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Emerging Technologies Section (ETS)

Geoffrey Morse, Editor

We at the Emerging Technologies Section send our thanks to all our hard-working committee members, committee chairs, and those in elected positions who produced a great slate of programming for 2015-2016.

We’re looking forward to the coming year! Questions or suggestions? Interested in being involved? Contact our Chair, Courtney McDonald (crgreene@indiana.edu), Vice-Chair, Beth Boatright (beth.boatright@ipfw.edu) or Past Chair, Donna Scanlon (dscanlon@loc.gov).

Those who wish to be considered for a committee appointment can feel free to fill out the RUSA online volunteer form anytime; the appointment process for 2017-2018 will kick off in spring, but you can toss your hat in the ring anytime.

Awards

This year we recognized Beth Boatright with the 2016 ETS Achievement Recognition Award.  This award is given annually to recognize excellence in service to ETS.  Beth has been an active member of ETS for some time, she is a RUSA Emerging Leader, and this year she was on our panel for the program Emerging Technologies Librarians: Changing Roles for Changing Times.  Congratulations Beth!

Programs at ALA

ETS sponsored a number or programs in Orlando including:

Emerging Technologies Librarians: Changing Roles for Changing Times [Conference attendees, log in for session materials]
About 60 people attended this session where Beth Boatright (Emerging Technologies Librarian and Business Librarian, Indiana University- Purdue University, Fort Wayne),  Tara Radniecki (Engineering Librarian at University of Nevada, Reno, and author of the IFLA Study on Emerging Technology librarian roles)  and Jane Martin (Library Director, Winterhaven Public Library and their SEEDLab with a focus on  Science, Education, Exploration and Design) discussed how they stay abreast of the latest trends and new technologies.  The three speakers and ETS member Matt Terrence arranged interactive questionnaires that allowed active audience participation in the session.

Promoting Subject Specialists and Enhancing Visibility of Library Reference [Conference attendees, log in for session materials]
Over 90 people attended this session where librarians from several institutions discussed their library liaison programs and how they have enhanced visibility of their subject librarians as well as provide liaison and reference services to their constituencies. Additionally the presenters discussed how they are assessing these efforts.

Socially Acceptable: Communicating with Users Through Social Media Networks
The Hot Topics discussion group went back to their roots in this session.  Rather than having presenters, the attendees broke into groups and discussed the possible uses of various social media outlets (e.g., Yik Yak/Twitter, MeetUP) and how they might be used to communicate with our users/patrons.  After brief discussions each group reported back to the larger group.

Fact or Fiction: What Virtual Reference Training Works and What Holds Promise
Six discussion leaders provided an overview of virtual reference training that is conducted at their respective institutions. Information included who is trained, how training is conducted, and difficulties or successes that have been observed. Participants were also given the opportunity to share their own experiences and ask questions of speakers and fellow attendees.

The Library as Publisher: Emerging Service for Storytellers and Scholars [Conference attendees, log in for session materials]
On Saturday, two library innovators and RUSA’s team of Emerging Leaders shared about the projects, technologies, and resources for helping support patron publishing. The session was based on research done by the 2015 RUSA Emerging Leader team, available at bit.ly/RUSA‐EL15.

  • Jonah Magar discussed Michigan State University’s Espresso Book Machine, which allows for on-demand book printing. They offer design and other assistance, and the service is popular with authors and students. A grant covered the cost of the machine, the university pays for the staff, and materials costs are passed along to the patrons.
  • Sarah Lydon described the Rochester Public Library’s outreach to immigrant populations through a collaboration with StoryCorps. Equipped with recording equipment and interview prompts, Sarah gave visitors the opportunity to interview friends and relatives, recording and sharing their stories.  The program was extremely popular and led to a recurring series in the local newspaper. A portion of one touching interview can be heard in the audio of this session.

Audio and slides from the session are available in the ALA Scheduler – look for the “Assets” button. If you’d be interested in joining an interest group about library publishing services, please be in touch! If there is enough interest, we will try to get something started.

Happy Hour

Twenty one people attended the RSS/ETS happy hour in Orlando. All who attended enjoyed good conversation and the opportunity to meet other members of RSS and ETS.

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Emerging Technologies Section (ETS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

Get Involved with ETS!
Great news – we are still accepting volunteers to fill a variety of ETS committee appointments.  If you are interested in serving, please contact Vice Chair/Chair-Elect Courtney McDonald directly at crgreene@indiana.edu for more information about opportunities.  Follow the link here for a listing of the ETS committees

Have questions about our committees? The All Committee Meeting on Sunday, June 26th from 10:30-11:30am (HYATT Regency Orlando, Room Bayhill 23) is a great place to meet ETS members and have your questions answered!
Attending the full conference in Orlando?
Join us for some or all of our sessions!!
Happening on Sunday at 1:00pm (Orange County Convention Center, Room W109A)

Emerging Technologies Librarians: Changing Roles for Changing Times (RUSA_ETS)
Are you bemused by the range of new literacies deemed critical for future citizens/students?  Has your University or Community recently stressed the importance of digital, visual, design, and statistical, and/or entrepreneurial literacy?   Do you struggle to keep up with new technologies when you haven’t finished learning the last ones yet?

Join us for an afternoon of conversation with three Emerging Technologies librarians who discuss how their roles continue to evolve as once “emerging” technologies become part of the library’s operational fabric, and as new expectations for successful citizens and students lead libraries to continue to expand partnerships and opportunities for their patrons to engage with new waves of emerging technologies.

Beth Boatright (Emerging Technologies Librarian and Business Librarian, Indiana University- Purdue University, Fort Wayne),  Tara Radniecki (Engineering Librarian at University of Nevada, Reno, and author of the IFLA Study on Emerging Technology librarian roles)  and Jane Martin (Library Director, Winterhaven Public Library and their SEEDLab with a focus on  Science, Education, Exploration and Design) will share their experiences as they juggle day-to-day operational aspects of their jobs with trying to stay abreast of the trends, working with their colleagues as they learn new technologies (are we all emerging technologies librarians now?), and engaging with “ever emerging” new technologies to continue to harness their potential to provide the best opportunities for the populations we serve.

A listing of all ETS programs and meetings is available in the ALA Scheduler.

Some other highlights include:

Saturday Sessions:

  • The Library as Publisher: Emerging Service for Storytellers and Scholars
    Do you have patrons that are trying to publish books, build websites, or record podcasts? Are you prepared to provide services that will help them in their publishing endeavors? This session is for you!
    Over the last two years, RUSA’s Emerging Leader teams have investigated trends and tools for libraries involved in patron publishing. You’ll learn about four distinct ways your library can support would-be authors and hear from libraries providing innovative services including print-on-demand self-publishing and audio recording with StoryCorps. You’ll leave equipped with a toolkit for providing the publishing services that are most in demand in your community, university, or school.
  • Promoting Subject Specialists and Enhancing Visibility of Library Reference
    Academic library reference continues to go through transformation, as users increasingly rely on the web for their information needs. Traditional library liaison and subject specialist roles are changing, as librarians attempt to realign services with university-wide goals, including an increased emphasis on undergraduate student success. How does your institution market, brand, and promote its reference services on the web? How are library subject liaisons and specialists presented online? In this session, we will explore what various institutions are doing to increase the visibility of their subject librarians and how they are formalizing and assessing their new and existing efforts. We will feature a panel of 3-4 presenters, as well as an active discussion and interaction with audience members.

Sunday’s sessions include:

  •  Fact or Fiction: What Virtual Reference Training Works and What Holds Promise
    Is your library currently training staff on virtual reference services? Are you looking for ideas on how to approach training or make your training efficient? This program allows the librarian to learn about current training programs, the ideal methods of assessment, and identify best training practices. As a topic that will interest all types of libraries, librarians are encouraged to share their experiences and acquire helpful tips from others. Sponsored by the Virtual Reference Discussion Group, ETS/RSS Virtual Reference Services, & Virtual Reference Companion Subcommittee.

Hope to see you in Orlando!

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Emerging Technologies Section (ETS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

ETS Helps to Make Inaugural Midwinter “Deep Dives” a Success
ETS helped to launch the inaugural round of “Deep Dives” – small, half-day professional development workshops – at this year’s Midwinter meeting in Boston.  The program, “We Are All User Experience Librarians: Creating Change from the Trenches” aimed to provide attendees with an introduction to why user experience design matters in libraries, what it is, and how librarians can take simple, sustainable steps to implement it.  The sold-out session heard from Heidi Steiner Burkhardt [University of Michigan], Pete Coco [Boston Public Library], Deirdre Costello [EBSCO], Courtney McDonald Greene [Indiana University] and Lauren McKeen [Northwestern University] about creating user-centered content, developing a content management strategy, simple ways to begin doing usability testing, and how to do “flash” – quick, inexpensive – ethnographic research on library users, as well as receiving a capsule introduction to user experience design.  Talks were accompanied by audience-participation exercises that allowed attendees to begin thinking about how to practically apply the concepts and strategies discussed in their own libraries, and they concluded with a lively Q&A period.

The session received uniformly positive evaluations, and the User Experience Design Committee hopes to expand in into a pre-conference to be held at Annual 2017 in Chicago.  Slides, tweets, and other media from the Deep Dive are available at: http://bit.ly/1P4OPz6

ETS updates, changes and call for volunteers!
Updated Bylaws have been posted to the ETS website. Our handbook, forms and policies & procedures are currently undergoing revision.

The ETS Executive Committee recently approved the merger of two committees (Products & Services and Local Systems & Services) to form a new committee: Services for Systems & Discovery.

 The charge for the Services for Systems & Discovery committee is ‘To create, collect, analyze, evaluate and disseminate information and materials on the development, and implementation of a variety of products, both locally and vendor created;  coordinate the concerns of individuals or organizations involved in selecting, acquiring, and evaluating electronic reference products and services; and to gather and share with the library profession information on new technologies and ethical issues relating to such systems and services. These services and products can include provision of electronic reference services; document delivery; expert systems; locally developed databases; public access catalogs; non-bibliographic databases, discovery systems.’

Check out the list of all committees for the Emerging Technologies Section (ETS).  Please email Courtney Greene McDonald (Vice-chair) or Donna Scanlon (Chair) if you have any questions about any of our committees.  Visit our website to learn more about ETS and to volunteer.

If you plan to attend the Annual conference in Orlando, join us at our All Committee Meeting on Sunday, June 26th from 10:30-11:30am for an opportunity to meet ETS members and have your questions answered!  Watch the ALA Conference Schedule for room information.

ETS at Annual

Saturday, June 25th

  • 3-4pm – Promoting Subject Specialists & Enhancing Visibility of Library Reference (ETS/MERS)

Sunday, June 26th

  • 1-2:30pm – Emerging Technologies Librarians: Changing Roles for Changing Times (ETS) Join us and our speakers as they share their thoughts in areas such as the day in the life of Emerging Technologies Librarians, the trends in job descriptions, tips for successfully juggling competing priorities, and advice and strategies for keeping up.  Our speakers:  Beth Boatright, most recently chair of our Hot Topics Committee, Business Librarian and Emerging Technologies Coordinator at Indiana University/Purdue University, Fort Wayne (IUPFW), and a 2015 Emerging Leader; Tara  Radniecki, author of the paper, ” Study on Emerging Technologies Librarians: How a new library position and its competencies are evolving to meet the technology and information needs of libraries and their patrons”  (http://library.ifla.org/134/1/152-radniecki-en.pdf).

Are you working in an emerging technology role at a public library (past or present)?  Would you be interested in participating in our panel?  If so, please contact Debbie Bezanson with your interest or with any questions you might have.

  • 3-4pm – Beyond Metrics: Data-Drivers in Library Decision-Making (ETS/Hot Topics)
  • 4:30-5:30 – “Fact or Fiction: What Virtual Reference Training Works and What Holds Promise” (ETS/Virtual Reference). Is your library currently training staff on virtual reference services? Are you looking for ideas on how to approach training or make your training efficient? This program allows the librarian to learn about current training programs, the ideal methods of assessment, and identify best training practices. As a topic that will interest all types of libraries, librarians are encouraged to share their experiences and acquire helpful tips from others.
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Emerging Technologies Section (ETS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

Upcoming programs & spirited discussion forums from the Emerging Technologies section!
The Emerging Technologies Section (ETS) is happy to be part of the inaugural “Deep Dive” sessions planned for the midwinter conference in Boston. The session “We are all user experience librarians: Creating change from the trenches” is co-sponsored by ETS’ UX Design committee, ETS’ Professional Development committee, and RSS’ Education and Professional Development for Reference Committee. The workshop will be a mix of discussion, individual presentations, panel presentations, and interactive experiences. The workshop will focus on user testing and understanding your users and will be beneficial for participants with no or limited experience in user testing and with limited budgets.

[EVENT CODE: DIVE4 – Saturday, January 9th 1:00 – 4:15pm. For information about how to register for this ticketed event see http://2016.alamidwinter.org/ticketedevents”]

ETS committees are hosting some spirited discussions:

Optimizing the web for reference: Best practices for usability, accessibility, and responsiveness
User-friendliness of library services is an important consideration in the development of a library’s web presence. As the format and delivery of reference continue to change to accommodate user expectations and behavior, the library’s home page has become an extension of the institution’s in-person public services. In addition, an increase in distance education courses and online programs has contributed to the fact that a large number of users experience the library almost exclusively online. This poses questions regarding the usability, accessibility, and responsiveness of web reference services.

In this discussion group, we will feature panelists from institutions which have innovated their approach to web reference (email, chat, FAQs, etc.) and/or conducted usability studies on how their users get answers through their library’s web portal. The audience will benefit by: 1. an overview of current trends regarding reference services on the web, such as user-responsive chat, and new developments in accessibility; 2. a review of the literature regarding best practices for conducting web usability of library service pages; 3. Case studies and tips from panelists. This discussion is hosted by the Management of Electronic Reference Services (MERS) Committee of the Emerging Technologies Section (ETS) of RUSA. [Saturday, January 9th 1:00 – 2:30pm, BCEC (Convention Center) 258B]

Pay No Attention to the Librarian Behind the Curtain: Virtual Reference and Privacy in Libraries
Join the ETS Hot Topics Discussion group for an exploration of virtual reference and the role of privacy. While chat services give patrons another layer of anonymity, libraries are still exploring new ways to ensure their patrons’ privacy. Anonymous Internet browsing through TOR is at the forefront of the Library Freedom Project, but what does that mean for your library? Join us to discuss how digital tools promote and protect patron privacy with guest speaker Alison Macrina from the Library Freedom Project. [Sunday, January 10th 1:00 – 2:30pm, SEAPORT Plaza Ballroom C]

Transitions from traditional OPACs to discovery systems: how has this had impact on use and instruction – This session will provide the opportunity to discuss both advantages and drawbacks to working with a discovery system as opposed to a traditional OPAC and the impact discovery systems have had on instruction and research. [Sunday, January 10th 3:00 – 4:00pm, BCEC (Convention Center) 205B]

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Emerging Technologies Section (ETS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

Congratulations to our newly elected members:

VICE-CHAIR/CHAIR-ELECT
– McDonald, Courtney Greene
Head, Discovery & Research Services, Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington, IN
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
– Coleman, Jason
Undergraduate and Community Services Librarian, Kansas State University Libraries, Manhattan, Kansas

ETS: Emerging Technologies Section is dedicated to the intersection of technology and library services.

Our New Name
Our section has a new name – recently confirmed by vote in the recent ALA election. Over the course of the next year we will be transitioning from MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section to simply Emerging Technologies Section (ETS). Watch for programming and news with our new acronym of ETS.

ETS, the Emerging Technologies Section of RUSA (formerly known as MARS), represents the interests of those concerned with attaining the highest possible quality in planning, developing, managing, teaching, or conducting all forms of computer-based reference information services in libraries. The possibilities for professional and personal growth are enormous!

Learn more at: http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars

ALA Annual Conference Wrap-Up
ETS hosted a suite of wonderful programs and events at ALA Annual 2015 in sunny San Francisco. Check out the recaps below.

ETS/MARS Achievement Award
Congrats to Debbie Bezanson, this year’s recipient of the ETS (MARS) Achievement Recognition Award. Debbie has dedicated countless hours to the goals and promotion of MARS. She was recognized at the RUSA Awards ceremony during ALA Annual Conference and during the ETS Chair’s program.

Saturday, June 27
Library Guides in the Era of Discovery Layers (ETS Chair’s Program)
Over a 100 folks attended the annual Chair’s program to learn about the intersection between library guides and discovery systems. Two speakers from universities in Singapore and one representative from Brigham Young University shared their ideas on integration of guides into the discovery environment on the library sites. It was a wonderful presentation with lots of great ideas.

Lessons Learned: Libraries, Course Management Systems and Future Directions (MERS Discussion forum)
This discussion will encapsulated key findings, trends and future directions of the role of libraries in Course Management Systems (CMS). The discussion will highlight developments in library systems compatibility with CMS, such as Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas Instructure, and others.

On Sunday, June 28
ETS All Committee Meeting
ETS members and visitors discussed the future direction of ETS. We discussed the types of programming that members want to see, what new emerging technologies might influence the future of libraries, and how we could support ETS members between conferences.

Hot Topics: Drones and Robots for Reference?
A presentation and hands-on demo of drones and robots took place at ALA Annual in San Francisco from 3-4 PM on June 28, 2015. Two speakers were selected based on research into libraries that are doing interesting projects with these technologies. The session was well-attended. At least 75 people came, and many people were standing in the back of the room by the end. The speakers have been asked to share their presentations on the scheduler page which is linked above.

Now You’re Talking: Tools to Utilize for Virtual Services
Attendees discussed various tools that libraries can utilize in implementing virtual reference services that include IM, texting, email and video products.

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ETS (MARS): Update from the Emerging Technologies Section

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

 

ETS: Emerging Technologies Section is dedicated to the intersection of technology and library services. There is a place for everyone in ETS and we hope that you will join us at ALA in San Francisco. We have several exciting programs planned for ALA!

Friday, June 26
RUSA 101
Want to get involved or learn more about RUSA and all of its sections?
Come learn more about RUSA at RUSA 101

Westin St. Francis (WEST)
WEST – Tower Salon A&B
3:00 – 4:00 pm

Saturday, June 27
ETS Planning Committee
Hilton San Francisco Union (HIL)
Union Square 09
8:30 – 10:00 am

ETS Executive Committee Meeting I
Hilton San Francisco Union (HIL)
Presidio Room
10:30 – 11:30 am

Library Guides in the Era of Discovery Layers (ETS Chair’s Program)
Discussion of library guides in light of both discovery layers and enhanced platforms such as LibGuides v2.
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
3008 (W)
1:00 – 2:30 pm

Lessons Learned: Libraries, Course Management Systems and Future Directions
Management of Electronic Resources and Services (MERS) Discussion Forum

This discussion will encapsulate key findings, trends and future directions of the role of libraries in Course Management Systems (CMS). The discussion will include lessons and take-aways       regarding the implementation of a robust presence for libraries in the CMS. The discussion will highlight developments in library systems compatibility with CMS, such as Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas Instructure, and others. Focus will be on the future of these services for librarians and best practices.
Westin St. Francis (WEST)
Elizabethan A
3:00 – 4:00 pm

Sunday, June 28
ETS All Committee Meeting
Visitors interested in ETS are welcome to join us and learn more about ETS and how to get involved.
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
250-262 (S)
1:00 – 2:00pm

Hot Topics: Drones and Robots for Reference?
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
3000 (W)
3:00-4:00pm

Now You’re Talking: Tools to Utilize for Virtual Services
Virtual Reference Discussion Group
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
120 (N)
4:30 – 5:30 pm

Monday, June 29
ETS Executive Committee Meeting II
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
220 (S)
8:30 – 10:00 am

Joint ETS/RSS Executive Committee Meeting
Moscone Convention Center (MCC)
234 (S)
10:30 – 11:30 am

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

 

MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section is a busy group of folks dedicated to the intersection of technology and library services. There is a place for everyone in MARS and we hope that you will join us at conferences or engage in our online offerings. Below are some highlights from this past year of MARS happenings, as well as some announcements on things to come!

News from the Planning Committee

This year’s ballot will bring you not only a slate of well qualified candidates for the Vice Chair/Chair Elect position and a Member at Large position, but also, for the first time in a number of years, a number of bylaws changes on which to vote. First, we’re voting to change the acronym from MARS, which we have known and loved for 37 years, to ETS, for Emerging Technologies Section. Although the MARS acronym has a good history and holds significance for many of us who have been in the profession a while, we’re finding our newer colleagues are confused by the lack of alignment between the MARS acronym and the name we choose in 2010: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section.   By aligning our acronym with our name, we hope to eliminate a lot of the confusion. Additional bylaws changes are being made primarily to clean up language and bring the handbook up to date with current practices. Please take a look and remember to vote this Spring. The Planning Committee and the Executive Committee recommend you vote YES on all six (6) items.

A brief summary of the Bylaws changes can be found below:

  1. To amend Bylaws Article I, Name, Section 1 by changing the acronym from MARS to ETS.
  2. To Amend Article II. Objectives, to delete the unneeded acronym
  3. To amend Article V. Nominations and Elections to add the procedure of online balloting for       elections in accordance with current ALA practice.
  4. To amend Article VII. Executive Committee to delete references to positions which no longer   exist.
  5. To amend Article IX. Discussion Groups to remove the acronym and to clarify roles.
  6. To amend Article XII. Adoption and Review by adding language to include the ALA balloting process.

Submitted by Debbie Bezanson, Chair Planning Committee

From the Nominating Committee

Votes for New Officers

For the 2015 Spring ballot, the Nominating Committee has identified four well qualified candidates for the positions of Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Member at Large.

They are:

For Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect: Shannon D. Jones, and Courtney Greene McDonald.

For Member at Large: Jason Coleman, and Beth Boatright.

Be sure to check out their biographies when you receive your ballot. Eligible members will be sent their voting credentials between March 24-27, 2015. Votes must be received by May 1, 2015. For more on the ALA 2015 election cycle, including a link to the video of the ALA presidential candidates forum, please see: http://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/alaelection.

Submitted by Debbie Bezanson, Chair, Nominating Committee

Volunteer for MARS: Emerging Technologies

Are you interested in the great work that MARS is doing? Interested in participating in committee work? Take a look at the variety of committees available as part of the MARS: Emerging Technologies Section: http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars/marssection/marscomm/committees. If you see one that interests you or you have questions about a particular committee, please contact me, Donna Scanlon (dscanlon@loc.gov), MARS Vice Chair, for additional information or to volunteer for a MARS committee.

MidWinter Conference Wrap-Up

MARS hosted some great discussion groups at ALA MidWinter 2015 in Chicago. Despite the blizzard, lots of folks came out to discuss how they are using technology to help their library users.

Our Virtual Reference Discussion Group met on Saturday, January 31st for an opportunity to share ideas about front-line virtual reference services and best practices.

On Sunday, February 1, 2015, the Management of Electronic Resources and Services (MERS) Discussion Group held a well-attended discussion group.   They focused on assessment of library resources embedded in course management systems. Participants heard from several panelists, as well as sharing experiences from their libraries.

Also on Sunday, February 1st, the Hot Topics group hosted a discussion forum on Augmented Reality. Participants explored how augmented reality was being applied in libraries.

Sunday night, MARS Best Free Reference Web Sites presented their list of award winners at the RUSA Book & Media Awards Ceremony. For a list of this year’s winner, see http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars/marspubs/marsbestfreewebsites/marsbestref2014

Annual Conference is Coming

Check out the great MARS programming that is coming your way during the Annual Conference 2015 in sunny San Francisco.

Saturday, June 27
1:00 – 2:30 — MARS Chair’s Program: (Library Guides in the Era of Discovery Layers)
3:00 – 4:00 – Management of Electronic Resources and Services (MERS) Discussion Forum (Join     us to talk about libraries in Course Management Systems)

Sunday, June 28
1:00 – 2:00 – MARS All Committee Meetings (Visitors interested in MARS are welcome to join us and learn)
3:00 – 4:00 — Hot Topics (Come hear about the use of drones and robotics in libraries)
4:30 – 5:30 – Virtual Reference Discussion Group (Come hear about the latest developments in virtual reference)

MARS Management of Electronic Reference Services

Midwinter Discussion Update

The Midwinter MARS Management of Electronic Reference Services Discussion Forum, Assessing Integration of Library Services into Course Management Systems, was a follow-up to the MERS Forum at Annual 2014. We began with a short panel presentation moderated by Lily Todorinova (Rutgers). Beth West (Linfield College), Lindsay Johnston (University of Alberta), and Matt Torrence (University of South Florida Tampa) described assessment activities that they are planning and have undertaken at their institutions. This was followed by a lively discussion with the 40 participants on the challenges that academic librarians face when undertaking to integrate library services into content management systems. Four themes emerged during the course of the discussion:

  1. Despite the variation among our institutions, efforts to integrate library services into Course Management Systems involve negotiating a combination of technical and political challenges. Relationship-building, leveraging existing relationships, and acting as liaison between different campus partners must be combined with learning the technical possibilities and constraints of CMS architecture.
  2. Analytics are extremely important for the placement of links to library resources and services anywhere in the institutional online presence, including within the CMS. We need to work together to explore ways to demonstrate the impact of library resources and services on student success. The ACRL Assessment in Action Program was cited as an avenue that could provide support in proposing this type of research to campus partners and overcoming privacy issues.
  3. Opportunities: services that we already provide, such as Reserves and Reading List Services (which we should start rebranding as Resource List Services to indicate that we are not limited to the printed word) are examples of services that translate naturally into the CMS environment. Once this type of service is established within the CMS, relationships with campus IT and Learning colleagues are established, and the library presence within the CMS can be expanded. Course Management Systems provide us with the opportunity of pushing relevant library content within the appropriate context and at point of need for students.
  4. Quality & Sustainability: what library staff resources does it take to successfully integrate library services into the CMS? With CMSs such as Canvas, the architecture is available to automatically embed relevant library guides into individual courses by subject, course code, etc. When we push our content, it must be of excellent quality and continually maintained. Common issues such as libguide tab-mania and out of date guides must be managed and avoided. There pushed content, such as library guides. These guides are learning objects, which should adhere was general consensus on the importance taking a minimalist approach in the creation of to information literacy principles.

Thanks to everyone who attended and participated. Look for our final Forum on CMS Integration at Annual 2015 in San Francisco!

Submitted by Lindsay Johnston

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS)

Chanitra Bishop, Editor

 

Message from the Chair of MARS

Greetings!

ALA Midwinter is fast approaching. MARS: Emerging Technologies section will have meetings and a great set of discussion groups. Below is a tentative schedule of events. Locations to be announced later.

I encourage you to attend one or more of our engaging discussion groups. It’s a great way to see the work of our MARS Committees. If you are interested in joining MARS, we’d love to have you! Let us know at ALA MidWinter, fill out the RUSA volunteer form located on the RUSA website, or email Donna Scanlon (djbrearcliffe@gmail.com).

 

Overview of MARS Events at ALA MidWinter 2015

SATURDAY, January 31, 2015

MARS Planning Committee
8:30 – 10:00 am
MARS Executive Committee Meeting I
10:15 – 11:30 am

Virtual Reference Discussion Group: Online Chat Services
4:30 – 5:30 pm

RUSA Membership Social
5:30 – 7:00 pm

SUNDAY, February 1, 2015

MARS Discussion Group: Assessing Integration of Library Services into Course Management Systems
8:30 – 10:00 am

Hot Topics Discussion Group: Augmented Reality
1:00 – 2:30 pm

MONDAY, February 2, 2015

MARS Executive Committee Meeting II
8:30 – 11:30 am

 

Sessions @ Midwinter

Talking Chat: The Good, the Bad, and the “What Were We Thinking?”!
The RUSA MARS: Virtual Reference Discussion Group will be holding a forum on January 31st, 2015 from 4:30-5:30 pm in McCormick Place West w474a. The forum topics will be focused on online chat services and known issues, characteristics of successful and unsuccessful implementations, and more. Panelists will share their experiences with online chat services and participates will have an opportunity to ask questions. If you are considering implementing online chat services in your library or you would like to learn more about what has worked and not worked for other libraries, this is an opportunity to gain insight on how other libraries are implementing their online chat services. Moderators of the forum will be Jessica Cerny (Chair) and Matt Torrence (Member at Large).

Management of Electronic Resources & Services
Join the MARS Management of Electronic Resources & Services Panel Discussion at Midwinter 2015 in Chicago on Sunday, February 1, 8:30-10:00am: Assessing Integration of Library Services into Course Management Systems: Where We Stand Now

Our panel of presenters will engage the audience in a group discussion of best practices for implementing and assessing a robust library presence in the CMS environment. The attendees will benefit from an exploration of the challenges and advantages of integrating library services into university-wide systems and platforms.

Hot Topics in Emerging Tech

You’ve heard of Oculus Rift and you’ve seen Google Glass. What are libraries doing with augmented reality? It’s time to move beyond QR codes!

Join us for a Hot Topics session to learn about new and successful augmented reality projects in libraries – and bring your questions, ideas, and cool tech toys for discussion and Q&A! Hot Topics will meet on Sunday, February 1, from 1-2:30pm at Midwinter. See you there!

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MARS Committee Updates

Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee, composed of Nancy Cunningham, Dianna McKellar, Kelley Ann Lawton, and Debbie Bezanson was able to successfully recruit a complete slate of talented candidates for your Spring 2015 ballot. Thanks to all those who agreed to run. We encourage everyone to vote when the emails come to us in the Spring.

Debbie Bezanson, Chair, Nominating Committee

‪Planning Committee
The Planning Committee is working on a complete update/overhaul of the MARS Handbook which was last revised in 2008. We have been working on the introductory sections this Fall and will be working with Committees on the parts of the Handbook describing their work next. We hope to have a revised draft ready for comment from the membership in late Spring of 2015.

The Planning Committee is also working on a by-laws change to come to you along with your ballot this Spring– to change our acronym from MARS to ETS to more closely match our section name.   Since we changed our name in 2010, many new and potential members have been confused by the acronym that no longer matches our name. So the Executive Committee has recommended we put an acronym change on the ballot for this year. Another reason to look for your ballots and vote this Spring!

Debbie Bezanson , Chair, Planning Committee

Best Free Reference Web Sites
The RUSA MARS Best Free Reference Web Sites committee is eager to add a couple new members to their group. If you are a savvy internet researcher and would like to help us create our list of the best free websites that are useful for ready reference on various subject areas, please fill out a volunteer form at http://www.ala.org/rusa/volunteer. Thank you!

Changes to Website Updates
In response to recommendations from last year’s Section Review, MARS Members-at-Large (Courtney McDonald, Amy Fry, Matt Torrence) will now be collaborating on updates to the MARS web site. We anticipate the first overall ‘refresh’ on the Section website should be complete early next summer. Committee chairs are encouraged to review their committee page (charge, etc.) and contact their Member at Large liaison with any corrections or new information.

Martian Award – Who will be our Favorite Martian
Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievements of “your favorite Martian”!

Nominations are being accepted now through December 14th for this year’s MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate (also known as the “My Favorite Martian” Award). This award, which recognizes excellence in service to MARS Emerging Technologies in Reference section, is presented at the annual MARS Chair’s Program.

The recipient will have made either
1)   sustained contributions toward attaining the goals of MARS; or
2)   a single, significant contribution that has resulted in a positive impactupon the work of the section.

Nominees must be a current member of MARS, and have been an active member for the past two years.

For more information, and a list of recent recipients, see http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/martian

To nominate someone, please complete the nomination form (http://tinyurl.com/mars2014) and email to Courtney McDonald, crgreene@indiana.edu, by December 14.

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS)

Cathy Larson, Editor

Message from the Chair

MARS: Emerging Technology in Reference Section is looking forward to an exciting year of programming and service. The Section recently submitted our section review to RUSA and it was favorably received. The Executive Committee and Planning Committees will be reviewing recommendations over the coming year and working on changes to further the mission of MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section.

Congrats are well deserved for our newly elected members.

Vice-Chair/Chair –Elect – Donna Scanlon

Secretary (two-year term) – Chanitra Bishop

Member-At-Large (three-year term) – Matt Torrence

Our members hosted a suite of excellent programs and discussion groups during ALA Annual 2014 in Las Vegas, NV.

Management of Electronic Resources Committee sponsored “Libraries in the Course Management System: Best Practices and New Directions,” to a standing room only crowd in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Panelists shared their experiences with integrating library resources in various systems and the audience participated in a lively discussion.

The MARS Chair’s Program began by honoring Anne Houston, this year’s recipient of the MARS Achievement Recognition Award (My Favorite Martian). After the presentation, 150 participants gathered to hear, Angela Zoss, Data Visualization Coordinator, Duke University and Josh Boyer, Head, User Experience, North Carolina State University present their perspectives and experiences with data visualization in a session entitled “New Directions for Data Visualization in Library Public Services.”

At the Virtual Reference Discussion Group, a group of dedicated folks demonstrated the Virtual Reference Companion, a resource for those implementing or managing virtual reference services. Be sure to check out this wonderfully helpful resource at http://www.ala.org/rusa/vrc

The Hot Topics Discussion Group met on Sunday to discuss makerspaces in libraries. Participants heard from several librarians engaged in makerspaces activities and even played with some 3D objects.

The MARS Happy Hour at Firefly provided an opportunity for members, new and old, to enjoy each others’ company and learn about MARS in a relaxed, friendly environment.

The last event of Sunday evening was the RUSA Awards Reception and Volunteer Appreciation Party at Caesars Palace. Our very own Anne Houston was presented with the MARS Achievement Recognition Award (My Favorite Martian). Thank you to Anne for all her hard work and dedication to MARS over the years.

We welcome your participation in MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference.   If you would like to know more about MARS or are interested volunteering for a committee, please contact Stephanie Graves (stephgraves3@gmail.com)

 

Stephanie Graves
MARS Chair, 2014-2015

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Cathy Larson, Editor
Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

Message From the Chair
Annual Conference time is almost here, and I hope to see many of you in Las Vegas! The Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) has two programs and three discussion forums planned as well as several committee meetings, so mark your calendars and we hope to see you often. If you haven’t tried out the ALA Scheduler, I recommend it. ALA will keep this service up-to-date to reflect last minute room changes, and they monitor the site and may add seats to events where they see high advance demand.

Friday, start out with RUSA 101: Network, Get Oriented, Get Involved. This is a fun orientation and get-together. It will be on Friday, June 27, 2014 from 3:00-4:00 P.M. at Las Vegas Convention Center, room S222.

Saturday morning, June 28, from 8:30-10:00 AM, the All Committee Meeting will be in Bally’s, Skyview 4. If you’re on a committee already, this is your primary meeting time. If you’re a member who can volunteer to help with the work of the section, this is a chance to stop by, talk with the committee chairs and members in one location, and find a committee that fits your interests.

Next up on Saturday, our Management of Electronic Resources Committee is sponsoring “Libraries in the Course Management System: Best Practices and New Directions,” held in the Las Vegas Convention Center, room N263C from 10:30-11:30 A.M. for what is sure to be a lively conversation.

Saturday afternoon from 1:00-2:30 PM will be the MARS Chair’s Program at the Las Vegas Convention Center N263C. We will begin by honoring Anne Houston, this year’s recipient of the MARS Achievement Recognition Award (My Favorite Martian). Then we have two great speakers lined up, Angela Zoss, Data Visualization Coordinator, Duke University and Josh Boyer, Head, User Experience, North Carolina State University. They will present their perspectives and experiences with data visualization in a session called “New Directions for Data Visualization in Library Public Services.”

Capping off Saturday, from 3:00-4:00 PM in the Las Vegas Convention Center, room S228 will be “Discovering Open Access Articles: Maximum Access, Maximum Visibility!,” co-sponsored with ALCTS and ACRL.

On Sunday, June 29, join us for our Planning Committee meeting from 8:30-10:00 AM at the Las Vegas Hotel in the Boardroom. If you are interested in observing the work and possibly volunteering for a committee for the coming year, please join us.

Sunday from 10:30-11:30 A.M. in the Paris Chablis room will be the Virtual Reference Discussion Group of Houston Libraries. Sunday from 1:00-2:30 P.M., at the Convention Center, Exhibit Hall, Meeting Room C, the Hot Topics Discussion Group will host a forum.

And the last event of Sunday evening will be the RUSA Awards Reception and Volunteer Appreciation Party from 5:00-6:30 P.M. at Caesars Palace, Florentine II-IV.

On Monday, June 30, if you’re still in town, plan to stop by our MARS Executive Committee Meeting from 8:30-10:00 A.M. at the Las Vegas Convention Center, room N202. The meeting is where MARS Committee and Discussion Forum chairs, as well as MARS representatives to RUSA level committees share their activities of the last six months and their upcoming plans. We are meeting jointly with the RSS Executive Committee for the last hour (this meeting will be in N102) to coordinate activities of our two sections.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to volunteer, please go to http://www.ala.org/rusa/volunteer, or contact Stephanie Graves, Vice Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) at stephaniegraves@library.tamu.edu.

For those of you who have already volunteered, thanks for all your contributions to MARS and MARS members this year. You are making a difference. It’s been an affirming experience to be Chair this year and have the opportunity to work with such an outstanding group of Librarians.

Best,

Sam Stormont
srstormont@widener.edu
Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) 2013-2014

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MARS Committee Reports

RUSA MARS Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group
What: RUSA MARS Hot Topics Discussion Forum – Libraries & Makerspaces: What’s the connection?
When: Sunday, June 29, 1:00-2:30 PM
Where: Convention Center Exhibit Hall, Meeting Room C

Have you heard about makerspaces but still have questions about how they fit into the work of libraries? Are you interested in makerspaces, but unsure how to get started? Well this discussion forum is for you! Come learn what you need to take your library to the next level.

Join RUSA MARS Hot Topics as they welcome two speakers to discuss the link between makerspaces and libraries and how you can get started with a makerspace in your library.

The session will start with a discussion by Rudy Leon (the University of Nevada, Reno) on the connection between makerspace and libraries and how your current space may already have elements of a makerspace. Rosemary Arneson (University of Mary Washington, Fredricksburg, Virginia) will discuss how a storage space in the library was converted to create ThinkLab. She will share how the space has been incorporated into courses such as Makerbots and Mashups and also discuss the technologies currently in the space.

This ninety-minute session will include a discussion and Q&A, so be sure to bring your questions! By the end of the program, you’ll feel confident understanding the role of makerspaces in libraries and take away some ideas on how to start your own.

More about our speakers:

  • Rudy Leon joined the University of Nevada Knowledge Center in March of 2012. Her liaison areas are Communication Studies, Political Science, and Gender, Race & Identity. She is also the coordinator of Burning Inquiry (a celebration of researchers at UNR investigating aspects of the Burning Man Festival), and the advisor to the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center Undergraduate Student Committee.
  • Rosemary Arneson is the University Librarian at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. She launched the UMW ThinkLab makerspace in September 2012, and she works closely with the Freshman Seminar, Makerbots and Mashups, that meets in the space. She continues to develop her own maker skills, particularly in the area of e-textiles and wearable technologies.

Chanitra Bishop, Chair 2013-2014
chbishop@indiana.edu

RUSA MARS Best Free Reference Websites
The RUSA MARS Best Free Reference Websites committee conducts virtual communication among members. Although on year-round lookout for outstanding sites, our busy times take place in February, March, and April as the committee participants focus on posting, evaluating, and voting on the many websites each member has chosen as favorites. After closely examining and evaluating the forty-eight websites initially submitted, the committee members voted for those we considered to be the best. The list for 2014 contains fourteen websites that have received this distinction.

Janice Wilson, Chair 2013-2014
wilsonj@easternct.edu

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Cathy Larson, Editor
Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

Message from the Chair

Greetings!

Annual Conference time is coming up soon, and I hope to see many of you in Las Vegas! I know I’m certainly looking forward to some warmer weather! The Emerging Technologies in Reference Group (MARS) has three discussion forums and one program planned as well as several committee meetings and a Happy Hour, so mark your calendars and we hope to see you often.

In addition, RUSA has a President’s program as well as an orientation, so there are lots of ways to get involved, learn more, and network with your colleagues. If you haven’t tried out the ALA Scheduler, I recommend it. ALA will keep this service up-to-date to reflect last minute room changes, and they monitor the site and may add seats to events where they see high advance demand.

On Saturday morning, June 29, from 8:30-10:00 AM, join us for our all-committee meeting. If you’re on a committee already, this is your primary meeting time. If you’re a member who can volunteer to help with the work of the section, this is a chance to stop by, talk with the committee chairs and members in one location, and find a committee that fits your interests.

Next up, our Management of Electronic Resources Committee is sponsoring a discussion forum. Please join us from 10:30-11:30 AM and keep an eye on your email for further details.

Saturday afternoon from 1:00-2:30 PM will be the MARS Chair’s Program. We will begin by honoring Anne Houston, this year’s recipient of the MARS Achievement Recognition Award. Then we have three great speakers lined up who will address the topic of Data Visualization.

Our Virtual Reference Discussion Group forum will also be held later Saturday afternoon, with the exact time to be finalized soon.

Capping off Saturday, from 4:00-5:30 PM, will be the RUSA President’s Program.

On Sunday, June 30, the Planning Committee will meet from 8:30-10:00 AM and on Sunday afternoon, from 1:00-2:30 PM, our Hot Topics Discussion Forum will be held.

Please join us late Sunday afternoon for the RUSA Awards Reception and Volunteer Appreciation Party from 5:00-6:30 PM.

On Monday, if you’re still in town, plan to stop by our MARS Executive Committee Meeting from 8:30-11:30 AM. The meeting is where MARS Committee and Discussion Forum chairs, as well as MARS representatives to RUSA level committees share their activities of the last six months and their upcoming plans. We are meeting jointly with the RSS Executive Committee for the last hour to coordinate activities of our two sections.

Locations for all events will be finalized and available next month.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to volunteer, please go to http://www.ala.org/rusa/volunteer, or contact Stephanie Graves, Vice Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) at stephaniegraves@library.tamu.edu.

For those of you who have already volunteered, thank you for all your contributions to MARS and MARS members this year. You are making a difference.

Sam Stormont
MARS Chair, 2012-2013
srstormont@widener.edu

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Committee Updates

Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group
The RUSA MARS Hot Topics in Emerging Technologies Discussion Group held a roundtable discussion on Sunday, January 26, 1:00-2:30 pm. Approximately thirty-five people came for the discussion. The discussion centered on technology challenges and solutions, training staff and new technology initiatives and projects. A few of the resources shared include:

We are also planning a discussion forum for ALA Annual on MakerSpaces. More details will be available later.

Chanitra Bishop
Chair, Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group 2013-2014
chbishop@indiana.edu

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MARS

Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section
Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

Cathy Larson, Editor

Greetings!

We are fast approaching the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia from January 24-27, 2014. For Midwinter of 2014, MARS will again use a modified system of meetings. Most committees, other than the Executive Committee, will not meet in person during Midwinter. Committees are meeting virtually prior to Midwinter, and submitting a report of committee activities to the Executive Committee by email. The Executive Committee will meet in person during Midwinter and will refer to committee reports to conduct business. The Planning Committee, and members of those groups hosting discussion forums will be present as well. With the continuing challenges many of our members face in finding funding for two conferences per year, we hope this model will meet our needs.

Please let us know how you feel about this change. One issue is that we don’t seem to be able to get as many committee volunteers with the new format. Committee appointments, which typically begin July 1 of each year, are generally made between the Midwinter and Annual meetings and without interested volunteers attending our Midwinter committee meetings, it has been more of a challenge to identify those interested in working with our committees. I welcome your thoughts on ways we can increase our ability to identify willing and interested volunteers.

Watch for details on time and place in the coming weeks regarding the RUSA Membership Social. This event allows RUSA members and prospective members to meet and mingle while learning more about RUSA. I encourage you to attend if you are able to do so. The social is a highlight for RUSA during the Midwinter Meeting and it is a great place to encourage others to join us in MARS and to volunteer to serve on committees.

MARS will also be hosting some very interesting discussion forums during Midwinter. We are also planning a free preconference workshop Look for more specifics later this month. Please show your support by attending these forums if your schedule permits.

Please note that ALA’s new meeting policy, initiate last year, will be in effect. As a result, you will note that two of our discussion forums are shorter; only sixty minutes instead of the usual ninety. This new meeting policy is ALA’s response to feedback from members who requested shorter meeting times. See the Annual Conference 2013: Change Roadmap for more details on the change discussion.

Highlighting some of the work going on between conferences:

The Nominating Committee has been hard at work over the fall and they have prepared a slate for the upcoming elections. Watch your emails in March for the new ballot. And be sure to make your vote count!

The Planning Committee is preparing for Section Review. In conjunction with the members at large, the committee will be meeting virtually and at Midwinter to finalize the report that will be submitted to RUSA. This is a regular task, whereby each of the Sections in RUSA review their activities, structures and plans for the future. The review helps us to formally document where we’ve been, evaluate what changes may be needed, how we relate to other sections and divisions within ALA, to create a roadmap for continual improvement in the section, and to provide information back to our parent division, RUSA.

Finally, help us to select an outstanding section member for the MARS Achievement Recognition Award (My Favorite Martian) this year! See the Call for Nominations for information on award criteria and deadlines for nominations.

See you in Philadelphia!

Sam Stormont
srstormont@widener.edu
Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) 2013-2014

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MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS)

Cathy Larson, Editor

Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

RUSA MARS Best Free Web sites

While the MARS Best Free Reference Web sites did not meet at annual, they did work on the following:

MARS Best Free Reference Website Committee

  • 26 sites selected (from 70 nominated)
  • all selected sites have been notified that they were selected as one of the 2013 “Best Free Reference Websites”
  • RUSA/MARS web pages have been updated for 2013
  • text has been sent off to Barry for Fall RUSQ

View the 2013 winners: http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars/marspubs/marsbestfreewebsites/marsbestref2013

And the combined list has also been updated: http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars/marspubs/marsbestindex

Donna Scanlon
dscanlon@loc.gov

MARS Conference Program Planning Committee

After the award presentation, the committee hosted / facilitated a program titled, “Usability, the User Experience & Interface Design: The Role of Reference.” Each presenter discussed how their institutions have implemented innovative changes to their user interface and addressed the role of usability testing, data mining, and other research methods in their decision process.

Audience members had an opportunity to submit questions to the panelists as well as time to speak with the panelists directly following the program.

The program was a success with a nearly full room, especially considering the popular concurrent sessions with which it competed. Our best guess is that the room would accommodate approximately 400-425 people and we were at least 70% filled which put attendance at approximately 280-300 attendees.

Donna Scanlon
dscanlon@loc.gov
Chair, Conference Program Planning Committee, 2012-2013

MARS Professional Development Committee

MARS Professional Development Committee (PD) held several virtual meeting between Midwinter and Annual, at we reviewed our progress at Annual.

The role of PD in training and facilitating webinar proposals is no longer relevant since RUSA now has assigned staff for the new Adobe Connect software. Nor is MARS PD active in soliciting and reviewing webinar proposals since these now go through RUSA submission and review process by the RUSA Professional Development Committee. PD will be updating our website to reflect these changes. We are still interested in collaborating with other MARS committees in planning professional development workshops or webinars. Some of the ideas proposed included:

  • Reference statistics software (this is scheduled to be a webinar for Fall 2013 and may involve MARS PD members)
  • Best practices in reference/technology areas
  • Collaboration with Hot Topics
  • Regional half-day professional development activities. Could we organize regional groups to meet in different cities/areas on a specific topic? Could be difficult to implement, but perhaps would draw in local people to learn from each other.
  • Template for how to plan a professional development event.
  • Ideas from state library associations

​Joint RSS and MARS Midwinter Workshop: While the Midwinter Workshop in Seattle was a great success; RSS STARS will not be able to share space at Midwinter in Philadelphia. To date, we have been unable to secure space or content for a joint RSS and MARS workshop. There is a working group of RSS and MARS members still interested in developing a topic and locating a space. If planning does move forward by the working group, members of the MARS Professional Development Committee can be available to facilitate a free workshop.

Van Houlson
houls001@umn.edu
Co-Chair, Professional Development Committee, 2012-2013

Virtual Reference Discussion Coordinating Committee

The committee hosted and facilitated a discussion forum on the topic of virtual reference (VR). In response to feedback about the Midwinter discussion forum, at which we piloted a one-hour time slot, we eliminated kick-off speakers and devoted the entire time slot to small- and large-group discussion. Planning Committee member, Beth Boatwright (nee Overhauser) presented questions to guide discussion. These questions pertained to: VR platforms, staffing, assessment, best practices, marketing, emerging technologies, and the impacts of broader trends such as MOOCs. After a brief introduction by Boatwright, the thirty-five attendees engaged in small group discussions for approximately thirty minutes. And following that, we had approximately fifteen minutes in which each table reported the two or three most interesting things discussed at their table. The event was a success, especially considering the popular concurrent sessions with which it competed as well as its location outside of the conference center.

Jessica Sender will be taking over as chair for the 2013/14 year. Please contact her (jsender23@gmail.com) or Sam Stormont (srstormont@widener.edu) if you are interested in joining our committee. Virtual participation is possible for planning the forums. We will need some members to be able to attend each conference to assist with onsite discussion facilitation.

Julie A Piacentine
jpia@uchicago.edu
Chair, Virtual Reference Discussion Coordinating Committee, 2012-2013

MARS/RSS Virtual Reference Committee

The partnership with the RSS Marketing and Public Relations Committee for the Slam the Board series (webinar: May 2013; “Slamming”: June 10; in-person discussion forum: June 2013 @ Annual) was a success. The participants were treated to both background on the Slam the Boards initiative itself and also practical ideas on marketing reference services for their own institutions.

The partnership with the RSS Evaluation of Reference and User Services (ERUS) Committee is on going. The ad hoc virtual reference survey team presented a preliminary draft at our committee’s meeting at Annual. They are planning to continue to revise it (and the draft was also shared with incoming MARS chair, Sam Stormont).

The informal drop-in Wikipedia Edit-a-thon was held in the Networking Uncommons area of the McCormick Place from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM on Sunday at Annual. Although only fourteen people stopped by, there was a lively discussion on Wikipedia’s potential uses by libraries as a tool to provide access to resources and to promote libraries’ collections. One participant shared the article (Honan-Allston Branch of Boston Public Library) she created from scratch as a library school student (including photos she took). One participant who had never edited Wikipedia articles signed up for an account and edited her first article during the Edit-a-thon. Additionally, during the Joint RSS/MARS Executive Committee Meeting, attendees were intrigued by the idea of the Edit-a-thon and discussed ways something similar could be incorporated into section activities in the future.

Also at Annual, outgoing RSS Co-Chair, Don Boozer, introduced in-coming RSS Co-Chair, Cathay Crosby, who most recently was Chair of the RSS Marketing and Public Relations for Reference Committee. Crosby and Alisa Gonzalez (MARS Co-chair) will chair the committee beginning directly after ALA Annual 2013.

Alisa Gonzalez
acgonzal@nmsu.edu
Co-Chair, MARS/RSS Virtual Reference Committee, 2012-2014

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Message from the Chair

MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS)

Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

Cathy Larson, Editor

 

Annual Conference time is just around the corner, and I hope to see many of you in Chicago! The Emerging Technologies in Reference Group (MARS) has two programs and four discussion forums planned as well as several committee meetings, so mark your calendars and we hope to see you often. Also RUSA has a program in two parts as well as an orientation, so there are lots of ways to get involved, learn more, and network with your colleagues. If you haven’t tried out the ALA Scheduler, (http://ala13.ala.org/scheduler) I recommend it. ALA will keep this service up-to-date to reflect last minute room changes, and they monitor the site and may add seats to events where they see high advance demand. The good news is that most of our events are either in the Convention Center, or across the way in the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place which should cut down on many long trips back and forth on the buses.

Friday, start out with RUSA 101: Network, Get Oriented, Get Involved. This is a fun orientation and get-together. Friday, June 28, 2013 from 3:00-4:00 P.M. at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Jackson Park 10ABC.

Saturday morning, June 29, from 8:30-10:00 A.M., the Planning Committee will be meeting in the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Boardroom 5 to work on Section Review and to continue updating the section Handbook. If you are interested in observing the work and possibly volunteering for the coming year or two, please join us. At the same time, the RSS All Committee meeting, including joint RSS/MARS Virtual Reference and Virtual Reference Tutorial Committee will be held at the McCormick Place Convention Center N226.

Next up, our Management of Electronic Resources Committee is sponsoring a discussion forum, Counting the Counts: the State of Public Services Statistics and Reporting. We’re all faced with the increasing need to make thoughtful data-driven decisions and to demonstrate our value to our communities and our parent institutions. Please join us from 10:30-11:30 A.M. in the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Burnham 23AB, for what is sure to be a critical conversation. The Committee will be following up the conversation after Annual with a webinar on reference statistical tools, so keep an eye on your email for further details.

Saturday afternoon from 1:00-2:30 P.M. our newest committee, User Experience Design will host a discussion forum, How Wide the Divide—Why We are Still Asking, followed by our Virtual Reference Discussion Group forum on Saturday, from 3:00-4:00 P.M. at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Room N135.

Capping off Saturday, from 4:00-5:30 P.M. in the Convention Center, room S105a-c will be the RUSA President’s Program: The Myth and the Reality of the Evolving Patron, featuring Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. If you like what you hear, you’ll want to participate in part II, which will take place Sunday morning from 10:30-11:30 A.M. in the McCormick Place Convention Center room E351, where Rainie will again join us to facilitate a more interactive conversation.

On Sunday, June 30, join us for our all committee meeting from 8:30-10:00 A.M. at the McCormick Place Convention Center, room N426a. If you’re on a committee already, this is your primary meeting time. If you’re a member who can volunteer to help with the work of the section, this is a chance to stop by, talk with the committee chairs and members in one location, and find a committee that fits your interests.

Sunday from 1:00-2:30 P.M. will be the MARS Chair’s Program also at the McCormick Place Convention Center, room S403. We will start out honoring Nancy Cunningham, this year’s recipient of the MARS Achievement Recognition Award. Then we have four great speakers lined up: David Bietila, Web Program Director from the University of Chicago, Lesley Moyo, Director of Research & Instruction and Tracy Gilmore, Technical Services Librarian, both from Virginia Tech, and Elizabeth German, Web Services Coordinator from the University of Houston Libraries. They will address the topic: Usability, the User Experience & Interface Design: The Role of Reference.

Sunday from 3:00-4:00 P.M., at the McCormick Place Convention Center, room S404bc, the Local Systems and Services Committee will host a program entitled, Leveraging Open Source Software to Create Library Websites. Nicole Engard will provide an overview on open source software and talk about WordPress, Brendan Quinn will speak about Drupal, and Julie Hardesty will discuss Omeka.

Also on Sunday, from 4:30-5:30 P.M., in McCormick Place Convention Center, room N127, our Hot Topics Discussion Group will host a discussion forum, Big Data at the Desk: Data Visualization and Research for the Rest of Us.

And the last event of Sunday evening will be the RUSA Awards Reception and Volunteer Appreciation Party from 5:00-6:30 P.M. at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Prairie Room.

On Monday, July 1, if you’re still in town, plan to stop by our MARS Executive Committee Meeting from 8:30-11:30 A.M. at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Hotel, Room Burnham 23A-C. The meeting is where MARS Committee and Discussion Forum chairs, as well as MARS representatives to RUSA level committees share their activities of the last six months and their upcoming plans. We are meeting jointly with the RSS Executive Committee for the last hour to coordinate activities of our two sections.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to volunteer, please go to http://www.ala.org/rusa/volunteer, or contact Sam Stormont, Vice Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) at srstormont@widener.edu.

For those of you who have already volunteered, thanks for all your contributions to MARS and MARS members this year. You are making a difference. Thanks for making this a great year to be Chair.

Debbie Bezanson
bezanson@gwu.edu
Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) 2012-2013

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MARS Committee Reports

User Experience Design Committee
After an exciting and productive inaugural program at Midwinter, we are hosting our first official event in Chicago. Guest speakers LeiLani Freund and Michele Crump, both of University of Florida, will present the fascinating data published in their new book, Meeting the Needs of Student Users in Academic Libraries: Reaching Across the Great Divide. Their presentation is called, How Wide the Divide—Why We Are Still Asking? In 2011/12, the presenters examined the perceptions and preferences of users and library staff in the information commons (IC) environment. Two survey instruments, one for library users and one for library staff, measured responses to same or similar questions asked of IC users and staff at five academic university libraries throughout the United States. With the analysis of the Crump/Freund surveys, the presenters discuss the perceptions of library staff and library users to confirm the existence of a divide and determine if assessing the user experience will offer strategies to narrow the divide. Will asking the users about their library needs bring about a real understanding of library services? Can academic libraries put the users and their needs at the center of service development and if they do, will this revitalize the library as more than “place”? The presenters will involve the audience through discussion of assessment practices and implementations. Their examples ask the user to participate in the library community, a community defining every user as a distant learner and incorporating mobile technology to access resources at point of need.

The presentation will take place at 1:00-2:30 PM on Saturday, June 29 in the McCormick Place Convention Center, room N135.

Melissa Clapp
shoop@ufl.edu
Chair, User Experience Design Committee, 2012-2013

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Message from the Chair

MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Cathy Larson, Editor

It was good to see many of you in Seattle. Despite the rainy weather, the turnout was good for the three exciting discussion sessions sponsored by our Virtual Reference Discussion Group, Hot Topics Discussion Group, and new User Experience Design Committee. We also hosted an exciting preconference workshop at the University of Washington on the Friday before the conference. See descriptions of the sessions below.

Over the next few months, we’ll be conducting a section review, a regular activity we perform about every five to seven years to make sure the section remains vital; revising the MARS Handbook; creating some open meetings and webinars to provide professional development opportunities for our members; selecting the 2013 Best Free Reference Websites; and planning for the Annual Meeting in Chicago.

This is also the time when we ask for you to get involved in the activities of this section. If you have time to participate—either in person or virtually—please consider volunteering by going to RUSA Volunteer form (requires login). If you experience difficulties with the volunteer form, please send an email directly to Vice Chair Sam Stormont who will be making appointments. He can be reached at srstormont@widener.edu. We have spaces available in all committees.

Also, if you have suggestions for topics for MARS professional development webinars, please let us know by submitting your suggestions here.

Debbie Bezanson, Chair
Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) 2012-2013
bezanson@gwu.edu

Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

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MARS Committee Reports

Virtual Reference Discussion Forum
The Virtual Reference (VR) Discussion Coordinating Committee hosted an engaging discussion forum at the Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Nearly fifty attendees gathered to reflect and share knowledge on the topic of transitions between virtual reference platforms. Many libraries transitioned between platforms this year, due to the phasing out of Meebo, so the topic was especially timely. Dr. Pam Dennis and Laureen P. Cantwell of the University of Memphis University Libraries provided kick-off remarks titled, “Life After Meebo: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services for Your Library in the Post-Meebo Virtual Environment.” Following the kick-off remarks, attendees participated in small-group discussions, sharing their experiences evaluating and transitioning between VR platforms. A range of experiences were represented—some attendees came to learn about how they might implement VR services at their libraries, while others reported on their experiences with numerous VR platforms. Finally, attendees reported out on their small group discussions. Attendees shared suggestions for VR staffing models, emerging and alternative platforms, and best practices. Attendees expressed the value they derive from these discussions with their colleagues, particularly the small-group discussions. The Virtual Reference Discussion Coordinating Committee looks forward to hosting another engaging discussion forum at ALA Annual in Chicago.

Julie A. Piacentine, Chair
Virtual Reference Discussion Coordinating Committee, 2012-2013
jpia@uchicago.edu

MARS Professional Development Committee
The MARS Professional Development Committee is interested in developing webinars for any RUSA committee or member. We know how to deliver webinars using Blackboard Collaborate, the vendor chosen by RUSA for online learning. Our committee will help you with the process of getting your webinar approved, train your instructors, and facilitate your presentations. The committee is currently working on a webinar on using reference tracking and data collection tools to improve their services. Got an idea? Please consider submitting it to the MARS Professional Development Webinar Suggestion Form.

Van Houlson, Co-Chair
Professional Development Committee, 2012-2013
houls001@umn.edu

MARS Local Systems and Services Committee
The MARS LSS committee is planning an online program on learning commons. The date has not been finalized but is scheduled to take place in March. It is a follow-up to the 2011 discussion forum the committee held on Learning Commons.

Title:
The Learning Commons and the Academic Library: Using Emerging Technologies and New Partnerships to Build Student Success.

Description:
Has your library partnered with academic support services to offer a “learning commons” in the library, or are you discussing/planning such a partnership? If so, please join us for a follow-up to the discussion forum “The Learning Commons and the Academic Library: Using Emerging Technologies and New Partnerships to Build Student Success” held at Midwinter 2012. Attend the online open meeting and learn how these libraries have developed partnerships and designed spaces to support student learning.

Speakers:

  • Ameet Doshi, Head, User Experience Department, Georgia Tech University
    A short overview of the new GA Tech learning commons (“Clough Commons”) including the group study spaces, academic support services, and technology available. His main focus will be how the student advisory board impacted the design of the Library and learning commons.
  • Michelle Paon, Reference & Instruction Librarian, Dalhousie University
    Marc Comeau, IT Manager, Dalhousie University
    Eleven stakeholders currently share space in Dalhousie University’s Killam Learning Commons, with services ranging from GIS and statistical computing consultations to traditional research assistance and the IT help desk. We’ll identify the service areas located in the facility as well as touch on the innovative technologies that have been deployed in the commons.
  • Lori Mestre, Head Undergraduate Library, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
    Mestre will share UIUC’s process for creating the initial plans for the Learning Commons and how student need for multimodal projects has resulted in the Learning Commons becoming a Media Commons (including floor layout, services, furniture, technology, class support, use patterns, partnerships, loanable technology acquisition). She will discuss how UIUC incorporated technology and designed the layout based on assessment of student needs.

Look for an email on the MARS listserv with more details. If you are interested in attending, please contact Chanitra Bishop at chbishop@indiana.edu.

The committee is also planning a program for ALA Annual on open source software. Below is the title and the description:

Title: Leveraging Open Source Software to create library web sites

Description: Is your library considering using open source software such as Drupal, WordPress or Omeka to revamp your library’s web site, create a digital archive or a staff intranet? Our speakers will provide an overview of open source software and discuss some of their features and capabilities. They will also discuss implementations of the software at their institution including the development process, challenges, lessons learned and practical advice for developing websites using open source software.

Time: Sunday, June 30, 2013 3-4 PM

Chanitra Bishop, Chair
Local Systems and Services Committee, 2012-2013
chbishop@indiana.edu

MARS Chair’s Program for ALA Annual 2013
The MARS Chair Program Planning Committee has been hard at work planning an exciting program for this year’s conference. Mark your calendars now to join us Sunday, June 30th, from 1:00-2:30 P.M. for an informative discussion with David Bietila, Web Program Director, Digital Library Development Center, University of Chicago Library; Lesley Moyo, Director Research and Instruction, Virginia Tech University; Tracy Gilmore, Technical Services Librarian, Virginia Tech University; and a “mystery” speaker (to be identified soon) about the user experience, interface design and the role of reference. Don’t forget we start the program with the My Favorite Martian Award for 2013!

Title: Usability, the User Experience & Interface Design: The Role of Reference

Description: With the advent of new discovery tools and new technology, the habits of our researchers and users have certainly changed. How are we collecting data and observing behavior to improve these interfaces to better meet our user’s needs? How can we learn from what other researchers are studying and use that data to implement change? What is the new relationship between the virtual space, the physical space, and the user experience?

Panel members will discuss how their institutions have implemented innovative changes to the user interface and address the role of usability testing in their decision process. Audience members will have opportunities to submit questions to the panelists. The learning objectives for attendees are:

  • Increased understanding of changes in users’ research habits;
  • Introduction to methods of information/data collection beyond traditional usability studies;
  • Learn processes for implementing change relevant for their own institutions.

Donna Scanlon
dscanlon@loc.gov
Chair, Conference Program Planning Committee, 2012-2013

User Experience Design Committee
Though it was 4:30 P.M. on a Sunday afternoon in Seattle, more than sixtypeople packed Room 203 of the Washington Convention Center for the “Putting U in UX Design” discussion forum sponsored by RUSA/MARS’ User Experience Design Committee. Heidi Steiner, Head of Digital and Distance Education Services at Norwich University, sparked the discussion by providing a provocative, witty introduction to the principles of user experience design. She emphasized the need for librarians to intentionally take the perspective of users and noted that doing so would help us avoid confusing them with inscrutable jargon and overly detailed blocks of text on websites. It would also inspire us to put help where our users are by embedding widgets and other contact information at the point-of-need.

Steiner further recommended that we solicit quick feedback from non-library users and then make quick changes based on that feedback rather than make changes only after complex, large-scale usability testing. Her slide-deck and Power Point slides can be found in the ALA Scheduler.

Following Steiner’s introduction, attendees participated in a lively discussion centering on what interests them and what concerns them about User Experience Design. This discussion yielded numerous ideas for future sessions and projects for the User Experience Design Committee.

Ideas for sessions included presentations or discussions about:

  • How to design universally to simultaneously help users as well as those who work directly with users.
  • What input to consider and what input to privilege when making decisions about user experience design.
  • What tools can we use to design effectively? The audience shared the following examples:
    • Crazy Egg: visualize where users click on a page
    • Optimizely: Compare two versions of a page
    • Google Ad Words: iscover what vocabulary terms are used by the public for various concepts
    • Post It Notes (digital and physical): Use these to keep track of ideas for small changes and to solicit input from patrons
    • Tools for first-click analysis
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of designing incrementally versus doing full-scale redesigns?
  • How can we help colleagues think from a user standpoint rather than from a librarian standpoint?
  • How to perform usability studies.
  • How to blend design and instruction effectively, e.g., how to create effective online instructional content without using too many words.

Ideas for projects:

  • Provide lists of examples and models of good design. Heidi recommended following several individuals including
    • Aaron Schmidt
    • Amanda Etches-Johnson
    • Brian Mathews
    • Matthew Reidsma
    • Steven Bell
  • Participants recommended the following two books:
    • This is Service Design Thinking by Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider
    • Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug

Other ideas:

  • Develop a database featuring sites designed for optimum user experience. Consider developing a site of the month recognition award as ACRL’s PRIMO committee has done for instructional resources.
  • Develop a blog or listserv to foster ongoing discussion and sharing. A participant noted that UNC Chapel Hill hosts a listserv titled “lib-ux.” To subscribe visit http://lists.unc.edu/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=lib_ux
  • Consider partnering with LITA’s Search Engine Optimization Interest Group

Melissa Clapp
melshoo@uflib.ufl.edu
Chair, User Experience Design Committee, 2012-2013

Jason Coleman
coleman@k-state.edu
Member, User Experience Design Committee, 2012-2014

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Message from the Chair

MARS: Update from the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Cathy Larson, Editor
Join the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

 

Greetings!

We are fast approaching the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle from January 25-29, 2013. For winter of 2013, MARS will again use a modified system of meeting. Most committees, other than the Executive Committee, will not meet in person during Midwinter. Committees are meeting virtually prior to Midwinter, and submitting a report of committee activities to the Executive Committee by email. The Executive Committee will meet in person during Midwinter and will refer to committee reports to conduct business. The Planning Committee, and members of those groups hosting discussion forums will be present as well. Last year was the first time we tried this approach, and with the challenges many of our members face in finding funding for two conferences per year, we are continuing this approach this year.

Please let us know how you feel about this change. I will note from my perspective that we don’t seem to be able to get as many committee volunteers with the new format. Committee appointments, which typically begin July 1 of each year, are generally made between the Midwinter and Annual meetings and without interested volunteers attending our Midwinter committee meetings, it has been more of a challenge to identify those interested in working with our committees. I welcome your thoughts on ways we can increase our ability to identify willing and interested volunteers.

For those who are able to attend in person, the scheduler is up! Please visithttp://alamw13.ala.org/scheduler to see all the activities along with their times, locations and descriptions.

The RUSA Membership Social will be held on Saturday, January 26 from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Grand Hyatt Seattle. This event allows RUSA members and prospective members to meet and mingle while learning more about RUSA. I encourage you to attend if you are able to do so. The social is a highlight for RUSA during the Midwinter Meeting and it is a great place to encourage others to join us in MARS and to volunteer to serve on committees.

The Professional Development Committee of MARS in collaboration with the RSS Education and Professional Development for Reference Committee will host a free preconference workshop at the University of Washington’s Odegaard Library Friday, January 25, 2013, 1:00-5:00 PM. “New Tech for Reference: From the Reference Interview to Roving Reference, Challenges, Benefits and Best Practice” will have presentations on using social media for reference interactions, Springshare’s LibAnswers, and models for roving reference services. For more information about the workshop and transportation to the University of Washington, see the full description athttp://connect.ala.org/node/190900 or contact Stephanie Alexander (alexanders@smccd.edu)

MARS will also be hosting some very interesting discussion forums during Midwinter. Please show your support if you are attending the Conference.

We have a new committee this year: the User Experience Design Committee. This group will host a discussion on Sunday, January 27 from 4:30-5:30 PM, in the Washington State Convention Center Room 203, titled “Putting U in UX Design.” See the committee update for more details on this discussion.

The Virtual Reference Discussion Group will host a discussion forum on Saturday, January 26 from 4:30-5:30 PM in the Washington State Convention Center, Room 619, focusing on how transitioning from Meebo presented challenges and opportunities to retool virtual reference services.

The Hot Topics Discussion Group will host a discussion forum on Saturday, January 26, from 1:00-2:30 PM in the Washington State Convention Center, Room 213.

Please note that ALA has a new meeting policy this year. As a result, you will note that two of our discussion forums are shorter – only 60 minutes instead of the usual 90. This new meeting policy is ALA’s response to feedback from members who requested shorter meeting times. See http://connect.ala.org/node/178761 for more details on the change discussion.

Highlighting some of the work going on between conferences:

The Nominating Committee has been hard at work over the fall and they have prepared a slate for the upcoming elections. Watch your emails in March for the new ballot. And be sure to make your vote count!

The Planning Committee is working on two important projects. The group is undertaking a review and update of the MARS Manual. This is a classic work, full of valuable information, and we’re excited that the committee has agreed to begin making it an even better resource for us all. We are also preparing for Section Review, led by the Planning Committee in conjunction with the members at large. This is a regular event, whereby each of the Sections in RUSA review their activities, structures and plans for the future. The review helps us to formally document where we’ve been, evaluate what changes may be needed, how we relate to other sections and divisions within ALA, to create a roadmap for continual improvement in the section, and to provide information back to our parent division—RUSA.

The Local Systems and Services Committee is working on a virtual program we hope will be delivered early in the year—watch your email and our website for more details.

Lastly, don’t forget to nominate someone for the MARS Achievement Recognition Award this year! See the Call for Nominations for information on award criteria and deadlines for nominations.

Debbie Bezanson
bezanson@gwu.edu
Chair, Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) 2012-2013

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Call for Nominations for the MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate

Do you know someone who always does more than expected for MARS? Someone who is willing to take on the challenge to complete a project or produce a successful program? What about someone who is an indispensable member of your committee or someone who has served as your mentor? If so, please consider nominating them for the MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate, also known as the My Favorite Martian Award.

The MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate is given annually to recognize excellence in service to MARS. This award, presented at the annual MARS Chair’s Program, is given to an individual who is a current member of MARS, and has been an active member for the past two years.

The recipient must have made either (1) sustained contributions toward attaining the goals of MARS, or (2) a single, significant contribution that has resulted in a positive impact upon the work of the section.

To nominate someone, please send the candidate’s name, contact information, and brief statement of why you think they should receive the award to Stephanie Graves (sgraves@lib.siu.edu) by Friday, January 18, 2013.

Stephanie J. Graves
sgraves@lib.siu.edu
Member-At-Large

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MARS User Experience (UX) Design Committee

The brand new UX Design Committee will host a program at Midwinter, “Putting U in UX Design.” Heidi Steiner from Norwich University (along with a co-presenter TBA) will present on ideas for improving current practices and she’ll lead a discussion with the audience to hear what their experiences have been so far, what direction their interests in future programs might take, etc. We hope to see you there!

Missy Clapp
shoop@ufl.edu
Chair, User Experience Design Committee, 2012-2013

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Message From the Chair

Messages from MARS, the Newsletter of the RUSA MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Cathy Larson, Editor

Greetings Fellow MARS Members!

It’s hard to believe another Annual Conference has come and gone. It was good to see many of you at the conference, and I know those who weren’t able to attend were there in spirit. We’re looking forward to another great year for MARS, the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section of RUSA!

Many thanks go out to Dianna McKellar, our chair for 2011-2012, to Anne Houston our Past Chair, and to Carolyn Larson, Shannon Jones, and Erin Rushton, not to mention all those who served as members and chairs of our committees this year, and to all our invited presenters. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Your new Executive Committee for 2012-2013 will be:

  • Debbie Bezanson – Chair (bezanson@gwu.edu)
  • Sam Stormont – Vice Chair
  • Kelley Ann Lawton – Secretary
  • Stephanie Graves, Arlie Sims, and Courtney Greene, Members-at-Large

If you are interested in joining MARS or learning more about the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section, please contact one of us. We welcome all members, those who can meet in person as well as virtual members.

This year we have a new committee—the User Experience Design Committee. They’re just getting started but their mission will be: “To identify and study issues relating to user experience (UX) design as it relates to emerging technologies in library public services, and to evaluate and promote integration of UX methods and philosophies in all types of libraries through technological and service standards, guidelines, and “best practices.” The chair for that committee will be Missy Clapp. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact me.

Our Section goals for the coming year are to:

1. Continue to increase opportunities for virtual participation in the work of the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section. MARS membership is strong, but many of our members cannot regularly attend conference. Virtual meeting technologies, supported by RUSA, enable us to get more work done outside of the MidWinter and Annual face-to-face Conference meetings. In the coming year, the Executive Committee will work with each committee to identify ways to support more virtual projects and to recruit virtual members to contribute to the committee projects and goals.

2. Continue to increase professional development opportunities for members of the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section.

Professional Development is critical in the Emerging Technologies in Reference arena. The Professional Development Committee has already begun this task, creating webinars and free preconference workshops. In the coming year, work closely with RUSA to expand ongoing virtual offerings.

3. Maximize the effectiveness of RUSA by working closely with our parent organization and the other sections within RUSA to coordinate our virtual activities.

Through representation on RUSA level committees, coordinate ideas and create new synergies to help RUSA and the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section most effectively reach current members, providing them with opportunities for meaningful service and professional development, and most effectively recruit and retain new members.

4. Revise and update the MARS Handbook to optimize format and information for web presentation.

5. All MARS Committees will contribute to the 2013/2014 MARS Section Review.

The Section Review will be due to RUSA in February 2014. The committee reviews will be completed by Annual 2013.

Many of the committees and discussion groups have included summaries of their conference activities in this issue of Messages. To find out more about these presentations, don’t forget to check out our website: http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars, or look for our postings on ALA Connect.

Debbie Bezanson
MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Chair, 2012-2013
bezanson@gwu.edu

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Carolyn Larson Chosen My Favorite Martian for 2012

The MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate Committee selected Carolyn Larson, Head of the Business Reference Section, in the Science, Technology & Business Division at the Library of Congress as “My Favorite Martian” for 2012.

The Committee would also like to invite MARS members to send nominations for the 2013 Award to the Committee’s incoming chair, Stephanie Graves, at sgraves@lib.siu.edu by December 1, 2012. The MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate is given annually to recognize excellence in service to MARS. This award is given to an individual who is a current member of MARS, and has been an active member for the past two years. The recipient must have made either (1) sustained contributions toward attaining the goals of MARS, or (2) a single, significant contribution that has resulted in a positive impact upon the work of the section.

Shannon Jones, Outgoing Chair MARS Achievement Recognition Certificate Committee, 2011-2012
sdjones@vcu.edu

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Outreach Committee: Happy Hour by the Pool and a Very Tweet Conference

This year, attendees of the Annual MARS Happy Hour enjoyed perfect weather (it was southern California, right?), hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a relaxing poolside ambience at the Annabella Hotel near the Anaheim Convention Center. EBSCO generously sponsored the event, making possible the delicious hors d’oeuvres enjoyed by all. Over eighty people chatted about the work of MARS while catching up with old friends and getting acquainted with new ones. A moment was taken out of the informal event to acknowledge Carolyn Larson, this year’s My Favorite Martian honoree, as well as to thank the MARS leadership who led the Section through another great year. Alas, no one chose to bring a swimsuit and actually jump in, but it was a very nice party by the pool nonetheless.

For the first time, Outreach Committee members tweeted before and during the conference, commenting on everything from how to pack smart for a conference to the next relevant program on the agenda. Follow MARS on Twitter: @rusa_mars

Arlie Sims, Chair of MARS Outreach Committee, 2011-2012
asims@colum.edu

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MARS Professional Development (PD) Committee

Learn to conduct virtual meetings and present webinars using Blackboard Collaborate! This online platform is new to RUSA and available to all MARS members. The MARS Professional Development Committee will be offering a series of training sessions on Blackboard Collaborate to teach the basics of navigating, and using some of the features such as the whiteboard and sharing screens. Each session will be 90 minutes at 1:00 PM Central Time (2:00 PM Eastern Time and 11:00 AM Pacific Time). Training dates are: August 17, August 31, September 14, September 28, October 12, October 26, November 16, November 30, and December 7th. MARS PD Co-chairs Van Houlson and Nancy Cunningham will be leading the training sessions. Please feel free to contact Van or Nancy with any questions.

Nancy Cunningham, Co-Chair Professional Development Committee, 2011-2013
nancy@usf.edu
Van Houlson, Co-Chair Professional Development Committee, 2012-2013
houls001@umn.edu

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RSS/MARS Virtual Reference Services Committee

The RSS/MARS Virtual Reference Services Committee held its official meeting at ALA Annual in Anaheim on Saturday, June 23, as part of the RSS All-Committee meeting. Twelve people were in attendance. One of the primary goals of the meeting was final planning for the committee’s sponsored program held at Annual on Saturday, June 23, from 1:30-3:30 PM: “Are Virtual Reference Services Worth the Effort? What ROI Analysis and User Evaluations Tell Us.” The program was successful with approximately 150 people attending.

The committee is partnering with the RSS Marketing Committee on a webinar with Bill Pardue on marketing virtual reference services prior to Annual 2013. A discussion forum on this topic is planned for Annual 2013 itself with some sort of “bridge” activity between the webinar and Annual also being considered.

With the Virtual Reference Tutorial Subcommittee now having access to the RUSA Drupal installation, they are moving ahead with posting content. They have renamed the “Tutorial” the “Virtual Reference Companion” and aim to make it applicable to both managers/supervisors of VR service and frontline VR librarians. We are very excited about their progress and what they have planned.

We are also looking at a change in our official mission statement to fold in the charge of the now-disbanded Cooperative Reference Services Committee to: “To identify and study issues relating to virtual reference services, and to evaluate and promote technological and service standards, guidelines, and ‘best practices’ for local and cooperative virtual reference services in all types of libraries.” We will be working with MARS and RSS to accomplish this.

Jason Coleman (Kansas State University Libraries and incoming Secretary of RSS) is moving ahead with the Survey Ad Hoc Group. He has recruited 2 people to help in designing and distributing the survey to determine the current state of virtual reference services.

The committee will be considering a Wikipedia edit-a-thon at either Midwinter and/or Annual.

The committee plans to conduct their official midwinter meeting virtually with a time to be determined.

Ellen Hampton Filgo, Chair, RSS/MARS Virtual Reference Services Committee, 2011-2012
Ellen_Filgo@baylor.edu

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Local Systems and Services committee

The MARS Local Systems and Services Committee program “Discovery Systems: The Promise and the Reality” was extremely successful. We had over 100 people in attendance. The speakers shared their experiences with discovery services such as Serial Solutions Summons, Ex-Libris’ Primo and EBSCO’s Discovery Service.

Chanitra Bishop, Chair, Local Systems and Services committee, 2012-2013
chbishop@indiana.edu

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Best Free Reference Websites committee

The MARS Best Free Reference Websites for 2012 have been notified and the complete list is now available on the MARS website. Voted for by member librarians from around the United States, the twenty-six web sites were selected from seventy-seven sites nominated this year. These sites have been recognized by MARS this year as an outstanding site for reference information. The complete list of MARS Best of Free Reference Web Sites of 2012 is now available on the MARS site. We would like to congratulate these sites and thank them for providing quality information.

We would also like to thank the committee for the terrific collection of web sites that were nominated and for their participation in selecting the best sites for 2012.

Donna Scanlon (dscanlon@loc.gov) & Erica Danowitz, MARS Best Free Reference Websites
Co-Chairs, 2011-2013

To subscribe to MARS-L, see http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

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Message From the Chair

Message from MARS

Newsletter of the RUSA-MARS Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Melissa J. Clapp, Editor

 

MARS had a very productive Midwinter Meeting. This was the first Midwinter Meeting at which MARS largely participated virtually. Committees, other than the Executive Committee, had the option of meeting in-person or meeting virtually prior to Midwinter and sending in a report that would be discussed during the Executive Committee meetings, which were held in-person. This seemed to work well for committees. Two committees opted to meet in-person during Midwinter, while other committees chose to meet virtually. Of course, committees that presented discussion forums did send committee representatives to conduct the forums.

In total, three MARS discussion forums were held during Midwinter. Hot Topics presented a wonderful discussion forum entitled “Reaching out to Patrons in Virtual Ways: Old School Successes and New Initiatives.” The Virtual Reference Discussion Group held an engaging discussion forum entitled “UX + VR FTW,” which explored user experience as it pertains to virtual reference. Local Systems and Services presented a stimulating discussion forum entitled “The Learning Commons and the Academic Library: Using Emerging Technologies and New Partnerships to Build Student Success.”

In addition to the MARS gatherings, RUSA held its Annual Membership Social. The RUSA Social was very well attended. It provided a wonderful opportunity to chat with RUSA friends as well as meet and welcome new RUSA members. The Midwinter Meeting proved to be very informative, and MARS is looking forward to an equally engaging Annual Conference.

Warm Regards,

Dianna McKellar
MARS Chair, 2011-2012

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MARS Chair’s Program Planning Committee

The MARS Chair’s Program Planning Committee has been steadfastly working towards organizing a program that will be presented at the Annual ALA Conference. The program, which has been selected to serve as the 2012 RUSA President’s Program, is entitled “Library in Your Hand: Mobile Technologies for Exchanging Information with Patrons.” This program will explore the importance of libraries supporting mobile technologies for the dissemination and acquisition of information. Joan Lippincott, Associate Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information, will speak about why libraries should embrace communicating with patrons through mobile devices. Kristin Antelman, Associate Director for the Digital Library at North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries, will speak about mobile initiatives at NCSU including WolfWalk, a photographic guide to the history of NCSU optimized for mobile devices. David Lee King, Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka Public Library, will discuss the library app and social media used to communicate with patrons at the Topeka Public Library.

Dianna McKellar, MARS Chair

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RUSA MARS Virtual Reference Discussion Planning Committee

Conference report for 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting, Dallas, TX

Discussion topic: “UX + VR FTW”

Courtney Greene, Head of Digital User Experience at Indiana University Libraries-Bloomington, opened the Virtual Reference Discussion Forum by describing general principles of designing for user experience and examining how those might apply to virtual reference. She emphasized the need to go beyond supposition and assumptions by gathering information from patrons through a variety of means including usability testing, focus groups, and web analytics. Greene also illustrated how her library used UX principles to create multiple IM widget access points for users and corresponding queues for library operators. Her presentation slides are available on Slideshare at http://www.slideshare.net/xocg/ux–vr–ftw–mars–vrdg–alamw12. Following Courtney’s presentation, there was a lengthy question and answer session that involved sharing of ideas and best practices.

A total of fifty-two people attended the session. Twenty-three of the attendees completed an evaluation form. The feedback was extremely positive, with many respondents expressing appreciation for Courtney’s enthusiasm and expertise. They expressed a strong desire to continue learning more about UX and its implications for VR.

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Virtual Reference Discussion Group Planning Committee

The Virtual Reference Discussion Group Planning Committee is currently discussing topic ideas for its Discussion Forum at ALA Annual. After the committee finalizes a topic and identifies a kick-off speaker, it will begin work on the following two projects:

●     Update the committee’s public page on the ALA website. The page will include lists of past members as well as lists of past topics for the Discussion Fora at MidWinter and Annual. When possible, the list of topics will include links to notes and presentation materials.

●     Establish and promote a public page on ALA connect for soliciting suggestions for future topics for Discussion Fora.

Jason Coleman, Chair

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Outreach Committee

The MARS Happy Hour at ALA Annual will be held on Saturday, June 23, 5:00-7:00 pm. This is our chance to relax, network and welcome new and potential members and others interested in the work of MARS. Location and other details to be announced soon!

Arlie Sims, Chair

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RUSA MARS’ Products & Services committee: Statistics and Analytics: Ways to Record Library Interactions

How do we know if our library community is using the programs or services that our library offers? How do we know if our time is well spent in staffing these services? What products are put there that can help us record and use all of this information to help improve or develop new resources or services to engage our library patrons? RUSA MARS’ Products & Services Committee has put together reviews of different options for libraries to track all sorts of stats. Find them on the MARS blog: http://etmars.wordpress.com.

If there are questions about a specific product/service, please contact the reviewer directly. If there are suggestions for other products to review, please contact the Chair of the Products & Services committee, Ngoc-Yen Tran at nttran[at]callutheran.edu.

Ngoc-Yen Tran, Chair

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Professional Development Committee

The new MARS Professional Development Committee is off and running! The newly formed committee, consisting of both the Education, Support and Training (ETS) and Professional Development (PD) Committee members, has been meeting virtually on a monthly basis since last fall. The purpose in joining the two committees is to eliminate duplicative efforts, strengthen the potential for more activity, and launch new initiatives for MARS members. In addition, the work of the joint preconference planning committee (MARS/RSS) now belongs to a subcommittee of MARS PD. The chair of this new subcommittee is Stephanie Alexander. The focus of the committee’s work so far has been the deployment of webinars. Two webinars, “Introduction to Screencasting for Online Tutorials and Reference,” were organized and sponsored by MARS PD and presented in August and December 2011. Both webinars had approximately sixty attendees and received very positive feedback. In the upcoming months, the committee will again launch a repeat of “Introduction to Screencasting” and develop a robust FAQ list to help all MARS members present and deploy professional development webinars with the support and assistance of the committee. Look forward to new and exciting professional development and training webinars from MARS PD!

Nancy A. Cunningham, Chair

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MARS/RSS Virtual Reference Services Committee

The MARS/RSS Virtual Reference Services Committee held its virtual midwinter meeting on Friday, December 16, 2011. Minutes of the meeting are available at http://connect.ala.org/node/150606 and a recording at http://connect.ala.org/node/161596.

The Committee is hosting a program at ALA Annual 2012 entitled “Are virtual reference services worth the effort? What ROI Analysis and User Evaluations Tell Us.” Panelists are confirmed and a high profile moderator has given tentative confirmation to serve as moderator. Stay tuned to ALA Connect for more details.

The committee will be discussing ideas for the 2013 ALA Annual via email and other means. The focus currently under consideration is to do something with gadgets or technology since the last several Annual programs have focused on other “soft” aspects of virtual reference service.

In keeping with its goals, the Committee has created the “RUSA MARS/RSS VR Committee Survey Ad Hoc Group.” Jason Coleman, an active member of the Virtual Reference Tutorial Subcommittee as well as Undergraduate & Community Services Librarian at Kansas State University, has volunteered to lead the new group. They are charged with conducting an online survey to assess the distribution and logistics of virtual reference services in libraries. Jason has asked individuals interested in working on the project to contact him at coleman@k-state.edu as soon as possible.

The Committee members are also exploring ways to update existing virtual reference content in online venues like Wikipedia, LISWiki, LibSuccess, etc. Options under consideration include sponsoring a Wikipedia “Edit-a-thon” at Annual Conference, creating a Twitter hashtag, inaugurating a Google Group, etc.

Donald Boozer, Chair
dboozer@cpl.org

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Spring Election 2012

The slate of candidates up for election for MARS offices this Spring are:

For Vice Chair/Chair Elect (Vote for One):

Marilyn N. Ochoa

Samuel R. Stormont

For Member-at-Large (Three year Term: Vote for One):

Bryna R. Coonin

Courtney Greene

For Secretary (Two Year Term: Vote for One)

Colleen Seale

Kelley Ann Lawton

We are also pleased to have two former MARS Chairs running for RUSA office. Anne Houston is running for RUSA Division Councilor and Kathleen Kern, for President of RUSA. Full information on the nominees for RUSA and its Sections is available in ALA Connect.

Voting will run from mid-March to mid-April. Be looking for announcements soon with the specific dates, and please vote!

MARS Nominating Committee 2011-2012

Carolyn Larson, Chair
Mary Mintz
Linda Keiter
Kimberley Vassiliadis

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From the Chair

Message from MARS, the Newsletter of the RUSA MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Missy Clapp, Editor

 
The Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) is looking forward to an exciting Annual Conference in Anaheim! Please join us during our hosted events which will focus on engaging technologies of current interest in reference. We will host three programs, two discussion forums, and the MARS Happy Hour. A brief overview of these gatherings is provided below.

We are honored that the MARS Chair’s Program has been selected to also serve as the RUSA President’s Program this year. The program is entitled “Library in Your Hand: Mobile Technologies for Exchanging Information with Patrons.” The event will highlight the importance of libraries supporting mobile technologies for the dissemination and acquisition of information. Examples of practical applications being used in libraries will be discussed by our speakers. The program will be held on Sunday, June 24, from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM at the Anaheim Convention Center in room 204B. At the start of the program, we will honor Carolyn Larson, this year’s recipient of the My Favorite Martian Award, for her hard work and dedication to MARS over the years.

The MARS/RSS Virtual Reference Services Committee will present a program entitled “Are Virtual Reference Services Worth the Effort? What ROI Analysis and User Evaluations Tell Us.” Examples of ways to assess the effectiveness of virtual reference services will be discussed. Join us for this enlightening discussion, which will be held on Saturday, June 23 from 1:30-3:30 PM at the Anaheim Convention Center in room 201D.

The MARS Local Systems and Services Committee will present a program entitled “Discovery Systems: The Promise and the Reality.” The effectiveness of discovery systems such as WorldCat Local and others will be explored. The program will be held on Sunday, June 24 from 4:00-5:30 PM at the Anaheim Convention Center in Room 304AB. In addition to these programs, both the Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group and the Virtual Reference Discussion Group will host engaging discussion forums.

The MARS Happy Hour is always a wonderful way to enjoy refreshments while meeting newcomers interested in MARS and old friends who have been part of MARS for years! This event will be held at the Anabella Hotel, poolside in the Magnolia Room on Saturday, June 23 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

As is tradition, the MARS All-Committee meeting will be held on Sunday morning from 8:00-10:0 AM, and we would love to invite those who are interested in learning more about the Emerging Technologies in Reference Section. You’ll have the opportunity to hear about the activities of our committees and the wonderful volunteer opportunities that match your interests. All visitors are welcome to join us. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel in the Pacific A Room.

Other MARS activities include the creation of this year’s list of the Best Free Reference Websites, which will be published in the Fall issue of RUSQ. The Professional Development Committee has produced a number of webinars and has a subcommittee working with RSS in the production of a workshop that will be held at the start of the 2013 Midwinter Meeting. In addition, the Products and Services Committee has continued its work to produce product reviews that are beneficial to reference librarians.

We welcome your interest in MARS. If you would like to learn more about MARS and how you can become involved, please contact me (mckellar@udel.edu) for more information.

Dianna McKellar
MARS Chair, 2011-2012

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Carolyn Larson to receive My Favorite Martian Award

Carolyn Larson, Head of the Business Reference Section, in the Science, Technology & Business Division, Library of Congress, is the 2012 recipient of the MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section Recognition Certificate, also known as the “My Favorite Martian” Award. The award is given to an individual to recognize excellence in service to MARS.

An active member of MARS, Carolyn, in addition to serving on several MARS committees, has served as MARS Chair, Vice-Chair, and Past Chair. During her term as MARS Chair, Carolyn expertly led the section through transition that included an unanticipated leadership change, and a significant name and mission change for the section. Carolyn was really a stabilizing force during this period. Dianna McKellar, MARS Chair, writes, “Carolyn, your dedication to the profession and to MARS is recognized and appreciated! We thank you for your excellent service.”

The certificate will be presented at the 2012 RUSA President’s Program/MARS Chair’s Program, “Library in Your Hand: Mobile Technologies for Exchanging Information with Patrons,” on Sunday, June 24, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM, during the 2012 ALA Annual Conference held in Anaheim, California; acknowledgment also to be made at the RUSA Awards Ceremony & Reception, Sunday, June 24, 2012, 5:00-6:30 PM during the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. Larson also will be honored at the RUSA Awards program.

Shannon Jones
sdjones@vcu.edu

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MARS Chair’s Program

The MARS Conference Program Planning Committee has produced a program on the use of mobile devices in libraries as communication tools between librarians and library patrons. The program, which will serve as both the RUSA President’s Program and the MARS Chair’s Program, is entitled “Library in Your Hand: Mobile Technologies for Exchanging Information with Patrons.”

Mobile devices are increasingly being used to provide libraries with the opportunity to disperse information at the exact point of need. This program will explore the importance of libraries supporting mobile technologies for the dissemination and acquisition of information. Examples of such projects currently being implemented in libraries will be discussed by our panel of speakers. Joan Lippincott, Associate Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information, will speak about why libraries should embrace communicating with patrons through mobile devices. Kristin Antelman, Associate Director for the Digital Library at NCSU Libraries, will speak about mobile initiatives at NCSU including WolfWalk, a photographic guide to the history of NCSU optimized for mobile devices. David Lee King, Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka Public Library, will discuss the social media used to communicate with patrons at the Topeka Public Library.

The session will be held on Sunday, June 24 from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM at the Anaheim Convention Center in room 204B. Hope to see you there!

Matt Torrence, Chair, Chair’s Program Committee
torrence@usf.edu

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Happy Hour 2012

Join the RUSA MARS Emerging Technologies in Reference Section for our annual Happy Hour! The MARS social event of the year, the Happy Hour is ideal for anyone interested in meeting "Martians" and learning about the work of MARS in a relaxed, festive environment. Newcomers and old friends alike: all are welcome. Eat, drink, and mingle just steps from the Convention Center.

MARS Happy Hour
Saturday, June 23, 2012
5:00 PM- 7:00 PM

Magnolia Room & Quiet Pool at the Anabella Hotel
1030 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, CA 92802
(adjacent to the Convention Center)

Complimentary appetizers and cash bar.

The 2012 MARS Happy Hour is generously sponsored by EBSCO Publishing.

Arlie Sims, Chair, Outreach
asims@colum.edu

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Professional Development Committee

An exciting new system, Blackboard Collaborate, has been put into place by RUSA for RUSA members to deliver online meetings, training sessions, and webinars. Recently, the MARS Professional Development (PD) committee has been charged with assisting in the process of identifying and developing relevant training materials for this new system. Blackboard Collaborate will replace GoToMeeting. Already, MARS PD committee members have attended one training session to become familiar with the system and there are plans to identify appropriate and helpful online tutorials as well as develop a set of best practices for using this new tool in our virtual meetings and webinar presentations.

The other major committee effort is the transformation of the joint RSS/MARS Preconference into a new workshop format which will be free to all registrants at the 2013 Midwinter Conference in Seattle. A location has been selected and content ideas are being considered based on the general theme, "New Technology for Reference from the Reference Interview to Roving Reference." Some specific content ideas include using Twitter and Facebook for the reference interview, portable devices like the iPad for roving reference, and reflections on how well "web 2.0" is delivering on promises for improving reference services. For further information, please contact Stephanie Alexander (stephanie.alexander@usc.edu) who is leading this subcommittee.

MARS PD continued to support professional development opportunities by sponsoring the RUSA webinar on "Introduction to Screencasting for Online Tutorials and Reference" on Dec. 16 and March 13. Our role has involved both moderating and co-presenting this webinar.

MARS PD welcomes and encourages MARS members in the submission of ideas for webinars. A form with guidelines is currently being developed. Until then, please send any webinar ideas to Nancy Cunningham (nancy@usf.edu), Chair of MARS Professional Development.

Nancy Cunningham, Chair
nancy@usf.edu

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Virtual Reference Discussion Forum at ALA Annual

4:00-5:30 PM, Saturday, June 23, 2012; Anaheim Convention Center, Room 201B

Discussion topic: "A Glimpse into the Near Future: What’s Next for Virtual Reference"

Passionate about virtual reference? Virtual Reference is now an integral part of library services—and it is constantly changing with new and emerging technologies. Come to VRDG with your dilemmas, victories, stalemates, puzzles, and experiments. Find out what is working, what’s not working and what we are all waiting on—novice or expert, all are welcome. Become part of the conversation online at ALA Connect and in-person at ALA Annual.

Committee News for VRDG
Meetings: Given the difficulty of finding times for synchronous online meetings that the majority of the committee’s members can attend, the committee has switched to e-mail for conducting its business.

Planning for ALA Annual 2012: In early February, the committee brainstormed topic ideas for the Virtual Reference Discussion Forum at ALA Annual 2012. The suggestions included what’s next for virtual reference, apps for virtual reference, and augmented reality for virtual reference. The committee selected augmented reality for virtual reference, received MARS’ Executive Committee approval for the topic, recruited Nate Hill to serve as kick-off speaker, and submitted a customized description for inclusion in ALA’s online conference schedule. Unfortunately, Nate subsequently had a conflict requiring him to cancel his trip to ALA Annual. The committee decided to switch its topic to what’s next for virtual reference and received MARS’ Executive Committee approval to do so. The committee is currently deciding on whom to invite to serve as a kick-off speaker for the forum. Once we have identified a speaker, we will develop a promotional strategy and begin advertising the forum.

Membership update: Officers for July 2012-June 2013 will be: Chair, Henry Bankhead; Vice-Chair, Julie Piacentine; Secretary, Jessica Sender. Returning members will be: Robert Metrick and Amanda Powers.

Jason Coleman, Chair, Virtual Reference Discussion Planning Committee
coleman@k-state.edu

To subscribe to MARS-L, see http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/mars-l

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Messages from MARS: The Newsletter of the RUSA-MARS Emerging Technologies in Reference Section

Melissa J. Clapp, Editor

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Message From the Chair

Greetings!

The months seem to be flying by, and we are fast approaching the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Winter of 2012 marks the first time that MARS will use a modified system of meeting during Midwinter. Committees, other than the Executive Committee, will be given the option of meeting in person during Midwinter or meeting virtually prior to Midwinter and submitting a report of committee activities to the Executive Committee by Friday, January 6. The Executive Committee will meet in person during Midwinter and will refer to committee reports to conduct business during each meeting. This is a pilot program, and it will be very interesting to gather feedback following Midwinter to gauge the general response from members of MARS.

The RUSA Membership Social will be held on Saturday, January 21. This event allows RUSA members and prospective members to meet and mingle while learning more about RUSA. I encourage you to attend if you are able to do so. The social is a highlight for RUSA during the Midwinter Meeting.

There will also be three very interesting discussion forums during Midwinter. Please show your support if you are attending the Conference. The Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group will host a discussion forum on Saturday, January 21 from 1:30-3:30 pm entitled “Reaching out to Patrons in Virtual Ways: Old School Successes and New Initiatives.”

The Local Systems and Services Committee will host a discussion on Sunday, January 22 from 4:00-5:30 pm. entitled “The Learning Commons and the Academic Library: Using Emerging Technologies and New Partnerships to Build Student Success.”

The Virtual Reference Discussion Group will host a discussion forum on Saturday, January 22 from 4:00-5:30 pm entitled “UX + VR FTW.” Read more about each of the discussion forums in the descriptions below. Please join us if you can!

Warm Regards,

Dianna McKellar

MARS 2011-2012

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MARS Professional Development Committee

With the merger of the Education, Training and Support with Professional Development (PD), MARS now has a new “Super Committee.” Take a look at our membership herd at our new ALA Connect site.

The PD Committee sponsored the first webinar for RUSA on August 2, 2011! Using GoToWebinar software recently licensed by RUSA, this webinar was an “Introduction to Screencasting Tutorials” based on content from a previous MARS program during Annual 2010. There were over forty attendees and plans to repeat this session are tentatively scheduled for December 16. We still have some growing to do in planning and executing webinars, but the potential is enormous and the support from RUSA is fantastic.

If you have any ideas for a MARS webinar, please contact Nancy Cunningham, Chair of Professional Development (nancy@usf.edu). The committee will be working on developing future webinars that shoujld be of value to ALA members. We are also interested in training other MARS commitees on the process and best practices for implementing webinars. Professional development is something that every MARS committee offers. We are eager to partner with any other committee and have lots of able members.

PD members also volunteered to participate in a joint RSS/MARS Subcommittee to plan preconference sessions. Both MARS and RSS intend to offer affordable professional development sessions as preconferences by finding locations and presenters that support our educational efforts without high fees. Got a great idea for a preconference? Please let Nancy know about it and she will pass it along.

Our committee held its first virtual meeting in October using GoToWebinar software! We found this to be an effective and fun way to conduct committee business. Members can record notes, visit websites, respond by voice or chat—the ultimate communication experience. No more scrambling at Midwinter to share ideas. We intend to continue having regular virtual meetings to help us stay on track with planning activities. Using the webinar software for virtual meetings also helps us improve our technical skills. Some of the challenges to virtual meetings have been scheduling, which required using Doodle to determine best meeting times and troubleshooting during the session. However the support from RUSA has been excellent and our committee will gain more experience as these virtual meetings become routine.

Van Houlson, Co-Chair

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RUSA MARS Virtual Reference Discussion Planning Committee Update

Saturday, January 21st 2012 4:00-5:30 pm

Location: Dallas Convention Center, V304

The title of the Virtual Reference Discussion Group is “UX + VR FTW”

Courtney Greene, Head of Digital User Experience (DUX) at Indiana University Bloomington Libraries, will begin the forum by discussing what happens when user experience meets virtual reference. She will argue that libraries are in the user experience business—that our users’ needs are at the forefront of everything we do. Greene will describe a recent reorganization that has led DUX to take on a more active role in supporting and managing virtual reference (VR) tools at IUB Libraries: IM via LibraryH3lp, text reference via Google Voice, and a newly re-designed mobile site. She will share how she and her team have worked to balance the advantages of centralized management of VR services (for over a dozen service points across campus) with the importance of staying closely connected to librarians in the field, on the ground and at the desk. She will also discuss how the mobile redesign increased access to research apps and how users have responded to the changes. After Greene’s presentation we will discuss her ideas and other emerging technologies for virtual reference.

Committee News:

The Virtual Reference Discussion Planning Committee has held three online meetings since ALA Annual, 2011: July 27, 2011, August 8, 2011, September 28, 2011. With the committee’s expanded membership (from 3 members to 7 members), it is proving difficult to find meeting times and meeting platforms that work well for all members. The committee has been using MegaMeeting or Google + Hangouts for synchronous online meetings, and Google Docs for asynchronous sharing of ideas.

Jason Coleman, Chair