General information

Core Update – 12/12/2019

Greetings again from the Steering Committee of Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a proposed division of ALA. Coming up this Friday, December 13 is the last of four town halls we are holding this fall to share information and elicit your input. Please join us! Register for Town Hall 4 today. ALCTS, LITA, and LLAMA division staff will lead this town hall with a focus on Core’s mission, vision, and values; benefits organizationally; benefits to members; and opportunities in the future. Our speakers will be Jenny Levine (LITA Executive Director), Julie Reese (ALCTS Deputy Executive Director), and Kerry Ward (LLAMA Executive Director and interim ALCTS Executive Director). We’re excited to share an updated Core proposal document for ALA member feedback and review, strengthened by your input. We invite further comments on this updated proposal through Sunday, December 15. Meanwhile, division staff will incorporate your comments and finalize this proposal document for…

General information

Core Call for Comment

Greetings again from the Steering Committee of Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a proposed division of ALA. The Steering Committee welcomes comments on the draft division proposal documentation through November 25th. Please join the conversation! Your perspectives and input are shaping the identity and priorities of the proposed division. We’re asking for you to respond to the documents with key questions in mind, including: Does this make sense to someone new to ALCTS/ LITA/ LLAMA? Does this piece of the plan reflect how members want the new division to function? Are there any points that are cause for concern? If you’re interested in helping us in the review process or other work ahead, please consider volunteering for Core. We’re eager to collaborate with you! We’re working hard to ensure everyone can participate in the Core conversation, so please let us know what could make Core a compelling and worthy division home for you. Keep the feedback and input coming! Full details for all our upcoming events are…

General information

Core Update – October 23, 2019

Greetings again from the Steering Committee of Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a proposed division of ALA. Thank you for all of your questions and feedback about the proposed new division! The Steering Committee has been revising Core documents based on what we’ve heard from you so far in order to share draft bylaws and other information with you soon. We want you to know that we are continuing to listen and incorporate the feedback you’re providing via Town Halls, Twitter Chats, the Core feedback form, and more.  In our next Steering Committee meeting, we will be discussing how we can support the operational involvement of interested volunteers. If you have ideas on how members should be involved, please share them with us through the feedback form.  We’re working hard to ensure everyone can participate in the Core conversation, so please let us know what could make Core a compelling and worthy division home for…

ALA Midwinter Meetings

Call for Panelists – 2018 ALA LITA Top Trends Program

We are currently seeking nominations for panelists for the 2018 ALA Midwinter LITA Top Tech Trends program in Denver, CO!  You may nominate yourself or someone you know who would be a great addition to the panel of speakers. LITA’s Top Trends Program has traditionally been one of the most popular programs at ALA. Each panelist discusses two trends in technology impacting libraries and engages in a moderated discussion with each other and the audience. Submit your nominations at http://bit.ly/lita-toptechtrends-mw2018.  Deadline is Saturday, September 30, 2017. The LITA Top Tech Trends Committee will review each submission and select panelists based on their proposed trends, experience, and overall balance to the panel. Submission Guidelines can be found at http://docs.lita.org/committees/top-technology-trends/panel-submission-guidelines/. For more information about the Top Tech Trends program, please visit http://www.ala.org/lita/ttt.  

General information

Call for Writers

LITR 50th anniversary logo - horizontal

The LITA Blog wants your content. Are you an avid technologist? An early career librarian? Are you a coder, an explorer, or just a dabbler? All of these perspectives are welcome. We are big on creativity and embracing new post formats, and 2016 saw the first LITA Vlog series, Begin Transmission. Whether you want to write a traditional blog post, create a podcast, host a Twitter chat, or stream a post with Periscope, we are eager to see what you make. Possible post formats could include interviews, how-tos, hacks, and beyond. Your posts can have an immediate impact, and you’ll find an audience of readers in the thousands.  We embrace diverse formats and diverse voices. Library students and members of underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. Writers contribute one post per month. A buddy system means you’ll be paired with an experienced blogger to help you draft and review…

General information

Call for LITA Guides

LITR 50th anniversary logo - horizontal

                  LITA is looking to expand its popular LITA Guide series. Topics for consideration include: Tools for big data Developing in-house technology expertise Budgeting for technology Writing a technology plan K-12 technology Applications of agile development for libraries Grant writing for library technology Security for library systems Do you have expertise in any of these areas? Reach out to Marta Deyrup, Acquisitions Editor. Save Save

News & Noteworthy

Interview with Scott Walter, Candidate for ALA President 2018-2019

Photo of Scott Walter

What changes do you foresee in ALA’s divisional structure over the next 5-10 years? ALA is a complex and dynamic association, and the “lines” between different organizational units (Divisions, Chapters, Round Tables) are not always clear. Indeed, “lines” are precisely what we don’t want, and there will be continued emphasis in the coming years on efforts to improve communication across these units and to promote shared initiatives. In my “home” division of ACRL, I have seen this change dynamic in action as we have seen new units (Discussion Groups, Interest Groups) draw deep and immediate engagement around well-defined topics, and traditional units (Sections) evolve, merge, etc. Precisely because divisions are often seen as one’s “home” in ALA, their continued support, and their leadership in ALA-wide issues, will be critical to the continued recruitment (and retention) of engaged members. We may see changes in the scope of existing divisions, or the…

General information

Interview with Terri Grief, Candidate for ALA President 2018-2019

Photo of Terri Grief

What changes do you foresee in ALA’s divisional structure over the next five to ten years? I don’t think there will be any huge changes. I hope that we more willing to share with one another, have less of a feeling of silos and more a feeling of collaboration. I expect our Retired Members RT and New Member RT will grow and other roundtables will pop up as there is need.   What are three things ALA should be doing to improve virtual participation? Ask the experts–you folks in LITA probably have the best ideas of anyone. Promote low cost and easy to use ideas across the divisions. Advertise the virtual opportunities virtually–use social media instead of relying on publications with offerings.   As ALA shifts from in person collaboration (Midwinter, ahem) to other forms of participation and thus revenue, how do we make up for the lost revenue? I…

General information

Interview with Loida Garcia-Febo, Candidate for ALA President 2018-2019

photo of Loida Garcia-Febo

What changes do you foresee in ALA’s divisional structure over the next five to ten years? It will be of great benefit for Divisions to continue to strive to be more member-driven organizations. I see increase in virtual participation and a restructure of the committee system. All lead by what works best for the members, their professional and job needs. Developing mechanisms to include newer librarians and students in the Division’s work. And a systematic process for Divisions to provide tailored conferences and educational opportunities that would keep members engaged and a steady stream of revenue. In recent years ACRL, PLA, and LLAMA have restructure their committees and I am watching their very closely. I believe all members and committees are important, they bring expertise and experience that enrich our Association. What are three things ALA should be doing to improve virtual participation? As Chair of the Membership Meetings Committee,…