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CODES Conversations: Genre: Friend or Foe? Join the online discussion December 4-6

Join RUSA CODES Readers Advisory Research and Trends Committee for a three-day CODES Conversation on the subject of genre: what it means and how we use, or don’t use, the genre designation, what genre means to you, etc.  This free, moderated, focused e-mail discussion takes place December 4-6, 2012.  It’s open to all — just subscribe to the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/sympa/subscribe/codes-convos, then follow and contribute to the conversation via e-mail over the three days of the discussion.

Please join us!

CODES Conversations are focused electronic conversations on current issues facing collection development and readers’ advisory librarians—or anyone interested in those areas.  The conversations are open to all who wish to participate (or lurk)!  

 

 

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Zora Neale Hurston Award: RUSA seeks librarians demonstrating leadership in promoting African American literature

Do you know someone(s) who should be recognized for their work in promoting African American literature? Could it be you? We encourage you to submit a nomination for the 2013 Zora Neale Hurston Award. The deadline for all nominations is Dec. 15, 2012.

The Zora Neale Hurston Award recognizes any ALA member who has demonstrated leadership in promoting African American literature. The winner receives funds to attend the ALA Annual Conference, tickets to the FOLUSA Author tea, and a set of the Zora Neale Hurston books published by Harper Perennial at the time the award is made.

Recent past winners include:
2012  Vanessa Irvin Morris, Assistant Teaching Professor, Drexel University

2011  Theresa Venable, Librarian for Children’s Defense Fund Haley Farm’s Langston Hughes Library
Venable was chosen for her work in library programming designed to promote African American authors and African American illustrators of children’s picture books.  Examples of Venable’s programming include directing the 2009 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture sponsored by the Association of Library Service to Children and coordinating the 2010 Big Read Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

2010  Anthony Loum, Coordinator of Adult Library Services, Brooklyn Public Library
For his work planning and ensuring the quality of programs delivered by the Brooklyn Public Library in the 2009 Big Read for which Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” was the chosen book.

2009  Miriam Rodriguez, Assistant Director, Public Services, Community Integration of the Dallas Public Library

Don’t delay! You can download the nomination form (PDF) here.

Questions? Contact Jannie R. Cobb, Zora Neale Hurston Award Committee Chair at jcobb@nlc.edu.

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Nominate an outstanding book reviewer for RUSA’s Louis Shores Award

Know someone(s) who should be recognized for their work in book reviewing?

RUSA is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Louis Shores Award. The deadline for all nominations is Dec. 15, 2012.

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

Recent past winners include:

  • Sarah L. Johnson, professor of library services at Eastern Illinois University and author of the blog Reading the Past.
  • Bill Ott, editor and publisher of Booklist magazine, was selected for his outstanding contributions to the field of reviewing.
  • Heather McCormack, managing editor of Library Journal’s Book Review section and creator and editor of Book Smack!
  • Blogging for a Good Book, Williamsburg Regional Library

For a nomination form and submission instructions go to http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/shores

Questions?
Contact Barry Trott, Louis Shores Award Committee Chair, btrott – at – wrl.org.

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New issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly is now online!

Dear RUSA Members and RUSQ Subscribers,

Welcome to the first issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly, Volume 52.

As I take over as editor, I would like to once more thank Diane Zabel for six outstanding years at the helm of the journal. Her work, and the work of the RUSQ Board, column editors, and authors has set the bar high, and I look forward to the challenge.

In addition to the feature articles and continuing columns, this issue introduces a new column that I am excited about: “Taking Issues“.  This column focuses on dialog between librarians on important topics in reference librarianship.

I hope to hear from RUSQ readers about how we can make the journal valuable to your work. Please feel free to contact me with ideas and comments at btrott@wrl.org.

Barry Trott

Editor, RUSQ

Read the new issue now.

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Below are some highlights of this quarter’s valuable content.

Columns

From the Editor: A Tough Act to Follow    Barry Trott

From the President of RUSA: Carnegie Awards: A New and Important Addition to the Book Scene    Mary Pagliero Popp

Taking Issues: Welcome to “Taking Issues”    Karen Antell and Molly Strothmann

Accidental Technologist: Librarians and Code Year    Eric Phetteplace with Andromeda Yelton, Guest Columnist

Readers’ Advisory: You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello    Laurel Tarulli with Barry Trott, Guest Columnist

The Alert Collector: Polacek Sacred Books in English Translation    Kelly Myer with Wayne Bivens-Tatum, Guest Columnist

Information Literacy and Instruction: What They Didn’t Tell Me (or what I didn’t hear) in Library School: Perspectives from New Library Instruction Professionals    Lisa O’Connor with Julie Vanhoose, Bridget Farrell and Emily Rae Aldridge, Guest Columnists

Management: One Hundred and Eighty Years of Great Statistical Collections from the U.S. Census Bureau: A Retrospective    Marianne Ryan with Mark Anderson, Guest Columnist

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Features

Self-Service Holds in Libraries: Is Patron Privacy Being Sacrificed for Patron Convenience? Ruth S. Stevens, Patricia Bravender, and Caralee Witteveen-Lane

Professional Preparation for “Text a Librarian”. What Are the Requisite Competencies? Lili Luo

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Departments

From the Committees of RUSA

•             Best Free Reference Websites MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

•             RUSA Guidelines for Establishing Local History Collections Local History Committee of the History Section

Sources

•             Professional Materials Karen Antell, Editor

•             Reference Books Tammy J. Eschedor Voelker, Editor

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Interested in submitting an article or contributing to RUSQ?  Guidelines and submission instructions can be found here.

Get tech support: Need to activate your subscription to RUSQ?  Access information is at the RUSA website. Contact Metapress directly at support@metapress.com for any technical hiccups or questions about your subscription.

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Keep in touch! Keep your contact information current with ALA so that important member communications will reach your inbox–almost all of our outreach is done via e-mail. Update your member profile by logging in at www.ala.org, e-mailing membership@ala.org or calling (800) 545-2433, option 5.

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RUSA is a division of the American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611.