November 2019

November Member Spotlight

Brenna Wade



Brenna Wade
Public Services Librarian

Hillsdale College
Interest Group Coordination Council Chair

What are you currently reading?

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien. I am rereading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, as I read it in high school, and never actually finished the Fellowship. I also need to reread The Wizard of Oz for a book discussion I am leading, and the book club I just joined is reading A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr this month. 

What are your research interests?
Student engagement in the library; library marketing, outreach, and programming; library culture; and objects in libraries.

Do you have hobbies or interests outside of the library?
I most enjoy spending time with my husband and son and our three pets: Klaus (German shepherd) and 2 cats, Wren and Chewbacca. I also love reading in my newly built home library.

What drew you to the library profession?
In high school, a bookstore donated a bunch of books to my school, and I spent my study halls organizing the books and putting them on the shelves. When my English teacher suggested that I become a librarian, it just made sense, and while the type of librarian has changed, the desire to be one has not. I definitely started with the cliche of "I love books," but I also love to help people. I enjoy researching and learning, and not only do I get to help people with their information needs, but I also learn new things along the way. 

What do you value about MiALA?
Basically, everything. I appreciate the opportunities to be involved in the organization, and I enjoy meeting colleagues and creating friendships from across the state. The annual conference is very useful, as I have taken and applied several things that I heard about at the conference to my job every year, and it is now my favorite conference to attend. 

Call for Nominations: 2020 LIRT Awards

Emilia Marcyk

In this upcoming season of gifts and gratitude, consider gifting someone else or yourself the honor of a LIRT Awards submission!
 
The ALA LIRT (Library Instruction Round Table) welcomes your submissions for two awards created to recognize excellence in information literacy and instruction. Submissions from all types of libraries are encouraged. Winners will receive a $1,000 award, a plaque, and a $500 travel stipend to be used to attend the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL, where the awards will be presented. 
  • The LIRT Librarian Recognition Award honors a librarian for their contributions to information literacy and instruction.
  • The LIRT Innovation in Instruction Award honors a library for their innovative approach to information literacy and instruction.
 Submissions will be accepted until January 15, 2020. For full details on how to apply for these awards yourself or to nominate someone to receive them, visit the LIRT Awards site (http://www.ala.org/rt/lirt/awards).
 
We look forward to receiving your submission!
 

President's Message

Beth Martin

It’s November and we are in the height of fall colors. This time of year is my favorite and with Thanksgiving approaching it is a time of gratitude and thankfulness. There is so much I am grateful for with MiALA and you, its members. I want to thank you for your leadership and dedication to MiALA. I also want to thank our Institutional Members who give us many opportunities to continue our mission. Thank you.

I’d like to thank our membership committee who is sponsoring a mentoring program through MiALA. Mentoring newer librarians is a valuable exercise to acclimate them to our profession and guide them on their new career path. If you wish to be a mentor or a mentee please find the sign-up on our website. Applications are due November 8, 2019.

I am also wanting to thank all of our IG members. They have been busy hosting meetings and planning small events. It is this activity that keeps our organization moving forward. Thank you.

Lastly, I wish to thank the leadership of MiALA, our board members, committee members, IGCC members and IG chairs. Your leadership is appreciated as is your hard work and dedication to MiALA. You are the glue that keeps the organization together. Thank you.

Thank you all for being apart of MiALA and finding value within our organization.

Respectfully yours,

Beth 

Introducing the MiALA Mentoring Program

The MiALA Membership Committee is excited to introduce new mentoring and micro-mentoring opportunities for MiALA members! Grow your professional network, ask questions related to your professional work, and more! The MiALA Membership Committee Mentoring Program is designed to contribute to the professional development of all members of MiALA. The program creates opportunities for the exchange of ideas and experiences between paired mentors and mentees. Mentors should be experienced in their fields and have a passion for their work. Mentees should be librarians who are seeking to improve their skills and knowledge related to librarianship or specific aspects of librarianship.

Who: You, a MiALA member! Sign up to be a mentor or a mentee

What: A mentoring and micro-mentoring relationship for all MiALA members. Commit to at least one conversation between mentors and mentees to get to know one another and allow for the mentee to ask questions or get advice on their identified professional issue.

When: Sign up to be a mentor or mentee by Friday, November 8th. The MiALA Membership Committee will pair you with a mentor or mentee by January 6th.

Where: Email, phone, Zoom, Skype, however you’d like to get in contact with one another. Are you local to one another? Consider getting coffee together!

How: Would you like to be a mentor? Submit this form to sign up: https://forms.gle/Q2BWpEuzu9VxNz3V6  
Would you like to find a mentor? Potential mentees, submit this form to sign up: https://forms.gle/iHxdyYWUW2J3LobK7 . 

The MiALA Membership Committee will match up mentors and mentees and get in touch to make the connection! All we ask is that you talk through email, phone, Zoom, or whatever will work best for you at least once to provide advice or build each other’s professional network.

Call for MiALA Annual Conference Breakout Session Proposals

Grounded and Growing

The need to grow and change is a constant for libraries as we respond and adapt to our evolving academic environments. As we celebrate 5 years of MiALA and look towards the future of the organization, we will explore the ways academic libraries are initiating and managing change, not just redefining and reevaluating, but growing from a place that is grounded in our strengths and aligned with community needs. How do we continue what is working and critically examine and pivot from what is not?

MiALA invites you and your colleagues to submit presentation proposals for the 5th annual conference to be held May 14-15, 2020 at Ferris State University. Participation from librarians, library staff, LIS students, and administrators from all types of academic libraries is encouraged.  MiALA membership is not required to submit a proposal. We welcome proposals on any topic related to academic libraries, including, but not limited to:

  • Access Services
  • Accessibility
  • Administration
  • Assessment and Evaluation
  • Budgets
  • Cataloging and Metadata
  • Collections
  • Critical Librarianship
  • Distance or Online Learning
  • Education and Curriculum
  • Electronic Resources
  • Fine Arts
  • Health Sciences
  • Instruction and Information Literacy
  • Leadership
  • Michigan Alma
  • Mid-Level Management
  • Open Educational Resources
  • Outreach
  • Research Services or Reference
  • Residency
  • Resource Sharing
  • STEM
  • Technical Services
  • Technology
  • User Experience
  • Web Development and Design

We are seeking the following presentation formats: 

  • Presentations (40 min.)
  • Panels (40 min.)
  • Moderated group discussions or mini-workshops (40 min.) The committee is particularly interested in proposals that include interactive or active learning components.
  • Mini-presentations (20 min.) 

****Prior to submitting your proposal, please review the information provided on the Breakout Session Guidelines page.****

Please submit your breakout session proposal using the application form located here by December 11th, 2019. The primary contact listed on each proposal will receive a message indicating receipt of the proposal when it is submitted and decisions on proposals will be communicated to the primary contact by Monday, January 11th, 2020.

Questions about proposals can be sent to Jessica Hronchek hronchek@hope.edu. Questions about the conference in general can be sent to conference@miala.org

MiALA Newsletter - November 2019