HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Monday, February 9
- Fundamentals of Institutional Repositories 2026 Session 1.0 began at 9am CT and runs through March 20, 2026
- Core Member Engagement Coordination Committee met from 10:15am – 11am CT
- Core Executive Committee met from 1pm – 2pm CT
Tuesday, February 10
- ALA Virtual Event: Recharging in Challenging Times will be held from 10am – 4pm CT
- Core Web Committee – Website Recommendations Subcommittee will meet from 11am – 12pm CT
- Core Technology Section Leadership Team will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Leaders Group will meet from 2pm – 3pm CT
Wednesday, February 11
- Core Fundraising & Sponsorships Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Diversity and Inclusion Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
Thursday, February 12
- Core Leadership and Management Section Leadership Team will hold a webinar “Peer Mentoring Experiences in Libraries” from 1pm – 2pm CT
Friday, February 13
- 2026 Core Forum Planning Committee will meet from 11:30am – 12:30pm
- Core Organization & Bylaws Committee will meet from 12pm – 1pm CT
- Core Continuing Education Coordination Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
HAPPENING NEXT WEEK
Monday, February 16
Core offices will be closed in observance of President’s Day.
Tuesday, February 17
- Core Webinar Build your Brand, Build your Community will be held from 1pm – 2pm CT
- Core Board of Directors will meet from 2pm – 4:30pm CT
Wednesday, February 18
- Core Webinars: Transforming LibGuides: A Case Study will be held from 1pm – 2pm CT
Thursday, February 19
- Core Continuing Resources Cataloging Committee will meet from 1pm – 2pm CT
Friday, February 20
- Core Preservation Outreach Committee will meet from 11am – 12pm CT
- Core Emerging Technology Trends Section Committee will hold “Tech Talks: Accessibility” from 12pm – 1pm CT
MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
- The Core Fundamentals Courses are now online. Register now!
- Applications for the Career LIFT Awards are now open! The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 10.
- 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 Daniel Dollar
- 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.
- 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.
- RUSA Virtual Forum-Agenda Posted – We are excited to inform you that the Agenda for the 2026 RUSA Virtual Forum: Reference and User Services: Stepping Boldly Forward to be held March 10 & 12, 2026 is now available. See below the exciting sessions developed by our sections and interest groups.
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.”
