Summer 2011 Newsletter
This issue of the ILA/ACRL Newsletter features a semi-annual President’s Piece submitted by sitting ILA/ACRL president, Ryan Gjerde, article by Linda Nelson about library instruction, and news from academic libraries across the state.
President's Piece
Around
this time of year, my friends and family often ask how I’m enjoying the
downtime in the library with most of the student population back at home.
In reality, summer can be one of the busiest times of year in our
library, as we work to test and implement updates systems and services, and
make headway on other projects that are difficult to tackle with classes in
session. Summer becomes a good time to buckle down and power through the
to-do list that grew over the course of the academic year.
As
we toil away throughout the summer, I wanted to spend some time reminding our
membership of ways we can communicate and connect with one another. For
years, our chapter has offered an email discussion list, of which many are
members off. Our list serves as a forum for issues of broader interest to
Iowa's academic library community such as discussions of reference/research
issues, news of legislative initiatives, job openings, and staff development
opportunities. We encourage your participation! More information on
the list can be found at http://www.iowaacrl.org/content/ecc/list.
ILA/ACRL
also has a social media presence, with a Facebook group and a Twitter feed.
Feel free to post, follow, retweet, etc. on these sites as well.
Another
reminder for the summer is to start thinking about October’s ILA conference in
Council Bluffs. ILA has already posted a good amount of preliminary
information regarding the conference,
including a program that offers many sessions sponsored or co-sponsored by
ILA/ACRL. I hope to see many of you there at our business meeting on
Thursday!
Finally,
there is one fact I neglected to mention back in March during our Spring
Conference. This year marks the 35th anniversary of our chapter, which
was first approved by ACRL at the 1976 Midwinter meeting. One of the
first activities offered by the Iowa chapter that Spring was a bibliographic
instruction workshop. I had hoped to ask our 2011 conference attendees if
any had been present back in Spring 1976!
A
brief history of our chapter which noted this milestone ends with an assessment
that I find still true today: “ILA/ACRL is an organization that has developed
from the efforts of many members, and its growth will continue because of those
that are willing to serve.” As we approach that time of year when we seek
to fill committee rosters for 2012, I hope that you will consider sharing some
of your time and experience if contacted by a member of the nominating
committee - or, if you are feeling bold, fill out the volunteer form on the
ILA/ACRL website!
Thanks,
Ryan
Gjerde
ILA/ACRL
President