Research Grant Program–Apply Now!

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

Do you have a great research idea but need funds to bring it to life? Or do you need additional funding to complete your existing research? Last year, the ALAO Research Grant helped fund the investigation of Mandy Shannon (University of Dayton) and Matt Shreffler (Wright State University) into the effectiveness of online Research Toolkit (RT) workshops in improving student success indicators compared to face-to-face workshops.

You could be the next ALAO Research Grant recipient! Learn more about the application process by visiting our webpage and looking at the ALAO Research Grant information sheet. Remember to submit your application by January 26, 2024 at bit.ly/alao_grant24. You must be a current member of ALAO to be eligible for the award. 

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Nagle or Marilia Antunez. We look forward to reading your applications!

–Sarah Nagle, Research & Publications Committee Co-Chair, Miami University
–Marilia Antunez, Research & Publications Committee Co-Chair, University of Akron

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Continuing Education Grant Program – Apply Now! 

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

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

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Member Spotlight

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

Let’s shine the Member Spotlight on Eboni Johnson from Oberlin College and Conservatory!

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

I was the Outreach & Programming Librarian at Oberlin College Libraries (OCL).  In that role, my role was two-fold: about half of my job was to support programming and events, which were either sponsored by Oberlin College Libraries or held in library spaces. The other half was supporting research and teaching. That included classroom instruction and one-on-one research consultations with students and faculty and serving as the librarian for six academic departments in the humanities and social sciences. 

About two weeks ago, though, I started in my new role as STEM Librarian and Head of the Science Library at Oberlin College! So, in addition to being the head of one of Oberlin’s world-class libraries and all that that entails, I now support ten academic departments/programs in the natural sciences (astronomy, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, geosciences, mathematics, medicine & health, neuroscience, physics, and history of science & technology). I used to be a science librarian many years ago (agricultural and environmental sciences), and I’m excited to get back into it.

What do you like most about academic library work?

One of my favorite parts of academic librarianship is the mental agility that’s needed to bounce between many different subject areas. I especially love demystifying the research process for students and empowering them to be savvy and confident information seekers, consumers, and producers.

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

I think a better question is what I *haven’t* been involved with! Much of my activity has been focused on DEI initiatives. I recently submitted a book chapter that discusses code-switching and code-meshing in the academy, which will be published in early 2024. I’m a member of OCL’s IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility), which develops measurable actions by which inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are embedded in the operations of the Oberlin College Libraries. In addition, I recently joined OhioNet’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ADEI) Library Cohort. We are tasked with providing the opportunity to assess and explore when libraries are at their best in supporting BIPOC librarians. Outside of library-related work, I was re-elected to Oberlin City Council and am excited to start my second term in January. When I’m not librarian-ing, I like to play with wool – turning fluff into yarn and then knitting it into sweaters or socks, or really anything. And when I’m not doing that, you’ll find me DJing a radio show, pretending I’m on a cooking show while dancing in the kitchen, listening to audiobooks, or bingeing something on TV (right now, I’m knee-deep in The Gilded Age). Sometimes, I sleep!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I am a champion speller! In 1989, I qualified to participate in the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.  The word that I missed was “ogival,” which is a word that refers to or describes a pointed arch whose two curving sides meet at a relatively sharp angle at the top of the arch. Think of the arched doorways that you see in Gothic-style architecture.

What do you love about being an ALAO member?

In my 10+ years as an ALAO member, I’ve found the organization to be very supportive of its members, no matter what career stage we are in.  As a newbie, I was welcomed, mentored, encouraged to get involved, and supported every step of the way.  I couldn’t ask for a better professional organization to be a part of. I feel like membership in ALAO has really helped me to grow and thrive as a librarian. At this year’s conference, I was elated to see and meet so many new members, and I hope they get as much out of ALAO as I have.  I’m so incredibly proud to have received the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award this year.  It is truly a career highlight for me, and I thank my peers in ALAO for the honor!

–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Membership Report

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

The current membership of ALAO includes a total of 301 members consisting of 259 regular members, 6 retiree members, and 36 student members. We are excited to welcome new members who joined between August 30, 2023 and November 29, 2023.

Rachael Acheson, Bowling Green State University

Ana Rita Borges Tobe         

John Canter, Ohio University

Emilie Cornelius, Central Ohio Technical College

Laura D’Aveta, Baldwin Wallace University

Andrea Davis, University of Rio Grande

Robert Ferro

Stephanie Finley, Case Western Reserve Law Library

Katherine Gable, Kent State University

Emma Goetting, Notre Dame Academy

Elizabeth Grauel, University of Dayton

Natalie Gutierrez-Negron, Oberlin College & Conservatory

David Haiduc, Cuyahoga Community College

Julie Harris, Malone University

Michele Jennings, University of Dayton

Liz Lang, Ohio Wesleyan University

Vanessa Langhurst, CSCC

Maria Lee

Sherlann Lewandowski, Columbus State Community College

Samuel Lynch, University of Dayton

Lindsey Mason, Ohio Dominican University

Sam Miller, Columbus State Library

Tasha Miller, Kent State University

Sophia Morabito      

Mary Kate O’Leary 

Candace Pine, Miami University

Kalon Ridley

Theda Schwing, OhioLINK

Ryan Spellman, Ohio University Libraries

Erik  Ziedses des Plantes, University of Dayton

–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Interest Group News

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

Message from the Interest Group Coordinator

The ALAO interest groups have been very active and engaged this past semester. Many are thinking of new ways to connect with their membership. I don’t want to steal their thunder by highlighting all their contributions, but I do want to say how wonderful it is to work with such a great group of thoughtful and passionate librarians. 

For the second year in a row, the interest groups sponsored an informational table at the ALAO Annual Conference. This table has served to increase our visibility and market the groups to new and existing members. Conference presentations and posters were also tagged to IGs to help attendees find programs related to their interests and specialties. 

However, before and after the conference is where the IGs really shine. We have events in the spring and summer, as well as discussion groups throughout the year. 

If you are interested in becoming part of these events, I encourage you to check out the 12 special interest groups that have formed to discuss concerns, issues and new trends related to academic librarianship in Ohio. Joining an interest group is a great way to participate in leadership events and network with fellow librarians and library staff. 

For more information visit the ALAO website https://www.alaoweb.org/igs/index.html or contact Abi Morgan, Interest Group Coordinator at morgan55@miamioh.edu

–Abi Morgan, Interest Group Coordinator, Miami University

Community & Two Year College Libraries Interest Group (C2YCLIG) News

On October 3rd, the C2YCLIG hosted a webinar on collaborative efforts between public libraries and community college libraries. Our virtual session highlighted the work of two community college libraries and how they work in tandem with public libraries to expand available resources to their students.  We heard from Christine Sheetz of Lorain County Community College and Tammy Gordon of Cuyahoga Community College East Campus about their libraries’ partnerships with their local public libraries. Topics such as establishing satellite public library collections within the community college library, shared programming, and grant-funded hotspot lending were discussed.

–Meagan Fowler, C2YCLIG Co-Chair, Cuyahoga Community College
–Zoe Orcutt, C2YCLIG Co-Chair, Overdrive

Instruction Interest Group (IIG) News

The Instruction Interest Group recently had a Coffee Chat where members gathered for great conversations on instruction and how the year has been going so far. We look forward to hosting another Coffee Chat this spring, so keep an eye out for details on the next one! We hope you’ll join us!  

IIG is also beginning to plan for our spring/summer workshops and webinars for 2024 and we want to hear from you! We always welcome ideas for sessions from our members, so please reach out. We also encourage members to join the workshop planning committee. Please reach out to us if you have any questions! 

–Jaclyn Spraetz, Instruction IG Co-Chair, Miami University
–Brea McQueen, Instruction IG Co-Chair, Miami University

Special Collections and Archives Interest Group (SCAig) News

In accordance with its mission, the Special Collections and Archives Interest Group (SCAig) holds a workshop every spring centered around a special collections- or archives-related topic. We are very pleased and grateful that new member Christine Liebson, Archivist at Case Western Reserve University, has volunteered to join our spring 2024 workshop planning committee! We are looking for one more volunteer. Please reach out if you would like more information or are interested: scaig-chairs@alaoweb.org.

It is also time to consider potential themes for our spring 2024 workshop. We would like to know what topics SCAig members are interested in learning more about. Look out for a short survey on topic preferences, to be sent out to the SCAig and general ALAO listservs sometime in December. 

Please also feel free to reach out to the SCAig co-chairs directly with your suggestions at scaig-chairs@alaoweb.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

For more information on SCAig, contact the co-chairs at scaig-chairs@alaoweb.org.

–Miriam Intrator, SCAig Co-Chair, Ohio University
-Candace Pine, SCAig Co-Chair, Miami University

Scholarly Communication Interest Group News

The ALAO Scholarly Communication Interest Group has not been active in over a year. In order to reinvigorate this group, we have put together a survey in Qualtrics to help determine what interests our members have and what needs this group can fill in terms of programming and other activities. This survey should take no longer than 5-15 minutes to complete, depending on how much text you add. You do not have to be an SCIG member to complete this survey.

Many thanks for your participation!

–Cindy Kristof, Scholarly Communication Interest Group Co-Chair, Kent State University
–Michael Hawkins, Scholarly Communication Interest Group Co-Chair, SCIG

Sustainability Interest Group News

At the recent ALAO conference, the Sustainability Interest Group held another successful swap table. Are you passionate about sustainability practices? The SUS-IG is looking for a co-chair. If you are interested, please contact Megan Jaskowiak at jaskowma@miamioh.edu. Together with the current co-chair they will plan sustainability-themed events for libraries and archives. 

–Megan Jaskowiak, SUS-IG Co-Chair, Miami University

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

People & Library News

Posted on December 6, 2023 by anitaslack

Bryant and Stratton College News

Joseph Dudley (Bryant & Stratton College)  presented “Going All Digital: Transition Journey” at Internet Librarian Connect on October 17, and “Going All Virtual: Transforming Library Services from Campus-Based to All-Virtual in a Multi-Campus Environment” at the ALAO Virtual Forum & Mini-Conference on Friday, October 27. 

–Joseph Dudley, Bryant & Stratton College

Ohio Library Support Staff (OLSSI) Institute News

OLSSI: the Ohio Library Support Staff Institute will hold its annual conference at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio on July 28-30, 2024.

–Michael Bradshaw, Supreme Court of Ohio Law Library

University of Dayton News

Ione Damasco (University of Dayton) has been appointed interim Dean of University Libraries, beginning January 1, upon the retirement of Dean Kathleen Webb, who is wrapping up a 30-year career at the university. Ione currently serves as the Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence & Organizational Development, and is co-chairing the national search for a new Dean.

–Ione Damasco, University of Dayton

Posted in Vol. 41 no. 4 (Dec 2023) | Tagged | Leave a comment

President’s Report

Posted on September 15, 2023 by anitaslack

Annual Conference Update

Mark Eddy, President

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

Register for the 49th Annual Conference!

On behalf of the 2023 Conference Planning Committee, I want to extend our sincere thanks again to all who submitted session proposals, and those who agreed to present at this year’s Conference!  You’ll note in the recently posted Program and session grids that between the virtual and in-person events, the Conference will feature 25 presentations, 3 lightning talk rounds (each with 5 presentations), 12 posters, 4 thematic discussions, and a full-day, in-person workshop.  Four of the presentations will be simulcast in our designated Hybrid Track meeting room at the in-person Conference venue, and each will feature Support, Access & Technical Services topics.

As I mentioned in the June ALAO Newsletter, the Planning Committee had a tremendous response from our Access Services, Technical Services, and Support Staff colleagues for this year’s call for session proposals.  Over 50% of the Conference sessions this year will be presented by professionals in these fields.  We look forward to welcoming Conference presenters and attendees from these and all areas of academic librarianship at ALAO 2023! 

Don’t wait to register!  We have some great event packages to choose from, priced to help make attendance affordable:

Thursday Nov 2nd In-Person Preconference Workshop  – *Please note that a separate registration is required for this event.

Full Conference Package Registration – Includes:

  • All Virtual ILS Forum (FREE) & Mini Conference programming on Oct 27th
  • All in-person and hybrid Conference programming on Nov 3rd
  • Entrance to the Thursday (Nov 2nd) Evening Social Event at the Olentangy River Brewing Company near the Nationwide Conference Center.

Online-only Conference Package Registration – Includes:

  • All Virtual ILS Forum (FREE) & Mini Conference programming on Oct 27th
  • All hybrid simulcast sessions from the in-person event on November 3rd
  • Hybrid simulcast of the 2023 Conference Keynote Address by Trevor Dawes

A Note on Attending the Oct 27th Virtual Morning ILS Migration Forum

Access to the Morning Forum on Friday, October 27th will be provided free of charge to all Ohio academic librarians, regardless of whether they register for the 2023 ALAO Annual Conference.  Sign-up information for the Morning Forum will soon be distributed.

 If you wish also to attend the afternoon Virtual Mini-Conference on Oct. 27th, you must register for one of the 2023 ALAO Conference packages listed above.  Access to the Morning Forum is included in both of the registration package options at no additional charge.

2023 Executive Board Retreat

Our annual Board Retreat this past July 21st was very productive, and ALAO is well positioned this coming year to successfully complete the fifth and final year of our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan.  ALAO’s Board, committees, task forces and interest groups have made tremendous progress in fulfilling the goals and objectives of this Plan.  Recent accomplishments include,

  • The creation of a DEIA-focused Committee, Toolkit, and program offerings
  • The expansion of ALAO grant and scholarship programs
  • The exploration of hybrid venues for ALAO programming and events

In 2023/24 the Board will explore additional ways to further actualize our Strategic Plan goals by,

  • Expanding ALAO membership
  • Streamlining new-member communications and onboarding
  • Partnering with regional library associations for event programming

Let me take this opportunity to thank all of our outgoing and incoming Board members most sincerely for their commitment and service to ALAO!  Their amazing work and leadership helps us all bring the Association’s mission into reality.  We look forward to the coming year when we will celebrate 50 years of ALAO and begin envisioning what our sixth decade might look like. 

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

Call for Nominations: Jay Ladd Distinguished Service and Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Awards

Posted on September 15, 2023 by anitaslack

The ALAO Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award and the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award.

Gerald Natal, Past President

The Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has:

  1. Been an Academic Library Association of Ohio member for at least 5 years
  2. Promoted academic libraries and librarianship on his or her own campus and within the state 
  3. Provided sustained leadership in the promotion of Academic Library Association of Ohio, e.g., committee service, interest group chair, position on the Executive Board

Additional information about the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award is available here. 

Please submit nominations for the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award through the Jay Ladd Online Nomination Form. 

The Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award recognizes an individual who has: 

  1. Demonstrated excellence as a mentor to a librarian, library worker, or library science student
  2. A sustained record of effective mentorship, as demonstrated by activities that may include but not be limited to advising, developing, coaching, sponsoring, advocating, guiding, and/or supporting librarians, library workers, or library students

Additional information about the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award is available here.

Please submit nominations for the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award through the Kathryn Venditti Online Nomination Form. 

NOTE: You may nominate more than one person for each award! Your reasons for nominating your candidate(s) will be especially valuable to the Awards Committee so please be as detailed as possible.

Please submit your nominations by Friday, October 13, 2023.

Questions? Please contact Gerald, ALAO Past President and 2023 Awards Committee Chair at gerald.natal@utoledo.edu

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

Vice President/President Elect Report

Posted on September 15, 2023 by anitaslack

Hello ALAO!

Sara Klink, Vice President/President Elect

Here we are at the start of another fall semester. I am excited to enter this fall season as the newly elected ALAO Vice President. As the Vice President, my number one job is to establish and chair the 2024 Conference Planning Committee. I am currently building that committee and planning meetings will begin in a few months. The 2024 CPC will have the exciting (and somewhat daunting) task of planning ALAO’s 50th conference!

In the meantime, I know there are many challenges our profession is facing and I hope everyone is finding the patience and maybe even the courage to continue doing the very important work that we all do. 

I look forward to seeing everyone in November at the ALAO Annual Conference!

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

Committee and Interest Groups News

Posted on September 15, 2023 by anitaslack

Call for Mentees – 2023-2024

The Academic Library Association of Ohio’s Professional Development Committee (ALAO PDC) is excited to announce a call for participation in the ALAO Mentoring Program. 

Mentees can be library school students, newly-minted professionals, or more experienced librarians. The program will help you connect with someone who can provide professional support, career advice, and help you identify and set goals. ALAO membership is encouraged but not required for mentees.

Program Overview

The ALAO PDC reviews registration information and matches mentoring pairs. The annual program runs through October 2024.  

We invite prospective mentees to complete the application by October 6, 2023:

Matching Process 

  • Abbreviated mentor bios are available on the ALAO web page.  
  • Prospective mentees review the list of available mentors and identifies three mentors they would like to work with. 
  • Prospective mentees complete the online Mentee Application and rank the top three mentor choices.
  • ALAO PDC will then work to create a match. When a match is confirmed, both parties will be notified. 
  • Prior to the first mentoring meeting, ALAO PDC will provide guidelines and suggestions to help get the mentoring relationship off to a good start.
  • If you and your mentor plan to attend the 2023 ALAO Conference, there will be an opportunity to meet there. 
  • Typically, most mentoring relationships meet for at least four sessions spread out over a few months based on mentor/mentee availability and scheduling preferences.
  • At the end of the mentoring relationship, a program evaluation will go out to both parties. 

Questions? Please contact Melissa Hill: mkhill@owu.edu, Tracey Overbey: overbey.13@osu.edu, or Jaclyn Spraetz: spraetj@miamioh.edu.

Message from the Interest Group Coordinator

Greetings! I hope everyone’s semesters have been off to a good start. I am now in my second year as the IG Coordinator and I look forward to continuing working with ALAO’s interest groups this year. 

ALAO has 12 active special interest groups that have formed to discuss concerns, issues, and new trends related to academic librarianship in Ohio. Joining an interest group is a great way to participate in leadership events and network with fellow librarians and library staff. 

For more information visit the ALAO website or contact Abi Morgan, Interest Group Coordinator at morgan55@miamioh.edu

–Abi Morgan, Interest Group Coordinator, Miami University

Instruction Interest Group (IIG) News

The Instruction Interest Group (IIG) is pleased to welcome Brea McQueen, Student Success Librarian at Miami University as the new Co-Chair for the 2023-2025 term. She will serve with Jaclyn Spraetz, Information Literacy Librarian, also at Miami University, whose term will end in July 2024. 

We always welcome ideas for how this interest group can best serve our members! Please reach out if you have ideas you would like to see or lead. 

We also welcome new members to the 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. 

–Brea McQueen, IIG Co-Chair, Miami University
–Jaclyn Spraetz, IIG Co-Chair, Miami University

Special Collections and Archives (SCAig) Interest Group News

The Special Collections and Archives Interest Group (SCAig) is pleased to welcome Candace Pine as incoming co-chair for the 2023-2025 term. She currently works as the Rare Books and Manuscripts Librarian at Miami University. Candace will serve as co-chair of SCAig alongside Miriam Intrator, Special Collections Librarian for Rare Books at Ohio University, whose term will conclude at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.

The SCAig co-chairs plan to virtually attend this year’s ALAO annual conference on Finding Balance (November 2-3). We hope SCAig members can join as well, either virtually or in person. We would also love to hear from any of you at any time regarding any ideas/suggestions you may have for future SCAig workshops and meetings!

For more information on SCAig, contact the co-chairs at scaig-chairs@alaoweb.org.

–Miriam Intrator, SCAig Co-Chair, Ohio University
-Candace Pine, SCAig Co-Chair, Miami University

Support Staff Interest Group (SSIG) News

ALAO’s Support Staff Interest Group held its spring workshop “The Only Constant is Change: How Libraries and Support Staff are Responding to / Preparing for Changes,” on Friday, May 26, 2023. This ZOOM event was led by SSIG Co-Chair, Rob Withers, MA, MLS, Access Services Librarian, Miami University. Everyone enjoyed the lively conversation generated by the topic. 

You are always welcome to join our group. If you have questions about the SSIG, webinar topic proposals, or you are interested in joining our workshop planning committee, please contact ssig-chairs@alaoweb.org.

We are seeking two co-chairs, one for the current term (Summer 2022 – Summer 2024) and one for the following term (Summer 2023 – Summer 2025). If you’re interested in programming by or for support staff in Ohio libraries, please submit a brief statement of interest. We would love to hear from you! If you have questions about the Interest Group for Support Staff, I would love to talk with you. 

–Peggy Rector, SSIG Chair, Denison University

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