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Published! New issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly, Volume 53, Issue 2

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Dear RUSA Members,

I am delighted to announce the publication of RUSQ, 53:2. This issue offers interesting feature pieces and columns covering a wide range of topics, including developing a virtual collection in an academic library to promote extracurricular reading, the dangers of self-censorship in collection building, consumer health literacy, professional development, adult learners, and librarian perspectives on Wikipedia among others. And, as always, there are excellent reviews of professional and reference sources. Of special note is the report from the RUSA President’s Program along with commentary. I hope that librarians in all different types of libraries will find something useful and provocative here. Please let me know your thoughts.

Read on and stay current with these emerging trends in reference services!

Barry Trott
Editor, RUSQ
btrott@wrl.org

Read the new issue now!

Need to activate your subscription to RUSQ? Access information is at the RUSA website.

In this issue…

Columns

For Your Enrichment, Barry Trott (col. ed.)
       A “Novel” Approach to Recreational Reading: Creating a Virtual Collection on a Shoestring” by Sarah Dahlen and Sean Watkins
From the President of RUSA, Kathleen Kern
      The spirit of giving and receiving: librarianship and the volunteer tradition
Taking Issues, eds Karen Antell and Molly Strothmann (col. eds.)
       Self-Censorship in Selection of LGBT-Themed Materials by Jennifer Downey
Accidental Technologist, ed. Eric Phetteplace (col. ed.)
       Less like a lesson, and more like an adventure”: Learning, libraries, and the zombie apocalypse by Dr. Matt Finch
Readers’ Advisory, ed. Laurel Tarulli (col. ed.)
       Social media and readers’ advisory: New Zealand experiences (part 2) by Rebecca Anwyll and Brenda Chawner
The Alert Collector Kelly Polacek (col. ed.)
      Reference and research resources for medical sociology, medical anthropology, and health psychology by Spencer Acadia
Management Marianne Ryan (col. ed.)
Over the Counter Help: User Perspective as an Active Ingredient in Marketing the Library by Andrea M. Bartelstein

Features

Exemplary Practice for Learning 2.0: Based on a Cumulative Analysis of the Value and Effect of “23 Things” Programs in Libraries by Michael Stephens

The Development and Performance Measurements of Educational Programs to Improve Consumer Health Information (CHI) Literacy by Younghee Noh

Wikipedia: Librarians’ Perspectives on Its Use as a Reference Source by Johnny Snyder

Closing the Gap: Library Help-seeking Preferences of Graduate Adult Learners by Lizah Ismail

From the Committees of RUSA

The Myth and the Reality of the Evolving Patron: A Report and Reactions to the 2013 RUSA President’s Program with Lee Rainie RUSA President’s Program Committee

Investment Success: Building and Managing Your Retirement Portfolio BRASS Program Planning Committee

Outstanding Business Reference Sources 2013 BRASS Business Reference Sources Committee

Best of the Best Business Websites, the 2013 Winners BRASS Education Committee

Reviews

Professional Materials, Karen Antell (ed.)
Book Reviews, Tammy Eschedor Voelker (ed.)

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New issue published: Reference and User Services Quarterly, Volume 53, Issue 1

Read the new issue now

Need to activate your subscription to RUSQ? Access information is on the RUSA website.

In this issue…

Columns

From the Editor, Barry Trott
       Suggestions for Authors Considering Publishing in RUSQ
From the President of RUSA, M. Kathleen Kern
       I’m a Chair, but I Feel Like a Folding Chair.
Taking Issues, eds Karen Antell and Molly Strothmann
       Should Librarians Friend Their Patrons?
       Nedda H. Ahmed and Adriana Edwards-Johnson
Accidental Technologist, ed. Eric Phetteplace
      Know Thy Users
      Amanda Etches, Guest Columnist
Readers’ Advisory, ed. Laurel Tarulli
       Social Media and Readers’ Advisory: A Win-Win Combination?
       Rebecca Anwyll and Brenda Chawner, Guest Columnists
The Alert Collector, ed. Kelly Myer Polacek
       The World at 1200: A Guide to Introductory Sources
       Amanda Qualls, Guest Columnist
Management, ed. Marianne Ryan
      Access Services–Check Us Out!
      Beth E. Clausen, Guest Columnist
Information Literacy and Instruction, ed. Lisa O’ Connor
Establishing Twenty-First Century Information Literacy
Jennifer Sharkey, guest Columnist

Features

Information Literacy Skills of Humanities, Arts and Social Science Tertiary Students in Singapore
      Schubert Foo, xue Zhang, yun-Ke Chang, Shaheen Majid,
Intan Azura Mokhtar, Joanna Sin, and yin-Leng Theng
Arcane Magic: Hal Hall and the Creation and Transformation of Science Fiction Indexing
      Sarah Potvin and Catherine Coker
Arizona Public Libraries Serving the Spanish-Speaking: Context for Changes
      Denice Adkins and C. Sean Burns

From the Committees of RUSA

MARS Best Free Reference Websites, 15th Annual List

Reviews

Professional Materials, ed. Karen Antell Reference
Book Reviews, ed. Tammy Eschedor Voelker

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Librarian by day, backup for Gorbachev by night: Q&A with Barry Trott

Over the next several weeks we will be highlighting members of RUSA’s Board of Directors. Take a minute and get to know our fantastic leaders!

Meet Barry, RUSA Ex-Officio member. He’s a lean, mean, guitar/banjo/mandolin/-playing machine! If you’d like to reach Barry and discuss RUSA and/or bluegrass, you may reach him at the email address listed at the end of this post.

Barry Trott
Digital Services Director
Williamsburg (VA) Regional Library
Editor, Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ)

Barry Trott
Barry Trott

What are you currently reading or listening to?
Re-reading Fred Chappell’s Brighten the Corner Where You Are; Listening to John Reischman’s Walk Along John.

What is the most interesting “reference” question you’ve ever been asked? (reference in quotes to allow for some flexibility in answering the question)
For me it is always the next question to come along. One thing I love about reference work in the public library is the wide variety of fascinating questions that come along over the course of a day on the desk. Everything that you read or learn about will at some point be useful to you in responding to a user query.

Tell us about your current role at your library, and maybe a little bit about your career path, too.
I have worked as a reference librarian, readers’ services librarian, and Adult Services Director before coming to my current role. Now, I coordinate library-wide projects dealing with the intersection of people and technology, including social media, library website, digital collections from ebooks to magazines to databases, and digital marketing tools. And I oversee Technical Services. Before going to library school, I worked for 12 years as a musician, and prior to that got my BA in Biology, so a typical reference librarian career.

Describe a particularly rewarding experience in your library career.
Being involved in RUSA has been one of the most rewarding things for me. I have been able to meet and work with librarians from all sort of libraries–public, academic, special, and school–and have learned a lot from all of them. That would not have been possible without RUSA.

Give one fun fact about yourself—can be personal or professional.
I have played music for and shaken hands with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Any hobbies?
Music, woodworking.

Why did you join RUSA (and/or sections)?
To have the chance to meet and work with other librarians who are passionate about what they do.

How has RUSA helped you in your career?
Membership in RUSA has given me great ideas, a place to share concerns and new thoughts on the profession, and introduced me to many folks who I count not only as colleagues but as friends.

What are some of the RUSA activities you’ve participated in?
CODES Readers’ advisory committee, several award committees, CODES Board, RUSA Board, RUSA President, RUSQ Editor, RUSA membership committee.

If you’re open to having RUSA members connecting with you directly, provide an e-mail address and/or phone number where they can reach you.
I am happy to talk to RUSA members, email at btrott@wrl.org

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Now accepting nominations for 2014 RUSA achievement awards, research and travel grants

‘Tis the season!

The nomination period is now open for the many achievement awards and conference travel and research grants offered by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

RUSA, which represents librarians and information service professionals in reference, collection development, adult readers’ advisory, genealogy, resource sharing and user services, is accepting nominations for the following 2014 awards. The deadline for all nominations is December 15, 2013, with the exception of the BRASS Gale Cengage Learning Student Travel Award, which has a deadline of January 31, 2013. Award criteria, nomination forms and instructions for submissions are available at each of the award’s web pages below.

Professional Achievement Awards for Individuals and Groups

Travel Grants to ALA Annual Conference

Research Grants

More information about these awards, including nominating and submission instructions, can be found at the RUSA Awards Web page. 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 the committee chairperson or to Leighann Wood, RUSA awards program coordinator at lwood@ala.org.

RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.