LITA Forums

Call for Proposals: 2014 LITA Forum

Due February 24, 2014 The 2014 LITA Forum Committee seeks proposals for excellent pre-conferences, concurrent sessions, and poster sessions for the 17th annual Forum of the Library Information and Technology Association, to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 5-8, 2014. The 2014 theme, “Transformation: From Node to Network”, reflects the ongoing evolution of libraries from being seen as largely standalone institutions focused on their own locale to being integrated into and within their communities — whether on a local, regional, national, or global level, or on all four. The Forum Committee welcomes proposals for full-day pre-conferences, 50-minute concurrent sessions, or poster sessions related to all types of libraries: public, school, academic, government, special, and corporate. Proposals could relate to any of the following topics: Cooperation & collaboration Scalability and sustainability of library services and tools Researcher information networks Practical applications of linked data Large- and small-scale resource sharing User experience & users Library spaces (virtual…

News & Noteworthy

Linked Data Webinar Series Available

LITA is offering a series of webinars on Linked Data. The series begins with “Linked data primer” on December 5, 2013 11:00 AM – noon CST, continues with “Coding experiments to transform MARC to linked data” on January 14th, 2014 11:00 AM – noon CST and concludes with “SKOS, SPARQL, and vocabulary management” on February 11, 2014 11:00 AM – noon CST. “Linked data primer” will help participants reformulate MARC bibliographic data that are parts of a record and enable the same data to live out on the open Web. For this transformation, currently, the most commonly used form that is being deployed is based on RDF triples (Resource Description Framework). RDF is a standard that bridges human and data for interchange on the Web. It supports evolution of schemas over time, and makes relationships meaningful through the triple structure. “Coding experiments to transform MARC to linked data” will introduce…

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LITA Web Course November 11-December 1: Getting Started with GIS

There is still space left for this 3 week, asynchronous course. Getting Started with GIS provides an introduction to GIS technology and GIS in libraries. Through hands on exercises, discussions and recorded lectures, students will acquire skills in using GIS software programs, social mapping tools, map making, digitizing and researching for geospatial data. The course provides introductory GIS skills that will prove beneficial in any library or information resource position. The course will run November 11 – December 1 and will consist of weekly asynchronous lectures and self-paced modules in Moodle.  No previous mapping or GIS experience is necessary. Presented by Eva Dodsworth, Geospatial Data Services Librarian at the University of Waterloo Map Library in Ontario, the course is modeled on her LITA Guide of the same name. For registration and additional information, visit: http://www.ala.org/lita/getting-started-gis

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Nominations sought for prestigious research award

Nominations are invited for the 2014 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology, sponsored by OCLC, Inc. and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2013. The Kilgour Research Award recognizes research relevant to the development of information technologies, in particular research which shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information or how information and data are manipulated and managed. The Kilgour award consists of $2,000 cash, an award citation and an expense paid trip (airfare and two nights lodging) to the ALA Annual Conference. Nominations will be accepted from any member of the American Library Association. Nominating letters must address how the research is relevant to libraries; is creative in its design or methodology; builds on existing…

2013

Don’t Miss the 2013 LITA Forum!

Don’t miss the 2013 LITA Forum “Creation, Collaboration, Community,” to be held Nov. 7-10, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Louisville, KY. This year’s Forum will feature keynote speakers Travis Good, Nate Hill and Emily Gore.More than 30 concurrent sessions and a dozen poster sessions will provide a wealth of practical information on a wide range of topics. Two preconference workshops will also be offered; choose from Managing Projects. Or, I’m in charge, now what? presented by Rosalyn Metz of Stanford University or  IT Security for Librarians, presented by Blake Carver of LISHost. You can also attend a preconference without registering for the entire Forum – or enhance your Forum experience by adding a preconference to your existing registration. Networking opportunities, one of the small conference advantages, are an important part of the Forum. Take advantage of the Friday evening reception and sponsor showcase, networking dinners, meals and breaks throughout the Forum to get to know LITA leaders, Forum speakers,…

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LITA/Ex Libris seeking LIS student authors

LITA is pleased to offer an award for the best unpublished manuscript submitted by a student or students enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program.  Sponsored by LITA and Ex Libris, the award consists of $1,000, publication in LITA’s refereed journal, Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), and a certificate.  The deadline for submission of the manuscript is February 28, 2014. The purpose of the award is to recognize superior student writing and to enhance the professional development of students.  The manuscript can be written on any aspect of libraries and information technology. Examples include digital libraries, metadata, authorization and authentication, electronic journals and electronic publishing, telecommunications, distributed systems and networks, computer security, intellectual property rights, technical standards, desktop applications, online catalogs and bibliographic systems, universal access to technology, library consortia and others. At the time the unpublished manuscript is submitted, the applicant must be enrolled in an ALA-accredited program in library…

General information

LITA/Library Hi Tech award nominations sought

Nominations are being accepted for the 2014 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award, which is given each year to an individual or institution for outstanding achievement in educating the profession about cutting edge technology through communication in continuing education within the field of library and information technology. Sponsored by the LITA and Library Hi Tech, the award includes a citation of merit and a $1,000 stipend provided by Emerald Group Publishing Limited, publishers of Library Hi Tech. The deadline for nominations is December 2, 2013. The award, given to either an individual or an institution, may recognize a single seminal work or a body of work created during or continuing into the five years immediately preceding the award year.  The body of work need not be limited to published texts, but can include course plans or actual courses and/or non-print publications such as visual media.  More information and a list of previous…

General information

September ITAL available

The September issue of Information Technology and Libraries is now available, issue contents are listed below. To receive automatic notifications of future issues, please subscribe to ITAL. Suggestions and feedback are always welcome, please send to: Bob Gerrity ITAL Editor gerrityr (at) gmail.com Information Technology and Libraries Volume 32, Number 3 (September 2013) CONTENTS Editorials Cindi Trainor President’s Message Bob Gerrity Editor’s Comments Articles Gina Schlesselman-Tarango Searchable Signatures: Context and the Struggle for Recognition Social networking sites made possible through Web 2.0 allow for unique user-generated tags called “searchable signatures.”  These tags move beyond the descriptive and act as means for users to assert online individual and group identities.  A study of searchable signatures on the Instagram application demonstrates that these types of tags are valuable not only because they allow for both individuals and groups to engage in what social theorist Axel Honneth calls the struggle for recognition, but also because they provide…

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Online LITA Board Meeting: August 22

The LITA Board invites you to join this meeting online on Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.  – 12:30 p.m. Eastern. Join the meeting by clicking the following link: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/r5aqva0uw4z/ View the meeting agenda: http://connect.ala.org/node/210793 If you have any questions, recommendations, or wish to discuss any of this, please leave a comment or contact the LITA office, lita (at) ala.org.

2013

LITA Forum: Student Registration Rate Available

LITA is offering a special student registration rate to the 2013 LITA National Forum to a limited number of graduate students enrolled in ALA accredited programs.  The Forum will be held November 7-10, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Louisville. KY. In exchange for the discounted registration, students will assist the LITA organizers and the Forum presenters with the on-site operations for the Forum.  This year’s theme is “Creation, Collaboration, Community.”  We are anticipating an attendance of 400-500 decision makers and implementers of new information technologies in libraries.The selected students will be expected to attend the full LITA National Forum, Friday noon through Sunday noon, but not the pre-conferences on Thursday and Friday.  You will be assigned a variety of duties, but will be able to attend the Forum programs, which include 3 keynote sessions, approximately 30 concurrent sessions, and 12 poster presentations. The student rate is $180 – half the regular registration rate for LITA members.  This rate…