfortable in an environment that is often alienating, disrespectful, and traumatic.
Keeping the Desk: Adventures in Student Staffing, Librarian Freedoms and Winning Collaborations Presenter: Lauren Goode, The College of William and Mary In a changing landscape where many academic libraries choose to consolidate service points, William and Mary’s Swem Library took an alternative approach. Swem saved it’s research desk, staffing it with graduate students. The benefits are numerous, with statistics showing steady interactions at the research desk and exponential growth in alternative outreach opportunities.

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Proximity for Promotion: Using iBeacons to Highlight Spaces and Services Presenters: Katelyn Burton, Virginia Western; Alyssa Archer and Jason Burton, Radford University Proximity beacons send alerts when users come within range with mobile devices. In this session, we will describe our experience developing an iBeacon self-guided scavenger hunt to highlight library locations and services. Come prepared to see this low-cost, easy-to-use technology in action and work on wayfinding for your own library!
Cradle to Grave Intellectual Freedom Presenters: Shari Henry, Arlington Public Library; Mike Mabe, Chesterfield County Public Library; Suzy Szasz Palmer, Longwood University; Angela Branyon, Old Dominion University Come hear from a panel of librarians representing the academic, public, and school sectors as they discuss what kinds of everyday challenges they face while working to preserve intellectual freedom in the face of an evolving and often polarized political climate.
Accessible Learning through Universal Design Presenters: Brian Sullivan and Malia Willey, James Madison University Librarians can create more inclusive learning environments through the application of universal design principles. Students of all abilities benefit when accessibility for as many learners as possible is incorporated from the start. This presentation will cover concepts, applications, and limitations related to universal design in the library instruction classroom.
Design Matters: Designing and Assessing Flexible Learning Spaces in an Academic Library Presenters: Paul Showalter and Lisa Nickel, College of William & Mary Learning spaces matter. But how learning spaces affect student and faculty experiences remains unclear. Building on a growing body of research on learning spaces and student satisfaction, Swem Library and the Herman Miller Corporation collaborated to study the impact of two newly-designed library classrooms on student learning and instructor pedagogy.
Noxious Weeding: Using Data Visualization to Revitalize Your Collection Presenters: Rachel Maderik and Accacia Mullen, Virginia Military Institute How do you begin to analyze and weed a monograph collection when it has not been done in living memory? This session will take an in-depth look at a small academic library’s approach to this problem and demonstrate a data visualization tool developed in-house to meet their needs.
10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Love at First Byte: VAMPS - A Virginia Model for Preservation Services Presenter: Bradley Daigle, University of Virginia A Virginia Model for Preservation Services (VAMPS) will provide a network of services that addresses the needs for digitization, description, and preservation across the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is an ongoing effort that seeks to train, educate, and assist any organization that stewards cultural heritage materials.
Don’t Be “That Librarian”: Engaging Patrons Appropriately at the Desk and Throughout the library Presenters: Garrison Libby, Tidewater Community College; Maria Fesz, Northern Virginia Community College As librarians, it’s imperative that we practice excellent customer service to ensure patrons are comfortable approaching and talking with us. This session will share insights into students’ perceptions of libraries and librarians, tips on how you and your staff can improve customer service skills, and recommendations to avoid patron interaction pitfalls.
After the Usability Study: Making Website Changes Based upon Results Presenter: Terry Brandsma, UNC Greensboro The UNCG Libraries conducted a comprehensive usability study that examined the design, content, and functionality of the primary website. This presentation will provide an overview of the tests conducted and then show how the test results directly informed our decisions on how to modify specific portions of our homepage.
Data Visualization for Insights and Better Decision Making Presenters: Ingrid Hsieh-Yee, Catholic University of America; Jim Gillispie, Johns Hopkins University Libraries, often awash in data about the people, businesses, and communities we serve, frequently struggle at leveraging that information for decision making. We will illustrate data analysis through visualization methods, including web-based GIS services, to demonstrate how to develop insights from data visualization and make informed decisions on serving users.
2:15 p.m. - 2 p.m.
The Library of Congress CIP Program: How It Works, What’s New, and How to Get Involved Presenters: Caroline Saccucci and Camilla Williams, Library of Congress The Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication (CIP) Program provides cataloging in advance of publication for titles most likely to be acquired bythe nation’s libraries. How does the CIP Program accomplish its mission? What are the new areas of development in the CIP Program? How can institutions get involved?
Digging in the Crates: Hip Hop & the Library Presenters: Craig Arthur and Alyssa Archer, Radford University Hip hop is one of the few areas of popular culture that regularly addresses issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, authority, and authenticity. The genre’s practices are not vastly different than traditional research processes. Incorporating hip hop into library programming presents numerous unique opportunities and challenges. Let’s explore them.
When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It: Visualizing Data Presenter: Kerry Keegan, Atlas Systems People tell you modesty’s a virtue. But in the library, modesty can hurt you. Take your data to the next level and show the whole world what you’re about.We’ll discuss gathering and exporting important data, how to query results, and how to upload findings into a variety of free and paid programs that can be used to illustrate goals and accomplishments. Special emphasis will be given to resource sharing analysis.
Desperately Seeking Dumbledore: The Value Of Mentorships Throughout Your Career Presenters: Julia Feerrar, Virginia Tech; Katelyn Burton, Virginia Western Finding a mentor can be daunting, but an outside perspective might be just the thing to get your career rolling (or back on track!). In this session, we’ll share best practices from a successful mentoring partnership and encourage participants to reflect on their ideal mentoring match.
A New Library, Now What? Implementing Responsive, Life-Cycle Space Assessment for Evolving User Needs Presenters: Sarah Falls and Jeanne Hammer, Virginia Commonwealth University Library building projects require extensive needsassessment during the design process. In an everevolving academic world, how do new buildings respond to elements such as use patterns and technology, which may obsolesce quickly? How do academic libraries implement life-cycle assessment of spaces? Two new library projects in Virginia will explore strategies.
Using Patron Interviewing As A Method For Investigating Reference Consultations: How Can Qualitative Research Inform Reference Services In An Academic Library? Presenters: Howard Carrier, James Madison University; Emily Rogers, Valdosta State University Qualitative research based upon patron interviewing has the potential to yield rich data. Two academic librarians discuss their experiences using this methodology to investigate reference consultations undertaken in the library of a comprehensive, state university in the southeastern United States. What are the key advantages (and drawbacks) to this approach?
2:15 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Electronic Resources: Behind the Scenes Presenter: Stephanie Adams, Tennessee Technological University Most librarians use electronic resources from the front end, but what goes on behind the scenes in acquiring these resources? The presenter will cover some of the parts of the process that are often overlooked as well as the details librarians should be addressing beyond standard licensing and pricing issues.
Starting from Zero: Getting Digital Repositories Off the Ground Presenters: Carole Porter and David Wiseman, Roanoke College Increasingly, libraries are facing decisions regarding the development of digital repository platforms that will preserve and provide access to born-digital content and digitized files. Join us for a digital storytelling, showcasing the development of our digital collections followed by a lively discussion on fostering relationships and advocating for digital repositories.
Community Partnerships for Professional Development: Using a Technology Petting Zoo to Strengthen Academic and Public Library Relationships Presenters: Michael Mungin and Mark Lane, James Madison University; Susan Versen, Massanutten Regional Library How do you strengthen the community involvement of an academic library and encourage staff professional development? With a Technology Petting Zoo! James Madison University and Massanutten Regional Library teamed up to let patrons test-drive new technologies, encourage employees to stretch their skills, and to nurture a community partnership.
Promote, Praise, Repeat with People: Enhancing your Staff Morale with Effective Performance Appraisals Presenters: Amy O’Connor, Muse Law Library - University of Richmond; Suzanne Corriell, Fourth Circuit Library - U.S. Court of Appeals For many, performance reviews are their most stressful work conversations - and managers often feel the same way. Yet, these reviews are necessary, and many younger workers crave constructive feedback on a regular basis. In this session, we present strategies for simplifying - and enhancing - the performance appraisal process.
Strategic Partnership and Space Sharing: How Academic Libraries Should be Making Decisions Presenters: Carrie Cooper and Lisa Nickel, College of William & Mary Libraries are many things to many people, but “strategic partner” is not usually one of them. On a college campus, space is limited and space has value. Smart administrators leverage library space to align themselves with those that advance the goals of the institution and the library. Learn from our successes and mistakes.
Cultivating Leadership Through Continuous Improvement and Influence Presenter: Marcy Simons, University of Notre Dame In the Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame we recognized a gap in available opportunities for developing leadership potential. The university sponsors programs for those who are already in leadership positions, but there are no formal programs for either those who are interested in leadership roles or for developing those individuals with skills that allow them to be influencers at any level of the organization. In 2014, we created a Leadership Development Program for individual contributors who are selected by our senior leadership as having potential to develop skills that will allow us to meet our organizational goals. This program will share the details of the framework, process, expectations and outcomes from the first and second cohorts.