Did you miss ALA? Want to see Pitt's Book Cart Drill Team?

Pitt's Book Cart Drill Team won 3rd place in the Book Cart Drill Team World Championships! The bronze book cart should be arriving in the IS Library any time now.

Here is the video of their performance at ALA Annual:

Summary of today's panel discussion on Conference Etiquette

A BIG thank you to Roxanne for taking these notes!

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Professional Conference Etiquette for First-Timers Panel Discussion - PARAPHRASED MINUTES

Joe Prince - Student to Staff Representative at 2008 Anaheim ALA Conference

Dr. Kip Currier - 1996 ALA in New York City, 2000 ALA in Chicago -

Suzi Wackerbarth - 2003 ALA in Toronto (not highly attended because of SARS), 2004 ALA in Chicago, Public Library Association Conferences - Recommends smaller conferences if ALA is too overwhelming to you.

Weston River North 5:30 -7:30 Sunday July 12 SIS Alumni Reception

Kip - If there is a program you want to attend that requires registration, get there early before it fills up.

Suzi - It is very common for people to be in and out of programs. It is not considered rude to get up and leave for whatever reason. It may also be a good idea to pop into a random discussion or presentation, you may find something you enjoy that you didn't already know about. Be Flexible, it is okay to deviate from your plan. Go to at least one morning session and one evening session, but don't forget to check out CHICAGO!

Anita Riley: As a job seeker, what are your recommendations for what to have with you? attire?

Joe Prince - As a student, business casual is the best way to dress in the event that you stumble upon people looking to hire. Carry resumes and business cards.

Kip - Recommends getting business cards at Kinko's; it is okay to put "MLIS expected..."

Anita: What would you say is the most valuable type of event to attend? Workshops or Panel presentations, or poster sessions etc. What should we prioritize?

Joe: What interests you the most? Poster sessions can be overwhelming. Joe is a middle school librarian and recommends going to meet-and-greets with authors.

Suzi - If you want to attend a session that costs money for dinner, it is okay to show up after the dinner has ended to just view the presentation only.

Kip - Visit vendors to see new software, and workshops. He integrates information learned on the subjects he teaches to own personal topics into lectures. Tailor it to your intended career path. Who are the [famous] speakers?

Suzi - Do the exhibits!

Joe - There are fun things in the exhibits such as a conference-wide scavenger hunt. They are both informational and recreational.

Anita: Is it appropriate to wait around to speak with the presenters?

Suzi - Has done this. You can gauge by the size of the group wanting to speak with them whether to stay or not.

Kip - If it is an author or someone famous, they may be around later to speak with or sign autographs.

Anita: Do any of you have any experience with the Job Placement Center?

Kip: Has interviewed at ALA but outside of the Placement Center. This is why it is important to have your CV, Business Cards, a full suit(if you choose), etc. If you are going to ALA to have a pre-scheduled interview, do your homework beforehand. Employers want to see that you have looked at the website, know trends. Be friendly, open, and enthusiastic.

Anita: What was the most valuable experience that you have been to at a conference?

Joe: Consider your own weaknesses and what skill set you hope to develop. If there is something you feel wasn't addressed in any of your courses, find a workshop that covers that. Challenge yourself. The more you fortify yourself, the better your experience will be.

Kip: Conferences are a great opportunity to visit the great libraries such as New York Public Library.

Lisa Campbell: Question about Social Events/Networking at Conferences: Are happy hours great for social networking? How would you handle yourself if you don't know people there?

Kip: Left a happy hour with 25 business cards. He can't tell you enough how important it is to go to a happy hour. He continues to be in contact wit those he met here. Its not always easy, but go for it! Its is a worthwhile experience.

Wrap up, Final thoughts:

Suzi: They key is to go in knowing it is going to be a real experience. It is a HUGE experience. Just make sure you don't overwhelm yourself with events but DO HAVE A PLAN!

Joe: Hint for the exhibits: Bring an extra bag for SWAG. Advanced copies for books. Eat outside the conference center, it is cheap.

Suzi: You WILL get a bag(s). Have business cards including to enter drawings.

Kip: If you have a job interview be punctual. Be EXACTLY on time. Write thank you notes for interviews. Think about what kind of e-mail address you have, is it professional? Check social networking! Is your facebook acceptable?

Zack: How many business cards?

Kip: 50 to 100

Suzi: Bring your cellphone! Know everybody's numbers!

Library Education

For those of you that don't receive emails from ALA, I thought I would pass along this message from Jim Rettig about ALA's Special Library Education Task Force.

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Dear colleagues:

In my travels to chapter conferences and other events this past year I have heard many ALA members talk about library education. I think that library education is somewhat analogous to the weather—everyone talks about it but nobody does anything about it. That is not the case with library education, especially not now.

In January a Special Library Education Task Force, chaired by Dr. Carla Hayden submitted its report to the ALA Executive Board.

The Task Force’s full report is available at http://tinyurl.com/r2nt25. The Task Force identified eight core competences that students in Master’s degree programs in library and information science should master. At the Midwinter Meeting in Denver this past January the ALA Council approved these competences (see Council Document #10.1 at http://tinyurl.com/qyn8nb).

The Task Force also made a set of recommendations related to accreditation of MLIS programs. I wrote about these recommendations in my May American Libraries column (see http://jimrettig.org/content/columns/documents/May2009PDF.pdf). The Committee on Accreditation (http://tinyurl.com/molhom) is reviewing these recommendations and seeks comment on them from ALA members and other stakeholders. It has set up a blog at http://www.oa.ala.org/accreditation/ to hear ideas from ALA members and others regarding the recommendations and the current Standards for Accreditation.

I encourage all ALA members with an interest in education for the MLIS to read the Task Force’s report, the competences document Council approved, and the Standards and to share their ideas with the Committee on Accreditation via the new blog. This is one time when talking about library education can be more than just talk.

Sincerely,

Jim Rettig
ALA President

BKDT featured in ALA press release!

Exciting news...our very own Book Kart Drill Team was featured in an AlA press release announcing this year's championships!

The BKDT will be holding a public preview performance before we head off to Chicago, so stay tuned for details!

Hey, small spender!

Library Journal posted an article about going to the ALA conference on the cheap. There are museums (and an aquarium! who's in?), a festival or two, shopping, and theatre options listed. Might be worth adding to your bookmarks, as the conference edges closer.

Also, a plug: if you're going to ALA with the idea of networking, a key student-and-new-librarian-networking event is the New Member Round Table (NMRT)'s awards ceremony & social. Anyone who wants to go can head over with our (hopefully award-winning!) Book Cart Drill Team, after the championship.

Book Cart Drill Team World Championship: Sunday, July 12, 2009, from 4-5:30pm, at McCormick Place West

NMRT Awards Ceremony & Student Networking Event: Sunday, July 12, 2009, from 7:00-9:00pm, in the Chicago Hilton, Northwest 5 Ballroom

Reminder: Sign up for conference!

Just a friendly reminder: the Early Bird Registration deadline for ALA Annual, July 9-July 15, in Chicago, is this Friday, March 6th. After Friday, rates go up to the 'Advanced' prices. If you're planning to go, this is the week to register!

The student rate is $95 this week, with ALA membership (and it's $120 next week and after!). Also, if you've got the $10 to spare, I definitely recommend springing for membership in the New Members Round Table (NMRT)--it's a great resource for new librarians to network and learn from others' experiences. (Also, they throw a good party at Annual each year.) If you are in NMRT, or are thinking of joining it, you might also be interested in their listserv, NMRT-L.

URGENT: Protect Library Funding in the Economic Stimulus Package

Please see the ALA Student Member Blog for Urgent information about this important topic!

Congrats!

Congratulations to Elise Ferer who was selected as our representative for the Student-to-Staff program at this summer's ALA Annual Conference!

ALA Student-to-Staff Program -- How to Apply

We mentioned this program at the last SCALA meeting and said we'd get the info out as soon as we had it. Well, we have it!

Applicants must submit their resume and a cover letter to Sue Alman (office on the 6th floor of SIS) by January 15th! They must be active SCALA and ALA members, must register for the summer term, and must be willing to fulfill the work requirements of 16 hours over 4 days in return for housing (with a roommate), registration, and a per diem. More details can be found here:
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/cro/studentchapters/studentchapterpages/studenttostaffprogram.cfm.

Selected applicants will be invited to an interview with the selection committee on January 20th.

First meeting of the new year!

It's almost time.... for SCALA's first meeting of the year! Come join us on Tuesday, January 6th at 4:30pm in room 502 for the first SCALA meeting of 2009!

Agenda items:

• ALA Annual Conference - including a unique opportunity for you to attend for free
• ComicCon - a local conference devoted to comics, where we will have a table
• An architectural field trip to local libraries
• Book Kart Drill Team - yes, another way to attend ALA at a reduced price!
• New officer elections - All positions are open, and you do not need to be present to run for office. Contact jht3@pitt.edu with any questions.

See yinz there!

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.

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:

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!

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.