[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.

Call for nominations: RUSA achievement awards and grants

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Call for Nominations

Beginning September 1, 2016, RUSA will open the nomination period for its annual series of achievement awards and grants. Nominations and supporting materials for most awards must be submitted by December 9, 2016**.

RUSA encourages members to nominate their colleagues whose work has influenced their thinking and performance and whose outstanding contributions merit recognition by the profession. RUSA has, and will continue to, nominate, select and honor the very best in the field of reference and user services with the continued support of industry sponsors.

Achievement awards for individuals and groups:

Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award, RUSA’s highest honor, recognizes an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of reference librarianship. $5,000* and a citation. Sponsored by Credo.

ReferenceUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services is given to a library or library system for developing an imaginative and unique resource to meet patrons’ reference needs. $1,500* and a citation. Sponsored by ReferenceUSA.

NoveList’s Margaret E. Monroe Library Adult Services Award recognizes a librarian who has made significant contributions to library adult services. $1,250* and a citation. Sponsored by NoveList.

John Sessions Memorial Award recognizes a library or library system that has made a significant effort to work with the labor community and by doing so has brought recognition to the history and contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States. The winner receives a plaque. Sponsored by the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO,

Reference Service Press Award recognizes the most outstanding article published in Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ), RUSA’s research journal, during the preceding two-volume year. $2,500* and a plaque. Sponsored by Reference Service Press.

BRASS Mergent Excellence in Business Librarianship Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to business librarianship. $4,000* and a citation. Sponsored by Mergent.

Louis Shores Award recognizes an individual reviewer, group, editor, review medium or organization for excellence in book reviewing and other media for libraries. The winner receives a citation.

Zora Neale Hurston Award honors an individual ALA member who has demonstrated leadership in promoting African-American literature. The winner receives $1,250* supporting travel to the ALA Annual Conference, a beautiful plaque, two tickets to the United for Libraries author events: The Gala Author Tea and The Laugh’s On Us, and two complete sets of Zora Neale Hurston’s books and audiobooks. Sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers.

ETS Achievement Recognition Award is a citation presented annually in recognition of excellence in service to the Emerging Technologies Section of RUSA. The winner receives a citation.

Genealogy/History Achievement Award is presented to a librarian, library or publisher who recognizes professional achievement in historical reference and research librarianship. $1,500* and a citation. Sponsored by ProQuest.

Online History Award
The Online History Award is offered every other year beginning in 2005. Awarded to a publisher of reference materials in the field of history, the award recognizes the accomplishments of a person or a group of people producing (1) a freely available online historical collection, or (2) an online tool tailored for the purpose of finding historical materials, or (3) an online teaching aid stimulating creative historical scholarship. A monetary prize* and citation are presented.

RSS Service Achievement Award is presented annually to a member of the Reference Services Section (RSS) of RUSA in recognition of exceptional contributions to the section. The winner receives a citation.

Virginia Boucher/OCLC Distinguished ILL Librarian Award is given to an individual for his or her outstanding professional achievement, leadership, and contributions to interlibrary loan and document delivery. $2,000* and a citation. Sponsored by OCLC.

Travel awards to ALA Annual Conference in Chicago :

BRASS SimplyMap Student Travel Award presents funds to a student enrolled in an ALA accredited master’s degree program to fund travel the ALA Annual Conference. $1,250* and a citation. Sponsored by SimplyMap. **This award’s nomination deadline is Jan. 29, 2017.

BRASS Global Financial Data Academic Business Librarianship Travel Award is presented to a new librarian in the field of academic business librarianship in order to support attendance to the ALA Annual Conference. $1,250* and a citation. Sponsored by Global Financial Data.

Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award offers funds to a public librarian who has performed outstanding business reference service and who requires financial assistance to attend the ALA Annual Conference. $1,250* and a citation. Sponsored by Morningstar, Inc.

STARS Atlas Systems Mentoring Award offers ALA Annual Conference travel assistance funds to two library practitioners who are new to the field of interlibrary loan/document delivery or electronic reserves, and who has involvement in the areas of borrowing, lending, document delivery, electronic reserves, material delivery or resource sharing. $1,250* and a citation for each winner. Sponsored by Atlas Systems.

Research grants:

Gale Cengage Learning History Research and Innovation Award is granted to an MLS degreed librarian from an ALA accredited school to facilitate and further research relating to history and history librarianship. $2,500* and a citation. Sponsored by Gale Cengage Learning.

BRASS Emerald Research Grant Award, is presented to an individual or group seeking support to conduct research in business librarianship. $5,000* and a citation. Sponsored by Emerald Group Publishing.

*Monetary award amounts are subject to change without notice and are contingent upon donor funding supplied at the time the award is presented.

Questions about these awards should be directed to Leighann Wood, Sr. Program Officer, lwood@ala.org.

More information about these awards, including nominating instructions, can be found on RUSA’s awards webpage.

#nameRUSA: Give Us Your Feedback! Today is the last day!

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  • TODAY is the last day to fill out the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YK3ZK9R
  • Encourage others to fill it out by sharing #nameRUSA and the survey link on your favorite social media sites.

RUSA members represent a wide variety of interests and professional activities, including readers’ advisory, interlibrary loan, genealogy, user experience and all kinds of library public services.  Many of us once identified as reference librarians, but recognize that our membership is changing in addition to our professional roles. We find ourselves wondering how best to brand ourselves and the services we provide.

Our association name is important and we need your help.  We want to make sure that our association continues to support and represent our members’ needs and interests, while also speaking to potential members.  We want to also encourage participation from non-members.

Thanks to those of you who have participated in this process. Stay tuned for news in the coming months about the results of this survey and next steps in the process.

#nameRUSA: Give Us Your Feedback by Friday, July 15!

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You can help by doing the following:

RUSA members represent a wide variety of interests and professional activities, including readers’ advisory, interlibrary loan, genealogy, user experience and all kinds of library public services.  Many of us once identified as reference librarians, but recognize that our membership is changing in addition to our professional roles. We find ourselves wondering how best to brand ourselves and the services we provide.

Our association name is important and we need your help.  We want to make sure that our association continues to support and represent our members’ needs and interests, while also speaking to potential members.  We want to also encourage participation from non-members.