What technology are you watching on the horizon? Have you seen brilliant ideas that need exposing? Do you really like sharing with your LITA colleagues? The LITA Top Tech Trends Committee is trying a new process this year and issuing a Call for Panelists. Answer the short questionnaire by 12/10 to be considered. Fresh faces and diverse panelists are especially encouraged to respond. Past presentations can be viewed at http://www.ala.org/lita/ttt. Here’s the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1JH6qJItEAtQS_ChCcFKpS9xqPsFEUz52wQxwieBMC9w/viewform If you have additional questions check with Emily Morton-Owens, Chair of the Top Tech Trends committee: emily.morton.owens@gmail.com
Category: ALA Midwinter Meetings
Midwinter Workshop Highlight: Meet the Field Research Presenter!
We asked our LITA Midwinter Workshop Presenters to tell us a little more about themselves and what to expect from their workshops in January. This week, we’re hearing from Wayne Johnston, who will be presenting the workshop: Developing mobile apps to support field research (For registration details, please see the bottom of this blog post) LITA: Can you tell us a little more about you? Wayne: I am currently Head of Research Enterprise and Scholarly Communication at the University of Guelph Library. Prior to joining the Library I worked for the United Nations in both New York and Geneva. My international experience includes work I’ve done in Ghana, Nepal, Croatia and Canada’s Arctic. LITA: Who is your target audience for this workshop? Wayne: I think this workshop will be most relevant to academic librarians who are supporting research activity on their campuses. It may be of particular interest to those working…
LITA Forum: Online Registration Ends Oct. 27
Don’t miss your chance to register online for the 2014 LITA Forum “From Node to Network” to be held Nov. 5-8, 2014 at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque N.M. Online registration closes October 27, 2014. You can register on site, but it’s so much easier to have it all taken care of before you arrive in Albuquerque. Book your room at the Hotel Albuquerque. The guaranteed LITA room rate date has passed, but when you call at: 505-843-6300 ask for the LITA room rate, there might be a few rooms left in our block. Three keynote speakers will be featured at this year’s forum: AnnMarie Thomas, Engineering Professor, University of St. Thomas Lorcan Dempsey, Vice President, OCLC Research and Chief Strategist Kortney Ryan Ziegler, Founder Trans*h4ck. More than 30 concurrent colleague inspired sessions and a dozen poster sessions will provide a wealth of practical information on a wide range of topics….
Midwinter Workshop Highlight: Meet the Programming Presenter!
We asked our LITA Midwinter Workshop Presenters to tell us a little more about themselves and what to expect from their workshops in January. This week, we’re hearing from Elizabeth Wickes, who will be presenting the workshop: Introduction to Practical Programming (For registration details, please see the bottom of this blog post) LITA: We’ve seen your formal bio but can you tell us a little more about you? Elizabeth: I once wrote an entire Python program just so I could have a legitimate reason to say “for skittle in skittles.” Attendees will meet this program during the workshop. I can also fix pretty much anything with hot glue. LITA: Who is your target audience for this workshop? Elizabeth: This workshop speaks to the librarian or library student who is curious about programming and wants to explore it within a very library-centric context. So many of the existing books and resources on programming…
Midwinter Workshop Highlight: Meet the UX Presenters!
We asked our LITA Midwinter Workshop Presenters to tell us a little more about themselves and what to expect from their workshops in January. This week, we’re hearing from Kate Lawrence, Deirdre Costello, and Robert Newell, who will be presenting the workshop: From Lost to Found: How User Testing Can Improve the User Experience of Your Library Website (For registration details, please see the bottom of this blog post) LITA: We’ve seen your formal bios but can you tell us a little more about you? Kate: If I didn’t work as a user researcher, I would be a professional backgammon player or cake decorator (I am a magician with fondant!). Or both. Deirdre: I’m horse crazy! Robert: In a past life I was a professional actor. If you pay really really close attention (like, don’t blink), you might spot me in a few episodes of Friday Night Lights or Prison…
2014 LITA Forum: 3 Amazing Keynotes
Join your LITA colleagues in Albuquerque, Nov 5-8, 2041 for the 2014 LITA Forum. The guaranteed discount hotel rate at the Hotel Albuquerque ends Tuesday Oct. 14th, 2014 Registration closes Monday Oct. 27th, 2014 This year’s Forum has three amazing keynotes you won’t want to miss: AnnMarie Thomas, Engineering Professor, University of St. Thomas AnnMarie is an engineering professor who spends her time trying to encourage the next generation of makers and engineers. Among a host of other activities she is the director of the Playful Learning Lab and leads a team of students looking at both the playful side of engineering (squishy circuits for students, the science of circus, toy design) and ways to use engineering design to help others. AnnMarie and her students developed Squishy Circuits. Check out AnnMarie’s fun Ted Talk on Play-Doh based squishy circuits. Lorcan Dempsey, Vice President, OCLC Research and Chief Strategist Lorcan Dempsey…
2014 LITA Forum Student Registration Rate Deadline Extended
The special student registration rate to the 2014 LITA National Forum has been extended through Monday October 6th, 2014. The Forum will be held November 5-8, 2014 at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque, NM. Learn more about the Forum here. This special rate is intended for a limited number of graduate students enrolled in ALA accredited programs. In exchange for a discounted registration, students will assist the LITA organizers and the Forum presenters with on-site operations. This year’s theme is “Transformation: From Node to Network.” We are anticipating an attendance of 300 decision makers and implementers of new information technologies in libraries. The selected students will be expected to attend the full LITA National Forum, Thursday noon through Saturday noon. This does not include the pre-conferences on Thursday and Friday. You will be assigned a variety of duties, but you will be able to attend the Forum programs, which include…
Voice your ideas on LITA’s strategic goals
As mentioned in a previous post, LITA is beginning a series of informal discussions to let members voice their thoughts about the current strategic goals of LITA. These “kitchen table talks” will be lead by President Rachel Vacek and Vice-President Thomas Dowling. The kitchen table talks will discuss LITA’s strategic goals – collaboration and networking; education and sharing of expertise; advocacy; and infrastructure – and how meeting those goals will help LITA better serve you. The talks also align with ALA’s strategic planning process and efforts to communicate the association’s overarching goals of professional development, information policy, and advocacy. When ONLINE: Friday, September 19, 2014, 1:30-2:30 pm EDT ONLINE: Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 12:00-1:00 pm EDT IN-PERSON: Friday, November 7, 2014, 6:45-9:00 pm MDT at the LITA Forum in Albuquerque, NM We look forward to the conversations!
LITA Midwinter Institutes
Registration for LITA’s Midwinter Institutes opened today with ALA’s joint registration! Whether you’ll be attending Midwinter or are just looking for a great one day continuing education event in the Chicago/Midwest area, we hope you’ll join us. When? All workshops will be held on Friday, January 30, 2015, from 8:30-4:00 Cost for LITA Members: $235 (ALA $350 / Non-ALA $380) (If you are a member of LITA use special code LITA2015 to receive the price of $235.) Workshops Descriptions: Developing mobile apps to support field research Instructor: Wayne Johnston, University of Guelph Library Researchers in most disciplines do some form of field research. Too often they collect data on paper which is not only inefficient but vulnerable to date loss. Surveys and other data collection instruments can easily be created as mobile apps with the resulting data stored on the campus server and immediately available for analysis. The apps also enable added functionality…
2014 LITA Forum: early bird rates available through Sept. 15
Don’t miss your chance to save up to $50 on registration for the 2014 LITA Forum “From Node to Network” to be held Nov. 5-8, 2014 at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque N.M. Don’t forget to book your room at the Hotel Albuquerque by Oct. 14, 2014 to guarantee the LITA room rate. This year’s Forum will feature three keynote speakers AnnMarie Thomas, Engineering Professor, University of St. Thomas Lorcan Dempsey, Vice President, OCLC Research and Chief Strategist Kortney Ryan Ziegler, Founder Trans*h4ck. More than 30 concurrent colleague inspired sessions and a dozen poster sessions will provide a wealth of practical information on a wide range of topics. Networking opportunities, a major advantage of a smaller conference, are an important part of the Forum. Take advantage of the Thursday evening reception and sponsor showcase, the Friday networking dinners or Kitchen Table Conversations, plus meals and breaks throughout the Forum to…