[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.

RUSA’s History Section names winners of projects for excellence in historical and genealogical research

The History Section of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has named the winners of three achievement awards which honor outstanding service and contributions to the fields of historical and genealogical research.

“Quality historical research takes many forms in this modern age. The History Section’s achievement awards seek to identify and promote the authors, researchers and projects of some of the best historical collections and bibliographies on the Internet and in print,” said Jenny Presnell, Chair of the History Section. “Congratulations to this year’s winners and thank you to the members of the award committees for your hard work and to our sponsors, for their generous and continued support.”

The Gale Cengage Learning History Research and Innovation Award, sponsored by Gale Cengage Learning, offers $2,500 and a citation to a librarian in need of funds to facilitate and/or further research in history or historical librarianship. David J. Gary, Kaplanoff Librarian for American History, Yale University Library was selected as this year’s winner for his project “Toward a Sociology of Knowledge: The History of Acknowledgment Pages in American History Monographs,” which will “take thousands of acknowledgement pages from e-books and hand-selected acknowledgements since 2000 and use the methodology of the digital humanities to analyze them en masse,” said Gary.

The ABC-CLIO Online History Award, a bi-annual award of $2,500 sponsored by ABC-CLIO, 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. Joanne Murray,Historian and Director, The Legacy Center, Drexel University College of Medicine, was selected for her work as Principal Investigator of the online history project called “Doctor or Doctress?: Explore American history through the eyes of women physicians.”
The first runner up was Jason Roe for “The Civil War on the Western Frontier”; the second runner up was Robin Katz for TeachArchives.org.

The Genealogical Publishing Company Award, sponsored by Genealogical Publishing Company, offers $1,500 and a citation to a librarian or library in recognition of their professional achievement in historical or genealogical reference, service or research. Michael Kirley, retired librarian from Los Angeles Public Library History & Genealogy Department after 39 years of service (1970-2009) was chosen for single-handedly building the Genealogy Collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, which consists of more than 50,000 volumes of individual family histories in addition to more than 2,500 circulating books about genealogical research, heraldry and related subjects.

Now offering CEUs for genealogy institute at Midwinter!

Participants will receive 0.5 CEUs for completing the “Genealogy Resources for Librarians” institute at Midwinter! A certificate and letter of completion will be sent via email 8-10 days upon completion of the course.
This event is sponsored by ProQuest.

This all-day institute addresses issues of importance to library staff and administration when serving or partnering with patrons, volunteers, scholars, or educators interested in genealogy research. Nationally known specialists will discuss everything from superb free resources to future directions at NARA to webinar outreach, new online offerings, webinar instruction, government documents, Quaker resources, and making the financial case for genealogical librarianship. Luncheon included.

Date: Friday, January 24, 2014
Time: 8:30AM-4:30PM
Location: Philadelphia Free Library conference room, 1901 Vine St., Philadelphia, PA
Audience: All administrators, librarians, and archivists welcome.

Program details:
9AM Panel
 - Getting More Than You Pay For: Free Access to Genealogical Resources: panelists Kim Harrison, Ancestry.com; Michael Hall, FamilySearch; Sandra
M. Hewlett, CGSM

10AM Speaker - Meg Phillips, Liaison Director, NARA, and Jefferson M. Moak, Archivist, National Archives at Philadelphia, Future Directions for the National Archives and Records Administration

11 AM Panel - Reaching Reference Librarians Through Genealogical Webinars
panelists Kimberly Powell, V.P., Association of Professional Genealogists; Amber Case, University of Washington; Cherie’ Weible, University of Illinois, U-C

Noon Lunch – ProQuest program

1:30 PM Panel - Quaker Collections panelists Ann Upton, Haverford; Tom Hamm, Earlham; Gwen Gosney Erickson Guilford College

2:30 PM Speaker – Connie Reik, Tufts, Genealogical Use of Government Publications

3:30 PM Speaker - Making the Financial Case for Genealogical Librarianship Curt Witcher, Allen County Public Library

Registration rates: 

Category Advance Onsite
ALA Member $60 $60
Division Member $50 $50
Retired Member $40 $40
Student Member $40 $40
Non-Member $70 $70

Space is limited! Register now at http://alamw14.ala.org/register-now!

Registration open for “Genealogy Resources for Librarians” Midwinter institute

Register now for “Genealogy Resources for Librarians” and guarantee your seat at this exciting institute hosted by the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) History Section.

This all-day institute addresses issues of importance to library staff and administration when serving or partnering with patrons, volunteers, scholars, or educators interested in genealogy research. Nationally known specialists will discuss everything from superb free resources to future directions at NARA to webinar outreach, new online offerings, webinar instruction, government documents, Quaker resources, and making the financial case for genealogical librarianship. Luncheon is included and sponsored by ProQuest.

 Program includes:

 9AM Panel– Getting More Than You Pay For: Free Access to Genealogical Resources: panelists Kim Harrison, Ancestry.com; Michael Hall, FamilySearch; Sandra M. Hewlett, CGSM 
10AM Speaker - Meg Phillips, Liaison Director, NARA, and Jefferson M. Moak, Archivist, National Archives at Philadelphia, Future Directions for the National Archives and Records Administration
11 AM PanelReaching Reference Librarians Through Genealogical Webinars
panelists Kimberly Powell, V.P., Association of Professional Genealogists; Amber Case, University of Washington; Cherie’ Weible, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Noon Lunch – ProQuest program
1:30 PM PanelQuaker Collections
panelists Ann Upton, Haverford; Tom Hamm, Earlham; Gwen Gosney Erickson Guilford College
2:30 PM Speaker – Connie Reik, Tufts, Genealogical Use of Government Publications
3:30 PM SpeakerMaking the Financial Case for Genealogical Librarianship
 Curt Witcher, Allen County Public Library

The History Section is home to ALA’s genealogy experts, and the workshops and programs they produce provide primary resource information and tips. Genealogy reference is a valuable part of any library’s user services, and this event will provide an excellent opportunity to enhance those services, as well as the skills of the library’s reference staff.

The workshop will be held 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Register now via the ALA Midwinter Meeting website (event code RUS1). You can register for Midwinter plus this institute, add this institute to your Midwinter registration, or sign up for just the institute by selecting “Institutes and Ticketed Events Only” as your meeting registration type.

Advanced registration prices for this event start at $60 for RUSA members, and lunch is included in the registration fee. The advanced registration rate will be available until January 15, and prices will increase after that date. Online registration in advance of the event is strongly encouraged. More information about the Midwinter Meeting is available at http://alamw14.ala.org/.