VLA PAF: Advance, Connect, Educate

Your voice matters! As a Professional Associate, we need your input to help us with conference planning for the future. If you work in any support role in a public, academic, or special library, please fill out this anonymous short survey to help us understand your continuing educational needs. Deadline to submit is 11:59 pm on June 26, 2019.

Over the next few months, we'll be seeking your input on a variety of topics that will shape future continuing education events specifically for Professional Associates in Virginia's many types of libraries. Thank you in advance for your time!

2019 Scholarship Winners Announced

The VLA Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the 2019 scholarship recipients. Congratulations to Lori Rice, Tyesha Evans, and Emily Metrock on their academic excellence and dedication to the field of Library Science.

Clara Stanley VLA Paraprofessional Forum Scholarship

The 2019 recipient of the Clara Stanley VLA Paraprofessional Forum Scholarship is Lori Rice from Madison, VA. Lori works as a Library Associate for the Culpeper County Library. She is active in her community and in her free time serves on the Board of Madison County Library and volunteers for the Madison County Free Clinic. She says, “As we develop into a more diverse and technological society, it is vital to meet the continuously evolving educational, informational, vocational, technological, and recreational needs of all our patrons, while still promoting regular in-person use of libraries. I hope to continue to encourage the perspective that libraries are a center for the community, with services, information, resources, and life-long opportunities for patrons of every demographic.” Lori joined VLA in 2018. She is obtaining her MLIS degree from the University of North Texas and will graduate in December of 2020. 

VLA Scholarships

The 2019 recipients of the two VLA Scholarships are Tyesha Evans and Emily Metrock.

Tyesha Evans has worked for the Richmond Public Library since 2018. Tyesha brings passion and enthusiasm to her Youth Services position. One of her missions as a librarian will be to bridge the gap between schools and libraries. She says, “I want to connect with Library Media Specialists and other community officials to invest in the children’s future with library resources. I want children to know they can conquer the world with those resources.” As a librarian she looks forward to continuing to help her system develop programming and collections that represent the community. Tyesha has been a member of VLA since 2017 and is earning her MLIS from Louisiana State University. She will graduate in summer of 2021.

Emily Metrock leads the Children’s Department at the Salem Public Library in Salem, VA. On her passion for early literacy she says, “Positive reading experiences create lifelong readers in a way that no standardized test in the world ever will. Children who love reading read more frequently. The more frequently they read, the better readers they become. The better readers they become, the more they read, and on and on and on.  I believe it is my responsibility to get all children on that cycle, and the only way I can do that is by bringing enthusiasm and passion into my work. If that fire is not there, it will not spark a love of reading.” Emily joined VLA in 2016 and is enrolled in the MLIS program through Louisiana State University with an expected graduate date of December 2020.

VLA appreciates the support of this program. To learn more about the program, visit our Scholarships page. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Scholarship fund, please visit our donation page.

VLACRL Summer Program, Project Outcomes for Academic Libraries: Data for Impact and Improvement

Please join us in Richmond for the free VLACRL Summer Program, Project Outcomes for Academic Libraries: Data for Impact and Improvement. Project Outcome for Academic Libraries is a free online toolkit designed to help academic libraries assess and communicate the impact of essential library programs and services. Based on the model developed by the Public Library Association (PLA), Project Outcome provides simple surveys and tools for measuring and analyzing outcomes, including interactive data dashboards. Users also have access to the resources and training support needed to use their results and confidently assert the value of their academic library.

No registration fee, 50 participant cap

Location: 250 Multipurpose Room, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Libraries

Date and Time: Wednesday, July 17, 9:30 – 11:30

Light refreshments provided courtesy of VCU Libraries

Lunch with the group afterward to carry on the discussion (pay your own way)

Parking: Broad Street Parking Deck (https://maps.vcu.edu/monroepark/broadstdeck/) and the Cary Street Parking Deck (https://maps.vcu.edu/monroepark/carystdeck/index.html). Each is about 3-4 blocks away.

Register Here: https://forms.gle/CGHPZiZR3RMtc5ph7

Looking for Interested VLA Members