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Summary, September Core e-Forum, “From Reactive to Proactive: Tech Today and Post COVID”

Close-up view of young woman working on her project while drafting her idea on notebook in comfortable workspace

On Day 1, the first question, “What successes or challenges have you experienced with pivoting library services during your COVID response?” garnered quite a bit of response.  Libraries commented about leveraging electronic forms built in Excel to decrease item tracing and handling.  Others commented on using tools such as QR codes on public printers to provide touch-free usage.  There were several remarks related to challenges around supplying equipment needed for staff to work from home, and realigning technology and assets to allow for this.  Of course, stress around the multiple unknowns still weighs heavily on people, and long range projects like facilities construction have been impacted.  Question 2, “What has been your biggest challenge that you solved by applying technology during this time? Is this a new technological solution, or did you expand an existing solution to meet current needs?” resulted in a discussion around challenges with new online meeting…Continue Reading

Cast Your Vote in the Core Election

Dear Core Member: Welcome to our first election as Core! Voting is now open and will continue through October 25. Election results will be announced October 26, and the new Board will be seated November 2. On the ballot, you will see three candidates for President and two candidates for President-elect. Please note that once you submit your ballot it cannot be changed. To learn more about the candidates, see their ALA Connect profiles and read their candidate statements. You can also watch a recording or read a transcript of the September 30 Town Hall, which included answers to questions from both a moderator and members. You’ll need to log in using your regular ALA username and password to vote. During the 60-minute town hall, we ran out of time for the candidate’s to address all questions. They’ve agreed to respond to those questions in writing and they’re now available…Continue Reading

Early-bird Registration for Core Virtual Forum ends on October 9!

We want to personally invite you to our inaugural online event, the Core Virtual Forum on November 18 and 20. This 2-day interactive gathering will bring together our library community for an opportunity to share ideas, network, and get together with your peers. Our program sessions and lightning rounds will focus on managing present-day challenges, priority reassessment, effective leadership, and innovative technology solutions within our library culture. Day 1 of the Forum will begin with keynote speaker Dr. Meredith Clark examining ways libraries stand in the trust gap when institutions have lost credibility. After the keynote, you’ll have access to a variety of program sessions and lighting talks exploring trending topics such as Digital Story Telling for eLearning Solutions, Student Library Partnerships, Successful Metadata Analysis, Effective Management Practices, and more! Day 2 of the Forum will start with keynote speaker Sofia Leung exploring some of the LIS values, structures, and characteristics that subtly and explicitly sustain a culture of…Continue Reading

Applications now open for ALA Core AvramCamp 2020

When: November 12, 2020 Online: Via Zoom (link will be sent to selected registrants) ALA Core AvramCamp 2020 Join us at AvramCamp, ALA’s AdaCamp-inspired event! This inclusive and supportive space will give participants the chance to explore common work challenges, learn strategies for dealing with them, and build a supportive community with fellow library technology workers of marginalized genders, including women, non-binary folks, and trans men. This one-day, free ONLINE Core event, built on the unconference model, will start with an in-depth discussion about Imposter Syndrome, the feeling that you aren’t actually qualified for the work you are doing and will be discovered as a fraud. Participants will then have the opportunity to choose and discuss a number of topics in  small groups, such as ways to negotiate salary effectively, advocate for accomplishments/invisible work, and promote diversity and equity in tech environments. Our goal is to create a support network…Continue Reading

Free Core e-Forums

Core will proudly continue the ALCTS tradition of holding monthly e-Forums. These free, 2-day conversations are moderated by member volunteers and take place via an email list that anyone can join. Going forward, we’ll be expanding the topics covered to include Core’s six areas of interest (Access and Equity, Assessment, Buildings and Operations, Leadership and Management, Metadata and Collections, and Technology). Core interest groups and sections are welcome to submit topics for a future e-Forum. Sign up for September and October’s free Core e-Forums. The September 29-30 discussion is an opportunity to look ahead to a post-COVID-19 library world, start thinking strategically about what’s next, and turn your reactive experiences into strategic ideas that leverage technology. In the October 6-7 discussion, participants will share tools, techniques, advice, and best practices for both batch and manual database cleanup projects of all types of data: bibliographic, acquisition, and patron data. Learn more…Continue Reading

Attend the Core Candidate Town Hall Meeting

Please plan to join us next Wednesday, September 30, 12:00-1:00 pm Central Time, for a conversation with candidates for 2020-21 President and President-Elect. You’ll learn more about their ideas for Core’s future and have an opportunity to ask questions. We’ll also make the recording and transcript available on the Core website afterward. The first Core election will take place October 5-25, 2020 in ALA Connect. You can learn more about the election on our website. Please register in advance to register the meeting link. We hope you’ll join the discussion and learn more about the candidates before our October election.

Call for Core Preconference Proposals – ALA 2021 Annual Conference in Chicago, June 24-29, 2021

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, invites you to submit a virtual or in-person preconference proposal for the upcoming 2021 ALA Annual Conference.  If ALA is unable to hold an in-person Annual Conference, Core staff will work with you to transition your proposal to a Virtual Event, if accepted. The Core Program Committee welcomes topics that are of current and ongoing interest to the Core membership, including: 1. Access and Equity o Advocacy in areas such as copyright, equity of access, open access, net neutrality, and privacy o Preservation Week o Equity, diversity, and inclusion, both within the division and the profession, as related to Core’s subject areas 2. Assessment o Emphasizing the role of assessment in demonstrating the impacts of libraries or library services o Assessment tools, methods, guidelines, standards, and policies and procedures 3. Leadership and Management o Developing leaders at every level o Best practices for inclusion by using…Continue Reading

Discover the Latest Resources in the Study of Romance Languages and Literatures

In the newest guide from ALCTS Publishing’s Sudden Selector’s Guide series, authors Deborah Raftus and Jeffrey Staiger take a look at the resources necessary to provide support for college and university programs in Romance languages and literatures. The Sudden Selector’s Guide to Romance Languages and Literatures provides those new to acquiring, collecting, and managing materials in the study of Romance languages and literatures a starting point for becoming a successful selector in this unique subject area. Loaded with important tips, tools, and references, this guide will help you develop the skills necessary to select valuable resources for those studying Romance languages and literatures. Beginning with how they became librarians of Romance languages and literatures, Raftus and Staiger share their experiences and provide guidance as well as present “Insider’s Tips” that will help any new Romance languages and literatures selector. In addition, readers will learn about acquisitions travel to purchase books…Continue Reading