SCALA's First Meeting of the New Year

Hey y'all! Hope you're enjoying your winter break (if you're bored check out this make-a-flake site, or maybe a biography of Wilson Bentley, the man who provided the photograph heading this post); SCALA is hankering to meet up with you lot again in the new year.

Come join us on Tuesday, January 6th at 4:30pm in room 502 for the first SCALA meeting of 2009!

We're going to be discussing the ALA Annual Conference (including a unique opportunity for you to attend for free) and upcoming events (ComicCon, an architectural field trip, Book Kart Drill Team, and so much more), and electing new officers (all positions are open and you needn't be present to run for office, contact jht3@pitt.edu with any questions).

See y'all there!

SCALA General Meeting Reminder

I knows y'all are busy and such with Book Kart Drill Team and Bowling Night and (wait, there's something else, but I just can't put my finger on it) finals, but do squeeze in some well deserved you-time with the last SCALA meeting of the semester.

It's being held tomorrow in the 1st floor lounge (1A04) at 2pm.

We'd love to share eggnog with you there!

Book Kart Drill Team Meeting Today!

The Book Kart Drill Team is meeting at Panther Hollow Inn at 4:30 today (Thursday, December 4). We'll talk some business, including recruiting, funding, planning a routine and practices, and ways to get the community involved. And then we'll head out to the Bowling Event!

As a reminder, in case you wonder what this Book Kart Drill Team stuff is about: the plan is to perform in the Book Cart Drill Team World Championship at ALA Annual in July, 2009. (Click the "BKDT" label for more information.) All LIS students and professors are welcome to join.

Bowling Night Sell Out!

Bowling Night is on Thursday and it is SOLD OUT! I'm so excited that you guys are so pumped to be joining SCALA, ALA-Infinity, SAA, and SLAPSG at this fun social event. In fact I'm so excited that I just can't hide it--here are a couple of awesome bowling videos to get you as revved up as I am!


This little video shares bowling secrets so we can all have 300 point games.


This is a longer video from the History Channel, sharing fun facts about the physical and chemical changes bowling balls have undergone, showing how much easier it is to get a 300 point game today than ever before.


And this little video should serve as inspiration to all of us who despair of ever having 300 point games.

Bowling Night: Registration Open

For weeks you've been anxiously awaiting it, and your reward is here . . . Bowling Night details!

SCALA has joined with ALA-Infinity, SLAPSG, and SAASC to bring you Bowling Night. On December 4th, from 6-8:30pm, we will congregate at Forward Lanes in Squirrel Hill for unlimited bowling games, untold pizza, and unfettered fun!

The cost is $0 (cero pesos, hombres), but space is limited. Email your friendly SCALA president at jht3@pitt.edu to reserve your spot today!

December General Meeting

Come one come all, y'all, to the last SCALA meeting of 2008! Egg nog may just be served, but we promise no mistletoe.

It'll be in room 1A04 (the first floor lounge of SIS) on Friday December 5th at 2pm.

Be there, homes!

Kindle: Bringing Together the Technology Petting Zoo and The Price is Right

So you're thinking about coming to the Technology Petting Zoo, but your just not sold yet, eh? Well prepare to have your mind changed!


If you just can't handle all the Price Is Right goodness, skip to the creme de la creme at the 3:00 mark.

That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is an Amazon Kindle, on the Showcase Showdown! Just like the Amazon Kindle that is scheduled to appear at the Technology Petting Zoo on November 13th from 3-4pm in room 501 of the SIS building.

Meeting today!

A quick last-minute reminder: SCALA's November General Meeting is today at 5:15 in the First Floor Lounge (1A04). So, go vote if you are able and interested, and then come to the SCALA meeting!
(I had a funny lolcat picture. It didn't look right. You can go see it here: http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/funny-pictures-you-are-going-to-sleep-on-the-floor-tonight.jpg)

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES!

SCALA places a high value on serving and contributing to our community. Here are two opportunities to do so within the next week. Keep posted, we'll let you know about more opportunites soon.

SISCO (School of Information Science Community Outreach) has scheduled the following service opportunities:

Book ‘Em: Sunday, November 2, 3-8 PM
We will fill and mail book requests from inmates across the country. Please come for the whole afternoon or stop in for a few hours. Bookem’ is located at 5125 Penn Ave, reachable on the 86B busline. http://www.thomasmertoncenter.org/bookem/

Millvale Library: Saturday, November 8, 10am-3pm
We will be helping to renovate and winterize the librarybuilding. Lunch provided! The Millvale Library is located at 213 Grant Avenue, Millvale,PA 15209 http://www.millvalelibrary.org/ML/Welcome.html

These are both great opportunities to contribute to the community and gain some experience as well. They have asked that you RSVP to sisco.pitt@gmail.com if you are able to attend. For more information about these projects, please view the SISCO blog: http://sisco-pitt.blogspot.com/

Book Kart Drill Team!

For those who missed the BKDT meeting, we have a Google Group, which you are encouraged to join if you have any interest at all in this thing; you can e-mail me at coral dot hess at gmail dot com, if you dislike the Google Groups interface and just want me to add you. We're using it to share ideas for themes/songs/awesome dance moves/videos we like. We also have a Google Calendar. Join the Google Group for access to it, or you can look at the publicly viewable version here. (Spoiler alert: I'm proposing a meeting on Wednesday, November 23, from 12:30-1:30. I know it's the day before Thanksgiving, but I have this theory that most people will still be in town that day. Join the group and make counter-suggestions, if I'm wrong!)

Just a heads up: by mid-December, we're going to need a commitment from everyone on our BKDT crew about doing this thing. That means coming to practices and being at the competition, at ALA Annual 2009 (in Chicago, IL, from July 9- July 15, though the competition will probably be that Saturday or Sunday). We need to start looking for funding, and the number of people who are participating has a big influence on how much we need to ask for. Yes, this is an opportunity to have your conference attendance subsidized; so, while it's a super fun and awesome thing, it is also something you need to be sure you can commit to.

More about that later, though.

In the meantime: about halfway through this video, something awesome happens. You should watch it.

November General Meeting!

SCALA will be holding its most excellently enjoyable and productive November meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 4th at 5:15pm in 1A04 (the first floor lounge).

Hope to see you all there!

PS- There won't be a Thanksgiving dinner served (and so ends the officers' tofurkey vs. regular turkey debate, sadly) at the meeting, but there may just be a cornucopia of such beautific majesty as to make Martha Stewart weep in her Burberry wellies, lol!

Meeting Minutes

Minutes from the last two meetings can be found here:

General Meeting October 8, 2008

Board Meeting October 2, 2008

Book Kart Drill Team!

Hello, from your friendly Treasurer-slash-Book-Kart-Drill-Team-Person!

I've looked over the current volunteer list, and it seems like 1) we've got enough interest to make this thing go, and 2) the best time to meet will be Wednesday, October 22, from 12:30-1:30. For now, the location is the First Floor Lounge, though I'm still working on little details like "how to reserve it"--I'll send an update if the location changes.

In the meantime, have a look at the previous Pitt drill team:



And various 2007 teams, in a montage:

Meeting Today!

Don't forget, folks! There's a meeting today, 1pm, in the First Floor Lounge! We'll discuss this semester's projects, and it will be fabulous. Also, I heard a rumor that there might be candy there.

ACRL Chapter Meeting, October 24

Greetings,

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), an academic libraries subdivision of the ALA, is holding its Western PA/West VA chapter meeting on the 24th of October. It will take place at Duquesne University in the Duquesne Union on the third floor in the Duquesne Room, so that should be easy to remember. Registration begins at 10 AM, and the event ends at 12:30 PM.

I strongly encourage all MLIS students to attend, no matter your specialization nor your membership status with ALA or ACRL. It will give you an opportunity to meet practicing librarians and familiarize yourself with the profession.

Maps and parking, general information about the local chapter, and the flyer for the event itself are at the links provided. If you use public transportation, many, if not most, buses heading downtown will suffice, but double-check the Port Authority's website further.

Business casual is the order of the day, so dress well, but no need for suits, gentlemen. (I'm less certain about dress options for women, but use your best judgment.) Good luck, and don't forget to bring a folio and plenty of resumes!


Blake

Valuable Resource for MLIS Students

Hello everyone,

This is the first posting from Blake Robinson, your new FastTrack/Faculty Liaison for SCALA. No one except Jacqui really knows what my formal title means, so I prefer "Online Student Officer." My goal is to ensure that online students do not feel like second-class citizens and to remind students, both on-campus and online, that SCALA is here to serve you.

In any case, I would like to recommend a valuable resource for all students in SIS, though it emphasizes librarianship. The listserv is called NEWLIB-L and is run from the University of Southern California. It provides valuable information from employers, new librarians, and library students on issues of all sorts. It is especially useful for job postings and interview advice; I strongly encourage you to subscribe if you want to find a job.

To subscribe, go to http://www.lahacal.org/newlib/ and follow the instructions to subscribe. I suggest you also choose digest format (near the bottom of the page), as this is an extremely active listserv.

I hope you all find this information useful, and I hope everyone is surviving the fall term so far. Don't forget: SCALA is here for you if you need us. Please feel free to contact me if there is anything I can do to help you.

Blake

Washington Trip Review: Four Stars!

*Update! 10/2: Balungile Moleme sent us some awesome pix too! They've been added to the end of this post!*

All reports indicate that the Washington Trip was a wonderful success. We all had tired feet and thumbs ached from downing Noah Wyle's sad turn in the TNT "Classic" The Librarian, but overall an excellent time was had touring the Library of Congress and Book Festival.

Shoutouts to Dr. Leanne Bowler, Dr. Sue Alman, Dr. Mary Kay Biagini, and Harold the Bus Driver for all their hard work on Saturday. Many thanks, y'all!

Here are a few select photographs from Brian Rogers and Xiaomeng Wang, two MLIS students who attended the Washington Trip. If you have photos you would like to share of the Washington Trip (c'mon somebody's got something good from the bus ride home!), email them to jacqueline.h.taylor@gmail.com and I'll add them to this post. Enjoy y'all!


Archway into the Library of Congress (the primary, Jefferson building; other buildings include the Adams and the Madison).

Staircase entrance to the Reading Room viewing gallery--Athena marks the way.

An arched window in the Reading Room.
We were split into two groups for the Library of Congress tour, here one group stands in the Reading Room viewing gallery. Can you spot yourself or your friends? The ponytail-ed lady with her back to the camera was our knowledgable tour guide, Susan.
Setting of BookFest, this pool sat inbetween Capitol Hill (a picture of which heads this post, and which the Library of Congress sits directly behind) and the Mall (where all the BookFest tents were pitched).
The puddles couldn't slow BookFest down! This picture captures the enormity of BookFest--the event took up the entirety of the Mall--approximately 3 city blocks!
Two distinguished Pitt MLIS students stand in the Library of Congress lobby.
Capitol Hill sits directly infront of the main Library of Congress building (the Jefferson). A soon-to-be-completed tunnel will connect the two underground.
Inside one of the BookFest pavilions


More of Brian's photos (including the header to this post) can be seen at http://flickr.com/photos/brianhrogers/sets/72157607548961515/.

Joe DeNardo Weather Watch for Washington Trip

Just as a quick FYI--you may wish to pack your brolleys and ponchos for the Washington Trip, lads and lasses. The Weather Channel is calling for a 70% chance of rain at the time of this post. You can keep an eye out on the forecast here: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USDC0001?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared .

PS- To all of you not native to Pittsburgh, Joe DeNardo (sing along now: "Joe said it would!") is a legend in Pittsburgh weather forecasting.

Washington Trip FAQ

Rock n roll y’all! With the Washington Trip just days away, here’s your handy-dandy FAQ guide to the event. Please direct any additional enquiries to both Dr. Leanne Bowler (lbowler@sis.pitt.edu) and SCALA President Jacqui Taylor (jht3@pitt.edu).

If you are NOT on the SIS- and SCALA-sponsored bus, you may NOT go on the Library of Congress tour. Sorry, folks, but even the Library of Congress limits its numbers.

The bus waits for no one! If you were planning on bussing to SIS to catch the Washington Trip bus, please be aware of Pittsburgh Transit Authority’s limited Saturday schedules—you may not be able to take your regular bus into campus. Similarly, make note of the bus’s location when arriving in Washington D.C.—it will pick up from the same spot that it dropped off.

Wear comfortable shoes! I know this seems glaringly obvious, but this is NOT the time for your Minolo Blahniks. You will be on your feet most of the day, and it is a very long day. Be sensible in your footwear—fear not the white “librarian” tennis shoe!

Meals are not included in your $26 fee. You are responsible for feeding yourself while in Washington and both directions on the bus. There will be food kiosks at the Book Fest but if you dare try to bring a hot dog into the Library of Congress, so help us SCALA will disown you! Even if Mo Williems’s pigeon gave said hot dog to you!

Here is the itinerary for the trip:
5:15 am: Bus to arrive at SIS (135 North Bellefield Avenue, Oakland)
5:30 am: Depart SIS
9:30 – 10:00: Arrive in Washington, D.C. (Drop-off point to be determined. Will be near to the Jefferson Building, LC)
10:30 – 12:30: Tour of Library of Congress (Jefferson Building) and briefing about the Congressional Research Service
12:30 – 5:30 pm: Book Festival on the National Mall
7:00 pm: Bus departs Washington, D.C. (Same location as drop-off in the morning)
11:00 pm: Arrive at SIS (135 North Bellefield Avenue, Oakland)


For more information on the Book Fest itself, please see: http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/

Please feel free to use the blog here to connect with a ride into/out from campus, make meal reservations with each other, or make alternate travel arrangements for any part of the day.

October General Meeting Date Set!

"Town" meeting! Town meeting y'all!

SCALA's October meeting has been set for Wednesday, October 8th at 1pm in the first floor lounge (room 1A04).

See y'all--and perhaps some "Nightmare Before Christmas"-worthy goodies--there!

Sept 8 General Meeting Minutes

Thanks to the fabulous teamwork of our outgoing (and she's not an introvert either) Webmaster and our incoming Webmaster, the minutes from September 8th's general meeting are now available on the SCALA homepage.

Just follow this link to catch up on what you missed out on: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/archive/Minutes2008_09_08.pdf

PS- I promise I'm not the only person who will be posting on this blog. You will hear from others I swear it!

New Officers and Next Meeting

Congratulations to your newly elected Fall 2008 SCALA officers! Serving Pitt MLIS students this semester are Jacqui Taylor (President), Rachel Carver (Vice President), Amy Lee Heinlen (Secretary), Coral Hess (Treasurer), Blake Robinson (Faculty/FastTrak Liaison), and Jean Sant (Webmaster).

SCALA will be holding its next meeting in October, probably on the week of the 6th. So let's hear it oh active SCALA members ours--what times and dates work best for you? We'll strive to accommodate as many people as possible. We luvs yinz! Leave your mark in the comments section of this post to help us find a time!

More Meeting Details

We have found the land of milk and honey! It is room 1A04, and we'll be using it for the meeting on Monday. The room is commonly known as the first floor lounge and is directly across from the elevators.

We will be undergoing elections--anybody who's interested in any position may nominate themselves or have another person nominate them--you can find descriptions of the different officer positions on the SCALA homepage (a link to which you will find in the sidebar on this blog, sweetness).

At the meeting, we will also be voting on the Constitution. At the beginning of the summer, the current SCALA officers completed a constitutional review. You can find the proposed new Constitution here (http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/archive/revisedconstitution.doc), and the proposed outgoing Constitution here (http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/governance.html).

See y'all there!

First Meeting of the Semester!

SCALA's first general meeting of the 2008-2009 school year will take place on Monday September 8th at 11am. The location of said meeting is currently top secret, but all will be revealed in the coming days. Hint: it will be somewhere in the SIS building. Double hint: sustenance will be provided.

Yummo!

Duck Tour Finish: Duckie Approved

All our thanks to everybody who joined us on the Duck Tour yesterday! What a neat introduction to Pittsburgh while enjoying some quacking good puns.

The finished Duck Tour is...

Duckie approved.

SISGO Duck Tour Registration Form

The registration form to sign up for the SISGO-funded Duck Tour is now available: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/sisgoducktour.doc! Please email completed forms to jht3@pitt.edu.

As a reminder, SISGO's DUKW will be touring a little earlier than SCALA's DUKW; those on the SISGO tour need to be at Just Ducky Tours by 3:45 on August 22nd, while those on the SCALA tour should check in by 5:30 that day.

All credits of awesomeness go to Marie for getting the registration form up and running so very very quickly!

Duck Tour Expanded!

Due to booming demand, Duck Tour 2008 has been expanded! SISGO and Student Services are now joining in the fun, with a second DUKW chartered for a 3:45 tour on August 22nd. This is the same day as the SCALA Duck Tour, but earlier in the day.

Any new SIS student--regardless of degree path--wishing to sign up for this 3:45 tour can contact jht3@pitt.edu for more information. The registration form will be coming soon!

Howard the Duck approves of the Duck Tour's growth.

Duck Tour Sell Out

Duck Tour 2008 is sold out! SCALA looks forward to meeting Nikki, Cassie, Blake, Brian, Brenna, Coral, Rebecca, Justin Charles, Nicole, Anita, Laurren, Debra, Karson, Hannah, John, Jo, Sean, Zack, Laura, Ming, Emily, Brode, Kate, Alan, Andrew, Kuei-Chin, Jung-Shan, and Chien on the Duck Tour!

Do the ducky dance, y'all, it's time to boogie!

Renew Your ALA Membership at Student Rate

Hey, everyone. I just renewed my ALA membership at the tail end of my time as a student, so I was able to get the student rate again. If you joined last year at the beginning of your first semester, renew now!

ALA Membership Renewal

If you're not a member, you should be! Why? Allow me to borrow from our website:
"ALA's student membership costs $30 (2007-08 rates) and includes a subscription to American Libraries as well as AL Direct, a weekly email newsletter; we also strongly recommend you join the New Members Round Table (NMRT). It's an additional $10 but well worth the cost. On it, you'll meet new and emerging members of the library community as well as discuss topics that all new librarians should know including common "how to's" of the library field. It's a great way to develop leadership skills and become involved!"

If you have any questions, as always, we're here to help.

Duck Tour: Donald Duck Approved

Duck Tour 2008 is …

Donald Duck approved. Note: Unlike Donald, registrants are required to wear pants on the Duck Tour.

Silly SCALA! Duck Tour Basics

Silly me! Here I've been providing all the details of Duck Tour 2008 while leaving out the biggest detail of all: when it's happening!

The tour leaves from Just Ducky Tours in Station Square (detailed directions are provided in your registration confirmation) at 6pm on Friday, August 22. Everybody must be checked in by 5:30pm! The tour will take approximately one hour, returning to Just Ducky Tours around 7pm.

A thousand apologies for not posting this information sooner! This sort of slip-up should never occur again, not with the help of this non-slip rubber-grip rubber ducky bath mat!

As an extra added bonus, here's a copy of the flyer (click to enlarge) that you'll see around SIS promoting the event.

Cheers y'all!

Duck Tour Registration Form Now Available

To access the registration form, simply follow this link: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/ducktourregistrationform.doc.



Please send all completed forms to jht3@pitt.edu. The first 30 to submit forms have a seat on Duck Tour 2008!







Quackin' good times y'all!

Duck Tour: Mighty Ducks Approved

Gordon Bombay and Charlie Conway encourage you to register for Duck Tour 2008 . . . then head out for a double mocha soy latte over which to confer on the finer points of the Flying V.

Duck Tour 2008 FAQ, presented by Daffy Duck

When and where can I register?
Our favorite question! Registration begins here, on the blog, on Monday August 4th. There will be a short form for you to fill out then email to jht3@pitt.edu.

What sort of crazy vehicle goes on both land and sea?
Designed by Q for James Bond …just kidding…the DUKW is an amphibious truck built by General Motors Corporation during WWII for transporting goods and soldiers over land and water. D stands for 1942, U stands for utility, K stands for front wheel drive, and W stands for two rear driving axles. Clear as mud, but a real beauty and loads of fun.

Is the DUKW handicap accessible?
Yes, the DUKW is adaptable for those with mobility impairments. Just Ducky Tours asks to be informed 48 hours in advance of any special needs, so any student with a mobility impairment who registers for Duck Tour 2008 should email jht3@pitt.edu.

How much does it cost?
SCALA is footing the entire bill for this one. However, if you drive you will have to pay for your own parking. Consider taking the bus instead: it’s free with your Pitt Student ID.

Can I get a seat for my kid/mom/boyfriend/dog, too?
No. Unfortunately there are a very limited number of seats, so in the spirit of MLIS-bonding and budgetary fairness, spots are only available to MLIS students. One per person.

What if I already know Pittsburgh/ have already been on a Just Ducky Tour?
C’mon you don’t know everything about the Three Rivers’ City. The Just Ducky tour guides, like, sleep with Fort Pitt diaries under their pillows and are co-writing amongst themselves a 1000-page-minimum history of the city. Not really, but these guys really know their stuff and the tour is never the same twice.

What if I’m not a new student?
You’re very welcome to come! SCALA is all about community, and it can take a good while to get orientated to a new city—especially when your days are focused on coursework. So come join us too, ye SIS veteran!

When and where do I pick up my ticket?
Since SCALA is chartering an entire DUKW, there are no physical tickets. When you turn in your registration form you will be added to our master list of seat-holders and be sent a confirmation email.

How long will Duck Tour 2008 take?
Approximately 90 minutes. The tour itself is an hour, but everybody must be checked in by 5:30pm to depart at 6pm. The tour will be finished at about 7pm.

Where is Duck Tour 2008 embarking from?
Duck Tour 2008 begins and ends at Just Ducky Tours in Station Square. If that sentence just read like a foreign language, don’t worry. Your confirmation email will have detailed instructions on how to reach Just Ducky Tours by either bus or car. If you’re taking a submarine, though, well, the directions are all up to you then.

What if it rains?
We go anyway. The DUKW is designed to keep you dry whether the water is coming up from the river or down from the sky. You will have a comfortable tour rain or shine.

What do I need to bring with me?
You may wish to bring sunscreen, and it’s a good idea to wear shoes rather than sandals since you’ll be in a boat and all.

Anything else I should know about Duck Tour 2008?
If you’re looking to earn a Girl Scout badge, Just Ducky Tours can accommodate the excursion to your needs. But I think most all of us have already earned as many badges as we're ever going to have, so this may be a moot point. If you have any other questions you can address them to jht3@pitt.edu.

Revised SCALA Constitution

Your SCALA officers reviewed the Constitution at the most recent officer's meeting. Here is the revised Constitution: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/archive/revisedconstitution.doc . You can compare it to the old Constitution, located here: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/governance.html .

We would love to hear any comments or suggestions you have for the Constitution! Please submit them on this blog or to any of the SCALA officers (our email addresses are on the SCALA webpage).

There will be a vote on the new Constitution at the first SCALA meeting of the Fall semester.

Duck Tour 2008 (coming soon)

Anaheim Ducks hockey player and Pittsburgh native George Parros thinks you should register for Duck Tour 2008 … and exhibit more appropriate respect for his freakin’ sweet 80s-tastic mustache. And also please to stop “accidentally” calling him Captain Jack.

Summer Term Meeting Times

Executive Board Meetings will be held the first Monday @ 5:00 PM.

General Meetings will be held the first Wednesday @ 4:30 PM.

Newly-elected Executive Board:
Joe Prince, President
Rachel Carver, Vice-President
Jacqui Taylor, Secretary
Laura Zieja, Treasurer
Marie Elia, Webmaster
Megan Fallon/Lauren Daughty, Faculty/FastTrack Liason

Librarian Speed-Dating

Okay, not really. Instead, come to the first of many loose little get-togethers on the Third Thursday of the month! Meet fellow SCALA members for drinks or food at Fuel and Fuddle in Oakland after your Thursday night class. You'll be paying for your own drinks, but the conversation's on us!

We'll be at the Fuel & Fuddle (http://www.fuelandfuddle.com) by 9pm this Thursday, March 20. That's 212 Oakland Avenue, just barely south of Forbes Avenue.

Be there and be square!

Board Position Open: Faculty Liaison

Hello, MLIS students!

SCALA's monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, April 1st at 5:00 PM in room 502 (although recently we've been moved to room 522... so keep your eyes peeled for last-minute changes).

I would like to give all interested students a heads up. We are in need of a new member of the executive board, a faculty liaison. The faculty liaison is responsible for communicating information between the organization and the faculty advisor (Dr. Alman) or members of the faculty. A job description is available on our website: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~scala/governance.html.

If any members are interested in being on the ballot, please come to the meeting on Tuesday April 1st and nominate yourself (or have a friend nominate you)!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me or any other member of the executive board.

Hope everyone is having a nice spring break!

Joe Prince
President
SCALA

Job Search, or, Holy Crap I Graduate in 6 (or 3!) Months

We've updated the job-searching resources on the links page a bit. If you're like us, the reality of impending graduation is looming! And it's never too early to start looking. There are so many resources out there, but rarely are they all in one place. We've gathered some national, regional, and local resources together, but please let us know if you stumble onto anything else. Most of these sites let you create an RSS feed of your searches (i.e., only reference librarian postings in the midwest), so look around. If you're saying, "you know, I've heard of this RSS thing but I don't know how to actually use it," or if you're completely lost in the sea of online searching, contact your trusty Webmaster at pittscala@gmail.com. We're planning at least one event to bring alumni in to talk about their own job searching experiences, but maybe a little workshop is in order. What do you think?

SCALA Facebook!

After a few fits and starts, we have created a Facebook group. You can join here:
http://pitt.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10720626807

RSS Feed is Fixed!

If you've tried to subscribe to the RSS feed before, you got an error message. It should be working now, so subscribe away!

Let the good times roll

Hey Cool Kids of the Pitt MLIS Program!

Classes wearing you down? Stress levels bursting? Feeling a bit of disconnect from fellow human beings?

SCALA wants to put a stop to all that nonsense (or, at the very least, provide you with opportunities to forget about them for a couple hours).

We are forming a social committee that will organize fun outings: karaoke, bowling, miniature golf, movie nights, etc...

So we'd like to ask you, fellow students: What would you be interested in doing?

Post your ideas here!
(Anyone can post on the comments section; to post to the SCALA blog, you need a Gmail account)

Date for ComiCon

It was pointed out to me that I included the wrong dates on my budget proposal for the ComiCon.  The actual dates are April 25, 26, and 27.  

Sorry for the confusion!

Rachel (your erstwhile VP)

ALA Student-to-Staff Representative

We are pleased to announce that Joe Prince, president of SCALA, will be representing University of Pittsburgh at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim! Thanks to all members who applied for the program. Keep an eye on this blog for more information about traveling to Anaheim as the summer approaches. We hope that lots of you can attend!

Minutes for 01-23-08

Here are the minutes from the 1/23 meeting for your perusal, memorization, and/or general enjoyment!


http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddh6zqht_0frrsqjzk

Because blogger.com does not allow us to upload anything but images or videos, I have resorted to using Google Docs. The link here will take you to the Google Docs webpage for our 01/23/08 minutes. If you have any trouble, please email me at jht3@pitt.edu and I will email you either a PDF or a Word Document version of the minutes.

ComiCon Budget

From Dr. Alman

All SCALA members: I received this email from Dr. Alman today and I think it's a terrific opportunity. If you have an interest, please contact Dr. Alman as soon as possible.

****
Dr. Alman writes:

"I received a call from the Deputy Director of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh on Friday who is looking for several students (no more than 5) to be on a committee to write trivia questions for the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council's Trivia Contest.

The questions and answers must include copies of the source material where the answers were found. Could you please let students know about this and have them contact me asap? The first meeting is Friday, January 25 around 2:30 pm. Attendance is NOT mandatory, but a commitment is needed by then."

ALA Student-to-Staff Application Process

Student-to-Staff Program:
Each year during Annual Conference, the Chapter Relations Office assembles 40 representatives from the student chapters to assist ALA staff at the conference. To qualify, the student must be a current ALA member and a member of a student chapter, and cannot have previously participated in the program. One student will be accepted per chapter. In exchange for working 4 hours per day at the conference, the student will receive free conference registration, housing, and a per diem for meal expenses. Transportation costs (such as airfare and cabs) are the student's responsibility. This program is only available at the Annual Conference. At this time there are no volunteer opportunities at Midwinter Meetings.

There are some other travel awards available through ALA. For more information, please see the ALA Website.

Student-to-Staff application process
a. Deadline for Student-to-Staff program: February 8, 2008
b. Student-to-Staff provides conference registration, housing, and a per diem in exchange for 20 hours of work.
c. Discussed at length the qualifications/process for electing individual
d. Unanimous agreement

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED AS THE STUDENT-TO-STAFF CANDIDATE FOR THE ALA CONFERENCE IN ANAHEIM, CA:
1. Write a brief, two minute speech indicating why you should be chosen.
2. Deliver speech at next general meeting, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1PM.
3. If you are unable to attend the meeting, do not fear! Submit your speech to Joe Prince no later than 11:00 PM on Tuesday, January 22. Your speech will be read at the general meeting. FastTrack students are eligible!
4. Ballots will be available at the meeting. Votes will be cast anonymously after each presentation and submitted to Dr. Alman.
5. All MLIS students are invited to participate and to attend the general meeting next Wednesday.
6. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact anyone on the SCALA board.

Monthly meeting options

Please vote for the meeting time that would be most convenient for your schedule. We will try to accommodate as many individuals as possible.

For those unable to attend, we are investigating the opportunity to offer SCALA meetings as CourseCasts.

Pick one option, please:
1st Tuesday of the month, 5:00 PM
1st Wednesday of the month, 11:00 AM
1st Thursday of the month, 3:00 PM

Thanks!
Joe Prince
President

First meeting of the spring semester

Really, it should be called Winter Semester. Looks like the 'burgh will be getting pounds of snow today and tomorrow. I digress...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

Well, we tried the new When2Meet.com, and I think it was pretty successful. There really isn't a time that everybody can meet, so I'm going to set a date and if you're able to filter in during the scheduled hour, that will be terrific - please do! I'm scheduling the meeting for an hour, but I can't imagine it will take that long. Expect a posted agenda in a few days' time.

Save the date:

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16
1:00 PM
GROUND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM

I'll also post this information on ListServ in a couple days when students are returning from the holidays.

Best,
Joe