Virginia Library Association » Committees

Intellectual Freedom Committee Needs Your Stories

Lisa Varga — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:59:43 +0000

The Intellectual Freedom Committee will be hosting a workshop at the Annual Conference (Thursday October 25th 2:15 p.m.) and we need your help. The workshop is entitled “Tales from the Field”. If you have had a recent challenge to your collection or policies and are willing to share please send a synopsis of the situation to Jim Sanderson, IFC Chair at jsanderson@nngov.com by September 1. The Committee will review the submissions and choose 3-4 to serve as the basis for the workshop. If possible a member of your staff attending the conference will be asked to present the issue at stake.

Awards & Recognition Committee Seeks New Members

Lisa Varga — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:47:06 +0000

The Awards & Recognition Committee is seeking TWO additional members to bring its roster up to the full number outlined in its charge.

About the Awards & Recognition Committee:

The Role of the VLA Awards and Recognition Committee

The Awards and Recognition Committee is a Standing Committee. The purpose of the committee is to identify and honor individuals or groups who have contributed to the well-being of the profession or libraries in Virginia.

Committee Objectives:

To recommend one or more individuals for honorary life membership in the Association.
To choose recipients of the following awards, and any other awards and recognitions for the George Mason Award, Trustee Award, and the Friends of the Library Award
The Committee Chair solicits nominations from the membership, then collects the nominations and distributes them to the members of the committee
Committee members examine, and submit recommendations as explained under each award to the Committee Chair by the stipulated deadline.

The VLA Awards & Recognition Committee includes a chairperson and at least six members, all appointed by the Second Vice-President for two year terms. Appointments are staggered to assure continuity. To be a member of this committee you must be a member in good standing (i.e. have paid your VLA dies by January 1 of each year in office.). The bulk of the committee’s work is performed in the Spring of each year.

Additional information about the awards and recognition committee is found at the following URL: http://www.vla.org/?page_id=1434

To submit a VLA Committee Service Interest Form:

Go to VLA Forms (http://www.vla.org/?page_id=1419)
Select VLA Committee Service Interest Form.
Fill out and submit

Sincerely,

Anne Driscoll

Chair Awards & Recognition Committee

You are invited to 2012 VLACRL Spring Program!

Tatiana — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:38:04 +0000

What: The Virginia Chapter of ACRL (VLACRL) invites you to our annual
Spring Program “Starting at the end: Rethink your instruction based on student bibliographies.”

When: Monday, April 9th, 2012

Where: Sweet Briar College, Florence Easton Inn & Conference Center

Registration: Register online

$45 for VLACRL members (qualification: membership in ACRL or in VLA);

$55 for non-VLACRL members

Program Details:

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Registration and coffee

10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Keynote Speaker Sandra Jamieson, Director of Composition, English Department, Drew University, “Struggling with Sources: Rethinking the Research Paper.”

Dr. Jamieson will discuss the findings of the Citation Project, a multi-institutional study of student source use in 174 papers from 16 US colleges and universities (http://site.citationproject.net/). Data findings reinforce some of the findings from single-institution studies, but also offer broader insights into the ways students select and use source material in researched papers.

11.15 a.m. – 12.15 p.m. – Reverse Engineering Workshop “How would we teach differently to get different results in student bibliographies?” facilitated by Candice Benjes-Small, Coordinator, Information Literacy and Outreach, Radford University and Luke Vilelle, Public Services & Social Sciences Liaison Librarian, Hollins University.

12.30 p.m.-1.30 p.m. – Lunch (included in registration fee)

1.45 p.m. – 2.45 p.m. – Shaunna Hunter, Public Services Librarian, and Liz Rand, Head of Rhetoric and Writing, Hampden-Sydney College, “Empowering Students as Researchers: Faculty/Librarian Collaboration.”

2.45 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. – Wrap-up.

For further registration questions, please contact Meridith Wolnick at mwolnick@virginia.edu

Join the VLACRL list @ groups.google.com/group/vla-crl and Like Us @ VLACRL Facebook for updates!

VLA Technical Services & Technology Forum Presents: “Understanding XML” with Matthew Gibson

Lisa Varga — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:43:28 +0000

Tuesday, March 20, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA

This one-day hands-on workshop will explore XML with a specific focus on fundamentals of design, markup, and use. The workshop will explain why XML is important, particularly in the domain of describing, storing, and delivering information in a library setting.

XML Workshop Flyer (please print and post in your library.)

Topics to be covered include:

XML: What is it?
What is the difference between XML and HTML?
Why should librarians care about XML?
Understanding XML validation: What is it and why is it important?

Prerequisites: No prior knowledge of XML is required; familiarity with markup languages such as HTML is helpful. All students should be very comfortable navigating Windows operating system, and should be able to save files from the internet to the local computer, and understand how to find and open those files. The computers in the workshop classroom run Windows 7.

Matthew Gibson is Director of Digital Programs at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH). At the VFH, he oversees Encyclopedia Virginia, a digital publication about Virginia history and culture, and guides the short- and long-term planning for the organization’s digital efforts and scholarly communications. Matthew is an experienced conference presenter and author in the field of digital library standards. For the past nine years he has taught week-long XML application building workshops as an independent consultant and for the Association of Research Libraries. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia.

VLA Members: $85 per person / Non-members: $125 per person (Includes lunch in R-MC dining hall)

Click for online registration form.

Click for directions to Randolph-Macon College Library.

(Parking readily available during Randolph-Macon College’s Spring Break.)

Questions? Please contact Lynda Wright, Chair of the VLA Technical Services & Technology Forum for the Virginia Library Association at lwwright@rmc.edu

Virginia Libraries: call for submissions for first issue by new editors

Lisa Varga — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:31:56 +0000

Please welcome our new editors! Starting with the second issue of 2012 (deadline February 1), Beth DeFrancis Sun (editor, defrancb@georgetown.edu) and John Connolly (assistant editor, jpconnolly@crimson.ua.edu) will take the helm of Virginia Libraries. Beth DeFrancis Sun is librarian at the Maternal & Child Health Library, Georgetown University, while John Connolly is a software trainer for the Library Corporation and an MLIS distance education student at the University of Alabama. Please welcome them with plenty of submissions! In particular, please send your reports of the 2011 VLA conference sessions to your new editors no later than February 1.

Regarding our upcoming themed issue on electronic collections, Cy Dillon (cdillon@hsc.edu) and Lyn C. A. Gardner (cgardner@hampton.gov) are wrapping up Virginia Libraries 58.1. Please communicate with them directly regarding anything to do with this theme. They are still in need of articles and reviews, so please touch base ASAP regarding your completed submissions.

Guidelines for Submission to Virginia Libraries

1. Virginia Libraries seeks to publish articles and reviews of interest to the library community in Virginia. Articles and interviews reporting research, library programs and events, information of particular interest to libraries in Virginia, and opinion pieces are all considered for publication. Queries are encouraged. Brief announcements and press releases should be distributed via the VLA listservs and website (www.vla.org).

2. Please submit manuscripts via email as attachments in Microsoft Word, rich text, or plain text format. Articles should be double-spaced with any bibliographic notes occurring at the end of the article. Please avoid using the automatic note creation function provided by some word processing programs.

3. Work published in Virginia Libraries conforms to the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style and Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Accepted pieces are subject to editing for style and clarity. Authors will be consulted on points of fact.

4. Articles should generally fall within the range of 750-3,000 words. Please query the editors before submitting any work of greater length.

5. Reviews should consider works produced by Virginia creators or concerning Virginia subjects that have been published within the last two years. The reviewed works can appeal to any age or audience or appear in any format or area of the arts, sciences, and humanities. Reviews generally fall within the range of 500-1,500 words and must include a bibliographic citation in Chicago style and an evaluative statement supported by evidence from the text. Please query the editors before writing or submitting a review.

6. All work submitted for consideration will be reviewed by the editors and may be refereed by the editorial board. Material not selected for publication will be returned within three months.

7. VLA holds the copyright on all material published in Virginia Libraries. Contributors receive one copy of the issue in which their work appears.

8. Illustrations are encouraged and should be submitted whenever appropriate to accompany a manuscript. Hard-copy illustrations will be returned if requested in advance. Digital images should have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Authors are responsible for securing legal permission to publish photographs and other illustrations.

9. Each contributor should provide a brief sketch of professional accomplishments of no more than fifty words that includes current title, affiliation, and email address. Unless specified otherwise, this information will be shared with readers of Virginia Libraries. Physical addresses should also be provided for the mailing of contributors’ copies.

10. Email manuscripts and queries to both Beth DeFrancis Sun (editor, defrancb@georgetown.edu) and John Connolly (assistant editor, jpconnolly@crimson.ua.edu).

11. Virginia Libraries is published quarterly. The deadlines for submission are November 1 for Number 1, January/February/March; February 1 for Number 2, April/May/June; May 1 for Number 3, July/August/September; and August 1 for Number 4, October/November/December

ALA Emerging Leaders from Virginia: Rebecca Kate Miller and Rocco Debonis

Lisa Varga — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 01:40:14 +0000

Congratulations to Rebecca Kate Miller of Virginia Tech Libraries and Rocco Debonis of the University of Maryland University College, who have been selected for the 2012 Class of Emerging Leaders of the American Library Association!

Click here for the full announcement and more information about the Emerging Leaders program.

Past Emerging Leaders from Virginia

2007: Mario A. Ascencio, LeRoy Jason LaFleur (both from George Mason University)

2008: Mary Hanlin (Tidewater Community College), Renee DiPilato (Alexandria Public Library), Sally Ma (Fairfax County Public Library). Sally, Renee and Mary wrote this article in Virginia Libraries about their experiences.

2009: Laura Horne (University of Richmond), Sara Townsend (Norfolk Public Library), Beth Larkee (Hollins University), Suzanna Panter (Henrico Co. Public Schools), Sarah Wright (Potomac Library)

2010: Laura Amos (Norfolk Collegiate School), Nathan Putnam (George Mason University)

2011: Elizabeth Appleton (George Mason University), Alicia Blowers (St. Stephen & St. Agnes School), Megan Hodge (Chesterfield Co. Public Library), Matthew Jabaily (Old Dominion University)

Rocco Debonis

Rebcca Kate Miller

Rocco DeBonis has earned a Master of Secondary Education, Master of Fine Arts in Literature and Creative Writing, and most recently a Master of Library Science. He has been a Reference and Instruction Librarian at the University of Maryland University College since January 31st of this year, where he is liaison to the Undergraduate School’s Center for Student Success and the Graduate School’s Education Department. Previously, he taught science in New York City public schools and then English and creative writing at Northern Virginia Community College. He hopes that the Emerging Leader program will introduce him to other librarians of all ages who are new to the field, and that the program will serve as a conduit to continued involvement in ALA.

Rebecca Kate Miller is the Information Literacy Coordinator & College Librarian for Science, Life Sciences, and Engineering at Virginia Tech. She earned my MLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007, and worked at Louisiana State University until she joined the faculty at Virginia Tech in May 2010. As a new information professional, she is very interested in connecting and supporting other new librarians, and work with the Virginia Library Association to do this. Currently, Rebecca serves as the VLA Membership Chair and has collaborated with Megan Hodge to reactivate the VLA New Members Round Table Forum. Nationally, she serves as the Secretary of the ALA New Members Round Table and on several ACRL committees. Rebecca is looking forward to meeting new colleagues and gaining new insights through the Emerging Leaders program.

VLA Kindle Fire Drawing WINNER!

Lisa Varga — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:27:22 +0000

Congratulations to Susan Lawlor of Thomas Nelson Community College, winner of the VLA Kindle Fire drawing! Susan was entered into the drawing to win her brand-new Kindle Fire by joining VLA after she attended the 2011 VLA Annual Conference during October in Portsmouth, VA.

Although it may be too late for you to win a Kindle Fire from VLA, it’s never too late for you to reap the benefits of VLA membership. Visit the VLA website for more information on how to join and to access the VLA membership form.

JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT ONLINE CAREER CHAT ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.

Lisa Varga — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:36:35 +0000

Our topic will be Career Communication Documents – including that all-important resume.

Provided by the ALA JobLIST Placement Center

Your resume is still one of the best tools for your job search and career advancement strategy. However, resumes – how they look and what they need to communicate – have changed. And other communications documents like your profile, your cover letter and your business cards, have become more important. Bring your ideas, your questions, and any resources you’d like to share with others to our next chat session. And be ready to join a great discussion about communicating your value to prospective employers.

Our facilitator will be Caitlin Williams. Caitlin has been in the field of career development for more than 20 years. She writes, speaks, conducts research and coaches individuals on ways to continue growing professionally, as well as ways to remain employable in a challenging economy. She is on the faculty of San Jose State University in Calif. Caitlin has been partnering with ALA for nearly 10 years to offer individuals help with managing their careers, and providing one-on-one career counseling sessions in the ALA JobLIST Placement Center during ALA conferences.

Beatrice Calvin

Program Officer, Placement/Recruitment

Office for Human Resource Development & Recruitment

American Library Association

50 E. Huron St.

Chicago, IL 60611

bcalvin@ala.org

800/545-2433 ext. 4280

312/280-4280

www.ala.org/hrdr

Make a living making a difference!

www.LibraryCareers.org

Banned Books Display Winners: Bateman Library at Langley Air Force Base

Lisa Varga — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:32:47 +0000

Every year, VLA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee sponsors a Banned Books Week Display contest.

We hope to encourage libraries of every type to educate their users on the dangers of censorship in a free society. The prize is simply this recognition and the attendant bragging rights.

This year first prize goes to the Bateman Library at the Langley Air Force Base. Their display combined a prison like setting with informative signs giving the reasons the books had been banned. Caution signs bore messages like “Caution This Book May Cause Thinking” All of this was under the inspired theme “Free People Read Freely”

Bedford Public Library’s display came in a very close second. Dangerous books were displayed in plain brown paper wrappers with explanations of their banning. Patrons could take home a bookmark to facilitate their own illicit reading. A part of the display dealt specifically with the issue of censorship of children’s reading.

This year the IFC also wants to give special recognition to the Jefferson Madison Regional Library and the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression for their Banned Books week observation at “The Wall” in Charlottesville. Using a grant from the Judith Krug Memorial Fund a professional artist created a mural of banned books amidst the flames of censorship. This was paired with a screening of the classic film “Fahrenheit 451” a wonderful pairing indeed.

Congratulations to the winners and to all of us who work every day to make sure that free people can read freely.

-The 2011 Intellectual Freedom Committee

We want your feedback!

Lisa Varga — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:54:57 +0000

Did you attend VLA’s Annual Conference in Portsmouth? We want your feedback! Please complete an Overall Conference Evaluation by November 13, so we can continue to grow, evolve and improve our future conferences.