RUSA 101: Learn the basics

You’ve heard of RUSA, but what is it? If you’re in user services, we do what you do.

See how you can find your home in ALA and get involved in the Reference and User Services Association by attending our RUSA 101 webinar. Here are the details:

RUSA 101
Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 CT/12 MT/11 PT)

We will discuss RUSA and its 6 sections (focused on business reference, collection development, emerging technologies, history, reference services, and resource sharing). This webinar will also highlight RUSA’s Reference Services Section, represented by RSS chair Amy Rustic.

If you are unable to make it, we will also make a recording of the session available. Feel free to email me with any questions at amberp@uga.edu!

Amber Prentiss
Chair, Membership Committee, Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

Stacy Gilbert Selected as RUSA’s 2017 Emerging Leader

headshot of stacy gilbert

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!

Message from RUSA VP/President-Elect, Chris LeBeau

Hello RUSA Members,

I invite you to volunteer for one of RUSA’s committees or a section committee.

There are so many ways to get engaged and serve our community of over 3,000 members. Check out the RUSA committee list  or look for committees under RUSA Sections. Volunteers must be RUSA members. We need people with many different talents and interests.

To volunteer:

  • Login to ALA
  • Visit the Committee Volunteer Form page
  • Change drop down menu option to “RUSA”
  • Fill out the form about yourself and your current ALA responsibilities;
  • Again, be sure the drop down at the bottom is set to “RUSA” or to a section.

You’re in!

You may also email me, Chris LeBeau, lebeauc@umkc.edu, and tell me about your experience and what you would like to do. Likewise, feel free to contact section vice-chairs to express your interest:

BRASS: Louise M. Feldmann, Louise.Feldmann@colostate.edu
CODES: Daniel C. Mack, dmack@umd.edu
ETS: Courtney Greene McDonald, crgreene@indiana.edu
HISTORY: Christina Thompson Shutt, christina.shutt@arkansasheritage.org
STARS: Heidi Nance, hnance@u.washington.edu
RSS: Amy Elizabeth Rustic, aer123@psu.edu

For book lover volunteers
Many members are interested in serving on the Notable Books Council. The number of volunteers far outnumbers the slots for this committee. As an alternative consider our Listen List, the Reading List, the Sophie Brody award, and all the other awards on our RUSA Awards page. All provide excellent experience in book reviewing.

Thank you again to all our current, past and future volunteers – you are truly what makes RUSA such a wonderful place to belong! We couldn’t do it without you.

Thank you in advance,

Chris LeBeau
RUSA VP/President-Elect

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.