Core News

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Author: Jenny Levine

📢 Call for Nominations

The Nominating Committee is soliciting nominees for the Spring 2022 ballot for the offices of Core President-Elect, Councilor, and Director-at-Large. The Committee seeks qualified individuals with strong service and leadership records in ALA, Core, and/or the previous ALCTS, LITA, LLAMA divisions, (or equivalent library associations) who will successfully advance Core’s vision and values in close collaboration with other Board members and Core section leaders. Candidates will be expected to describe experience in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their library communities. The President-Elect will serve a three-year term: as President-Elect, in 2022-2023, as President in 2023-2024, and as immediate Past-President in 2024-2025. The ALA/Core Councilor will serve a three-year term, 2022-2025. Three Directors-at-Large will be elected to serve three-year terms, 2022-2025. Candidates must be current Core members at the time of the election. The Nominating Committee will select at least two candidates for each open position. The last day to…Continue Reading

SAC Subcommittee on Faceted Vocabularies releases Version 1.0 of chronological best practices (046/388 fields in bib records)

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The Core SAC Subcommittee on Faceted Vocabularies (SSFV) is pleased to share Version 1.0 of the document Best Practices for Recording Faceted Chronological Data in Bibliographic Records, now available via the ALA Institutional Repository. This revision was prompted by community feedback on Version 0.9, released for comment in 2020. There are no fundamental changes to the best practices, but there are abundant clarifications, several additional examples, and other refinements. To name a few areas with additional/enhanced language (list not comprehensive): Invoking the IFLA-LRM definition of collection aggregate for aggregate situations in these BPs, with augmentation and parallel aggregates treated as single works in these BPs Relationship of 046 to chronological subdivisions in 6xx $y  Relationship of 046 and 388 Explanatory captions added to many examples that didn’t have them Acknowledgment of $8 as an alternative to $3 for specifying content being described Brief statement on what achieving a “critical mass”…Continue Reading

Read the September 2021 Issue of Information Technology and Libraries

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The September 2021 issue of Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL) is now available.  The September Editorial Board Thoughts essay is by Paul Swanson, “Building a Culture of Resilience in Libraries,” reflecting on the lessons of COVID-driven flexibility and suggests that a culture of resilience in our libraries will help us to more easily adapt to these, and emerging, changes we will inevitably encounter. That is followed by Carole Williams’ Public Libraries Leading the Way column, “Delivering: Automated Materials Handling for Staff and Patrons,” in which she discusses the effects of an automated materials handling system on both the staff and patrons of the Charleston County (SC) Public Library. Call for “Public Libraries Leading the Way” columns: If you work in a public library and would like to propose a column in this series for 2022 or beyond, please submit your idea through the brief three-question form.  Peer-reviewed Articles Mitigating Bias…Continue Reading

LIS Students: Apply for the 2022 Larew Scholarship for Tuition Help

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Core and Baker & Taylor are accepting applications for the Core Christian (Chris) Larew Memorial Scholarship for those who plan to follow a career in library and information technology, demonstrate potential leadership, and hold a strong commitment to library automation. The winner will receive a $3,000 check and a citation. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2022. Criteria for the Scholarship includes previous academic excellence, evidence of leadership potential, and a commitment to a career in library automation and information technology. Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for the scholarships with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference and a personal statement of the applicant’s view of what they can bring to the profession. Winners must have been accepted to a Master of Library Science (MLS) program recognized by the American Library Association. A link to the application form and instructions for filling it out are available on…Continue Reading

Summary, August 2021 Core e-Forum, “Instructional Technologies and the Effects of COVID-19 on Library Instruction”

The August Core e-Forum focused on instructional technologies and the effects of COVID-19 on library instruction. Attendees were asked how they changed their teaching styles during COVID-19 and responses varied from asynchronous modules and recordings in the LMS to synchronous online instruction sessions. Tools mentioned included Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Kaltura, Camtasia, BlueJeans, Canvas modules, slides, LibAnswers, LibWizard, Google Forms, and Qualtrics. During COVID-19, some libraries were fully closed, while others offered online instruction. Next we discussed how to engender a sense of community during online teaching. Some methods discussed include chat and breakout rooms in Zoom, Kahoot, Padlet, and discussion boards for asynchronous credit-courses. Many students did not want to show themselves via cameras, which made it difficult to assess engagement. Some recommendations included having students read from the slides and ask targeted questions that could lead to discussions. We also discussed how to keep morale up. Humor was recommended,…Continue Reading

David Satten-LĂłpez Named 2021 Core/OCLC Spectrum Scholar

Photo of David Satten-LĂłpez

The American Library Association (ALA) has awarded the 2021 Core/OCLC Spectrum Scholarship in Library and Information Technology to David Satten-LĂłpez, who will begin the MLIS program at Drexel University in Philadelphia (PA) this fall. He is interested in audiovisual materials and increasing the dissemination of digital materials through minimal computing frameworks. Satten-LĂłpez has worked in a variety of paraprofessional roles, and through these experiences he has developed a fascination with how technology intersects with the LIS field, particularly around digitization, the digital humanities and decoloniality. “Reflecting on my selection as a Spectrum Scholar for Core/OCLC, I feel a deep appreciation for the opportunity to connect with others in the Spectrum, OCLC, and Core communities,” Satten- LĂłpez said. “Moreover, I am excited to finally begin my MLIS after having spent many years in different paraprofessional positions. I am grateful to Spectrum, OCLC, and Core for easing some of this financial burden.”…Continue Reading

Happy Birthday to Us = Free Recordings

happy birthday for you

Core turns one today! It’s our birthday and to celebrate we’re launching a new archive of educational recordings, all of which are free for Core members. There are already 27 webinars and conference programs available on-demand, and each month we’ll add new ones. Six months after webinars (and some conference programs) are presented live, we’ll add the recordings to this library. Some of the sessions available now Seeking Clarity during Low-Morale Experiences: Actualizing Tools for Self-Preservation – Core President’s Program with Kaetrena Davis Kendrick 2021 ALA Annual Top Technology Trends Building Virtual Team Cohesion – Tips for Managers Creating a Strategic Library Communication Plan to Convey the Library’s Value and Values How Do We Do That Again? Documenting Library Work Expand the Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in Working with Metadata for Unusual Content Types Crisis Communication for Libraries Celebrate our first year together as a community on your schedule – check out…Continue Reading

New Core Jobs: August 27, 2021

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Browse new job openings on the Core Jobs Site

Metadata Librarian, Strategy and Management, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Department Manager Fine Arts Special Collection, Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, OH Metadata Librarian, Hebraica – 67786BR, Yale University, New Haven, CT Metadata Librarian, Spanish and Portuguese – 67830BR, Yale University, New Haven, CT Visit the Core Jobs Site for additional job openings.

Submit a Program Proposal for ALA Annual 2022

ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition - Washington DC - June 23-28, 2022

Proposals are due by October 1, 2021, and you don’t need to be a Core member to submit one. When completing the form, be sure to select “Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures” to have your proposal reviewed by Core. We welcome topics of interest to a wide range of library professionals in many different areas, including… Access and Equity• Advocacy in areas such as copyright, equity of access, open access, net neutrality, and privacy• Preservation Week• Equity, diversity, and inclusion, both within the division and the profession, as related to Core’s subject areas Assessment• Emphasizing the role of assessment in demonstrating the impacts of libraries or library services• Assessment tools, methods, guidelines, standards, and policies and procedures Buildings & Operations• Changing trends in organizational structures, services, staff operations, and facilities• Best practices for inclusive practices and design Leadership and Management• Developing leaders at every level• Best practices for inclusion by using…Continue Reading

Canceling Core Forum Oct. 7-9

Core Forum: Together Again, October 7-9, 2021, in Baltimore, Maryland

Due to the continued pandemic, the surge of the Delta Variant and the data throughout the United States including in our host city, Baltimore, we have been forced to cancel the upcoming Core Forum in Baltimore, scheduled for October 7-9. While I am deeply disappointed because I had very much hoped to be welcoming Core members to our first in-person conference, the safety and health of our membership is our top priority. Thank you to all of our members, presenters, and sponsors for lending us your time and talent in connection with the conference. In the near term, Core leaders will identify ways to continue to connect and co-learn virtually. Longer-term, we acknowledge that not all of the benefits of conference experiences, particularly networking and relationship building, are always replicable online. When the circumstances allow, we will pursue an in-person gathering with continued care, caution, and planning. As President of…Continue Reading