The Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) Conference Planning committee invites you to submit proposals for the 51st ALAO Annual Conference. Our theme this year is, Mission Possible: Libraries as Launchpads to Success.
The Call for Proposals for the ALAO Annual Conference is live and accepting submissions. The deadline for submitting your proposal is April 28, 2025. For additional information about the conference and proposal guidelines, please see the conference website. Please note also that grants are available for Students and Library Support Staff to attend or aid in presenting at the conference.
Paul Campbell, Vice President/President Elect
The 2025 ALAO Conference Planning Committee is hosting an informal virtual conversation to fuel interest among potential first-time presenters and anyone else curious about taking their ideas to new heights. Join us via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from noon – 1pm.
Adherence to the conference theme, Mission Possible: Libraries as Launchpads to Success, is encouraged but not required. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Navigating library work in wake of SB1
Leadership in libraries during turbulent times
Boosting advocacy for libraries and library workers
Libraries’ role in fueling citizenship and civic engagement
Discovery of innovative instruction & research support
Launching student success by measuring library impact
New frontiers of generative AI in library work
Charting the exploration of new acquisition models
Strategies for working with Alma normalization rules and beyond
Expanding the universe of student worker roles and duties
Broadcasting the value of the library to stakeholders
Collection assessment, management, & development
Libraries as supportive environments and communities
Creating oxygen-rich atmospheres: Self-care for library personnel
Library integrations with campus systems like Workday or EAB Navigate
Mission-driven strategies for creating successful library events
Making contact and collaborating with non-library units
Universal access in libraries: spaces, interfaces, licenses, etc
Let’s shine the Member Spotlight on Christine Mannix from Columbus College of Art & Design!
What is/are your role(s) in academic libraries?
I’ve been the Instruction Librarian at the Columbus College of Art & Design for over 14 years. I caught the teaching bug several years prior when I taught information literacy at Clark State Community College part-time. I’m also in charge of the library’s Special Collections and do a lot of outreach to faculty to encourage hands-on class sessions with our rare books and artists’ books. This semester I have 23 sessions booked! I make informational videos for our library YouTube channel and social media, as well as create and update LibGuides. Since we’re a small library, I also oversee circulation and manage our student workers.
What do you like most about academic library work?
I love teaching and working with students and faculty. Our students are so fun, creative, and kind. They are a joy to work with, and I especially love seeing them engaged when they handle rare books, mini-comics, artists’ books, or other primary sources. Watching the light bulbs go off is a privilege. Our faculty are pretty great, too. During the pandemic I discovered I really enjoy making information literacy videos. Not surprising for an artist, I guess, and luckily we have plenty of resources for making them.
What are some interesting projects you’ve been involved with lately?
This semester our rare book display is Birds and All Nature, the first nature publication to print color photography. Since photography wasn’t advanced enough to catch animals in the wild, all the animals are taxidermied – not always very well. So on social media this semester we’ll have Taxidermy Tuesday, featuring a different victim of unfortunate taxidermy each week. I think we can all use some silliness right now.
I’m also involved in our Alma migration which, as a non-systems person, has been a challenge. All the more reason for silliness!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I am (distantly) related to Kevin Bacon. More than 6 degrees of separation, though. We have a shared Quaker ancestor who fled religious persecution in England and came to Pennsylvania in 1682. As a GenXer, this never fails to crack me up.
Why did you join ALAO?
I’m interested in meeting with other instruction and special collections librarians and sharing ideas. Always learning and growing!
–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University
The current membership of ALAO includes a total of 269 members consisting of 231 regular members, 5 retiree members, and 33 student members. We are excited to welcome new members who joined between November 23, 2024 and February 25, 2025.
Chelsea Baker, Cedarville University
Alexandra Bathrick, Kent State University
Jeanne Brooks, University of Cincinnati
Jennifer Davis, The University of Akron
Diane Dias De Fazio, John Carroll University
Jodi Jameson, The University of Toledo
Madison Knaack
Nicole Martin, Cuyahoga Community College
Bethany Nininger
Karen Ronga, Kent State University at Trumbull
Destiny Smith, Clark State College
William Spence, Youngstown State University
–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University
Congratulations to the recipients of the ALAO Continuing Education Grant
The continuing education grant is awarded each year to support the cost of participating in professional development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and seminars, which are related to the member’s current position, pursuit of a professional library degree, or growth of DEI knowledge and leadership. This year we were able to award one primary winner and two honorary awards.
The primary award went to Meagan Fowler of Cuyahoga Community College. She will be taking a course in quantitative research to support her current role as a community college librarian through data driven advocacy. Honorary awards went to Cara Calabrese, Miami University of Ohio, to attend the ALA conference and to Ruth Monnier, Mount St. Joseph University, to attend the 21st Biennial Conference of the International Study Association on Teachers (ISATT).
Congratulations to all our award winners.
–Allen Reichert, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Otterbein University –Jaclyn Spraetz, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Miami University
There’s been a recent, unforeseen change to the STEM Interest Group leadership. Our 2024-2026 co-chair has resigned due extenuating circumstances. Our in-coming co-chair for 2025-2027, Nathanael Davis, at Cedarville University, has graciously agreed to begin the position early. He’ll be co-chairing along with Kristen Adams, at Miami University, who will serve an extra year, by remaining on for the 2025-2026 term that’s been vacated. We’ll be looking for a new co-chair to serve the 2026-2028 term in the future. Interest Group activities are proceeding as normal.
–Kristen Adams, STEM IG Co-Chair, Miami University –Nathanael Davis, STEM IG Co-Chair, Cedarville University
Are you thinking about writing a proposal or getting funding to attend the 51st ALAO Annual conference? ALAO offers grants that may support you! The Student Support Grant provides one free registration for a student or recent graduate. The Support Staff Grant provides up to 2 registrations and travel expenses up to $150. Deadline for both is Monday August 18th. If you have any questions about the Conference Grants, please contact a member of the Professional Development Committee.
–Allen Reichert, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Otterbein University –Jaclyn Spraetz, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Miami University
The ACRL Instruction Section/Information Literacy in the Disciplines committee is charged with maintaining a library guide that contains links and citations to information literacy standards and curricula developed by accrediting agencies, professional associations, and institutions of higher education across multiple disciplines. To aid us in keeping the guide relevant, you are invited to participate in a brief survey. Any feedback is appreciated—your insights will help us ensure the guide remains a valuable tool to our academic community.
–Gerald Natal, The University of Toledo
Ohio Library Support Staff Institute (OLSSI) Final Conference July 27-29th
OLSSI announces its final conference taking place at the University of Dayton from July 27th-29th 2025. Early Birth Registration April 1-30th 2025 rates will $275, and regular registration will take place from May 1st through July 9th at $299. This will include lodging, five meals, and course instruction.
Scholarships are available and the contest began March 19th and the Deadline for entry is April 15, 2025 at 4pm. Visit the website for more information.
–P. Michael Bradshaw, OLSSI Chair Emeritus, Supreme Court of Ohio Law Library
As we approach the holiday season I hope we all get a little time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to future endeavors. Wishing everyone the best in the new year!
Sara Klink, President
ALAO 2024 Conference Recap
The 50th Annual ALAO Conference, Ohio Academic Libraries: Past, Present, & Future was held on November 7th and November 8th at a new conference venue, the OCLC Conference Center. I would like to thank the well equipped team at OCLC. They were very hands on with the Conference Planning Committee and such a pleasure to work with. Of course, as with any new venue we learned a few things that will need to be reworked for next year but we are thankful to have a venue secured that will allow ALAO to continue offering the professional development and networking necessary for our profession.
Programming this year included both online and in-person events that allowed for expanded attendance and participation among the membership. The in-Person conference brought in 220 registered attendees and 24 registered online attendees. The pre conference brought in 53 registered attendees and our Thursday night celebration of the 50th conference had about 50 attendees throughout the evening.
Conference feedback is currently being looked over by the planning committee in preparation for next year. One area of focus on the conference evaluation was looking at how attendees feel about the modality of conference events.
“I appreciate having the in-person conference as a way to really connect with other librarians from around the state.”
“The professional connections and discussions that spring up in an in-person event are what I really go to conferences for.”
“I always feel like I need a break to get away from the office and chat with colleagues from all over the state about what they are doing, or just to catch up.”
“I think offering an online option is so valuable in our current climate. It creates equity for attendees who are unable to attend in person”
“In-person really allows me to focus. Online conferences – I’m too easily distracted by emails or other things.”
“I never find networking as effective in online conferences and meeting with colleagues outside of the sessions is very useful.”
“With so many meetings and workshops online now, the in-person ALAO conference is one of the few remaining opportunities to network with colleagues. It’s too easy to be distracted or pulled away when trying to attend an online conference and there’s no personal connections.”
“I prefer in-person in general, however my institution is losing the ability to support us financially, so having a cheaper online option will likely be important going forward.”
“One of the most valuable parts of attending and speaking at a Conference is the opportunity to get out of the office and network with colleagues in the field.”
The Thursday pre conference workshop What You Need to Know About AI Right Now: Practical Guidance for Academic Librarians, presented by Michael Flierl and our AI panel discussion was attended by librarians and library staff that came to the event with a lot of questions and willingness to dive deep into the world of AI. I think most of us that attended left with a much stronger understanding and even some new practical strategies to bring back to our home libraries and research centers. We were very thankful to OHSLA, Ohio Health Science Library Association for sponsoring our pre-conference event.
Thank you to Dr. Michelle Collins-Sibley for kicking off our conference day with a passionate keynote address. And a huge thank you to all of our presenters! Whether you presented a hybrid session, a poster session, a lightning talk or a traditional presentation, we thank you. This conference is successful because of the wonderful presentations that build our schedule. Please continue to support ALAO’s annual conference by sharing your submissions with us!
I would also like to share that the OCLC Conference Center rate allowed us to keep conference registration rates to the same rate as last year. Thanks to your participation and that of our presenters, hosts, volunteers, and planning committee members, we were also able to keep presenter registration discounts, and expanded grant opportunities. Thank you for your membership support!
Stay tuned for postings on the ALAO website for conference photos.
Congratulations, Grant & Award Winners!
One of our favorite activities at the ALAO Conference is highlighting the remarkable work and achievements of Ohio academic library colleagues! This year’s ceremony at the Conference luncheon was filled with many heartwarming moments as awardees were announced and celebrated by the ALAO community. Check out our Past President, Mark Eddy’s, newsletter entry for details about this year’s awardees!
ALAO Executive Board Meetings Report
The Board held meetings this past September and October and our annual business meeting in November. Board members will use time this winter to work on the ALAO strategic plan.
The Awards ceremony at the Annual Conference is always a highlight! What a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic work and accomplishments of our members! Here’s a recap of the 2024 scholarship, grant and award recipients:
The Diversity Scholarship was awarded to Catherine King, MLIS Student at Kent State University. This award goes to a student who demonstrates diversity in one or more ways and displays potential in the field of library and/or information science through leadership and commitment to diversity issues.
The Research and Publications Committee Research Grant was awarded to Melissa Bauer (Kent State University) in support of her research project, “Exploring First-Generation Students’ Perceptions of the Academic Library,” which will explore the unique needs of first-generation college students with regard to library services.
The TEDSIG TEDdy Award for distinguished service by an ALAO member in the fields of Technical, Electronic and Digital Services was presented to Frank Bove (University of Mount Union).
The Support Staff Conference Grants were awarded to Jennifer Smith (Case Western Reserve University) and Gregg Harris (University of Akron). These awards are intended to encourage staff participation and development in ALAO activities by offsetting registration and travel expenses to attend and/or present at the ALAO Annual Conference.
The Continuing Education Grant was awarded to Gabrielle Lee (Ohio State University) and Elizabeth Staarmann (Miami University). This award is meant to defray costs of participating in conferences, workshops, seminars, and similar library-related educational opportunities, pursuit of a professional library degree, or growth of DEI knowledge and leadership.
The TEDSIG/NOTSL Technical Services Conference Grants were awarded to Rachel E. Littleton from Wittenberg University (Presenter Award) and Brett Williams from Columbus College of Art & Design (Attendee Award). The grants are intended to encourage technical services staff development and participation in ALAO activities through two awards–one for conference attendance, and another for presenting.
ALAO 2024-2025 Awards
The 2024 ALAO People’s Choice Poster Award winners were Megan Jaskowiak, Stefanie Hilles, Abigail Morgan, and Jaclyn Spraetz from Miami University for their poster, “A Multidisciplinary Graphic Medicine Collection for Undergraduates”.
The Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award was established in 2016 to honor individuals who demonstrate excellence as a mentor and named in memory of its first recipient.
Jerry Natal
This year’s recipient of the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award is Gerald (Jerry) Natal, Associate Professor, Health and Human Services Librarian at the University of Toledo Libraries, in recognition of his tireless dedication to serving others, both in and outside of libraries.
Jerry has mentored numerous Association members in his capacity as an ALAO Board member and executive officer, and in various committees and working groups. His knowledge and guidance also helped the ALAO leadership navigate a period of tremendous change in the Association and Ohio academic libraries in recent years. Jerry continues to mentor and advise ALAO members, University of Toledo student organizations, and Toledo community organizations.
The Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award is named for a former Ohio State University librarian who was instrumental in the formation of ALAO. It honors individuals with a strong record of promoting academic libraries, librarianship, and strong leadership.
Mandi Goodsett
This year’s recipient of the Jay Ladd Service Award is Mandi Goodsett, Performing Arts & Humanities Librarian at Cleveland State University, in recognition of her exemplary contributions to ALAO and other Ohio academic library professional communities.
Mandi is a regular organizer and participant in ALAO conferences, interest groups and committees, and a highly accomplished past member of the ALAO Board. As ALAO President in 2020-21 Mandi led our organization through a period of unprecedented changes in academic libraries during the COVID era, while also advancing the Association’s mission to promote diversity and inclusion, sustainability, open information, affordable learning, and information literacy in academic libraries. Always asking “what more can we do?,” Mandi has been a driving force behind entirely new programs, professional communities and conference events, welcoming everyone to collaborate and share fully in the creation process.
Please join me in congratulating all of our grant, scholarship, and award winners!
2025 ALAO Elections – CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Considering professional service or leadership opportunities, or know someone who might be? If so, please consider nominating yourself or a colleague for a position on the ALAO Board!
2024-2025 ALAO Executive Board
This year’s elections will take place in spring 2025, with successful candidates officially assuming their positions at the ALAO Board Retreat in July.
What does the ALAO Board do?
As the Ohio chapter of ACRL, we:
Advance academic library services in our state and provide opportunities for education and growth for library personnel at all levels and at every career stage
Sponsor an annual conference and spring workshops that focus on innovative topics and showcase Ohio academic librarians
Provide scholarships and awards
Maintain several active, diverse interest groups and committees.
Have a mentoring program that pairs up Ohio academic librarians for peer-to-peer, inter-generational, leadership, or student mentoring relationships
ALAO Board members:
Perform duties described in the Procedures Manual for their position
Attend monthly Board meetings
Participate in the annual Board planning retreat in July
This year, we will be soliciting nominations for the following positions:
The 2024-25 ALAO Nominating Committee is looking for two volunteers from the membership to join the committee. ALAO members who are not currently serving on the Board may volunteer for this Committee. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please email Mark Eddy, Nominating Committee Chair, at pastpresident@alaoweb.org
ALAO is also looking for volunteers for the following appointed positions to start in July 2025:
The ALAO 2025 Conference will take place at the OCLC Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio on November 6-7, 2025. The call for conference proposals will be going out in early 2025. The conference planning committee is currently being assembled. Please reach out to me (pcampb10@kent.edu) if you would like to serve on the 2025 Conference Planning Committee. Although planning a conference is a lot of work, it is also very rewarding.
–Paul Campbell, VP/President Elect, Kent State University
ALAO Newsletter 