Author: Jenny Levine

News & Noteworthy

LITA Welcomes 2019 Emerging Leaders Kathryn Greer and Rachel Murdock

| Jenny Levine

ALA’s Emerging Leaders program enables newer library workers to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. Our 2019 ELs are: Kathryn Greer, Systems and Digital Content Librarian at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia Kathryn serves as an administrator of the library’s software and systems and as a library liaison to campus and consortial IT groups. She recently led her library’s transition to a new ILS as part of the University System of Georgia’s migration from Ex Libris Voyager to Alma, and in the spring will manage another consortial-led project for her institution, the implementation of the identity and access management service OpenAthens. She graduated from the Master of Library and Information Science program at Valdosta State University in December 2013. Kathryn recently enrolled in the Master of Science in Information Technology program…

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Awards and Scholarships

Riko Fluchel Is Our 2018-19 LITA/OCLC Spectrum Scholar

| Jenny Levine|1 Comment
Picture of Riko Fluchel

LITA and OCLC are funding Riko Fluchel’s participation in the ALA Spectrum Scholars program as part of their commitment to help diversify the library technology field. Riko  is a second year at the University of Washington Information School MLIS program, where he is focusing on Information Architecture and Design. He is deeply interested in the ways information architecture facilitate or hinder information literacy, as well the applications of linked data and cultural heritage. Through the Spectrum program, he hopes to find mentorship and grow professionally as a digital humanist and information architect. When notified of his selection, Riko said, “I’m very honored to receive this scholarship, and I’m excited to deepen my skills in library and information technologies with the best in the field!” The ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African and/or Native Hawaiian/Other…

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Awards and Scholarships

LIS Students: Apply for the Larew Scholarship for Tuition Help

| Jenny Levine
Go for it!

LITA and Baker & Taylor are accepting applications for the LITA/Christian (Chris) Larew Memorial Scholarship for those who plan to follow a career in library and information technology, demonstrate potential leadership, and hold a strong commitment to library automation. The winner will receive a $3,000 check and a citation. The application form is open through March 1, 2019. Criteria for the Scholarship includes previous academic excellence, evidence of leadership potential, and a commitment to a career in library automation and information technology. Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for the scholarship with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference and a personal statement of the applicant’s view of what they can bring to the profession. Winners must have been accepted to a Master of Library Science (MLS) program recognized by the American Library Association. References, transcripts, and other documents must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2019,…

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Awards and Scholarships

Call Opens for Innovative LIS Student Writing

| Jenny Levine
2018 Ex Libris Student Writing Award presentation

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, 2019. The award recognizes superior student writing and is intended to enhance the professional development of students. The manuscript can be written on any aspect of libraries and information technology. Examples include, but are not limited to, digital libraries, metadata, authorization and authentication, electronic journals and electronic publishing, open source software, distributed systems and networks, computer security, intellectual property rights, technical standards, desktop applications, online catalogs and bibliographic systems, universal access to technology, and library consortia. To be eligible, applicants must follow these guidelines and fill out the application form (PDF). Send the signed, completed forms electronically no later than February 28, 2019,…

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Awards and Scholarships

Nominate a Colleague Doing Cutting Edge Work in Tech Education for the LITA Library Hi Tech Award

| Jenny Levine
Nominate a Colleague Doing Cutting Edge Work in Tech Education for the LITA Library Hi Tech Award

Submit a nomination today! Nominations are open for the 2019 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 within the field of library and information technology. Sponsored by LITA and Library Hi Tech, the award includes a citation of merit and a $1,000 stipend provided by Emerald Publishing, publishers of Library Hi Tech. The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2018. The award, given to either a living 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. Awards are intended to recognize living persons rather than to honor the deceased;…

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Awards and Scholarships

Submit a Nomination for the Prestigious Kilgour Technology Research Award

| Jenny Levine

LITA and OCLC invite nominations for the 2018 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology. Submit your nomination no later than December 31, 2018. The Kilgour Research Award recognizes research relevant to the development of information technologies, in particular research showing 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 winner receives $2,000 cash, an award citation, and an expense-paid trip (airfare and two nights lodging) to the 2019 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 research or enhances potential for future exploration; and/or solves an important current problem in the delivery of information resources. A curriculum vitae and…

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News & Noteworthy

Congratulations to Colby Lewis, Winner of the 2018 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award

| Jenny Levine
Photo of Colby Lewis

Colby Lewis is the winner of the 2018 Student Writing Award sponsored by Ex Libris Group and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) for her paper titled “The Open Access Citation Advantage: Does It Exist and What Does It Mean for Libraries?” Lewis is a Master of Science in Information candidate at the University of Michigan School of Information. “Lewis’ paper was selected as the winner because it is an excellent treatment of a timely and important topic. The paper was educational, well-written, and provided a comprehensive review of the scholarship assessing the open access citation advantage,” said Eric Phetteplace, the Chair of this year’s selection committee. When notified she had won, Lewis remarked, “I am extremely excited and honored to accept the LITA/Ex Libris Writing Award for 2018. I would like to thank my family for all of their support and Professors Levine and Courant for encouraging me to submit…

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General information

What You Need to Know about the New ALA Connect

| Jenny Levine
ALA Connect logo - Engage, Learn, Grow

The new ALA Connect has launched, and we want to make sure you’re aware of some things that will affect LITA members, even if you’ve never used the site. LITA will not be using ALA Connect until July, but your member profile lives there so it’s very important that you log in, view the default privacy settings for your profile, and decide if you want to keep or change them. We’ve provided a LITA Connect FAQ that answers some basic questions about editing your profile, understanding your privacy settings, setting your email notification preferences, and using the LITA Member Directory. I want to stress that while ALA has set the default privacy levels for your profile information, you have full control of what is visible and none of your contact information is available to anyone else unless you change that setting yourself. There are four settings for each section of…

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News & Noteworthy

Congratulations to Heather Moulaison Sandy, winner of the 2018 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award

| Jenny Levine|1 Comment
Photo of Heather Moulaison Sandy

Heather Moulaison Sandy has been named the winner of the 2018 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. Emerald Publishing and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) sponsor the Award, which recognizes outstanding individuals or institutions for their long-term contributions in the area of Library and Information Science technology and its application. The Award Committee selected Moulaison Sandy because it was impressed with her extensive contributions to ongoing professional development across the discipline., which include five books and more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles. Her work has been presented at over 100 local, national, and international venues in nearly 15 countries as well as at numerous online webinars and talks. Moulaison Sandy is Associate Professor at the iSchool at the University of Missouri and works primarily at the intersection of the organization of information and the online environment. She is a recipient of this…

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