Sunday, 10/22
10:00am – 11:00am
Building a Shared Collection for the Northeast – Matthew Revitt
Hear how 47 academic institutions predominantly from here in New England have come together to establish the Eastern Academic Scholars’ Trust (EAST), which focuses on protecting print collections in ways that reduce the costs of local collection management and storage and ensures the content remains accessible for the long-term. With the support of the Andrew W. Mellon and Davis Foundations, EAST has taken collaborative shared print to new levels by agreeing to a shared commitment of 6 million plus print monograph items among 40 academic institutions from Maine to Maryland.
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Promoting Student Success: Bringing a Computer Lab into the Library – Mike Hearn
As libraries of all types reevaluate their role in their community, it is necessary to consider how physical space can be maximized to best serve constituents. For academic libraries, the primary constituency is students, and adapting to meet their educational needs is of utmost importance for their success. This presentation will discuss how and why Northern Essex Community College integrated its walk in student computer lab into the library, and emphasize the ramifications, both expected and unforeseen, that developed as a result. Project funding, building processes, stakeholder relationships, collection weeding and shifting are all areas that will be covered.
3:15pm – 4:15pm
Information Literacy & Web Design – Odile Harter
With good reason, libraries are paying increased attention to user experience research and usable web design. But where might perfectly intuitive design interfere with the full development of information literacy, or with media and digital literacies? This presentation explores how libraries can find the balance between increasing the usability of their own sites and teaching users to be savvy about the difference between design and information.
Monday, 10/23
10:15am – 11:15am
Triple-Threat Librarians: Leaders, Entrepreneurs & Technologists – Carl Antonucci & Sharon Clapp
The editors of the LITA Leadership Guide The Librarian as Entrepreneur, Leader and Technologist will share some of the case studies presented in the book. This session will show how experienced colleagues in academic have successfully created positive changes for themselves, their patrons and their libraries as leaders, entrepreneurs and technologists in the changing libraries of the 21st century.
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Frankendesk: Building 1 Service Desk from 3 – Julie Petzold
During the 2013-2014 academic year, staff at the Emerson College Iwasaki Library began to explore new service-desk models. This exploration became the catalyst to a 4-plus year goal of merging the library’s 3 existing service desks to 1 super desk (affectionately referred to as “Frankendesk”). This lofty goal, once conceptualized, required rapid and collaborative planning and implementation, but also necessitated thoughtful assessment, reflection, and willingness to change in order to be successful. After the Service Desk’s first year in action, the processes of assessment, reflection, and change are ongoing, but library staff are proud of its beautiful monster.
Tuesday, 10/24
9:00am – 10:00am
Core & More: Foundational Competencies, Qualifications, & Specializations in LIS – Eileen Abels, Dr. Valerie Karno & Laura Saunders
How can LIS programs structure programs to meet employer demands? Based on survey results of over 1100 LIS faculty, employers, and practitioners, this program will identify core competencies common across LIS positions as well as specialized areas of knowledge. Presenters will encourage a dialogue about how LIS programs and employers can work together to prepare successful professionals.
