Rocky Mountain Chapter SLA Blog

RMSLA's blog is moving

The RMSLA blog is now live on the chapter's new site, http://rockymountain.sla.org. Come on over!

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The Rocky Mountain Chapter of SLA has moved to a new blog & website at http://rockymountain.sla.org. Please come visit us there.

The Remote Attendee - - we ARE indeed communicators!

I tracked two separate conferences this past week via Twitter, LinkedIn, and various visual platforms, and SLA wins hands down!  The divisional hashtags, the conference twitterstream on the SLA site, the option to be a virtual participant -- all have made it so much easier to if not fully participate at least benefit, learn remotely, and provide value-added to our communities.  In fact, there is enough value that I will be able to write up a report for my management, convincing them of the importance of supporting this professional affiliation with both time and money.  In many cases I have links to presentations, I have SMEs to follow up with, I have trends and resources and vendors we need to be aware of, and my chapter colleagues are now returning and will share even more with me.

The other conference’s tweets were primarily bland PR items from the organization’s communications squad, and there are 2,300 people there, a strong emerging youth cohort, and weak social media.  SLA, to put it mildly, ROCKS!!

I'd like to extend thanks to Ellen Naylor for reporting back from the CI Division's activities, and to Joe Kraus, Scott Brown, Julie Cavender, Marcy Phelps, Mary Ellen Bates, everyone who’s been giving us homekeepers the flowdown – keep writing!  Connie Clem, your comments as a virtual attendee have been an eye-opener, I didn't know that being a virtual attendee could be such a rich experience.  THANK YOU everyone!

 

Pub Quiz Scholarship Fundraiser

Come on out for trivia night & to raise money for the Rebecca Jackson Memorial Scholarship. This year's event calls for your participation in one of the well-known area pub quiz nights (a.k.a. trivia) at the Pioneer 2401. S. University (near DU)  on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 8pm.This is a Geeks Who Drink / Quiz for a Cause event.

We need 25 of you to come and play. We are asking (ok begging) you to come to this fun and worthy event. There is a $5 buy-in to play and a chance to win 50% of the pool. We are asking for another (optional) $5 to go entirely to the scholarship.

As usual, the money raised goes to an MLIS student (and SLA member) in the region who shows financial need along with academic merit.

 
If you can't attend, but still want to donate, please send a check to our treasurer below. Make it out to the RMSLA:

Stacy Naus
8520 E. Long Avenue
Centennial, CO  80112

Student Chapter - Upcoming Event

Spring Tour for DU's Special Library Association
The Barco Library at DU's Cable Center
Saturday April 16th 1:30pm - 3pm
RSVP to cbaker55@du.edu

On this tour, you'll not only learn about the collections, but also
get the chance to ask about their collection development work, about
their fee-based services, and about the day-to-day work of digitizing,
transcribing, cataloguing, and preserving diverse materials. And I say
it's worth it to go just ask our tour guide, managing librarian Lisa
Backman, about her work here in Denver and how she got to this
position.

The Cable Center is on campus at 2000 Buchtel Blvd.
Check out the library\'s website: http://www.cablecenter.org/content.cfm?id=19
Great article in Colorado Libraries:
http://coloradolibrariesjournal.org/?q=node/41

The Barco Library in The Cable Center is the only resource devoted
exclusively to cable telecommunications. If you have yet to visit,
this is a great opportunity to see a special library that collects
very diverse materials and because of it's association with DU and mix
of free and advanced fee-based services, straddles the divide between
academic, special, and public libraries.

In addition to monograph and serial titles, the Barco Library collects
manuscripts, personal papers, awards, and marketing artifacts
representing current companies and those that no longer exist.Through
the years the photograph collections have grown to 100,000 images,
many of which are soon to be online with the completion of their
digitization project. The Library has over 7000 hours of media ranging
from the first original HBO program to examples of programming picked
by networks as examples of "good shows." The Technology Archive
includes more than 2,000 pieces of cable television equipment,
including examples of pieces used for sending and receiving signals.
Finally, the Oral and Video History Program gathers perspectives from
people who played key roles in creating and growing the industry. All
the library’s collections combine to provide a unique historical
retrospective of the cable industry from 1950 to the present.

-Corey Baker

Who do you know who needs to know?

Non-librarians (read: managers and executives with spending authority) often don't understand the value that information professionals can and do bring to the enterprise. Sound familiar?

A mini-conference track at SLA 2011 will explain. Billed as the "Need To Know Forum," it's a one-day event within the SLA 2011 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO.

SLA says:

The Need to Know Forum is a unique event offering non-SLA members the opportunity to learn about the value of timely access to authoritative information. Session topics address how best-in-class information solutions help organizations conduct competitive research, avoid lawsuits, improve internal collaboration, increase innovation, and more.

The forum offers participants a variety of presentations to choose from, plus an opportunity to interact with practicing information professionals from corporate, legal, non-profit and academic settings. You’ll be able to choose two of eight sessions according to your interest, and visit exhibits on the latest information services. Join SLA members for this one-day event and find out what you ‘Need to Know’– how an information professional can directly contribute to the success of your organization’s strategy.

Details:

Tuesday, 14 June 2011
10:00 a.m – 3:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center

Price: $50.00

Link for registering:
https://www.slaconference.org/portal/newreg.ww

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Sessions

 - The Corporate Library in Turbulent Times
 - iCritical Thinking
 - Using Social Media in the Workplace

12:00 p.m.

 - Networking lunch and visit the exhibit hall

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Sessions

 - Building an Innovative Environment
 - Designing a Physical Space in a Digital Age
 - Locating and Using the Best Information: Doing Business in Emerging Markets
 - Managing Metadata: Balancing the Need for Information and the Legal Risk
 - Responding to Crisis: How the Right Information Aids Survival
 - SPOTLIGHT SESSION – Extreme Makeover: CI Edition

Can a manager you know piggyback this day of eye-opening content onto a June trip to the East Coast? Plan now.

 

Continuing Ed programs at SLA in Philly

SLA is offering an excellent slate of half-day continuing education programs before the June conference in Philadelphia - valuable for information professionals in library and other workspaces.

An online listing is here: http://sla2011.tornado1.com/conference-planner/ce_sessions/

Register online within the SLA conference registration process at
https://www.slaconference.org/portal/newreg.ww

Continuing Education Price:  $199/Members | $299/Non-members | $99 student
 

Saturday, 11 June, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.:

1) Engaging Senior Management in the Library's Mission:
Learn how to align an executive briefing program with your organization's strategy.

2) Implementing Library Mashups:
This hands-on course will show you how to create a Website that combines information from multiple sources to help you reach more clients.

Sunday, 12 June, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.:

3) Charting a Path to New Levels of Expertise, Employment and Career Satisfaction:
Get practical advice on identifying and expanding your skill set, and developing new areas of expertise.

4) Thinking Strategically: How to See the Big Picture:
Explore practical techniques for understanding strategic contexts.

Sunday, 12 June, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.:

5) Communicating Effectively in the Workplace:
Assertive communication for effective management and workplace success.

6) Copyright in Today's Digital World:
Learn about the application of copyright law in real-world scenarios that are heavily influenced by technology and electronic communication.

 

Register Now for Colleague Connection with Keynoter Dr. Camila Alire!

Remember to register for the Colleague Connection by Thursday, March 31st! This is a GREAT networking opportunity. Colleague Connection is an annual event sponsored by Colorado library organizations to encourage networking and learning among students, paraprofessional staff, librarians, trustees, vendors and friends of libraries. Networking happy hour from 5:00-6:30 PM, with dinner and keynote to follow.

Date: April 6, 2011
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost: $35.00
Register: http://tinyurl.com/CollConn2011

KEYNOTE: CHANGE HAPPENS! ...And Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Work

Transformational leadership is all about change, and emotional intelligence (EI) helps people deal with the change effectively.  Camila will share her thoughts and ideas on how emotionally intelligent leadership is helpful in designing and implementing change in our libraries and why it works in these changing times.

Presented by Camila Alire, Past-President of the American Library Association for 2009-2010, currently serves as Professor of Practice (adjunct) for the Simmons College PhD program in library managerial leadership and professor (part-time) at San Jose State University's LIS executive MLIS managerial leadership program. She is Dean Emerita at the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has served as Dean/Director of Libraries at University of Colorado at Denver.

A contrarian view on the Statistical Abstract

A contrarian view of no longer publishing The Statistical Abstract

http://flowingdata.com/2011/03/24/the-end-of-the-statistical-abstract-of-the-united-states/

April Dinearounds - Hosts Needed

It's time for spring dinearounds! Can you volunteer to host a gathering for your RMSLA colleagues? All you need to do is choose a restaurant, pick a date, and handle registration and reservations. We hope to have dine-arounds at these locations:

• Salt Lake City – NEED HOST
• Colorado Springs- Lee Ann Benkert will host
• Central Denver - NEED HOST
• North Denver – NEED HOST
• Metro West Denver- NEED HOST
• Metro South Denver Metro – NEED HOST

To be a host, contact Connie Clem at connie@cleminfostrategies or Manny Santos msantos@international.edu

Register for this years' Colleague Connection!

Please join us for this years' Colleague Connection on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Colleague Connection is an annual event sponsored by Colorado library organizations to encourage networking and learning among students, paraprofessional staff, librarians, trustees, vendors and friends of libraries. Networking happy hour from 5:00-6:30 PM, with dinner and keynote to follow.

KEYNOTE: CHANGE HAPPENS! ...And Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Work

Transformational leadership is all about change, and emotional intelligence (EI) helps people deal with the change effectively.  Camila will share her thoughts and ideas on how emotionally intelligent leadership is helpful in designing and implementing change in our libraries and why it works in these changing times.

Presented by Camila Alire, Past-President of the American Library Association for 2009-2010, currently serves as Professor of Practice (adjunct) for the Simmons College PhD program in library managerial leadership and professor (part-time) at San Jose State University's LIS executive MLIS managerial leadership program. She is Dean Emerita at the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has served as Dean/Director of Libraries at University of Colorado at Denver.

Date: April 6, 2011
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost: $35.00
Register here: http://tinyurl.com/CollConn2011

Location:

Driscoll Center North Gallery and Ballroom University of Denver
2055 E. Evans Ave.
Denver, CO 80208

Rocky Mountain Land Library, Rocky Mountain SLA, Twitter, Booze, & Chuck Norris

 

The Rocky Mountain Land Library (RMLL) has been the hard work and vision of director Jeff Lee and his wife Ann Martin for years. With the help of Park County and the City of Aurora (who own the water rights), the Land Library is on the verge of signing a lease for the Buffalo Peaks Ranch—a historic landmark established in 1863 in South Park, Colorado.

 

Be sure to check out, or subscribe to, the library’s beautiful WordPress blog which is maintained by Jeff and Ann at landlibrary.wordpress.com. Now I have been known to exaggerate on occasion (and by on occasion I mean all the time), but this is no exaggeration: It is the most beautiful blog I have ever seen. Exploring this site is like accessing the private library of some kind of amazing natural history museum. And reading the narrative is like falling into a literary dream.

Many people in the Rocky Mountain region are interested and already helping the RMLL to create a residential land study center at the ranch. RMSLA members have contributed in the past by: moving car-loads of books and shelving; repairing the ranch’s facilities; conducting scholarly research; and creating a greater awareness of the project.

Recently, two of our chapter members became the official tweeters for the Land Library. So now you can follow their brilliant, compelling, and wondrous tweets (ok, I’m exaggerating—but they are well-written) at http://twitter.com/landlibrary

 

 RMSLA member Jolie Hogancamp (@jhogancamp on Twitter) is the business librarian at Loveland Public Library. She told us this about herself:

 

 

I promote our electronic databases, assist small business needs, teach computer classes and do collection development for OverDrive downloadable materials and print books on the subjects of computers, economics/finance, and business.

I grew up in Black Hills of South Dakota. My father worked as a forest service ranger, so respect for the land was a must! Fresh out of high school, I wanted to be a year-round National Park worker; taking turns seasonally in the Everglades, Denali, Bryce Canyon, etc. But I only managed to work in Yellowstone National Park and Sequoia/Kings Canyon. Working and living in the “gateway” city to the Rocky Mountain National Park has been a great compromise!

I fell into a business major and got my first job as a used bookstore manager. My career path has been written ever since . . . books and information! I then added an undergrad in History and a Masters in Library Science, accumulating years of experience in bookstores and libraries along the way.

I have two daughters; one is a sophomore at an engineering college and the other is a freshman at Charter Performing Arts High School. And, what would a librarian be without cats? So I have two.

When I’m not busy trying out new gadgets, and absorbing the latest RSS feeds on technology and the library profession, I’m a big “foodie.”  Favorite past times include trying new restaurants and taste-touring of breweries, wineries, and distilleries. The Beer Drinkers Guide to Colorado has been a great resource to fuel the interest. I just joined our local Weiz Guys Homebrew Club and I’m working on my first batch of craft brew—a spiced ale, hope it turns out!  [Geez Jolie, you’re my new beer-swillin’, tree-huggin’, feed-readin’, book-lovin’ hero. You’ll appreciate that my dog’s name is Guinness and my cat’s name is Porter. If my next animal is dark as well, it will be named Dunkel.]

 

 

 RMSLA member Mary Smith (@marythomp on Twitter) is a librarian for the Sierra Nevada Corporation and a recent graduate of the University of Denver's LIS program. She told us about herself:

  

I grew up in Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf Coast. I loved all things "marine" when I was a kid, so I suppose that's where my interest in environmental issues stems from. I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where I was the photo editor of our school paper. I received my bachelor's in communication studies in 2008, but knew when I graduated that I didn't want to be a journalist. I bounced from job to job for a year, working as a school portrait photographer and a teacher assistant at a preschool. I also worked at a boutique toy store, which was soul crushing.

Meanwhile I was researching library schools and decided on the University of Denver, mainly because I love Colorado. While in school I volunteered for an archival project at the Colorado Department of Transportation, in the archives at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and at the EPA Region 8 Library.Towards the end of grad school I was offered an internship with the Sierra Nevada Corporation. I completed my master's degree in a year and moved into a full-time position at SNC.

In December (12/11/10... it's easy to remember), I married a technical writer and we now live in a shoe box with our cat, where we're very eager for our lease to expire. On the weekends we like to travel to different breweries and distilleries (we're from the South; we love our whiskey) and hike. We collect beer labels and pint glasses and listen to the Grateful Dead. I love all things tech, information architecture, simplicity, and photography. [Hey Mary, I've been to the Jack Daniel's and Old Jameson distilleries—for the history of course.]

I decided to ask these two a few questions and mandated that they be answered in 140 characters or less:

Tina: How did you hear about the Rocky Mountain Land Library?
Jolie:  A blog post on the Colorado Libraries Web site http://www.coloradolibraries.org/2010/08/16/rocky-mountain-land-library/
Mary: I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I heard about it from the Tattered Cover.

Tina: Besides the Land Library, what are some of your other favorite environmental, ecological, or educational Twitter feeds.
Jolie: @Chelseagreen for the books & @Greentweets for everyday advice on living smarter.
Mary: @GoodGuide, @GreenprintDenvr, @NatGeoSociety, @Denversnow

Tina: Which Land Library blog post is your favorite so far and why?
Jolie: “Can We Fix The Sky” August 30, 2010. I learned about Wind Powered Cloudseeding Vessel.
Mary: “Beatrix Potter: Author, Illustrator, Mycologist” because I had no idea.

Tina: What’s your favorite acronym for Twitter (or SMS, e-mail, etc.)?
Jolie: Easy, that would be “np” for no problem  =-)
Mary: FML!
Tina: Lol Mary. But “np” is more practical (not to mention professional). I also use "lol" quite a bit, FYI.

Tina: What’s more annoying, someone who tweets too much, or someone who’s on Twitter but never tweets?
Jolie: The person who never tweets. Social networking is ubiquitous. Someone will care what you say. Inform—be informed, it’s a beautiful thing.
Mary: Tweets too much. I’ve unfollowed multiple accounts because of that.
Tina: I have to side with Mary. I just did a search for people who tweeted “I just picked my nose.” I can’t believe how many people “inform” us of this task; not sure I would classify it as a beautiful thing :)

Tina: Don’t you think the RMSLA’s tweets are the most fascinating pieces of timely notifications that you’ve ever received? [I’m the tweeter, so if you say no this won’t get published.]
Jolie: MOST DEFINTELY!
Mary: They’re not just fascinating, they’re majestic and astounding.
Tina: pshawwww …you guys are just saying that so I’ll publish this...ok you win.

Tina: Speaking of fascination, don’t you think the RMSLA’s meeting minutes (which I compose) are the most poignant pieces of journalism in the English language? I think we should be charging people for access to my minutes.
Jolie: Tina, it’s like reading a finely edited movie script!
Mary: See answer to #6

Tina: If Twitter and Facebook got in a fight, who do you think would win?
Jolie: Facebook it bridges’ the generational gap, grandparents for the family pictures & kids for the posting power & games!
Mary: Twitter. Facebook sucks.
Tina: This sounds like a social media showdown. Calls for some arm wrestling...I'll put it on the next RMSLA meeting agenda.

Tina: If the director of the Land Library and the director of the Sky Library (www.bigskylibrary.org) got in a fight, who do you think would win?
Jolie: Neither! Chuck Norris wouldn’t let that happen.
Mary: Land Library, because I’m required to say that, but why should they be fighting? I’m sure both can come to some kind of peaceful agreement... 
Tina: Because I love a good fight - that's why.

For anyone interested in helping, the next project for the RMLL is to catalog the library’s collection of 20,000 books. They will also be hosting more fun, outdoor workdays to spruce up the ranch.

The library (in partnership with the Tattered Cover bookstore) also hosts the Rocky Mountain Land Series, where authors and writers are invited to speak about their works—usually addressing issues affecting the Western landscape.

Thanks Jeff, Ann, Jolie, and Mary for your work. I hope people will continue to enjoy the Land Library’s contributions toward education and environment, and that the RMSLA will continue to help with its progress. 

Tina Jayroe
RMSLA Secretary
RMLL Advisory Board

It’s radical! It’s risky! It’s revolutionary! Why wouldn’t we do it?

"It’s radical!  It’s risky!  It’s revolutionary!  Why wouldn’t we do it?"

In sharing this response from a staff member, Pam Sandlian Smith (Anythink Libraries Director and 2011 RMSLA Shirley Alldredge speaker) demonstrated the energy, creativity and passion with which “Anythinkers” approach their work. Anythink Libraries were once the worst library system in the state of Colorado, yet within three years transformed so completely into a future-focused library that they won the 2010 National Medal for Library and Museum Service.

In 2011, Anythink was named one of five winners of the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award.  The award acknowledged Anythink’s customer service philosophy and creative branding initiative which pushed the number of card holders up by 42% and increased visitors by 66%.

Anythink has opened four new libraries and is in the process of completing renovation on three more.  Two of the libraries are gold LEEDs-certified. Throughout Anythink facilities, the focus is on people rather than materials.  The cataloging system was converted from Dewey to BISAC Subject Headings, a system overwhelming preferred by library users.

Driving this remarkable run of building, renovation and improvement is Anythink’s culture of optimism, creativity and empowerment.  The summer reading program theme “Read, Think, Do” succinctly sums up the process Anythink used to transform their once-failing library system into a system of buildings, programs and, most importantly, attitudes that successfully serve and honor Anythink’s fondly-dubbed community of wizards, geniuses and explorers.  

Ms. Sandlian Smith reads widely outside the library profession for inspiration.  When asked by an audience member for recommendations, she named three:  Setting the Table by Danny Meyer (customer service philosophy), Leadership is an Art by Max Depree and Beyond Disruption by Jean-Marie Dru.

The story behind the Shirley Alldredge Presentation

The annual Shirley Alldredge Memorial Lecture was sponsored by Robert Alldredge in memory of his wife, Shirley (1919-1980), who was a distinguished member of the Rocky Mountain chapter, serving on the Executive Board. 
 
Early in her career, Shirley was a librarian at the Missouri School of Mines and later at the George Washington School of Medicine in Washington, DC.  Between 1944 and 1946, Shirley and Bob worked in Los Alamos on the Manhattan Project.
 
Shirley worked at the University of Denver 1946-1951, and joined the NOAA library staff as cataloger in 1967, where she became Head of Public Services in 1970.
 
Mrs. Alldredge was very active in SLA and in our local chapter. For ten years, Shirley and Bob Alldredge hosted the RMSLA Christmas dinner parties and also offered their place for executive board meetings and other special meetings.
 
Shirley is remembered by many RMSLA members.  RMSLA Past President, Kurt Keely, wrote about her kindness and patience saying, "She always spoke to her patrons with such graciousness, kindness, and understanding....If she had a fault, it was in attempting to do everything one hundred percent. No one will ever know how many young people she helped start in their life's work; because, Shirley was also a one hundred percent, twenty-five hour a day friend."

Turning the lights on this year's Spotlight on your Career -- a report

CoALL and RMSLA co-sponsored the 2011 Spotlight on your Career at the CU Law Library on Feb 26.  In addition to amazing speakers, there was a Technology Petting Zoo so attendees could actually handle the good stuff.  Many thanks to RMSLAer & uber-communicator Connie Clem for this report:

*******************************************************************************

This year’s Spotlight was well attended, interactive, and useful. Megan Kinney (Community College of Aurora) and Matt Hamilton (Anythink Libraries) were the presenters.

In Megan’s block, we talked about what “emerging” means and the key role of info pros in relating to clients/users on their own level to help them understand and use new technologies. Matt talked (among other things) about info pros tending to be in the early adopter demographic; library users increasingly getting into content creation; and a trend toward transliteracy, or being comfortable using all types of media. And we talked about apps.

And the pet-ables were friendly, not fanged. There were multiple iterations of Nooks and Kindles and a 7" Droid tablet, the Archos, thanks to Matt Hamilton and Sarah Reinhardt for that memory refresher on the actual brand name. 

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/archos_7/index.html

My socks were blown by the possibilities inherent in the LiveScribe smartpen - http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/

For people who couldn’t make it, here are links Megan shared to “get our tech on”:

LITA – Library Information Technology Association, http://www.lita.org

TechSoup for Libraries project, Share and Learn page - http://www.techsoupforlibraries.org/share-and-learn

Moodle demonstration site – http://moodle.org , for people who create online learning

WebJunction technology answers - http://www.webjunction.org/technology

For a fairly small subscription fee, http://www.lynda.com/ offers technology tutorials.

And Megan pointed us to this list by Librarian In Black, Sarah Houghton-Jan, on Technology Skills Library Staff Should Have:  http://alalearning.org/2011/01/21/techskills/

 

Matt’s learning links include:

 http://www.howcast.com/ for videos on how to do just about anything

 Sites like http://www.aroundme.com/ that make it easy to find a coffee joint (or whatever) when you need one, based on your mobile GPS location

 http://evernote.com/ for storing your thoughts, photos, etc. on the cloud so they’re accessible on whatever device you’re using to connect.

 Kudos to Esti Shay, Mary Arnold, Sheena Barbour, Shannon Marshall, Rachel Nelson, and Julie Teglovic for putting the event together on behalf of CoALL and RMSLA.

Thanks to contributors Thomson-Reuters, LexisNexis, and HeinOnline, to the CU Law School for hosting the session, and to the librarians of the William A. Wise Law Library for arranging the venue.

SLA Student Chapter Meeting

Please join the DU Student Chapter for their quarterly membership meeting Monday, February 28 from 6:20p-7:00p at the University of Denver's Katherine Ruffatto Hall (1999 E. Evans Ave) room 202.  We will be discussing our upcoming Spring quarter events!

Ready to be part wizard, genius, and explorer? #FR365

Pam Sandlian Smith, this year's speaker at RMSLA's Shirley Alldredge Lecture and library director at the award-winning Anythink Libraries in Adams County, Colorado, shared her views on innovation and change in a post on SLA's Future Ready 365 blog, readable here.

A snip:

Imagining our future at Anythink Libraries required a team of people who were willing to abandon library structures that were not working for our customers, or were not sustainable in a world of limited resources. It required a collaboration of people who had infinite trust in each other’s abilities and perspectives. It required a willingness to live with ambiguity as we were challenged to find the right answer, not the first answer, or the safe answer, but the answer that fit the criteria of a new paradigm.

You can read more about Anythink Libraries on the Anythink website, or read about how the library system "re-think" earned The American Library Association's 2011 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award and the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency.

See what Pam has to share with us in person about channeling your inner wizard, genius, and explorer on behalf of your information clients. Join us on March 3 at the Colorado Dept of Education building in Denver, or attend her presentation online. Pam will speak beginning at 7:00 p.m., after the RMSLA annual chapter business meeting, which opens at 6:00.

Register online for the evening's events or sign in to attend the virtual program.

Spotlight on Your Career - registration open!

Spotlight on Your Career 2011

 

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the deluge of emerging technologies? Or maybe you are a tech geek already and you wanna make sure you don't miss anything!  Heck you might just wanna network with your colleagues in CoALL and RMSLA. Whatever your goal we have an action packed hands on workshop for you! Come learn and ask questions about the latest tech trends, develop a plan for a acquiring or honing the skills you need to embrace these trends.

 

Speakers Megan Kinney (Director of Library Services, Community College of Aurora) and Matt Hamilton (IT Manager, Anythink Libraries) will identify the skills and emerging technologies that you can use to improve your career in this new digital environment. Between speakers, explore the Technology Petting Zoo, where you can handle the gadgets that are changing library services and literacy.

 

Date: February 26, 2011

 

Cost: $20 – includes presentations plus breakfast & lunch!

 

Location: CU Wolf Law Building

2450 Kittredge Loop Road, Room 204

Boulder, CO 80309

 

Time: 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Registration opens at 9:30.

 

For more information and to register see: http://tinyurl.com/spotlight-career-2011

SLA's 23 Things Revisited: Fresh Learning Opportunities

When SLA's 23 Things premiered at the SLA 2008 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO in Seattle, it became one of the most popular benefits of membership in SLA. In 2010, it was time to re-establish the opportunity for collaborative learning, and I, who chaired the original effort, worked with graduate MLIS student Kim McGrath to rejuvenate the package. 

Now, 23 Things is making a new debut.

Some outdated links and resources have been removed, existing lessons have been updated, and completely new material has been added to the package.

A few highlights: Week 6 was remodeled to introduce "Social Media and Networking."  Now included are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and how each one can be used to help you find a job, advertise your business, or gain competitive intelligence. Read articles and watch videos that point you to valuable resources you can put to use right away! If you’re a seasoned veteran, we’ve got next steps covered too.

With the Future Ready 365 blog in full swing, try out a few of the weeks, learn something new, and become Future Ready yourself. Spend as little as an hour a week, and reinvigorate yourself with fresh ideas and a mastery of tools like RSS,Tagging and Folksonomies, and more. If you're new to 23 Things, all you need to do is create a username in SLA's wiki dashboard to get started.

So what are you waiting for? Jump in and try out all 23 Things, sample a baker’s dozen, or just start with Week 6. No need to go in order, but it helps you experience the full effect. There is something here for everyone to increase employability and career skills, so don’t delay!

Annual Business Meeting and Presentation rescheduled for March 3rd

March 3, 2011 from 6:00p.m.-7:45p.m.
Colorado Department of Education Board Room OR online via WebEx!

The Business Meeting for RMSLA members begins at 6:00 p.m. and includes a boxed lunch from Panera Bread. The agenda includes updates about upcoming chapter events and news from SLA headquarters via the Leadership Summit.

The Presentation portion of the evening begins at 7:00 p.m. and is open to all.  Speaking is Pam Sandlian Smith, Library Director at Anythink Libraries in Adams County. Anythink Libraries is the 2011 Winner of the John Cotton Dana Award as well as one of five libraries awarded the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service by First Lady Michelle Obama.

Registration: http://tinyurl.com/RMSLA-March3  

WebEx registration: https://jiu.webex.com/jiu/onstage/g.php?d=339281614&t=a  (We will provide access via WebEx and call-in for the entire event!)

Feb 2 Business Meeting and presentation to be rescheduled

Today's RMSLA annual business meeting and program will be rescheduled because of the extremely low temperatures in the region. A new date will be announced soon.