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!