General information

Please take the LITA member survey

lita: empowering libraries through technology

As discussed here on LITAblog, three ALA divisions — the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA), and the Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA) — are currently discussing how we might work together to create a new division. We’re asking you to complete an online survey to tell us a little more about your job, work environment, educational needs, and professional aspirations. This will help us understand how a new division might best serve your needs. We’ll be holding online forums and offering numerous opportunities for you to participate across a variety of channels in the coming months. We welcome input from non-members as well, so please feel free to share the survey link in your networks. The survey will close at the end of the day on Sunday, May 20, 2018. All three divisions appreciate the time you take to…

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LITA, LLAMA, ALCTS collaboration FAQ #4: expressions of support, LITA/Code4Lib collaboration

On February 23, I posted for discussion a proposal on a closer formal relationship between LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS. That included an anonymous feedback form where you can ask questions, express feelings, et cetera. I will be collating and answering these questions every few weeks here on LITAblog (so please keep asking!). Since that time I’ve gotten six (!) questions/comments. I’m going to break them up across several posts; here are the last four. (The first two are addressed in the previous post.) As a member of ALA for over 40 years, I applaud this effort and would urge that these 3 divisions actually merge into one unit to reflect the changing structure and integration of libraries today….It’s been very confusing for a long time over who does what program and duplication is wasteful. And paying dues for 3 different sections has been frustrating….Good luck with all this! Rejoice! I…

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LITA, LLAMA, ALCTS collaboration FAQ #3: finding your niche, serving personas, participatory communications

On February 23, I posted for discussion a proposal on a closer formal relationship between LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS. That included an anonymous feedback form where you can ask questions, express feelings, et cetera. I will be collating and answering these questions every few weeks here on LITAblog (so please keep asking!). Since that time I’ve gotten six (!) questions. I’m going to break them up across several posts; here are the first two. [S]ince tech is such a big field…[t]here is quite a lot that is relevant to me [in LITA], but it is difficult to find sometimes within discussions….I’m worried about how much a merger with ALCTS and LLAMA would amplify this problem. This is definitely a thing that’s on our minds as well. It can be hard to find your niche within an organization as large as ALA, and part of the role of the divisions is…

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LITA, LLAMA, ALCTS collaboration FAQ: Post #2

On February 23, I posted for discussion a proposal on a closer formal relationship between LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS. That included an anonymous feedback form where you can ask questions, express feelings, et cetera. I will be collating and answering these questions every few weeks here on LITAblog (so please keep asking!). Since last time, I’ve gotten one question: It seems that there is the possibility of quite a bit of overlap between LITA and ALCTS so a merger of those two divisions could be justified. What seems very ad hoc is the inclusion of LLAMA in this – what is the logical connection in terms of subject matter? If LLAMA by itself is unsustainable, perhaps it should be shut down/abolished. Great question! One of the things I’ve been surprised to discover as LITA president is that a very high percentage of our members have titles like “Director”, “Associate University…

General information

LITA, LLAMA, ALCTS collaboration FAQ: Post #1

On February 23, I posted for discussion a proposal on a closer formal relationship between LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS. That included an anonymous feedback form where you can ask questions, express feelings, et cetera. I will be collating and answering these questions every few weeks here on LITAblog (so please keep asking!). Thus far there is just one question, but I’m sure it speaks for many of you: “Will my dues go up if these three divisions combine?” And the answer is: we’re not totally sure yet; it depends, but up and down are both possibilities; and either way you’d get more value from your membership. We recognize that finances are an important issue for most of our members, and any combined effort has to be financially sustainable for both the divisions and our members, or it can’t go forward. We (the leadership of the three divisions) are in the…

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LITA, ALCTS, and LLAMA document on small division collaboration

Hi, LITAns. I’m sharing with you a document on small division collaboration (LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS) which I encourage you all to read carefully. I am also interested in any thoughts, questions, feelings, or ideas that you may have.  The context for this document is that, as you may know, LITA, ALA, and membership associations generally have been experiencing declining membership for some time. The resulting budgetary deficits make it difficult for us to sustain services. The Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Executive Directors of LITA, LLAMA, and ALCTS have been discussing our shared challenges in this arena, and imagining how we could reduce duplication and build on our strengths were we to work together, whether through formal collaboration or potentially merging our divisions. All three division Boards discussed this document on Monday afternoon at Midwinter, and we decided it is worth considering further. The division leadership, myself included, will be…

2017

Travel scholarships available for LITA’s AvramCamp

A multiracial group of women talking about technology

Do you want to participate in AvramCamp, LITA’s AdaCamp-inspired event, a one-day unconference for women in library technology, at ALA Annual in Chicago? Would travel funding help you to attend? Thanks to support from our sponsors, LITA is offering several $500 travel scholarships (apply here). Scholarships will be awarded competitively based on the committee’s ranking of applications received by the deadline (April 15, 2017). Scholarship Eligibility ALA Attendees are encouraged to participate in LITA AvramCamp if they: Identify as a woman in a way that is significant to them; Participate in library technology (in any role); Can actively participate in discussions about women’s experiences in library technology, including talking about women’s achievements and the challenges they face; Want to work together and share strategies to support and promote women in the field; Are young or old; students or professionals; from a diverse range of backgrounds and types of libraries; and reflective…

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Volunteer for LITA!

Do you want to… learn and apply valuable skills? meet colleagues from all over the US (and maybe even beyond)? help your colleagues learn, grow, and have great experiences with LITA? Then please volunteer for a LITA committee! As the LITA Vice President, I’m responsible (along with the Appointments Committee) for making committee appointments happen. What am I looking for? People who get things done. If you’re a worker bee, a visionary, an artist, a coder, a problem-solver, a community builder, an initiative-taker, or anyone else ready to pitch in, I want you on our committees. (Conversely, I’m not looking for anyone who’s just here for a line on their CV.) A diverse range of people. Our committees should reflect not just librarianship today, but the fully inclusive librarianship I’d like to see tomorrow — and that starts with making sure our leaders and our voices embrace a wide range. I want to appoint people…

2016

Register for “Makerspaces: Inspiration and Action” at ALA Midwinter

How do you feel about 40,000 square feet full of laser cutters, acetylene torches, screen presses, and sewing machines? Or community-based STEAM programming for kids? Or lightsabers? If these sound great, you should register for the LITA “Makerspaces: Inspiration and Action” tour at Midwinter! We’ll whisk you off to Somerville for tours, nuts and bolts information on running makerspace programs for kids and adults, Q&A, and hands-on activities at two great makerspaces. Artisan’s Asylum is one of the country’s premier makerspaces. In addition to the laser cutters, sewing machines, and numerous other tools, they rent workspaces to artists, offer a diverse and extensive set of public classes, and are familiar with the growing importance of makerspaces to librarians. Parts & Crafts is a neighborhood gem: a makerspace for kids that runs camp, afterschool, weekend, and homeschooling programs. With a knowledgeable staff, a great collection of STEAM supplies, and a philosophy…

General information

Should LITA oppose Elsevier’s new sharing policy?

It’s come to the LITA Board’s attention that the Confederation of Open Access Repositories is circulating a statement against Elsevier’s new sharing policy. (You can find that policy here.) COAR is concerned that the policy imposes long embargoes for open access content (up to 4 years); applies retroactively; and restricts author’s choice of Creative Commons license. Numerous individuals and library organizations, including ALA and ACRL, have signed on to this statement; the LITA Board is discussing doing likewise. But we represent you, the members! So tell us what you think. Should LITA sign on?