People & Library News

Posted on September 15, 2023 by anitaslack

Bryant & Stratton College News

Joseph Dudley (Bryant & Stratton College) is contributing to ongoing collaborative term development discussions for the Homosaurus, an international controlled vocabulary project expressed as Linked Data and intended to enhance discovery of LGBTQ+ resources by serving as a companion to LCSH.

–Joseph Dudley, Bryant & Stratton College

Case Western Reserve University News

Daniela Solomon from Case Western Reserve University is part of the editorial team behind the newly released publication, Teaching and Collecting Technical Standards: A Handbook for Librarians and Educators. The book is geared towards educators and librarians in fields reliant on standards information literacy and it is published by Purdue University Press. Open access download and purchasing options are available here.  

–Marel Corredor-Hyland, Case Western Reserve University

Denison University News

Beronica Avila has been hired as the new Outreach and Engagement Librarian at Denison University. In this new position, Beronica will help bring fresh diverse and inclusive insight and initiatives to our current reference and outreach efforts.

Beronica received a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling Psychology from North Park University in Chicago, IL, and an MLIS and Certificate in Digital Curation from Dominican University, River Forest, IL.

She began her duties at Denison on August 1, 2023.

–Peggy Rector, Support Staff Interest Group Chair, Denison University

Oberlin College News

Alison Ricker, Science Librarian and Head of the Science Library, has retired after 40 years at Oberlin College. Alison served in multiple roles on the ALAO Board, including President and Newsletter Editor simultaneously for a short time, and received the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award in 2001.  The search for a STEM Librarian at Oberlin is underway.

–Alison Ricker, Oberlin College

The Ohio State University News

Ohio State Libraries wins Innovation in Instruction Award

The Ohio State University Libraries was awarded the 2023 Innovation in Instruction Award from the Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) of the American Library Association. Created to recognize a library that demonstrates innovation in support of information literacy and instruction, this year’s award recognizes The Ohio State University Libraries’ “Meaningful Inquiry Workshop,” which provides teaching-focused professional development for instructors, including faculty, graduate teaching associates, instructional designers, and librarians/library staff.

A collaboration between University Libraries (Amanda Folk, Jane Hammons, and Hanna Primeau), OSU-Newark (Katie Blocksidge), and Writing Across the Curriculum (Christopher Manion), the MI workshop combines scholarship in the fields of education, sociology, psychology, and library and information science with pedagogical best practices to support instructors in creating equitable and inclusive learning environments for students. The goal of the workshop is to have conversations related to information literacy with course instructors while foregrounding persistent equity gaps in higher education, highlighting the need to make information literacy expectations transparent to students and moving it out of the hidden curriculum.

One of the key criteria for winning the Innovation in Instruction Award is the ability of the program to be adapted by other libraries and educators, and the Meaningful Inquiry Workshop and its facilitation team are an exemplar of that criteria. Over the past four years, we’ve work with almost 100 instructors across more than 20 departments and 3 campuses at Ohio State, as well as presenting elements of the workshop to educational developers at the POD Network Conference, fellow librarians at the LILAC Conference and the European Conference on Information Literacy, and writing studies professionals at the IWAC Conference. 

–Jane Hammons, ACRL Liaison, The Ohio State University

University of Dayton Libraries News

Dean Kathy Webb will retire at the end of December, concluding a distinguished 30-year career as an academic leader and faculty member at the University of Dayton. Read the full announcement.

New Employees

  • Laura Barlow, University Archives Collections Processing Assistant.
  • Liz Grauel, Digital Pedagogy Librarian and Assistant Professor.
  • Mandy Shannon, Director of Teaching, Research and Engagement and Associate Professor.

New Roles

  • Bridget Retzloff, Visual Resources Librarian and Assistant Professor in the Marian Library. She previously held the Digital Pedagogy Librarian position.
  • Chris Tangeman, Special Collections Cataloger, effective September 18. Tangeman is currently an Interlibrary Loan Specialist.

Promotions

  • Amanda Black, Director of Access Services and Building Operations.
  • Kayla Harris, Director of the Marian Library and Associate Professor.
  • Katy Kelly, Assistant Dean for Strategic Communication and Outreach and Professor.

–Katy Kelly, University of Dayton

University of Toledo News

The University of Toledo Libraries South Gallery

The University of Toledo Libraries South Gallery is a 375 square foot gallery space located on the first floor of the William S. Carlson Library on the main campus. The South Gallery opened in 2022 with its first year of programming dedicated to the university’s sesquicentennial celebration. Beginning in August 2023, the gallery will be used to fulfill a mission to showcase works from students, staff, faculty, and the greater Toledo community.

A regular schedule of six exhibitions is planned through April 2024. The first of these is a Local Artist Exhibit, followed by the inaugural UToledo Employee Art Exhibition, Art Student Showcase, a retrospective of the photography of Art Weber—Director of Photography at the Toledo Metroparks, an Undergraduate Film Festival, and a photography exhibit concentrating on the phenomenon of eclipses.

Accompanying the exhibits will be The University Libraries Carlson Conversations Lecture Series; this year, four lectures will cover a wide range of topics from history to astronomy to the paranormal. Such programming has proven successful at sustaining the library’s position as a cultural, as well as an academic, center on campus. More information on the gallery shows and lecture series can be found here.

–Gerald Natal, Past President, The University of Toledo

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 3 (Sept 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

President’s Report

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack
Gerald Natal, ALAO President

Recently ALAO and other library organizations held elections to refresh their governing bodies, which generated a multitude of reminders to vote. Wishing to be an informed voter for the ALA elections, I went about the task of viewing the bios for the candidates in the various positions. I watched a video of the two candidates for ALA president talk about their philosophies and answer questions submitted by ALA members. The first question was “How do you view volunteer engagement in a profession whose responsibilities and workload continue to increase?” Being responsible for ALAO’s board elections, I found this to be a very interesting question, and I have given considerable thought to volunteerism and how the ALAO membership might view it. I imagine many of my colleagues in librarianship can relate to shrinking staff numbers, increased workloads and the stress that comes with it. I would like to relay these words of encouragement from the two presidential candidates: Cindy Hohl believes volunteering is an opportunity to “grow your network, expand your skill set, and feel good about the organization;” Eric Seuss states that volunteering offers a “chance to explore areas we are passionate about” and “learn from and value the experience brought to us.” Past President of ALA, Julius C. Jefferson Jr. said in a recent panel of ALA presidents that volunteering for positions of leadership is an important way to exercise your professional voice. I am sure there are many other reasons to get involved, but as Past President Jefferson pointed out, the most important is that without members and member participation, we have no organization.

Knowing that our colleagues may be volunteering their time and energy while navigating heavy workloads and attending to the details of their personal lives makes their contributions that much more admirable. If you are not already involved in ALAO, please have a look at what the organization has to offer; consider how your strengths and skills can help to keep ALAO strong and show appreciation and support for your colleagues by voting in ALAO elections. More on the ALAO board elections coming in this months’ newsletter…

Board Meeting Report 4-21-23

2023-2024 ALAO Executive Board Election Results:

I am very pleased to announce the candidates who will be providing leadership on the Executive Board for 2023-2024. Join me in congratulating:

  • Vice President/President Elect: Sara Klink
  • Board Members-at-Large: Tracey Overbey, Allen Reichert, Jaclyn Spraetz
  • Public Relations Coordinator: Christine Rigda

A big THANK YOU to ALL the candidates who offered to serve by placing their names on the ballot, and to all those currently serving who will be coming off the board in July. I deeply appreciate your willingness to serve.

Recognition goes out to the members of the Nominating Committee and their fine work for this election cycle:

  • Laura Birkenhauer (Co-chair)
  • Clayton Hayes
  • Alison Ricker
  • Jason Wardell (Web Manager)
  • Lynn Warner

[I especially would like to thank Alison Ricker—a 2001 Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award recipient who embodies the spirit of service to ALAO. Congratulations on your retirement, Alison!]

Conference Update:

Planning for the 2023 annual conference at Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center is on schedule—see the Vice President/President Elect’s report for details.

Conference Site Selection Committee:

A Conference Site Selection Committee is exploring potential spaces in which to hold ALAO’s 2024 conference, which marks the 50th anniversary of annual conferences for the organization. The committee conducted visits in the Columbus area, and a finding service supplied other options for consideration. The committee intends to find a facility worthy of the special occasion.

Executive Board Retreat:

Planning is underway for the Executive Board Retreat scheduled for July 21st. The retreat will be at OhioNet’s new facility in Westerville. [A meeting between the current Vice President, the new President-Elect, and myself took place recently to discuss items for the agenda and strategic planning for the coming year.]   

Indigenous Peoples Land Acknowledgement:                                                                                          

In keeping with ALAO’s commitment to social justice, a land acknowledgement statement is under development for the organization with attention paid to existing guidelines developed by members of Indigenous organizations. Additionally, Dr. Barbara Alice Mann, a writer, educator, activist of Seneca descent, and author of several works of indigenous scholarship, was consulted for more information and input. This statement is only a first step and requires action on the part of ALAO. The plan is to augment the statement with additional educational information and suggestions for acting in support of Indigenous peoples

The next meeting will be the board retreat, scheduled for July 21, 2023.

Other News of Interest

Immediate opportunities for service:

The ALAO Diversity Committee—a particularly important committee for the organization—is seeking dedicated individuals to act as Co-chairs. If you have a passion for furthering the causes of DEIA and would like to gain valuable leadership experience, this is a terrific opportunity. You can find out more about the work of the committee by contacting Gwen Short at short.67@osu.edu or visiting https://www.alaoweb.org/committees/diversity/index.html.

The Research and Publication Committee (RPC) is looking for two members. Interested ALAO members wishing to serve on the RPC should express their interest by contacting Sarah Nagle at pricesb@miamioh.edu. For information about the position visit https://www.alaoweb.org/committees/researchpub/index.html.

Please consider a position on the board in future elections to infuse our organization with current ideas and perspectives. But why wait—see what ALAO has to offer:

PayPal Replaced:

Anyone making fee payments for ALAO events can now do so through the organization’s membership management platform, Wild Apricot. This should improve the process for fee registrations and membership renewals.

Grants:

The 2023 Conference Planning Committee is proposing expansion of grants to provide additional opportunities to attend the 2023 Conference.

SB 83:

As have several organizations across the state of Ohio, The American Historical Association has issued a letter in opposition to Senate Bill 83 “Enact Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act” (https://www.historians.org/news-and-advocacy/aha-advocacy/aha-letter-to-ohio-senate-opposing-higher-education-bill-(april-2023). While ALAO considers official action, I would urge all to voice your opposition to Ohio legislators: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Vice President/President Elect Report

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Registration for the 49th Annual Conference is almost here!

Conference Date: November 2-3, 2023

Conference Location: Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, Lewis Center, Ohio

Online ILS Forum & Mini-Conference: Friday, Oct 27, 2023 via Zoom

ALAO put out the call for Conference programming from our Access Services, Technical Services, and Support Staff colleagues, and they have answered with gusto!  Half of the session programming this year will address topics in these areas of librarianship.  These and other sessions will appeal to the full range of library specialties and interests, providing an excellent opportunity to learn more about how our work and activities intersect.  Reflecting on these connections will be especially important as we head into the ILS migration process this Fall and continue to find balance with transformative academic library trends.

Mark Eddy, Vice President/President Elect

As mentioned in the March Newsletter, we’ll be offering some new programming and attendance opportunities this year:

  • A Online ILS Forum & Mini-Conference

This year’s Conference features an online event one week prior to the in-person program.  On Friday, October 27th ALAO will host a morning virtual forum (*free of charge) and an afternoon mini-conference.  By October, Ohio academic libraries will be fully immersed in the ILS migration process.  The morning forum will be a good opportunity to compare notes on our local library ILS project planning efforts, and to review best practices for helping our colleagues across all library departments navigate the process.  Forum panelists will include representatives from OhioLINK and other Ohio academic library associations who, together with our attendees, will address these and other related issues.  That same afternoon ALAO will host a mini-conference with virtual lightning talks and thematic, audience-driven discussion sessions presented by Support, Access and Technical Services professionals.  Topics will include both ILS-related and other issues impacting these professional communities.

  • A Hybrid Session Conference Track

Our in-person Conference programming at Nationwide on Friday, November 3rd will feature a “hybrid track room” where sessions will be simulcast live online throughout the day.  Each of these sessions will feature presentations by Support, Access and Technical Services professionals on a variety of topics that impact services and activities across all library departments.

  • Live Simulcast of the Conference Keynote Presentation

This year’s keynote address will be simulcast for all online attendees.  Our ALAO 2023 Conference Keynote Speaker, Trevor Dawes, currently serves as Vice Provost for Libraries and Museums and May Morris University Librarian at the University of Delaware, and as Vice President/President Elect of the Association of Research Libraries.  Drawing upon his leadership experiences and professional background in circulation/support services, Mr. Dawes will share his reflections on the exciting professional landscape for next-generation library workers.

  • Expanded Conference Packages & Discounts

The 2023 ALAO Conference registration fee structure is designed to make programming affordable and accessible for all academic library professional communities.  There will be programming packages for both in-person and online attendees, as well as discounted registration for session presenters.  Additionally, the Planning Committee is working to provide new and expanded Conference attendance grant opportunities for librarians and students.

Registration, program information, and schedules coming very soon!

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Member Spotlight

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Let’s shine the Member Spotlight on Lauren Reder from University of Cincinnati!

What is/are your role(s) in academic libraries?

As a member of the Content Services Team at the University of Cincinnati, I receive and catalog items so they can be added to our collections. Specifically, as the primary cataloger for our Classics and Modern Greek materials, I collaborate with the Classics Library staff to handle issues and ensure discoverability for our patrons. I review our bibliographic records for accuracy and perform various QC routines. I’m also heavily involved with creating procedural documentation and maintaining internal LibGuides.

What do you like most about academic library work?

If I’m being honest, one of my favorite things about my job is that I learn something new every day! It’s also very rewarding to know that my work as a cataloger makes our wonderful collections more accessible and helps to connect our students and faculty with the resources they need.

What are some interesting projects you’ve been involved with lately?

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to catalog several unique books received by the Classics Library as gifts from a scholar in Albania, which was really neat. I’ve also enjoyed being involved in our unit’s recent discussions regarding AI and its place in academic libraries.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I love being outdoors and spending time at our local parks. I’m very adventurous and, as a wheelchair user, I’m always looking for new ways that I can participate in recreational activities. I’m forever on the hunt for new accessible trails, and when none can be found, I have been known to do a bit of off-roading in my chair!

Why did you join ALAO?

As an early-career librarian, I joined ALAO for the professional development opportunities. I believe that continuing education is a non-negotiable in our community of practice, especially at a time when technology is evolving so rapidly. I’m looking forward to participating in the webinars offered by ALAO and possibly attending the annual conference.

–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Membership Report

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

The current membership of ALAO includes a total of 282 members consisting of 247 regular members, 5 retiree members, and 30 student members. We are excited to welcome new members who joined between March 2, 2023 and May 30, 2023.

Molly Bevan, Kent State University

Tina Craft, Ohio Christian University

Tamiko Denise Davis, Sinclair Community College

Lucy Duhon, University of Toledo

Emily Gibson, Sinclair Community College Library

Ashton Kimbler, Columbus State Community College

Paige Kinzer, Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Christine Liebson, Case Western Reserve University

Alea Lytle, Cleveland Public Library

Aly Nahra, Case Western Reserve University

Miriam Nelson, Ohio University

Tracie Pickett, Student

Hannah Plank, Student      

Lauren Reder, University of Cincinnati

Sierra Rios, Kent State University

Stevo Roksandic, Mount Carmel Health System

Rachel Stott, Case Western Reserve University

Karla Strieb, Ohio State

Anne Trenholme, Case Western Reserve University

Toni Vanden Bos, Wright State University

–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Notes from the Trenches

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Academic Library Highlights from the Medical Library Association/Special Library Association Meeting

On May 16-19, MLA and SLA held a joint meeting in Detroit entitled “Looking Backward, Forging Ahead.” Having a joint meeting was intriguing; it’s been decades since I’ve thought so much about taxonomies and controlled vocabularies beyond the National Library of Medicine’s medical subject headings and Embase’s Emtree.

Some presentations of interest to academic libraries:

  • “Changing Internal Budget Models: An Opportunity to Reconnect with Library Users,” presented by Clare Keating and Derek Wilmott from the University of Toledo.
  • “Patron and Librarian Perspectives of a Long-standing Health Science Liaison Librarian Program,” presented by Hannah Norton, University of Florida-Gainesville, Health Science Center Libraries.
  • “Forging Ahead After the Shake-ups” by Sheila Green and Stephanie Fulton, Texas A&M University Medical Sciences Library (As you might know, Texas A&M eliminated faculty status for their librarians in 2022.)
  • “Improving LibGuides at a Health Sciences Library Using Feedback from Focus Groups and User Experience Testing,” presented by Lydia Howes and Elizabeth Frakes, Eccles Library, University of Utah.

There were also presentations on gamification of instruction (which is on my learn-more to-do list): Rachel Whitney, MUSC Library, presented on her use of games to teach literature searching in a pharmacy program; and Julia Esparza, LSUHS Library, presented on their use of a virtual escape room to teach and assess epidemiological and biostatistical knowledge in med students.

Craig Robertson, Ph.D., gave the annual Leiter lecture based on his book, The Filing Cabinet: A Vertical History of Information. A fascinating look at a tool that is so ubiquitous that we don’t think about it (unless we are trying to rid our library of the ones we no longer need).

There were also a number of sessions on the role of libraries and librarians regarding the NIH data management and sharing requirements, as well as management of systematic review services. For more information, the official conference program (PDF and online) is available here: https://www.mlanet.org/mla23 You will have access to abstracts and author information if you want additional information on any of the presentations.

–Jolene Miller, University of Toledo

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Committee & Interest Group News

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Diversity Committee News

ALAO Diversity Committee is excited to launch an inaugural DEI speaker series following the ALAO preconference this fall.  At the preconference tenants of Appreciative Inquiry and Design Justice will be put into practice in order to co-design and reimagine DEI advancement in academic libraries. Attendees will then have the opportunity to join speaker tracks in order to put new frames into practice.

To that end, the committee is seeking applications for speakers to develop or utilize existing content for two 1-hour sessions on DEI including but not limited to: anti-racism, cultural humility, indigenous approaches to DEI, social justice, decolonization, global DEI practices in the academic library. Suggested general topics could include but do not need to be limited to the following: 

  • Leadership
  • Instruction (library, community, and K-12)
  • Student engagement (e.g. student workers, student research)
  • Resource description access: cataloging, metadata, etc.
  • Collection development and management
  • Community engagement, programming, and outreach
  • Digital humanities and data
  • LIS committee and service work
  • Research services
  • New areas of librarianship

Tentative dates for the sessions will be according to session leaders’ schedules sometime between December 2023-April 2024. Speaker stipends available.

All interested session leaders are asked to submit a short proposal (maximum 500 words) covering a brief outline and learning outcomes to be met, by July 30 to diversity@ALAOweb.org. Selected participants will be notified by August 2023.

–Gwen Short, Diversity Committee Chair, The Ohio State University Wooster Campus

Assessment Interest Group (AIG) News

Please join Case Western Reserve University’s Stephanie Church, Acquisitions Librarian, and Jena Payne, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for a two-hour workshop on the data visualization tool Tableau on June 23, 2023 from 9am-12pm.  This hands-on workshop will focus on using library data to create visualizations in Tableau and discuss the discoveries and decisions made from leveraging this tool.  In the first hour of the workshop, Stephanie and Jena will guide you through step-by-step instructions on how to make a bar chart, line graph, and a detailed title list.  In the second hour, they will combine all three visualizations to create a dynamic Tableau dashboard. This is a free event.

Please register for this event via Zoom.

–Melissa Bauer, Assessment Interest Group Co-Chair, Kent State University, Stark Campus
–Carissa Thatcher, Assessment Interest Group Co-Chair, University of Cincinnati

Instruction Interest Group (IIG) News

In collaboration with DLIG and STEMIG, IIG recently hosted two well attended webinars in ChatGPT this summer: Fostering AI Literacy: Considering the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in ChatGPT and ChatGPT In Context: Applying the ACRL Framework to AI by Emily Zerrenner and Allison Papini, respectively. And Friend or Foe? Taming the AI Beast with the ACRL Framework. We always welcome ideas for sessions from our members! Please reach out if you have ideas about webinars you would like to see or lead. 

We always welcome new members to our group. If you have questions about IIG, webinar topic proposals, or you are interested in joining our workshop planning committee, please contact iig-chairs@alaoweb.org. 

–Stefanie Hilles, Instruction IG Co-Chair, Miami University
–Jaclyn Spraetz, Instruction IG Co-Chair, Miami University

Special Collections and Archives Interest Group (SCAig) News

The Special Collections and Archives Interest Group (SCAig) Annual Workshop took place virtually on May 23, 2023. Kieran Robertson (Independent Historian; Data and Development Associate at Equality Ohio) presented “Queer in the Archives,” and Eira Tansey (Memory Rising, Cincinnati) presented “Ohio Archives and Climate Change.” We had 51 registrants and had a very productive and meaningful discussion on counter-archives and climate change and archives. These topics were selected by SCAig membership in a survey conducted earlier in 2023. The co-chairs are grateful to the speakers for outstanding presentations, to all attendees, and to former SCAig co-chair Henry Handley (University of Dayton) and Elizabeth Williams-Clymer (Kenyon College) for serving on the planning committee and moderating the SCAig slides and the Q&A portion of the workshop. Since the workshop, we are very pleased to have had six new members join SCAig! 

–Josh Zeller, SCAig Co-Chair, Mount St. Joseph University
–Miriam Intrator, SCAig Co-Chair, Ohio University

Sustainability Interest Group (SUSig) News

SUSIG hosted an Earth Day event on Thursday, April 27 at 11 a.m. Elyse Adrian, a Bowling Green State University undergraduate student, gave a presentation about EcoBricks, building blocks made from plastic bottles packed with used plastics, for 18 attendees. If you missed this event, you can catch Elyse’s TedX BGSU talk (Elyse’s introduction begins at 21:30). 

SUSIG is also seeking a new co-chair for a two-year term beginning at the ALAO Board Retreat in July. The new co-chair will work with current co-chair, Megan Jaskowiak, to plan sustainability-themed events, with a focus on actionable steps for libraries and archives. At the upcoming ALAO conference we plan on having our second in-person swap. However, most of our programming is virtual like the ecobricking event in April. Creative programming and community-building ideas are welcome. This is your opportunity to make your mark on the sustainability interest group!

Please contact current co-chairs Megan Jaskowiak (jaskowma@miamioh.edu ) and Maureen Barry (mebarry@bgsu.edu)

–Maureen Barry, SUSig Co-Chair, Bowling Green State University
–Megan Jaskowiak, SUSig Co-Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Funding Opportunities Column

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Student Conference Grant 2023

Student Conference Grant 2023 Information

Apply Online: Student Conference Grant Application

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m., August 4th, 2023

Support Staff Conference Grant 2023

Support Staff Conference Grant 2023 Information

Apply Online: Support Staff Conference Grant

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m., August 4th, 2023

Continuing Education Grant Program – Apply Now! 

Are you presenting a conference paper, attending a workshop, or looking to participate in other professional development opportunities in 2024? The Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) Continuing Education Grant can help you get there!

The Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) Continuing Education Grant of up to $2,500 is awarded each year to support the cost of participating in professional development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. which are related to the member’s current position, in pursuit of a professional library degree, or growth of DEI knowledge and leadership. Current ALAO members are eligible to apply for funds to defray the costs of attending any library-related educational opportunity occurring during the calendar year.

Eligibility:

  • Applicant must be a current member of ALAO.
  • Applicant may not have received this grant in the previous three award cycles (2023, 2022, 2021).
  • Funded event must occur between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

Application Deadline: Friday, February 2, 2024 11:59 p.m.

For more information and to apply online go the ALAO website: https://www.alaoweb.org/continuingeducationgrant

If you have any questions about the Continuing Education Grant, please contact Cara Calabrese, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, at calabrcm@miamioh.edu. 

–Cara Calabrese, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Miami University
–Kristen Peters, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Wittenberg University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

People & Library News

Posted on June 14, 2023 by anitaslack

Case Western Reserve University News

From March 7th to June 6th, CWRU welcomed three new hires:

Crissandra George – Digital Collections Manager

Rachel Stott – Team Leader, Research and Engagement Services

Shatha Baydoun – Research and Engagement Services Humanities Librarian

–Effy Brewer, Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland State University News

Michael Skor joined the staff of the Michael Schwartz Library as the Cataloging and Metadata Librarian in April. He earned his M.L.I.S. from Kent State University in 2018 and completed his practicum under the mentorship of Bill Barrow in MSL Special Collections. Michael also has advanced degrees in classical languages and theology.  As head librarian at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, Michael gained experience in many facets of librarianship, including cataloging, reference, collection development, acquisition, circulation, and instruction. His unique set of skills, knowledge, and experiences will benefit both his department and the library overall.

Jo Corrigan joined the Michael Schwartz Library staff in May as the new Course Material & Patron Support Specialist. Jo is a CSU Alum, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Communication here at Cleveland State University. She previously worked in the Akron-Summit County Public Library’s marketing department and most recently was the Community, College and Career Center Coordinator at the Lakeside high school campus of Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Her skills and experience are well suited to the position and will assist her in providing exceptional support to our patrons.   

–Marsha Miles, Cleveland State University

Oberlin College News

It is a season of transitions at Oberlin College:  five retirements, one resignation, and two internal transfers makes for a lot of change in just four months’ time. 

Retirements:  Ellen Broadwell, Library Technician, Acquisitions and Electronic Resources; Kay Spiros, Art Library Circulation Supervisor; Diane Lee, Interlibrary Loan Supervisor; Megan Mitchell, Academic Engagement & Digital Initiatives Coordinator/Team Leader, Instruction, Reference and Instruction; Anne Salsich, Associate Archivist; Alison Ricker, Head, Science Library. 

Resignation: Runxiao Zhu, East Asian Studies Librarian (congratulations to Runxiao on beginning a new position at Univ. of Pittsburgh!). 

Internal transfers:  Zeb Wimsat, formerly Evening Circulation Supervisor in the Main Library is now Circulation Supervisor in the Art Library; Jennifer Schreiner, formerly Science Library Circulation Supervisor is now Interlibrary Loan Supervisor in the Main Library. 

In other personnel changes, Grace Elliott and Kathleen Abromeit are no longer interim: Grace is officially the Music Reference & Information Literacy Librarian, and Kathleen is Head, Conservatory of Music Library. Website and telephone updates are underway!

–Alison Ricker, Oberlin College

Ohio Library Support Staff (OLSSI) Institute News

Registration has opened for this year’s OLSSI: the Ohio Library Support Staff Institute.

Registrations closes June 29th.

This year, it will be held at the University of Dayton, July 23-25.

More information can be found at: OLSSI.org 

–Michael Bradshaw, OLSSI Chair Emeritus

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 2 (June 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

President’s Report

Posted on March 15, 2023 by anitaslack

Introduction

Gerald Natal, ALAO President

Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow and predicted several more weeks of winter, but Mother Nature has not seen fit to honor Phil’s prediction made one month ago as of this writing. On-again-off-again spring-like days and rain in lieu of snow have made me a happy camper (only an idiom–I have not been camping since I was a boy scout). Perhaps for some of ALAO members the coming of spring does indeed induce happiness in those who relish taking in the Great Outdoors; for me it is a reminder to start planning the next board retreat and tending to board elections. More on the board elections in this months’ newsletter…

Board Meeting Report 2-17-23

The board was informed that an alternative to PayPal, which is currently used by ALAO to receive fee payments, was investigated. ALAO’s Treasurer considered the budget, systems available through ALAO’s banking institution, and the system already in use by ALAO for event registration, Wild Apricot. As a result, negotiations are underway to utilize the payment features in Wild Apricot to supplement PayPal. This should improve the process for fee registrations and membership renewals.

ALAO’s ACRL representative reported that the ACRL Section Newsletter is out and will feature a report on the fall conference. Also, ACRL continues to offer two free webinars to section members; as there currently is no process in place for selection of the webinars and dissemination of links for registration and recording, the ACRL representative will be working on a process to present to the board at the next meeting.

An investigation is in progress to see if ALAO might qualify for LSTA grant money which could be used to transition the annual conference to a hybrid event.

To attract more applicants, the Professional Development Committee proposed changes to two grants offered by ALAO. The committee suggested that the Support Staff Conference Grant–the purpose of which is to encourage support staff development and participation in ALAO activities—include free registration in addition to up to $150 reimbursement for travel, lodging, or presentation related expenses. The committee also recommended that the existing Student Presenter Grant be renamed to“Student Conference Grant” and that it be available to undergraduate students who express an interest in library science. This grant would also include one free registration in addition to up to $150 reimbursement for travel, lodging, or presentation related expenses. The proposed changes were accepted by a board vote.

Executive Board Elections

The 2023 nominating committee consisting of me (acting as Past President), Laura Birkenhauer as co-chair, Alison Ricker (Oberlin), Clayton Hayes (Kenyon), and Lynn Warner (U. of Cincinnati), has been hard at work over the past several weeks seeking candidates to run for Vice President/President Elect, three Board-Members-At-Large, and Public Relations Coordinator. Since the initial call for nominations went out in the December ALAO Newsletter there have been several postings to the ALAO listserv and individual contacts to potential candidates. Thanks to all who nominated themselves to serve—as always, we have a great slate of dedicated individuals! On the ballot for this election are:

Vice President/President Elect:

  • Paul Campbell — Ohio University
  • Sara Klink – Stark State College

Board Member-at-Large (3 positions):

  • Allen Reichert—Otterbein University
  • Derek Wilmott—The University of Toledo
  • Jaclyn Spraetz—Miami University
  • Tracey Overbey—The Ohio State University
  • Rich Wisneski— Miami University

Public Relations Coordinator:

  • Christine Rigda—The University of Toledo

The date for last call for nominations was extended to March 6th; the ballot is now available here. You must be an active member to vote. If your membership has lapsed, this is a great time to renew.

Do your part to select our future leadership—don’t forget to vote!

Thank you from the Nomination Committee!

P.S. – In a related topic, the ALAO Diversity Committee—a very important committee for the organization—is seeking dedicated individuals to act as Co-chairs. If you have a passion for furthering the causes of DEIA and would like to gain valuable leadership experience, this is a great opportunity. You can find out more about the work of the committee by contacting Gwen Short at short.67@osu.edu or visiting https://www.alaoweb.org/committees/diversity/index.html.

Future of ALAO Conferences Task Force

A task force made up of Don Appleby, Melissa Bauer, Mark Eddy, Brian Gray, David Green, Ken Irwin, Sara Klink, Seth Sisler, and Jason Wardell considered the pros and cons of hybrid events with the ALAO annual conference in mind. We considered the barriers to attending in person events and best practices to ensure equity and inclusion. Virtual events may overcome many barriers to attending in person events such as lack of funds, time, staffing, traveling long distances, and accessibility, yet in person events still are popular. Hybrid events are a solution and are becoming the norm for large organizations, which have more funds and resources than organizations the size of ALAO. The task force discussed several options, including having an in-person event with virtual sessions on a different day, having alternating conferences in person one year, virtual the next, and using a third-party vendor to broadcast live sessions. The ACRL series of webinars on hybrid events was very useful in informing discussions.

The task force concluded that ALAO should work towards some form of hybrid conference event, and that it is best to proceed in small steps. The 2023 conference committee is already moving in this direction and will be piloting hybrid features on a small scale, with a working group assigned to discuss particulars such as necessary technology and fee structure. Meanwhile there is still the need to continue to explore physical spaces for future conferences.

I would like to thank the individuals on the task force for contributing their time and opinions on this matter.

Other Business

I expressed my concerns to the board about the storage of recorded video. The increased importance of virtual events brought about by the pandemic means more video being produced, which necessitates having a plan in place. The ALAO web managers are formulating a process. I also informed the board to be wary of phishing attempts in emails using my name.

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 1 (March 2023) | Tagged , | Leave a comment