
April 2023
In This Issue Message from the President MiALA 2023 Annual Conference: Registration Open! Deadline Extension: IDEA Practitioners Panel Nominations for 2023 Elections Opening Soon IDEA Featured Resource March Issue of Hypothesis is available! Upcoming Events SEMLOL Meeting and Professional Development Opportunity Welcome New Members! Member Spotlight Upcoming Events Instruction & Info Lit IG Casual Conversation: Assess 04/04/2023 Web/UX IG: A conversation about Kettering’s Learning Commons 04/11/2023 MiALA Board Meet and Greet 04/21/2023 MiALA Annual Conference 05/17/2023- 05/19/2023 SEMLOL Meeting and Professional Development Opportunity There is still time to register for the Southeastern Michigan League of Library's free, online spring meeting and professional development opportunity! The theme of this year's event, which takes place Friday, April 14, from 2 - 4 p.m. is "The Academic Library's Role in Protecting Intellectual Freedom." This year's meeting will feature presentations and discussions around ways academic library work intersects with issues of intellectual freedom. There will also be small group sessions where participants can have conversations around the specific topics of interest to them. Visit SEMLOL to find out more about this timely session. Membership in SEMLOL is not required to attend. Welcome New Members! Grand Valley State University Sarah Joseph Hope College Sonja Glover Oakland University Beth Wallis University of Michigan Library Gabriel Duque Anne Elias Western Theological Seminary Stephen Michaels Member Spotlight Chantell Graves Library Services Coordinator Alma College Library What are you currently reading? I am in between books right now, but most recently I finished (and loved!) The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. One of my favorite things to read would be non-fiction reference books. I have a large collection at home and will often find myself flipping through the pages of a nature guide or encyclopedia to learn random facts. What are your research interests? My current research interests include psychology, education, criminology, and epigenetic inheritance. Often, while filling inter-library loan requests I will find a title or topic that piques my interest and explore it further. No research topic is off-limits! Do you have hobbies or interests outside of the library? I have varied hobbies and interests, including hiking, swimming, drawing, painting, antiquing, and gaming. My favorite hiking trail is between the upper and lower falls in Tahquamenon. I'm most interested in drawing/painting botanical art. I frequent antique shops around Mid-Michigan and enjoy incorporating my finds into interior décor. When I'm gaming, I usually build homes in The Sims 4 while I cuddle with my dogs and cats on the couch! What drew you to the library profession? I am a former teacher who loves learning! I decided that I needed a change from classroom teaching, but that I still wanted to work in an academic field. The best part about my job is that I am still able to help students achieve educational success! What do you value about MiALA? I appreciate that MiALA provides members with numerous professional learning opportunities both virtually and in-person. Since I am new to library work, MiALA provides the chance for me to grow my network of colleagues/mentors and learn valuable professional skills.	Message from the President Greetings All, It’s finally officially spring in Michigan! While it might not mean much warmer temperatures just yet, it does mean our annual conference is only a little over a month away. Registration for the conference is officially open, and I hope you can join us for what looks like a great schedule. If you would like to book a room in the Hayworth Hotel, please do so by April 4. In the meantime, there continue to be many opportunities to learn from your Interest Groups. I’d like to make a special note of the upcoming Instruction and Information Literacy IG Casual Conversation on Assessment on April 4. Also, keep an eye out for calls for IG meetups at the conference! Best, Carin Graves MiALA 2023 Annual Conference: Registration Open! Registration is now open for the MiALA 2023 Annual Conference, Riding the Waves: Finding Balance in an Age of Uncertainty! To register, please use this online form. Hotel rooms are currently available at the Haworth Hotel in Holland, Michigan. Please visit the conference website for information on how to reserve a room. Please book your room by April 4. An additional hotel will be made available when the Haworth Hotel becomes fully booked for the conference. Questions about the conference in general can be sent to conference@miala.org. Please visit the MiALA 2023 Conference website for more details. Funding for the conference is provided in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan. Deadline Extension: IDEA Practitioners Panel The MiALA IDEA Committee is extending the deadline of the call for panelists for this year's upcoming annual conference panel, How to Grow as an IDEA Leader at Your Institution. The Committee seeks three - four people from different backgrounds respresenting institutions of various sizes and types and who hold a variety of positions within their library for the panel. Panelists will need to attend the conference in person. If you are interested please fill out this form or contact Denise Leyton (dmleyton@umich.edu) and Samantha Minnis (samanthaminnis@grcc.edu) by April 21. Panel description: This panel will bring together library professionals who are doing IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) work in their institutions. Whether serving on an IDEA committee, in a formal position that involves IDEA, or working independently, panelists will share their journeys with IDEA and describe the efforts they are involved in at their institutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with a network where they can share IDEA efforts and techniques across institutions. Nominations for 2023 Elections Opening Soon The 2023 election cycle is fast approaching and nominations for board of director positions will open in April. Are you curious about the MiALA Board and want to learn more about other MiALA leadership opportunities? Join MiALA members and leaders April 21 at 10 a.m. to learn more and get your questions answered. Why run for a board position? Carin Graves, the current president says, "I decided to serve on MiALA’s board because the organization is member driven, and I wanted to provide support and direction for the great work of our members, Interest Groups, and Committees. In my time on the board and in other leadership roles in MiALA, I’ve learned about the many skills and areas of expertise we all bring to the organization." Denise Leyton, the current treasurer adds, "After being involved in a few different MiALA groups where we were organizing programming and requesting funds, I wanted to see if I could get more involved with the ins and outs of resource steering for the organization. Serving as treasurer has been a beneficial way for me to grow as a leader and contribute back to an organization that has expanded my network in Michigan. Can't make it to the virtual session or going to the MiALA conference? Look for the Nominating Committee table at the posters session. Contact Kate Langan, 2023 Nominating Committee chair (kathleen.langan@wmich.edu). IDEA Featured Resource This month's featured resource from the MiALA IDEA Resources for Education and Training is The Blacktivists. https://www.theblackivists.com/ Description: A team of BIPOC archivists with expertise in documenting and centering marginalized communities. As part of the IDEA Committee's continued effort to build a concise, streamlined list of recent articles, books, reports, training reources and tool kits, websites, videos, terminology resources, and online communities related to IDEA, MiALA members are invited to suggest resources. Make your suggestion here. March Issue of Hypothesis is available! MiALA Membership Committee member Margaret Hoogland is happy to announce the publication of Volume 35 of Hypothesis: research journal for health information professionals and to thank everyone involved for their hard work and support in publishing this timely research. The new issue comprises: ● Part-Two of Statistics for Librarians that covers our Methods Moment, Research, Failure, and Research Mentor sections, by Caitlin Bakker ● An article on the motivations for librarians to pursue publishing, by Rachel J. Hinrichs ● Using the Heat Map Method to assess use of library spaces, by Will Dean ● A Failure article discussing an Institutional Review Board mistake. Follow Hypothesis on Twitter for the latest updates or visit the website to share ideas for future articles or issues, register to receive notifications directly, or for more information.
MiALA Newsletter - April 2023