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Stacy Gilbert Selected as RUSA’s 2017 Emerging Leader

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Stacy Gilbert, Business Librarian, Assistant Professor at the West Campus Library at Texas A&M University, has been selected as the 2017 Emerging Leader for the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).

The American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leaders program is a leadership development program that enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. The Emerging Leader experience begins with a daylong session during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, followed by six months of project engagement through online learning and networking environments. The program culminates with a poster session presentation to display the results of the project planning work of each group at the ALA Annual Conference.

As the RUSA Emerging Leader, Stacy will partner with other emerging leaders on the project of her choosing. She will also work with RUSA leadership in a variety of other roles throughout the year. Stacy will kick off her tenure as the 2017 RUSA Emerging Leader at the upcoming 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta, GA.

Stacy received her Master of Science in Library Science, with a Archives and Records Management concentration, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. Stacy also received a Master of Science in Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2013 and her Bachelor of Science in Television-Radio, International Communications concentration, at Ithaca College in 2010. She is a member of RUSA and the Business and Reference Services Section (BRASS) of ALA, a member of the Special Libraries Association’s Business and Finance Division as well as a member of the American Marketing Association.

Stacy is a firm believer that effective leadership is to put people in situations where they can make the most of their talents. When working on group projects, Stacy tries to understand everyone’s strengths, weaknesses and interests in order to guide them to a role they might want to play on the projects team.  Another important aspect of leadership is professional and personal growth and a great leader understands where her teammates hope to be in one year, five years or more. Stacy appreciates leaders who assign people projects that maximize and grow their skills and may guide people slightly outside their comfort zones so they can grow to new areas.

About RUSA
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) serves all types of libraries in reference, user services, adult readers advisory, collection development, resource sharing, genealogy and archives, business reference and reference technology. Review RUSA’s website for additional information on membership, awards, upcoming conferences and events, professional resources and so much more!

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[Fall eCourses] Learn and lead: Essential skills for front line library staff!

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Each ecourse registration is $130 for RUSA members; $175 for ALA members; $210 for non-ALA members; $100 for student members and retired members. 

[LAST CHANCE!] “Introduction to Instructional Design for Librarians”  begins October 3. Participants will learn to use the Instructional Design Process and apply it effectively to library instruction which includes: identifying instructional problems, learner analysis, task analysis, defining instructional objectives, sequencing content, identifying instructional strategies, message design, instructional delivery, and evaluation instruments. This course is taught by Carla James, PhD candidate Instructional Design & Technology-Old Dominion University. More information can be foundhere.

[LAST CHANCE!] “Research Methods Bootcamp,” begins onOctober 3.  This ecourse is taught by Sharon Radcliff, business librarian at CSU East Bay. Radcliff has over twelve years of experience helping students and faculty with their research questions and has taught several business related courses for Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Librarians and/or library staff in public, school, academic and/or special libraries that perform or teach empirical research will benefit from this ecourse. More information can be found here.

[LAST CHANCE!] Beginning on October 3, is RUSA’s reoccurring ecourse “Interlibrary Loan 101.” This ecourse is taught by RUSA ILL experts Megan Gaffney, Tina Baich, Cindy Kristof, Collette Mak, and will be separated into four separate modules that cover the ILL process from both the borrowing and lending perspectives, copyright law and licensing impacts on ILL, and ILL resources and systems. This ecourse will cover both policies and procedures recently adopted in the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States. Those new to the field of ILL working in public or academic libraries will especially benefit from this ecourse. More information can be found here.

[SPACES LEFT!] The new “Write, Speak, Design: Communication Skills for Library Professionals,” ecourse begins on October 10. Taught by RUSA member, Andy Spackman, participants will refine their abilities to create effective professional documents and oral presentations. Assignments and activities are designed to help participants prepare for real-life situations in the library. This ecourse will help all library staff members to develop the essential communication skills they need to be effective in their work and to achieve their career goals. More information can be found here.

A RUSA reoccurring favorite, beginning October 31, “Business Reference 101”, this four week course is taught by business reference expert, Celia Ross, librarian at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. This ecourse is designed for academic, special or public librarians and other researchers and library staff who have a basic understanding of some business resources but who do not work with them often enough to build expertise. The ecourse will provide students with a framework for understanding the business reference process as well as an overview of business reference sources specific to each of the course modules. More information can be found here.

Beginning October 31, “Genealogy 101”, a five week ecourse, will be offered by Matt Rutherford is Curator of Genealogy and Local History at the Newberry Library in Chicago. The course will outline basic sources and strategies, centered on a single case study. Topics covered include the U.S. Census, vital records, immigration research, military research and a variety of other basic genealogy sources. Students will also receive instruction in reference desk strategies and tools for further professional development. The course will cover archival material, print reference tools and online sources. More information can be found here.

Also beginning October 31, “Reference Interview 101,” one of RUSA’s most popular continuing education courses. Taught by reference expert and one of RUSA’s past presidents, David Tyckoson, has 30 years of experience in academic libraries. He is currently the Associate Dean at the Henry Madden Library, California State University, Fresno. Reference Interview is a comprehensive course focusing on the methods of evaluating reference service, behavioral aspects of reference service, and the different types of questions that can be used to help patrons identify what they need. This ecourse is tailored for support staff, library technicians, newly hired reference librarians, and those librarians who want to brush up on their interview skills. More information can be found here.

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RUSA’s Newest Interest Group – FYE IG

RUSA is proud to announce the formation of the RUSA First Year Experience Interest Group, (FYEIG). This group has been formed in order to address the many challenges of first year students in higher education. One of the anticipated outcomes is to establish a forum with regular meetings for the discussion of practical and scholarly topics relating to first year students and those involved with this group.

The purpose of this group is to share ideas and develop new connections for future collegiality and support. Topics for discussions include but are not limited to retention improvements, introduction to higher education research skills development, outreach, first generation students, international students, students enrolled simultaneously in high school and college (dual enrollment programs), reference services, etc.

This group is in the initial pilot project phase, which ends on June 30, 2016.  In order to become a regularly scheduled, RUSA-sponsored group, there must be sufficient support and some credible work by this date.

You are invited to join this interest group by going to http://connect.ala.org/node/249585, then log into your ALA account, and join the group.  FYE IG membership is automatic.

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Deep Dive & History Genealogy Workshops – 2016 Midwinter Meeting

History Genealogy Institute – Free, But Registration is Required 
Friday, January 8, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, room 151 B
This free workshop will help librarians of all types learn techniques. This can include better understanding of genealogy research methods and sources. It can also include how libraries can leverage their unique holdings to become more relevant to genealogists, who tend to be passionate in their support of libraries that have useful materials. Lunch provided and sponsored by ProQuest. Must register here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QWZP6WG.

Deep Dive Session – *BRAND NEW!
We are all user experience librarians: Creating change from the trenches
Saturday, January 9, 1:00 p.m.- 4:15 p.m., Location: TBA
This Deep Dive workshop will focus on user testing and understanding your users’ experience through a mix of discussion, presentations, and interactive experiences. Our five presenters will offer design strategies and tools from throughout the life cycle of a user experience design project, and they will also join together as a panel to provide a spirited, entertaining look at pitfalls to avoid and lessons learned. Unlike other sessions about user experience design, the proposed workshop will focus on providing attendees with concrete skills and techniques they can apply at their home institutions with relatively little expense or pre-planning. *Registration to open soon. More information here.