[Sneak Peek] RUSA’s New Website!

RUSA’s modern, simplified, new website will be here on December 1, 2016 – sneak peek image below.  The new RUSA Member Map allows members to pin where in the world they are. But you guys, it’s only going to be cool if you all actually go in and add your location! More on that to come.

Subscribe to be notified when it’s live.

image of RUSA's new homepage including images of news items and a map

RUSA’s President’s Program: Be Our Guest! Transform Your Library into an Exciting Experience for Users

Dave Cobb will be the keynote speaker at the President’s Program hosted by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Cobb, vice president, creative development of the Thinkwell Group, is an expert on designing immersive educational experiences for museums and theme parks. He’ll draw on his observations and experience with local Orlando theme parks and talk about how libraries can tell stories with space and win over library users.

He will be joined with two expert responders from the library world, John Blyberg, assistant director for innovation and UX at the Darien Library; and Steven Bell, associate university librarian for research & instructional services at Temple University.

Read the full press release here.

 

Deep Dive & History Genealogy Workshops – 2016 Midwinter Meeting

History Genealogy InstituteFree, 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.

Network, Socialize & Connect at the 2016 Midwinter Meeting

RUSA Speed Mentoring Session
Saturday, January 9, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Boston, Adrienne Salon

Join a group of experienced RUSA leaders to engage in a fun, interactive “speed mentoring” session. Similar in format to “speed dating”, MLS students, new librarians, and mid-career librarians are invited to participate in this session where they will have the opportunity to gain leadership advice from a number of senior librarians and RUSA leaders.

Membership Social
Saturday, January 9, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Hyatt Regency Boston, Grand Ballroom B

Join members of RUSA for an opportunity to eat, drink, network, win door prizes and learn more about our division and its sections. The social is open to past, current and those interested in becoming members. All attendees are welcome!