Are you creative and tech-savvy? Are you a bit of a graphic design geek? The VLA Website Content Committee is looking for you! 

If you are a current member of the Virginia Library Association, now is your chance to volunteer your skills and knowledge to make the VLA website even better. The Website Content Committee monitors the timeliness, relevance, and overall quality of the content on the VLA website. The committee is also responsible for assisting the Executive Director with maintaining the website and promoting both contribution to and use of the website to all VLA members.  

Committee members meet virtually about once a month to discuss ongoing projects and brainstorm ideas. Members also assist the Committee Chair and the Executive Director with various projects, including updating the website, working with other committees to create content, and coming up with new ways the VLA website can serve its members. Content writers share their expertise by writing short articles on various topics related to librarianship.

To let us know you are interested in contributing to the committee, complete this form today! 

Are You Our Perfect Match? VLA Committee Seeks Enthusiastic Critical Thinkers Ready to Pick the Next Crop of VLA and VLAPAF Award Winners

The VLA Awards & Recognition Committee is seeking two new members to round out the committee for the 2021 awards cycle.

The purpose of the VLA Awards & Recognition Committee is to identify and honor individuals or groups who have contributed to the well-being of the profession or libraries in Virginia. Specifically, committee members are responsible for selecting the winners for the Virginia Library Association (VLA) Awards and the VLA Professional Associates Forum Awards. It’s also a great way to get involved in VLA and gain some committee experience. To learn more about association awards and to see the latest award winners, visit the VLA Awards page.

Want to know more? Fill out the VLA Service Interest Form and someone from the committee will reach out with more information. Interested members should fill out the form by/before February 14^th, 2021. Priority acceptance onto the committee will be given to VLA members from one of the following Virginia library regions:  1, 2, or 5  (Virginia Region Map).

2021 Jefferson Cup Committee: Seeking Members

Are you a history buff?  Do you enjoy reading new juvenile and young adult literature? Apply to be a member of the 2021 Jefferson Cup Award Committee! We need one person from Region IV and one person from Region VI.  (Don't know your region? Here is a list and map: https://vpl.virginia.gov/directories/virginia-library-regions-libraries-by-region-and-map/)

Applicants must be willing to make the time commitment to read and discuss the books submitted for consideration, as well as attend physical and/or virtual meetings. Complete the application linked below and return it to Helen Hyde Hinkle, Jefferson Committee Chair, by October 15, 2020. Email your completed application to [email protected].

The Jefferson Cup honors two distinguished biography, historical fiction or American history books for children and young adults. Presented since 1983, the Jefferson Cup Committee’s goal is to promote reading about America’s past; to encourage the quality writing of United States history, biography and historical fiction for young people and to recognize authors in these disciplines. Read more and see previous winners here.

The Jefferson Cup Committee selects the winning titles. The committee has ten members: a chairperson and vice-chairperson (selected by the previous year’s committee), one person from each VLA region (total of six persons) selected by the current chair, the past chair of the previous year’s Jefferson Cup Committee and the outgoing chairperson of Youth and Family Services Forum. All committee members must be members of VLA. Members may be employed by public libraries, schools or any type or bookstores; they may also be unemployed or retired.

You may nominate yourself or a colleague for consideration. Persons selected must be willing to commit a large amount of personal time to read and evaluate books; committee members may receive over 200 titles. Members will also have to attend daytime meetings which may be exclusively online or a combination of online and in person. Persons who serve on the committee should be knowledgeable of literature for young people and have book evaluation experience. Jefferson Cup Committee members are expected to present programs at the annual VLA and, possibly, VAASL conferences, so a supervisor must sign this application, indicating he or she will allow the person to attend the conferences and will assist with the member’s expenses.

2021 Jefferson Cup Committee Application

VLA 2020 Conference Information Update

VLA has made the difficult decision not to host a conference this year, in person or online. After an exhaustive search of virtual platforms, we were unable to find one that provided the experience we wanted our attendees, presenters, volunteers and vendors to have, at a reasonable price. The Norfolk Marriott Waterside allowed us to transfer our conference to their location in 2022 without financial penalty.

The cancellation of the VLA conference is frustrating for so many of our participants. This prevents attendees from making new connections and seeing old friends. It prevents us from celebrating our award and scholarship winners, and denies vendors the opportunity to meet you face-to-face and have you see their products in person. It prevents presenters the opportunity to share their knowledge, and for attendees to learn from one another. We know, from years of survey data, that while attendees appreciate the continuing education of a conference, the opportunity to meet new people and network is vital to your professional lives.

VLA is determined to help you continue to make connections. We have heard that our members want to participate in informal zoom gatherings, perhaps focused on trivia or some other gaming event. We are putting a schedule together and will release it shortly.
VLA will host an online Annual Business Meeting this fall. Attendees will need to sign up in advance to be given login credentials. More details about the meeting will be sent to VLA members by the end of next week.

The New York Library Association is offering VLA members the option to attend their online conference, Strengthening Our Core, Thursday, November 5th - Friday, November 6th, 2020, at their discounted, member pricing. Use code CARDINAL when registering; NYLA will extend their early registration rate through October 31 for VLA members. Please visit this page for their programming schedule and pricing: https://www.nyla.org/4DCGI/cms/review.html?Action=CMS_Document&DocID=281&MenuKey=conf_info

If you are a presenter for this year, we are very sorry to cause you any disappointment or frustration. For those who wish to include the presentation on their resume or CV, it is generally accepted to list it with the notation “Conference canceled” at the end. Example: “The ACRL Framework and First-Year College Students.” Virginia Libraries Association Annual Conference, Norfolk, VA, October 2020. Conference canceled.

We know this has been a difficult year in so many ways.  This pandemic is challenging for all of us- at home, at school, at work. Libraries in Virginia and nationwide have always been a beacon for the communities we serve and that is due to the hard work and dedication of library workers like you. Even in the midst of challenges we’ve never seen before, libraries have innovated, adapted and have success stories to share when we can all be together in person again.  We hope that you are well, and that you can take time to care for yourself, your friends and your family, and stay well.

Please let me know if you have any questions,
Lisa

Lisa R. Varga, MLS
Executive Director
Virginia Library Association
PO Box 56312
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757-689-0594 (w)
[email protected]