HAPPENING THIS WEEK
- Core Executive Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Cataloging: Asian & African Materials Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Assessment and Evaluation Committee will meet from 1pm – 1:30pm CT
Tuesday, November 4
- Core Technology Section Leadership Team will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Webinar: Exploring Descriptive Strategies for Outdated Language in Metadata and Cataloging will be held from 1pm – 2pm CT
Wednesday, November 5
- Core Interest Group Coordination Committee will meet from 12pm – 1pm CT
- Core Library Leaders and Managers Interest Group will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Webinar: Cataloging & Metadata Competencies in Practice will be held from 1pm – 2pm CT
Thursday, 6
- Core Awards & Scholarships Coordination Committee will meet from 10am – 11am CT
- Core Appointments Committee will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
- Core Marketing and Social Media Committee will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
- Library Interiors, Furnishings, and Equipment Committee will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
Friday, November 7
- 2025 Core Forum Planning Committee will meet from 11am – 12pm CT
- Core Metadata & Collections Section Leadership Team will meet from 11am – 12pm CT
- Core Collection Evaluation and Assessment Interest Group will hold “Coffee Talks” from 12pm – 1pm CT
HAPPENING NEXT WEEK
Monday, November 10
- Core Bibliographic Conceptual Models Interest Group will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
Tuesday, November 11
Wednesday, November 12 – Friday, November 14
- Core Forum in Denver, Colorado
Thursday, November 13
- Digital Preservation Interest Group Reading Group will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
Friday, November 14
MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Register Now for Core Forum! November 12-14 in Denver, CO. Includes 48 sessions, 2 keynotes, networking opportunities, and more. See the full conference schedule online.
- The Core Strategic Planning Task Force is developing a new strategic plan to guide Core’s work through 2026 and beyond—and we want to hear from you. Whether you’re a current Core member or someone interested in becoming part of our community, your ideas and insights will help shape the priorities and future direction of the division.
The Your Voice, Core’s Future survey includes two parts:
- Part One features a few brief required questions to help us understand who’s responding and to gather key perspectives from across the community.
- Part Two offers open-ended questions that invite you to share your thoughts, ideas, and hopes for Core’s future direction. You’re welcome to respond to as many or as few topics as you’d like.
Please take a few minutes to share your perspective and help us build a stronger, more connected Core community.
- Deadline approaching for Carnegie-Whitney Award Applications for Guides to Library Resources. CHICAGO – The American Library Association Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library. Funded projects have ranged from “A Resource Guide about Disabilities, Disability Theory, and Assistive Technologies” to “A Bibliography for Queer Teens” to “Graphic Novels & the Humanity of Mental Illness” to “Web Accessibility Resources for Libraries”. Applications must be received by November 7, 2025. Recipients will be notified by the end of February 2026. For more information and guidelines, visit http://www.ala.org/offices/publishing/sundry/alapubawrds/carnegiewhitney or contact Mary Jo Bolduc, Grant Administrator, American Library Association at mbolduc@ala.org.
- Core is seeking proposals for in-person preconferences at the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The deadline to submit a preconference proposal is Friday, December 12, 2025. Please submit preconference proposals here.
- Core is seeking online course instructors for Fundamentals of Cataloging and Fundamentals of Institutional Repositories. If interested in teaching, please submit an Online Course Instructor Application – Core Handbook. The deadline to submit an application is Sunday, November 30.
- Present a webinar or moderate an e-Forum Discussion for Core! Send your e-forum discussion idea to core-eforum+help@groups.io. Complete the webinar proposal form to submit your webinar idea.
HOT OFF THE PRESSES!
Brand New! The High-Impact Digital Library: Innovative Approaches for Outreach and Instruction. Digital library terminology like “accessible,” “discoverable,” and “searchable” usually presumes passive collections waiting to be found by motivated information seekers. Rarely do we envision collection managers initiating outreach with those most likely to benefit from the collections.
Check out these three new titles which are available in the Core/ALA Store.
- A Complete Guide to Creative Technology Spaces in Academic Libraries: Media Labs, Makerspaces, and More. Beyond the loaning of laptops and phone chargers, libraries are branching out into supporting patrons by providing spaces and services that encourage art, communication, and innovation. Perhaps you’ve been tasked with building such a space in your academic library. It might be a media studio, a virtual reality lab, or even a combination space that has a podcasting suite, equipment circulation, 3D printing, and a computer lab. Or maybe you’ve been doing this for a while; you know it’s time to expand, but you’re not quite sure which direction to take or what equipment you need.
- Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future. Addressing a topic of great concern with both urgency and clarity, this book offers a compelling vision for libraries to claim their central role as trusted stewards of knowledge and architects of a responsible and equitable AI-driven world.
- The Digital Accessibility Handbook for Libraries. Providing concrete guidance on integrating accessibility into all aspects of a library’s digital work, this book will serve as your one-stop guide to accessibility standards, processes, and best practices.
To have your committee meeting, Core event, or Core member opportunity listed in a future issue of This Week in Core (TWIC), contact the Core Office at core@ala.org a few weeks ahead of time and title your message “TWIC Post Request.”
