Apply for Student-to-Staff

Apply Today for ALA Student-to-Staff

Applications for ALA's Student-to-Staff program are now open! The Student-to-Staff program is an opportunity for 40 ALA student chapter members from across the country to attend the ALA annual conference for free. St. Kate's ALA student chapter, via our faculty advisor, can nominate one person for the program. In exchange for working four hours a day (or a total of 20 hours), students in the program receive free conference registration, housing, and a per diem for meal expenses (students are responsible for transportation to/from the conference) at the 2017 ALA National Conference in Chicago.

Who is eligible?

Any student who applies for the nomination from St. Kate's should be:

• An active member of the St. Kate's ALA student chapter
• A student member of ALA nationally (you can sign up online) through the conference;
• Available to secure transportation to and attend the full conference, June 22-27, 2017 in Chicago, IL; and
• Willing to write up your experience on the ALA student chapter blog

How do I apply?

Application is made by short essay, emailed to the ALA student chapter faculty advisor, Sarah Park Dahlen (spark@stkate.edu). The essay should be approximately 250 words (one page) and address the following:

• Your active participation in the ALA student chapter at St. Kate's;
• Your demonstrated leadership skills;
• A clear picture of what you hope to achieve by attending the conference, particularly in the volunteer activities; and
• How you will use your participation to promote and improve St. Kate's MLIS program.

Deadline to apply: Monday, November 21st at 5pm

Welcome!!!!!

Hey Rockstars! 

I am so excited to finally start a new year and with all new years means new things happening for you but more importantly ALASC. So below are a couple of things to keep a look out for as you begin to your realization how much reading you have to do and how fast the time flies by. 


1. If you have not receivevd an email from ALASC, it is because they have all been sent to your spam folder. Frustrating! I know. Anyway please check your spam folder and if you like to know all things ALASC please mark them as not-spam. 

2. If you are new and would like to be a part of the mailing list, please email  
ala-students@stkate.edu so we can add you! 

3. If you are not yet a memeber of ALA or MLA. You need to do this, like yesterday! Here is a link so you get on it: ALA Membership

4. Follow us on Twitter

5. Let us know what we can do for. 

I hope to see everyone at our next meeting which is October 11th at 5:15pm in CDC 18! 


-Chayse Sundt, Chair

Announcing the new 2016-17 Leadership!

It is my pleasure to announce Chayse Sundt as the ALASC Chair for the 2016-17 year! Congratulations and we look forward to your term!

Also, the ALASC is having a little get together at Sea Salt Eatery on May 15 at 3 PM.  This event is open to you and everyone you know!  The Facebook event can found HERE

-Tasha McLachlan, Chair

TOMORROW!

2015-16 Wrap Up

Hello!

A big thank you to everyone who made this 2015-16 year fantastic!  My role as chair is ending at the end of this year, but before I go, there are a few things I want to tell you about:

• We are having an end of the year get together at Sea Salt Eatery in Minneapolis (just over the bridge) at 3 PM on Sunday, May 15th.  Everyone from the program (plus friends and family) is invited!  

• You can have my job!  The Chair and Secretary positions for the 2016-17 year are open and more information on nominations can be found HERE

• In preparation to host Zetta Elliott in the fall, we are collecting books for a book sale.  Donations can be left in a box outside of Dr. Dahlen's office until May 31. The sale will be held June 4-5.  More details will be available as the event nears.

• The second Information Professionals Panel is coming up!  More info can be found HERE

Stay tuned to our Facebook page, Twitter account and blog for more information on opportunities throughout the summer.
Best of luck as we get closer to the release of Beyoncé's new album, er, I mean - the end of the semester!

-Tasha McLachlan, 2015-16 Chair

New HCL Internships!

Our friends over at Hennepin County wanted ALASC students to know that there are internships available that have application due dates coming up!  The following internships are open:

• Adult Literacy Internship at the Franklin Library
• Law Library Internship at the Hennepin County Law Library
• Literacy Activities Internship at the North Regional Library
• Preservation Internship at the Minneapolis Central Library
• Special Collections - Archives Internship at the Minneapolis Central Library
• Special Collections - Digitization Internship at the Minneapolis Central Library
• Youth Programs and Services Internship at Ridgedale Library

Elections!

Yes, it's a US presidential election year, but it's also time to get involved with two other elections as well!

It's time to think about finding new ALASC leadership for the 2015-2016 school year. A student leadership position will allow you to strengthen your leadership and event planning skills, get involved in the program, and network with LIS professionals. We have two formal positions open. We hope you'll consider applying! Here's what you need to know:

Positions

Chair: You run the ALASC meetings and act as the representative and liaison with ALA headquarters. You oversee ALASC and executive committee, shaping the group for the year and moving it forward.

Secretary: You would take notes during meetings and send follow up emails to the ALASC making list after meetings take place. You would also help the Co-chair with updating the ALASC social media. 

You can find full position descriptions in the ALASC Constitution: Section 3. 

Nominations Process

We are now accepting nominations for both Chair and Secretary. To nominate yourself for a position, please email Tasha McLachlan with your name, whether you are running for Chair or Secretary, and 2-3 sentences on what you hope to accomplish in the position. If you'd like to nominate someone else, please send their name, email address, and which position, and then we will email them to accept or deny the nomination. Please send the nominations by Sunday, April 30th.

New Leadership and Election Schedule

Nominations due: 4/30

Voting opens: 5/2

Voting ends: 5/9

New leaders announced via email: 5/11

If you have any questions about the positions or the election process, please contact Tasha McLachlan or Katherine Ward.

----------------------------------------

 National ALA elections are also happening right now!  Take a look at the ALA election webpage for more information on the positions, candidates and how to vote.  Voting is open to all ALA members.  Not a member of ALA yet?  Check out the joint membership program for students wanting to join at a local and national level.  

Voting is open until April 22, 2106.  

LIS for Adoptive Families Event!

Please join us on Friday, April 15th for this great event!  

Check out the Facebook invite as well!

Current Opportunities!

It's spring break 2016!  We've all got things to do, books to read, sleep to sleep (so much sleep).
There are so many opportunities for MLIS students right now, so if you have some time take a peek and apply/register/mark your calendars!

Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship
Applications are now open for the 2016 Conable Conference Scholarship sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation. (FTRF). The Conable Conference Scholarship provides funding for an LIS student or recent graduate to attend the American Library Association’s Annual Conference. The 2016 ALA Annual Conference will be held in Orlando, FL, June 23-28, 2016. Application deadline: April 8, 2016 5pm CST. Winners will be announced in early April, 2016.

2016 Google Policy Fellowship
The American Library Association (ALA) today announces the opening of the application process for the prestigious 2016 Google Policy Fellowship program. The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) began its participation in this program at the program’s founding in 2008.

For the summer of 2016, the selected fellow will spend 10 weeks in residence at the ALA policy office in Washington, D.C., to learn about national policy and complete a major project. Google provides the $7,500 stipend for the summer, but the work agenda is determined by the ALA and the selected fellow. Throughout the summer, Google’s Washington office will provide an educational program for all of the fellows, such as lunchtime talks and interactions with Google Washington staff.

The fellows work in diverse areas of information policy that may include digital copyright, e-book licenses and access, future of reading, international copyright policy, broadband deployment, online privacy, telecommunications policy (including e-rate and network neutrality), digital divide, open access to information, free expression, digital literacy, the future of libraries generally, and many other topics. Refer to the National Policy Agenda for Libraries for an overview of current priorities.  Application deadline: March 25, 2016

ALA Awards and Grants
A link to the ALA's full list of awards and grants.  A great resource for those looking for basically everything : )

Information Professionals Panel Tonight!

ALASC and SLA are co-hosting an amazing panel tonight!  

Internship Opportunity from the AAN

The American Academy of Neurology has a very interesting paid internship opportunity available that they wanted to share with us!  Check out the flyer below and this link to the job posting on the AAN website.

ALA Midwinter Recap from Chayse!

One of our members, Chayse, went to ALA Midwinter in Boston and kindly wrote about his experiences for us!  Read up below and start thinking about attending ALA Annual in Orlando or the next Midwinter in Atlanta (a good reason to get out of MN in January!).

At ALA I attended five sessions mostly pertaining to Youth Services. One of the constant themes that was present in most all panels was the need for students and librarians to be adaptable. What I mean is not just for students applying to jobs to be open to moving, getting a new experience, but also for both groups to be ready for the constant change happening in the library. With how libraries are transforming and how they are serving their users, we must educate ourselves on these changes to match that of the community we will be serving. One of the first panels I attended really surprised me because of the amount of students from other universities who felt their university was not preparing them for the job market or how they felt they did not have a concrete idea of what they wanted to do once graduated. 

Besides attending the panels, I met with grad students from Simmons University, connected with members of YALSA, had dinners with publishers, and met some all-time favorite authors and introduced myself to Boston Public Librarians. I felt this was the most exciting portion of my trip because of all the connections I made while there. Yes it was important to attend panels and gain knowledge of various aspects of the field, but I feel it is another thing to actually meet with the professionals in which you can build relations with and form that network of individuals that can become lifelong people all working towards the same thing. 

For the expo, that was a whirlwind of thrilling excitement. I was not able to spend a lot of time on the expo floor but from the time I did spend, there was so much free stuff. Books, bookmarks, books, and of course more ways of connecting with people in the field. I would say make sure to plan some expo floor time into your schedule if you decide to attend one of these conferences. 

When planning my trip I threw in two extra days in which I could allow myself to see the city. I visited Faneuil Hall Market Place home of the best cupcakes in a jar, the Mary Baker Eddy Library, home of the Maparium (think of a giant globe of hand-painted stainless steel panels), got lost downtown (cell-phone died), visited three parks, saw penguins, sat by the ocean, and ate lots of food. Boston is definitely a place that I would visit again. 

Overall there is only really one important thing I can say for fellow students. Make time in your schedule and attend a conference. Now is the time to make connections, visit places, and learn more about the field we are all working towards. When making the hesitant decision of whether I should attend ALA Midwinter looking back I am glad I clicked register.

Job opportunity at Concordia College!

A new job posting from Concordia College Concordia College is seeking a collaborative, innovative, and service-oriented Systems and Web Services Librarian who will have primary responsibility for the library’s technology infrastructure (library management system, digital collections, discovery solutions, and related tools) and integration with campus systems (Moodle, campus content management system, financial and student systems). This 10-month faculty position will begin August 2016. The successful candidate will have a critical role in ensuring that library systems support and enhance student learning. The primary responsibility of the position will be oversight of the technical aspects of library systems across functional areas including acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, serials, digital collections, and metadata. This responsibility will include management of the library website and collaboration with other library staff on usability and the development of virtual resources and services. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with campus IT and Communications Departments to ensure efficiency and interoperability among library and campus systems. The successful candidate will take a leadership role in implementing and evaluating emerging technologies and services as they pertain to the library. As a secondary level of responsibility, the successful candidate will participate, at some level, in the standard duties of all librarians (reference services, library instruction, liaison to academic departments, collection development, and outreach). Within the tradition of the liberal arts, Concordia College is dedicated to student learning and becoming responsibly engaged in the world. Current initiatives as the college include integrative learning, online learning, and digital humanities. The Carl B. Ylvisaker Library is located in the heart of campus and is recognized for its emphasis on teaching and engagement with student research. The library maintains a complex array of integrated systems, resources, and service in support of its mission. Minimum Qualifications: • ALA-accredited master’s degree or equivalent • Experience working with library systems • Knowledge of database structures, creation, application and maintenance • Demonstrated knowledge of emerging technologies • A demonstrated commitment to continuous learning • A strong commitment to user services • Strong interpersonal and communication skills • Commitment to working in a collaborative environment Preferred Qualifications ·         Academic library experience ·         Experience in an online learning environment ·         Knowledge of instructional design ·         Knowledge of user analysis and usability testing ·         Knowledge of web design and scripting languages ·         Project management skills ·         Reference and instruction experience ·         STEM background A link to the job posting can be found at: https://hr.cord.edu/postings/2042

Copyright Workshop with Nancy Sims

We have a very special guest coming to St. Kate's!  Nancy Sims, a Copyright Program Librarian from the University of Minnesota, is coming to speak with us (yes us!) about her field and what is happening with copyright both in and outside of the university community.
You can check out her biography with links to her work HERE
Can't wait to see you there!

Spring 2016 Meeting Dates!

ALASC will be meeting on the third Tuesday of the month this semester from 5:00 to 5:45 PM in CdC 5. We do hope you can make it to the meetings, but if not, no worries! Just let us know that you want to be added to the email list by contacting us at: ala-students@stkate.edu to get general updates as well as meeting minutes. See you soon!