Have you added RUSA’s programs to your ALA Annual Conference schedule yet?
Log into ALA Connect and then click on the hyperlinked program titles below to add these events to your schedule!
Remember that room assignments for these events are subject to change–the most up-to-date assignments are available on the ALA Conference Scheduler.
RUSA President’s Program: Library in Your Hand: Mobile Technologies for Exchanging Information with Patrons
Sunday,10:30 a.m. – noon
Mobile devices are increasingly being used to provide libraries with the opportunity to disperse information at the exact point of need. This program will explore and highlight the importance of libraries supporting mobile technologies for both the dissemination and acquisition of information. Examples of such projects currently being implemented in libraries will be discussed.
The E-book Elephant in the Room: Determining What’s Relevant and Effective for Your Patrons, and Making Effective Decisions for Your Future E-collection
Saturday, 8 – 10 a.m.
Patron demand for E-books is growing. Faced with growing e-collections, more interesting e-content from publishers, and a struggle to balance our materials budgets across physical and e-content, how do we make good decisions about what these collections should contain? Circulation and download numbers are one way to count use; what are some other ways to evaluate the success of e-books when many of these patrons use us from home, at night, and never darken the doors of our library building? How do we gain the valuable patron-feedback beyond download statistics that will help us shape future collections? What support issues arise around use of the collections, are the vendor platforms reliable, and what e-formats are most in demand? Hear how representatives from both public and academic libraries are measuring the success and challenges of their e-book collections.
Smart investing@your library: Program Models That Work
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – noon
Smart investing@your library grantees are at the forefront of financial literacy programs that reach all economic and interest levels. Learn how they are creating models that use social media to capture attention, design games that appeal to kids, teens and adults, partner with social service agencies and market school programs to provide unbiased, financial education and resources. As more people need and want to learn how to manage their personal finances, these innovative libraries are leading the way.
The RA Forum: Browsing for Pleasure in the Digital Age
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – noon
Three RA experts will explore the changing ways our patrons browse our collections and learn about titles outside our walls. Come join this annual RA community event and be part of the conversation about the impact of the digital age on how readers stumble upon their next great read.
International ILL: A Global Perspective on Resource Sharing
Saturday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Join the RUSA STARS International ILL Committee as they present their findings from a recent international survey of libraries regarding international interlibrary loan. This survey is a follow-up to their paper “Lending and Borrowing Across Borders: Issues and Challenges with International Resource Sharing” which focused on international ILL issues as they relate to U.S. libraries. In addition to presenting the survey results, Committee members will discuss challenges and possible solutions for international interlibrary loan as revealed by the survey.
Are Virtual Reference Services Worth the Effort? What ROI Analysis and User Evaluations Tell Us
Saturday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Are virtual reference services worth the effort? The answer to that question is a definitive “yes,” but how do we know? A panel of experts discusses ways to look at return-on-investment and evaluation of virtual reference (VR) services and various methods used to assess their effectiveness. Real-life examples of ways this has already been done will be presented as well. Panelists represent a cross-section of different libraries and each will share their unique perspective.
Mining Gold from the 1940 U.S. Census
Sunday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Census records are invaluable for many kinds of research–especially family history. The 72 year privacy embargo expired in April, 2012 for the 1940 US Census. Librarians and researchers are eager to know what these records contain and what indexes and other finding aids will help mine this vast treasure trove of information.
18th Annual Reference Research Forum
Sunday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during the ALA Annual Conference, where attendees can learn about notable research projects conducted in the broad area of reference services such as user behavior, electronic services, reference effectiveness and assessment, and organizational structure and personnel.
Implementing the “STAR” Checklist for High Performance Library Resource-Sharing
Sunday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
The STAR Checklist for library resource sharing has been released to enthusiastic reviews. Members of the Policies Committee, a joint committee of the RRSI and RUSA STARS, will review the Checklist and explain its development and purpose. In addition, representative librarians who have implemented most or all of the checklist will speak about the impact of these best practices on developing high performance resource-sharing policies and practices.
How Libraries Are Serving the Evolving Needs of Baby Boomers and Older Adults
Sunday, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Baby Boomers and Older Americans today are the most diverse community of aging adults in history. Learn how libraries are reaching these populations, with attention to the 2008 RUSA Guidelines on Library and Information Services to Older Adults. Explore how libraries can best respond to the needs of Boomers and older adults through programs, collections, and services, including responses to the current economic downturn.
Discovery Systems: The Promise and the Reality
Sunday, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
A new era of discovery systems commenced in 2008 with the release of services that aim to index and provide access to an increasingly comprehensive body of library resources. This new genre of products, including Summon from Serials Solutions, EBSCO Discovery Service, Primo Central from ExLibris, and OCLC’s WorldCat Local, promised to revolutionize how students and researchers discover, access, and use library resources of all types. These products aim to provide a Google-like search experience for library collections without the pitfalls of federated searching and to allow librarians to focus on promoting information literacy rather than on helping users navigate confusing information silos. This program examines how well discovery systems deliver on their promises four years into their development.
Let’s Work Together: Integrating Social Media, Online Marketing, and Outreach
Monday, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Speakers will discuss how their organizations have reinvented their online presence using social media as a way to interact with their communities. They’ll also address their personal and organizational investments in the implementation of an ongoing online, socially-interactive presence; give hints and advice regarding the implementation of new media and how these roles and responsibilities are assigned to staff; identify the criteria they used to develop their social media plan; and explain goals and measurement tools for keeping on track.
Adventures in Dataland: Business Data Sources
Monday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In our two part program, we’ll show you how to help your users with free and low-cost business statistical data sources to locate business demographics, basic industry financials, and much more. In the second part of our program, we’ll learn how business data vendors generate data and also the exciting future developments of GIS and data-driven business information.
Readers’ Advisory for Town AND Gown: Academic and Public Library Partnerships for RA Services
Monday, 10:30 a.m. – noon
Long a core service of public libraries, the expectation of readers’ advisory in college and university libraries is a growing trend. Come hear academic librarians describing how they have been challenged to incorporate readers’ advisory techniques into their programs, and to hear from public librarians who have successfully partnered with their local institutions of higher education for the mutual benefit of public library cardholders and students.
Keep the Fight Going: Libraries Fight Back
Monday, 10:30 a.m. – noon
Libraries are at the core of our communities and at the forefront of the digital world. Library workers help preserve the past while educating for the future, and libraries can reinvigorate blighted areas while inspiring people to “be the change.” Yet when budgetary crises occur, libraries always seem to be the first resources offered up for sacrifice. This program will examine the essential services that libraries provide to their communities and, increasingly, an interconnected global community.
