Thursday, December 20, 2007

FLA Joins Facebook

The Florida Library Association now has a group page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com. While you're adding FLA to your group of friends, don't forget to join the FLA NMRT's group too!

FLA’s Facebook page will provide association members with a quick and easy way to network and keep up with what's going on in the library world in Florida. Be sure to check out FLA's other communication tools-- FLA Blog and FLA Listservs-- as well

National Library Legislative Day

Registration is open now for National Library Legislative Day 2008! Come to Washington, DC, and join hundreds of library supporters from across the country visiting Members of Congress. Share stories about libraries in your community and tell your Congressmen and women about the needs and accomplishments of those libraries.

For more information on registration and accommodations, please visit http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/nlld2008.cfm.

Please send your registration forms and fees for National Library Legislative Day NLLD) to your state coordinator, who will forward the materials to the ALA Washington Office. The registration form can be printed from the NLLD website.

o State Coordinator information can be found at the NLLD State Coordinators page.
o Remember to include your registration fee in the amount of $20.00 with your registration form. Make checks payable to: National Library Legislative Day.

Monday, December 10, 2007

FLA Executive Director Search

The Florida Library Association seeks an executive director to manage Association activities, membership, and finances and to establish and manage an FLA office. The Association has an annual budget of approximately $300,000 and will have 1.5 FTE when the new office opens after the Executive Director is hired. The current Executive Director contracts to provide services and will be available to assist during the transition from contracted association management to employees working in an FLA leased office. The transition will be complete no later than June 30, 2008.

The Association prefers that the new FLA office be located in Tallahassee, Florida although other locations in the state will be considered depending on the preferences of Executive Director candidates.

Primary responsibilities include Board support; contract management (lobbyist, conference management, Web services, publication editors, and others); conference and other event planning; assuring compliance with federal and state requirements for 501c3 non-profit corporations; collaboration with and assistance to elected officers, committees and member groups; advocacy, including registering as a lobbyist with the Florida executive and legislative branches of state government; public relations; and membership and organization development.

Visit http://www.flalib.org/executive_director_search.html for more information.






Supervision and Reporting

The Florida Library Association Executive Director is an employee of the Association Executive Board. The President is the immediate supervisor of the Executive Director.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Serve as an ex officio, non-voting member on all committees.

2. Advance and support the interests of Association membership through efficient and effective leadership of Association affairs and by enabling members to be effective in their roles within FLA.

3. Form strong partnerships with other library-related organizations in Florida, with the American Library Association, and with organizations interested in libraries, literacy, and freedom of access to information.

4. Serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Association Executive Board, prepare Board meeting materials, assure that meeting logistics are arranged and announced, and assist the President in developing Board meeting agendas.

5. Manage and account for Association income, expenditures, and savings/investment, providing quarterly reports to the Treasurer. Coordinate approval of expenditures with the Treasurer and keep that officer and the President informed of the financial condition of the Association at least monthly. With the Treasurer, prepare an annual financial report for the Annual Business Meeting.

6. Hire, train and supervise Association employees.

7. Assure availability of an Association office location that is readily available to members via telephone and electronic communication.

8. Increase membership through an organized plan of recruitment and retention activities. Assist the Membership Committee in coordinating and implementing an effective program of membership development and services. Manage maintenance of an accurate, up-to-date membership database and provide regular membership reports to the Executive Board.

9. Recruit and educate new Association leaders. Assist the Leadership Development Committee in coordinating and implementing an effective program designed to cultivate new Association leaders. Assist the Vice-President/President Elect in identifying members to serve on committee each year and the Nominating Committee in identifying officer candidates for annual elections. Present formal orientation programs for new Board members, committee chairs, and member group leaders each year.

10. Facilitate recognition of and compliance with leadership responsibilities and deadlines of the Association. Provide one-to-one coaching and serve as a resource to answer questions and provide continuity for Association leadership.

11. Coordinate provision of an annual conference with exhibits by recommending a conference management firm to the Executive Board and working closely with the contracted firm throughout conference planning and the conference itself. Assist the Conference Committee in developing a conference program of events and programs and serve as liaison between the committee and the conference management firm.

12. Initiate and carry out fundraising activities to increase funds available for library advocacy and member services.

13. Represent the interests of Association leadership and members by contributing to long-range planning, both strategic and operational. Provide the Executive Board with a quarterly update of progress towards the goals and objectives of the annual strategic plan.


14. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of Association and FLA office activities, programs, services, and methods. In conjunction with the Planning Committee, recommend the continuance, enhancement, or discontinuance of Association activities.

15. Serve as spokesperson for the association under the direction of the President.

16. Coordinate Association communications. Manage the Web site, electronic email lists, and print and electronic publications and blogs. Assure that all communications are timely and fit within FLA’s mission. Maintain an effective internal and external public relations program to assure an informed membership, inform potential members and the media, Florida legislature, other associations and industry groups about FLA.

17. With the Secretary, assure accuracy of Executive Board minutes and other documents to be maintained in the FLA archive.

18. Develop and make available to membership an annual programmatic report.

19. Provide effective leadership in working with the Executive Board, FLA employees and contracted service providers, FLA units, and membership in the development and implementation of policies furthering the mission, goals, and objectives of FLA as these are specified in the annual FLA Strategic Plan.

20. Maintain the FLA Policy Manual and interpret and administer policies. Work effectively with the Executive Board to develop, implement, revise, and evaluate policy.

21. Maintain regular contact with committee and member group leadership to be aware of their activities and provide information to and from the Executive Board. Encourage Association leaders to communicate regularly with their constituents.

22. Attend ALA Mid-Winter and Annual Conferences as funds allow, participating in the meetings and activities of ICLAE and the ALA Chapter Relations Office.

23. Attend library-related functions across the state as funds allow.

Education and Experience Requirements

1. Education – minimum of an ALA accredited Master’s degree in librarianship/information services or business administration/management or other, related field

2. Experience – minimum of five years experience managing a library or non-profit membership association

Other Requirements
Physical – must be able to: stand and sit for a period of up to two hours; proficiency in spoken and written English; lift objects of up to 20 pounds in weight;

License –: must have a Florida driver’s license within two weeks of employment;

Skills: ability to drive an automobile; ability to effectively use Microsoft Office computer software products, Internet searching methods, email software such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, and Quick Books accounting software

Other –: must own an insured automobile or have access to an insured automobile that can be used for Association-related travel

Thursday, November 29, 2007

FLA press conference

The Florida Library Association held a press conference this morning as part of their Campaign to Convince Floridians of the Value of Public Libraries. We had good attendance, a number of print and TV press folks, so you may be hearing about it in your area. The press release below is going out today from Herrle Communications, the PR firm that is assisting us with the campaign. If you see anything in your paper or on your TV about this please let Ruth O'Donnell, FLA Executive Director, know by sending an e-mail to flaexecutivedirector@comcast.net.




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
: November 29, 2007
CONTACT: Jennifer Abdelnour: jennifer@herrle.com

Doing more with less, Florida public libraries continue to provide lifeline to essential services

Libraries are portals to technology, government and literacy

TALLAHASSEE -- Advocates for Florida's public libraries came together today to promote the wide range of essential services they provide to Floridians, as well as call for their continued funding and support. Speaking from the steps of the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library, public library experts underscored the high value Floridians place on public libraries and the many unsung resources they offer to millions, including free access to information technology, government services and literacy development.

"Florida's public libraries are not a luxury," said Florida Library Association (FLA) president Charlie Parker. "Floridians of all ages treasure their local libraries as vital community connections and resources for fostering not only the literacy of our children, but our adults, as well," he added.

Some of the most popular public services available at libraries today are free computer usage and access to information technology via high-speed Internet connections.

"For the millions of Floridians without a computer or Internet access at home, public libraries' connectivity is a necessity," said John Carlo Bertot, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Director of the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University.

Bertot added, "Public libraries have also become agents of e-government by providing residents across the state with Internet access to local, state and federal services, some of which are available only online."

For instance, libraries and librarians provide direct assistance to those seeking information about how to apply for public assistance, file income taxes electronically, search for the perfect job, or how to become a U.S. citizen, among many other government services. In fact, both a national study and a survey of Florida's public library directors found that some state agencies routinely direct recipients without computer access to local libraries to obtain assistance in navigating agency Web sites, applying for government benefits and services or just to seek additional information.

"Library users and government agencies expect libraries to provide easy access to government services, despite a lack of additional funding or training," said Bertot.

Free year-round programming for youth is another example of vital public services Florida public libraries offer. This includes such resources as the Born to Read and Summer Library Programs, homework help, and story times and other school readiness and support programs. These services help develop new readers and library users by fostering the love of reading for reading's sake.

"Research has shown the best predictor of children's summer learning loss or gain is whether or not the child reads during the summer," said Carole Fiore, independent Training and Library Consultant. "Studies indicate that children who participate in summer reading programs increase both their vocabulary and reading comprehension scores," Fiore added.

In addition to the lifeline they extend to communities on a day-to-day basis, many libraries have also proven crucial to disaster recovery.

Public libraries have served as temporary shelters for hurricane survivors and emergency personnel, as communication centers and often as the only places with working Internet connections and phone lines. Disaster victims use these services to search for missing family, check weather and neighborhood conditions and to complete Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and insurance claim forms online.

Despite the extensive information and resources Florida public libraries offer, they remain a remarkably efficient government service.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Florida libraries serve the public at an average cost of $26.59 per person annually, which is 16 percent less than the national average for public library service.

Lean fiscal times, however, challenge this efficiency on a daily basis.

Many Florida public libraries are already experiencing shorter hours of operation, staff layoffs, hiring freezes and a reduction of available materials. Additional budget cuts could result in even shorter library hours or branch closings and deeper cuts to personnel, materials and services, such as bookmobiles, outreach to senior centers and services for people with disabilities.

"Clearly, decreased funding for libraries mean cuts to essential services," Parker noted. "Future funding cuts will only further jeopardize the ability of public libraries to serve the needs of all Floridians," he added.

Poster Session Applications Sought for FLA 2008

Applications are being accepted for poster session presentations at the 2008 Florida Library Association Annual Conference (http://www.flalib.org/conference_2008.html).

Application forms and related information are available at the following website:
http://library.ucf.edu/Presentations/FLA2008/PosterSession.htm

Applications also may be e-mailed to Matt Torrence, Chair of the FLA Continuing Education Committee, at torrence@lib.usf.edu. Please be sure to provide the poster title, author's name, institutional address, e- mail address, and a 150 word abstract.


The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, February 22, 2008. Applicants will be notified by Friday, March 7, 2008 concerning the outcome of the review process. Poster sessions will be presented April 23 - 25, 2008 at the conference, being held at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Petersburg.


Questions? Contact Matt Torrence at torrence@lib.usf.edu or by phone at (813) 974-2779.


**Please note that due to space restrictions, roundtable sessions are not being offered at the 2008 FLA Annual Conference.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

FLA Conference Teaser

2008 FLA Annual Conference and Exhibition preconference information is leaking out slowly. Check out this exciting opportunity!

=============================================

Think, Lead, & Manage like Today's Top Library Leaders!

The "best of the best" in library leadership share their insights and views on what it takes to be a leader in today's ever-changing social and economic environment. Developed at the Leadership Institute at Syracuse University, this preconference workshop gives participants the building blocks to recognize the traits and styles of leaders, sharpen existing skills, and master new strengths. It emphasizes the principles of superior leadership. Moreover, this workshop offers people the practical tools and techniques to become effective leaders.

What You Can Expect…
- Identify your leadership orientation.
- Learn how leaders master change.
- Increase your capacity to lead and manage.
- Conduct a personal self-assessment in order to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Presenter David Bendekovic has more than 25 years of experience building and growing commercial software, wireless, Internet, and telecommunications companies. David is recognized as a skilled training and development specialist with first-hand knowledge of what it takes to be successful. During the past three years, over 4,000 people representing over 1,500 organizations have attended his leadership, marketing, and customer service workshops. David is vice-president of Polaris Library Systems. He also serves as a program director for the Leadership Institute at Syracuse University, teaches at the University's Whitman School of Management, and serves as an advisor/consultant for student agencies at Cornell University.

Aspiring library leaders, you don't want to miss this FLA preconference!
Tradewinds Beach Resorts and Conference Center, St. Pete Beach, Florida
April 22, 2008

Visit http://www.fiu.edu/~hammills/FLA/leaders.pdf for more information.

Friday, November 16, 2007

FLA 2008 Membership Renewal Notice

It's time to renew your FLA membership! And now, it's even easier to do so! Visit http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=114714 to renew your membership online, or go to http://www.flalib.org/PDFdocuments/MEMBERSHIP%20APPLICATION%202008.pdf to print a mail-in renewal form. Regardless of the method you choose, don't forget to select the New Members Roundtable as one of your Member Group affiliations.

One more thing-- don't forget that students can get joint FLA / ALA membership for only $32!! Take advantage of the savings while you still can!

Florida Libraries: Call for articles

Article proposals are being accepted for the spring 2008 issue of Florida Libraries. The spring issue is not a themed issue, so articles may be on any topic related to Florida libraries or on the theme for the 2008 FLA Annual Conference, "Celebrate the Leader in You."

Proposals for articles should be submitted to Gloria Colvin (gpcolvin@yahoo.com) by December 1 using the proposal form at http://www.flalib.org/forms_pdf/Form_18.pdf. Articles are due by January 7, 2008.

Guidelines for publishing in Florida Libraries are available at http://www.flalib.org/pub_Guidlines.html.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Footnotes

The latest issues of Footnotes, the newsletter of the ALA NMRT, is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/nmrt/footnotes/november2007a/footnotesnov2007.htm.

Highlights include:

Articles: "How Valuable Are You?" and "The Classroom Meets the Real World"

Regular Features: "Job Talk Column: Making the Most of the Resume Review Service"

Scholarship Announcements

Thursday, November 1, 2007

FLA Legislative Platform Summary Available

The FLA Legislative Platform summary is available at http://www.flalib.org/PDFdocuments/FLA%20Leg%20Platform%202008.pdf. Details on the issues in the platform will be available soon.

Public library folks will want to read the section about State Aid to Libraries - the amount FLA is requesting from the legislature has changed from the $10 M FLA asked for in the last several years. We are hoping this approach of tying increases to a four year goal (Governor's term of office) that relates to increases in the cost of living will be better received than the $10 M request has been.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

ALA 2008 Scholarship Online Application Now Available

Scholarship money is available for future librarians! The American Library Association (ALA) has more than $300,000 for students who are studying library science or school library media at the master's degree level. Scholarships typically range from $2,500 to $6,500 per student per year. The application and instructions are available on-line at www.ala.org/scholarships. The application deadline is March 1.

There are many types of scholarships available for the study of librarianship. These include scholarships for students who are interested in Children's Librarianship, School Librarianship, Youth Librarianship, Federal Librarianship, and Library Automation. In addition, there are also scholarships available for minorities, persons with disabilities and for people who are already employed in libraries but do not have an MLS.

To be considered for one of these scholarships, applicants must attend a masters program in library and information science that has been accredited by the ALA. Applicants interested in school library media must attend a program that meets ALA curriculum guidelines for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

The scholarship process is open annually from October through March. For more information, visit www.ala.org/scholarships or call the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at 800-545-2433, ext. 4279.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Upcoming Events

Check out these library events at a location near you:

Florida Association of College and Research Libraries (FACRL) Fall Program: October 26

Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC) Annual Meeting: November 2

Southwest Florida Library Network (SWFLN) Annual Meeting: November 9

Southeast Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN) Annual Meeting: November 16

Central Florida Library Consortium Annual Meeting: December 7

Thursday, September 20, 2007

$50,000 Available through 2008 AASL Awards Program

More than $50,000 (yes! you read that correctly!) is available through the American Association of School Librarians' annual awards program. Eleven awards, grants and scholarships recognize and support outstanding contributions to the school library media field in a variety of categories, including leadership, reading, information technology and distinguished service to the profession. Visit the AASL website at http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslawards/aaslawards.cfm for more information.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

FACRL Fall Meeting

If you are planning to attend the FACRL/ FLA Academic Libraries member group's Fall Meeting, and wouldn't mind serving as an FLA Board representative for the day, please contact Tomaro. Board representatives are asked to briefly provide an update of the library association, new services and products available through FLA, etc. The Fall meeting is scheduled for October 26 at Edison College in Ft. Myers.

Thanks!
tomaro (ttaylor@lib.usf.edu)

Saturday, July 7, 2007

FLA NMRT on Facebook

Good morning all!

I have created a group for the FLA NMRT on facebook.

Feel free to join!

Things Cheryl and I are working on at the moment:
- proposals for next year's FLA Annual conference
- we've had a request to do a resume workshop at the USF library for the interns and new librarians there. I'm working on the logistics of that.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for things the NMRT could be doing, please let either of us know!

Have a great Saturday!
-t

Friday, June 15, 2007

ALA NMRT Student Reception

If you're going to ALA this year, check this out. I went to the reception last year and had much fun.
From LIBREF-L:

Are you a library school student and heading to ALA? If so consider attending the Library School Student Reception Sunday, June 24 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt in the Lafayette Park room.
The reception is sponsored by The New Members Round Table (NMRT) and is a great place to meet fellow library school students and members of the New Members Round Table. There are so many opportunities to become involved with ALA in the vast array of committees, subcommittees, associations (such as RUSA), and round tables. Stop by the NMRT Student Reception to find out about these opportunities and get answers to your questions about ALA.
This year's reception will be an ALA Café with snacks and representatives from many groups within ALA. At the reception SASCO will award the Student Chapter of the Year Award (SCOTYA).

Friday, June 1, 2007

Apply for the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute

Because with an acronym like SSLLI (pronounced "silly") how can you not? ;)

-t

----

The Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute is a year-long comprehensive series of learning sessions that focuses on developing an understanding of leadership within a conceptual framework and practical applications. Participants will attend 10 days of training throughout the year covering

    • mentoring and leadership styles
    • exemplary leadership
    • leadership and diversity
    • present state of leadership
    • community advocacy
    • the future of leadership

The Institute includes sessions relating to various concepts and skills, using supplemental books, articles, and materials based on participants’ needs and interests. The leadership sessions are a combination of lectures and informal, interactive discussions. A variety of small group and large group activities with inventories, surveys, and assessment tools are used to stimulate personal development. Participants take part in a formal mentoring process that matches participants and mentors based on career development interests and geographical location.

This year-long Leadership Institute is open to library staff who exhibit leadership potential, including the ability to share with others enthusiasm, optimism, and vision for the library services of tomorrow. The Institute is open to individuals from all types of libraries (public, academic, school, and special). It is designed for professional librarians, as well as those in management positions without an MLS. Candidates should have a minimum of two years professional library experience and a demonstrated successful professional work experience.

Applicants can apply to attend the Institute in either the Tampa or Daytona area.

Deadline for applications – June 13, 2007 postmark
Selection and notification – August 2007
Complete information about the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute and application forms are available at
http://www.neflin.org/leadership.

Contact Stephanie Race at NEFLIN (sslli@neflin.org or 904.278.5620) for more information.

The Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant administered by the Florida Department of State, State Library and Archives of Florida. The Institute is managed by the Northeast Florida Library Information Network.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

FLA/PLAN "Unconference"

FLA and PLAN (the Panhandle Library Access Network) are hosting an "unconference" on August 6, 2007 at the Niceville Community Center. What’s an "unconference"? It's a day-long meeting that is shorter, less expensive and, for some, a lot closer to home than a conference!

The "unconference" theme is "Web 2.0 and Library 2.0- Up Close and Personal." Lee Logan of the Alliance Library System (Illinois) is the featured keynote speaker. Other speakers include Gary Ross, Vice President for Technology at Thomson Gale, Mark Flynn of the Florida Electronic Library and Diana Sachs and Chad Mairn.

Registration

Please register online at http://www.plan.lib.fl.us/ Upon registration, FLA will send you an invoice payable by check, credit card or purchase order.

Fee (includes AM & PM breaks and lunch)

      • $35 for FLA members and employees of PLAN member libraries
      • $45 for non-members

Questions?

Contact Alicia Hedgecock, AHedgecock@plan.lib.fl.us, or Ruth O’Donnell, flaexecutivedirector@comcast.net.


Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Marshall Cavendish Essay Contest

This is from the ALA NMRT. I figured I'd send it along in case any of the FLA NMRT members are going to ALA this year.
-t

Marshall Cavendish Essay Contest

Don't forget to enter!


NMRT is pleased to sponsor the 2007 Marshall Cavendish Essay Contest. Thanks to the generous support of Marshall Cavendish
, NMRT is able to offer three tickets to the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

This year's banquet will be held Sunday, June 24, 2007, from 6:00-11:00 p.m. Tickets are usually $89 each. Any ALA NMRT member may enter. Just write a short essay (around 250 words) telling us why you want to attend the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet and how you feel you would benefit.

Email your entry to Jen Dawson (jenniferdawson91@gmail.com) by May 31st. Winners will be notified shortly thereafter.

Monday, April 30, 2007

Congratulations to our new officers

Congratulations to Cheryl Davis, Vice Chair/ Chair Elect, and Tomaro Taylor, Webmaster/Email Group Administrator (Tomaro ran unopposed).

These wonderful women will take their positions on May 1. I look forward to a great year with the FLA-NMRT!

For those interested in getting involved with the NMRT - keep your eyes out for potential projects and committees. And, the best way to get involved is to propose something! If it sounds even remotely interesting, we're all about trying it!

-t
tracey
tracey dot reed at gmail dot com
Chair, FLA-NMRT

Friday, April 27, 2007

Candidates for 2007-2008 Vice-Chair/Chair Elect

The following are the 2 candidates for the 2007-2008 Vice Chair and 2008-2009 Chair position for the FLA NMRT. The voting will take place via a Survey Monkey survey which will go up Friday, April 27 at 6 p.m. and will run through 9 AM Monday, April 30 (due to technical problems).

Here is the link to the voting page:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=707083776390


Please feel free to contact me or either of the candidates for more information.

-t
--
Tracey Reed
Chair, FLA NMRT
tracey dot reed at gmail dot com


---------------
Cheryl Davis
Hello ! My name is Cheryl Davis. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts and moved to Florida in 2001.

Service has always been one of my core values. My career has allowed me to cross many different paths and I am new to this profession. I was the recipient of an ELSUN ( Educating Librarians to Serve the Underserved) Grant from USF and graduated in August 06 ( Whew!). I recently accepted my first position in the Library Science field, a Librarian position in Central Florida. My road to Library Science was paved early in life. I would be honored to serve you in this capacity. As a new graduate myself, I would welcome the opportunity to serve those who are new to either the profession or the FLA.
------------------------------------

Cheryl Wolfe

Cheryl Wolfe is a Reference Librarian with the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. As of March 2007, she became in charge of digitization projects involving the library system's history. Cheryl earned her M.L.I.S. from Kent State University. She is a member of the Rho Chapter of Beta Phi Mu. Other professional memberships include the Florida Library Association and the American Library Association. In 2006, Cheryl was awarded the August Alpers Award from Kent State University's School of Library and Information Science.


Friday, April 20, 2007

FLA-NMRT Seeks Officers for 2007-2008

The FLA New Members Round Table (NMRT) Interest Group seeks officers for the 2007-2008 term. If you are interested in running for any (or all!) of the positions listed below, please contact Tracey Reed, FLA NMRT Chair by Wednesday, April 25 at 5 PM.

A list of candidates will be submitted to FLA NMRT members, via the FLA NMRT email group, for electronic vote on April 27. Voting will end April 28 at 5 PM.

New officers will be notified on April 30 and take their positions immediately upon membership notification on May 1. Please contact Tracey Reed (tracey.reed at gmail dot com or tracey.reed at myclearwater dot com) or Tomaro Taylor (ttaylor at lib dot usf dot edu) if you have any questions.

Candidates are needed to fill the following positions within the FLA NMRT Interest Group:
Vice Chair/Chair Elect
Secretary
Listserv Manager/Website Manager

I look forward to hearing from you! It's going to be a great year for FLA NMRT!
-tracey, Chair FLA NMRT

Thursday, April 19, 2007

2007 FLA Annual Conference Program Summary

The FLA-NMRT sponsored two programs during the 2007 Annual Conference and Exhibition, the “New Members Orientation” (sponsored, in part, by the Leadership Development Committee) and “Make Your Resume Work for You: Stay Sharp, Get Ready and Be Competitive!” In addition, the 2006-2007 FLA-NMRT Chair (Tomaro Taylor) and Immediate Past President (Rachael Cathcart) participated in the session “Does it Matter How Many Piercings I Have?”

“New Members Orientation”: Wednesday, April 11
  • Speakers: Tomaro Taylor (Outgoing Chair, NMRT); Sol Hirsch (Outgoing President, FLA); Elizabeth Curry (Leadership Development committee); Charlie Parker (Incoming President, FLA); Tracey Reed (Incoming Chair, NMRT); and Beth Lucas and Magali Kirwan (Local Arrangements committee)
  • Attendees: 30
  • Summary: For the second year in a row, this session was met with overwhelming success. Attendance nearly doubled that of last year’s session [last year’s figures included members of the Executive Board, who had been encouraged to attend] and included individuals from all library types. Many attendees stayed after the session to discuss opportunities available through active involvement in both FLA and the NMRT. Others spoke with presenters about specific topics covered during the session, such as: proposing conference programs, roundtables and poster sessions; expressing/stating interest in serving on an FLA committee or member group; and applying for the Sunshine State Leadership Institute. A number of attendees stated that the session provided a good overview of FLA, making active involvement seem less daunting or restrictive. The 2006-2007 FLA-NMRT leadership feels that the session accomplished at least three of the NMRT’s main goals- to orient new members to Florida and the library and information studies profession; to promote and encourage active participation in state professional activities; and to provide a venue for leadership opportunities and serve as a starting point for furthering such opportunities. Overall, we were very pleased with the session and look forward to hosting it again next year.

“Make Your Resume Work for You: Stay Sharp, Get Ready and Be Competitive!” Thursday, April 12

  • Speaker: Tracey Reed (Incoming Chair, NMRT); six library/ library cooperative professionals served as resume reviewers: Rachael Cathcart (FAU), Kiersty Cox (USF), Beth Farmer (TBLC), Barbara Pickell (CPLS) and Tomaro Taylor (USF)
  • Attendees: 15
  • Summary: The “Resume Review Service” functions as an unofficial subgroup of the FLA-NMRT. Throughout the year, various members of the NMRT lend their expertise to those in the field (primarily students) seeking assistance with updating, formatting and/or presenting their resume. During the 2005 Annual Conference, the NMRT set-up a resume review service booth, at which conference attendees could make an appointment for a review with a librarian. The success of the booth, coupled with subsequent non-conference requests for reviews, led to the idea of providing a workshop/information session about writing and submitting resumes and/or curriculum vitae. The session went very well, indicated by the copious amounts of notes being taken by attendees. Following the 30-40 minute talk and Q&A, seven session attendees met with library professionals for informal reviews. Attendees participating in the review seemed pleased with the results of the service. The FLA-NMRT was happy with the program’s success and enjoyed providing this service face-to-face.

“Does it Matter How Many Piercings I Have?” Wednesday, April 11

  • Speakers: Timothy Bottorff (UCF); Sheila Bryant (FAMU); Suzanne Byke (FSU); Rachael Cathcart (FAU); Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen (FSU); and Tomaro Taylor (USF)
  • Attendees: approximately 50
  • Summary: Surprisingly well-attended, “Piercings” generated much discussion from both attendees and non-attendees. An intriguing topic (and catchy title) helped draw a large crowd to a session that was both enlightening and informative.

Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute

The Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute is a year-long comprehensive series of learning sessions that focuses on developing an understanding of leadership, within a conceptual framework and practical applications. Participants will attend 10 days of training throughout the year, covering: mentoring and leadership styles; exemplary leadership; leadership and diversity
present state of leadership; community advocacy; and the future of leadership.

The application process currently is underway for the 2007-2008 Leadership Institute. Visit http://www.neflin.org/leadership/year4.html for more information.

Annual Conference 2006 Redux

A Change of Pace

The FLA Conference provides a much needed change of pace for librarians, students and graduate assistants.

By trade, librarians have the responsibility of assisting patrons and helping them find information that is of importance to them. It does not matter whether they are researching for personal, professional, instructional, or educational purposes. Without the librarian and their knowledge of materials and information, most users would be lost in the vast array of information available to them.

The FLA Conference attendees’ experience was just the opposite. There, librarians and librarians in training were like the patrons surrounded by a vast amount of information. We found ourselves, seeking other librarians for assistance…the librarians who organized the conference. However, because of careful planning, new attendees were able to find the information most important to them very quickly. We were also able to determine which sessions would be more beneficial because of careful planning.

As a student, it was a great experience. The FLA Conference was an opportunity to provide a different look at the profession we are being introduced to. Most memorable was, students were greeted and welcomed like the other librarians and library professionals. Students were also able to see the skills of competent librarians in action. Students observed librarians pull it all together with instruction, information, pamphlets, etc. Also while observing the speakers, students were introduced to the instructional portion of the profession.

For graduate assistants, who are somewhat in-between the status of a student and a librarian, the FLA Conference was a wonderful experience. For those with experience working the reference desk, the vendor display is a fascinating experience. Visiting the vendor booths provides the opportunity to meet many of the database representatives that are utilized for assistance in helping our patrons. Viewing the vendor displays also provides insight into the latest innovations and tools of the librarian trade.

Attending the FLA Conference is a true learning experience. It is one where the learning can be taken and utilized in future contacts with colleagues and patrons.

"A Change of Pace" was written by Will Tarver, USF SLIS Graduate Student and USF Tampa Library Graduate Assistant, June 2006. Contact Will at wtarver@lib.usf.edu.

Greetings!

Welcome to the official blog of the Florida Library Association's New Members Round Table member group.

Established in 2004, the FLA-NMRT serves Florida's library communities by:
  • bringing together new librarians for orientation to the scope and potentialities of the library and information science professions;
  • encouraging idea exchanges among its members;
  • acquainting its members with the structure and purpose of the Florida Library Association; and
  • providing a venue for leadership opportunities and serving as a starting point to further said opportunities.

This year (2007-2008), our group leaders are Tracey Reed (Chair) and Tomaro Taylor (Immediate Past Chair). The FLA-NMRT currently is seeking a Vice-Chair/Chair Elect. If you are interested in this position, please contact Tracey at tracey.reed@gmail.com.