HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Monday, January 26
- ALA Youth Media Awards was held in Chicago from 8am – 4:30pm CT. An online viewing link will be coming soon.
- Core International Relations Committee met from 10am – 11 am CT
- Core LL&M Editorial Board met from 12pm – 1pm CT
Tuesday, January 27
Wednesday, January 28
- Core Web Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- ALA Council will meet from 2pm – 4pm CT
Thursday, January 29
Friday, January 30
- 2026 Core Forum Planning Committee will meet from 11:30am – 12:30pm CT
HAPPENING NEXT WEEK
Monday, February 2
- Core Assessment and Evaluation Committee will meet from 1pm – 1:30pm CT
- Core Executive Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
Tuesday, February 3
- Core Project Management Interest Group will hold a Brown Bag Session from 12pm – 1pm CT
Wednesday, February 4
- Core Interest Group Committee will meet from 12pm – 1pm CT
- Core Webinar: Transform and Thrive: Fostering Well-Being will be held from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Library Leaders and Managers Interest Group will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- All About Core Forum Town Hall will be held from 2:30pm – 3:30pm CT
Thursday, February 5
- Core Awards & Scholarships Coordination Committee will meet from 10am – 11am CT
- Core Library Interiors, Furnishings, and Equipment Committee will meet from 2pm – 2pm CT
- Core Marketing and Social Media Committee will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
Friday, February 6
- Metadata & Collections Section Leadership Team will meet from 11am – 12pm CT
MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Call for Proposals for Core Forum 2026 in Louisville is now Open! Deadline to apply is Sunday, March 4.
- Submissions for the 2026 John Cotton Dana Award (JCD). are now open. The deadline to submit is March 13, 2026.
- Nominations for the Core Margaret Mann Citation sponsored by OCLC are now open. Nominations due by February 27, 2026. Please help us spread the word and encourage your colleagues to nominate someone that is deserving of this recognition.
- Nominations for the Core Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship in Library and Information Technology sponsored this year by the American Library Association are now open. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2026.
- Nominations for the American Library Association (ALA) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Library Interior Design Awards are now open. Deadline to apply is April 6, 2026.
- This month’s #IamCore featured member is Masha Stepanova.
- The Core Continuing Education Coordination Committee is looking for new members. One of the many perks for serving on this committee is the ability to attend Core webinars at no cost. Interested? Contact Tom Ferren at tferren@ala.org.
- Core is pleased to announce the release of the 2026 Core Fundamentals Web Course Schedule. This series of related online courses covers basic topics that enhance skills in various areas of library work. Students have 4-6 weeks to complete the work on their own time. Course instructors are available to lead the student through the course and answer questions..
- 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!
Check out these new titles which are available in the Core/ALA Store.
- 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.
- 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.”
