The 2018 ALA Emerging Leaders Project with the IRRT

International Leads, Volume 33, Issue 2, June 2018
By Lindsay Taylor Inge, linge@umd.edu

If you attend ALA Annual 2018, please stop by our poster to learn more about our work! We are so excited about this project, and look forward to sharing it with you all. The Emerging Leaders Poster Session is held on Friday, June 22nd from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in MCC –Rm 345.

The American Libraries Association (ALA) Emerging Leaders (EL) Program is a long-running initiative to introduce new library professionals to the structure of ALA, while also providing networking and service opportunities at the national level. ALA members with 5 years of experience or less are invited to apply to the program, which is capped at 50 participants. Upon acceptance, ELs commit to attending the ALA Midwinter Meeting and ALA Annual Conference, where they have opportunities to met fellow leaders, participate in leadership workshops, and learn more about how ALA functions. ELs also commit to completing a group project over the duration of the 6-month program.

ALA divisions, units, round tables, committees, task forces, and working groups are invited to submit project proposals for consideration. ELs review project proposals, rank their top 5 choices, and are paired with other ELs who share their interests. The 2018 cohort of ELs include a group working on an International Relations Round Table project proposed by Loida Garcia-Febo, Chair of IRRT. The group is composed of 5 ELs: Twanna Hodge, Lindsay Inge Carpenter, Joi Jackson, Gina Kromhout, and Grace Liu.

The group is charged with identifying new emerging international leaders, building a model for ongoing international engagement in ALA, and developing recommendations for policy that encourage participation of international librarians in ALA. To address these questions, the group was asked to design, distribute, and analyze a survey of current IRRT members, with the goal of creating a database of responses for IRRT to consult when identifying new emerging international leaders. To respond to the second two charges, the group will write a white paper summarizing their recommendations for engagement and policy. These recommendations are based on survey responses as well as best practices gleaned from other ALA committees.

While working collaboratively in a virtual environment can be a challenge, our group has embraced this opportunity to contribute to IRRT’s work in a meaningful way. We began our work during ALA Midwinter, the very same weekend we first met and learned more about the charge. We developed a workplan, communication plan, and assigned group members to lead different aspects of the project. In the time since then, we have already completed stage one of the project, having distributed and analyzed a survey of current IRRT members. Under Grace’s leadership, the group developed a list of survey questions and solicited feedback from IRRT executive board members, resulting in a strong, detailed survey. We received about an 11% response rate, which is within the typical range for surveys of this kind. Once we finished collecting the data, Joi and Gina took the lead on analyzing the results, combing through qualitative responses and quantitative data to identify themes.

Twanna and Lindsay will take the lead on the project’s next two stages, which includes drafting a white paper report and a poster to share at ALA Annual. The white paper will summarize the survey results, and will include recommendations for encouraging engagement and out-reach to international members of IRRT.

The group thanks Loida Garcia-Febo and Delin Guerra for their support and encouragement throughout this project, without which our work would not have been possible. It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ALA, IRRT, and the type of work that goes in to making an organization of this size run effectively.

For more on the American Library Association Emerging Leaders program, visit the website http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/leadership/emergingleaders

Read more in the June 2018 International Leads at http://www.ala.org/rt/sites/ala.org.rt/files/content/intlleads/leadsarchive/201806.pdf

Loida Garcia-Febo reflects on a successful year

Message from the IRRT Chair
International Leads, Volume 33, Issue 2, June 2018

As chair, my theme for the year 2017-2018 was Library services to immigrants and refugees. I am happy to report the following notable accomplishments among others:

• We successfully organized and presented an international webinar series under the Library Services to Immigrants and Refugees theme.
• We established an Endowment and awarded the first IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant.
• Team G of ALA’s Emerging Leaders collaborated with IRRT on a project that would help increase the engagement of international members including new professional leaders in ALA activities.

Much appreciation to all the IRRT members for their contributions to conference programs, online events and to this newsletter. A special mention goes to each one of the Publications Committee members who have increased posts on the IRRT blog and Facebook page. Rebecca and Florence, our IL editors, took this publication to a higher level. Joan Weeks lead an effort to renew our IRRT website within ALA and the results are fantastic.

Muchas gracias to Delin Guerra from ALA Headquarters for her unwavering support.
My personal thanks go to members of the IRRT Executive Board and committees for their enthusiasm, commitment, and dedication to make things happen. We did it! We had a great year and now we look forward to the next cohort of leaders that will take the IRRT through 2018-2019.

Heartfelt congratulations and a big welcome to our colleagues elected to the IRRT board in ALA’s recent elections: Chair-Elect: Richard Sapon-White, Member-at-Large: Florence N. Mugambi, and Round Table Councilor: Sandy Hirsh.

Thanks to the hard work of our committee members, this year we are fortunate to present many programs, including our IRRT Pre-conference at the annual conference in New Orleans to help library workers serve immigrants and refugees in libraries. Personally, I am very happy everyone embraced the Chair’s theme and coordinated events featuring models, best practices and recommendations to serve these populations. If you are planning to attend the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, do not miss our programs!

I hope to greet many of you at our International Reception at the BB King’s Club in New Orleans which is being coordinated by the International Reception Committee. It promises to be a spectacular event. It was my pleasure to be the IRRT Chair. You all rock! I am very fortunate. This is a most interesting time when I end my term as IRRT Chair and also move from being ALA President-Elect to ALA President. I am looking forward to continue collaborating with my dear international colleagues in that capacity. Stay tuned for news on the ALA communication channels.

Read more in the June 2018 International Leads at http://www.ala.org/rt/sites/ala.org.rt/files/content/intlleads/leadsarchive/201806.pdf

Call for Papers: International Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

The International Journal of Librarianship and Information Science (IJoLIS) is actively soliciting manuscripts for publication.

The IJoLIS publishes research papers, scholarly opinion papers, reviews of research, brief communications, abstracts of theses, and reviews of books and other media free of charge. Papers are selected by a process of peer review, with double-blind review of each paper. The editorial policy of the IJoLIS is to contribute to the advancement of library and information sciences by serving as a forum for discussion of theory and research. The journal is concerned with research findings, understanding of issues in the field, information practices of individuals and groups, and understanding of the history, economics, and technology of information or library systems and services. 

Submissions in English are invited by 31 July 2018.

Instructions for contributors are included in journal issues and are also available on the journal’s website: http://ijolis.aiou.edu.pk/ 

Interested authors, referees, contributors, and reviewers should contact the editor at: ijolis@aiou.edu.pk

Join us in New Orleans for ALA Annual, June 22-25

The ALA Annual Conference offers you an unparalleled opportunity to enhance your knowledge, share your ideas, and network with experts from around the globe as you participate in one of the largest and most exciting library events in the world!

Following is a list of meetings and events for the International Relations Committee (IRC), the International Relations Round Table (IRRT), and other ALA Offices hosting programs with an international focus. Visit the International Relations Office website to learn more and to register.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22
“Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses: How libraries are serving immigrant and refugee populations”-- IRRT Preconference
#409352

International Relations Committee I (IRC)
#459777
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

International Librarians Orientation

#460138

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm


SATURDAY, JUNE 23
IRC*/IRRT+ All Subcommittee Meeting
#459922
8:30am - 11:00am

Developing the Next Generation of Library Leaders in Africa
#372037
9:00 am - 10:00 am

BCALA Recruitment & Professional Development Committee, BCALA International Relations Committee
#460345 (AFL-BCALA)
9:00 am - 10: 00 am

Central American Connections
#372153
10:30 am - 11:30 am

Modern Language Association International Bibliography in Academic Libraries Discussion Group
 #424364
 (ACRL
)
10:30 am - 11:30 am

IFLA Global Vision Discussion
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Libraries Saving Lives: Serving Immigrants and Refugees - IRRT Chair's Program
#360476
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Using Innovative, Music-Based Outreach Programs to Reach Vulnerable Populations of All Ages

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (
ASCLA
)

Support for Services to Immigrant and Refugees through Sister Libraries

#370373

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm


Equality, diversity and inclusion in Southeast/East Asia & Pacific Libraries

#371635

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 24
How can a widespread international partnership between the United States and Nigeria benefit both nations? Engaging library school students, new and established professionals in vitally-needed discussions

8:00 am - 8:45 am (Conversation Starter)


Libraries supporting social inclusion for refugees and immigrants - IRRT's Paper and Projects Session
#371722
9:00 am - 10:00 am

International Poster Session
9:30 am - 11:00 am, Exhibit floor
Come to the Exhibit floor and find out about innovative programs and transformatve ideas that are shaping libraries all over the world.

Arab American Literature: A Librarian’s Guide
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm (EMIERT, ODLOS)
Project Welcome Recommendations and Action Plan: Implications for Libraries Serving Refugees
#458300
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Academic Library Services to International Students Interest Group

#426028
 (ACRL
)
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

MONDAY, JUNE 25
Library Building Design in Germany: An overview
#369696
9:00 am - 10:00 am

How Libraries Abroad Address the Worldwide Refugee Crisis (ISLD program)

9:00 am - 10:00 am


International Librarians Reception
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
BB King's Blues Club, 1104 Decatur Street Join the ALA International Relations Round Table (IRRT) in welcoming and celebrating with librarians from more than 70 countries at the ALA Annual Conference. Open to all conference attendees. ALA President, Jim Neal, will announce the recipients of the ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Projects. Winners of the Bogle Pratt Award and the Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award for International Librarianship will be announced. Advance registration is required. International librarians registered for the full conference will receive one complimentary ticket. All tickets must be obtained in advance.  Register today!      

ACRL Webinar on Editing Books on International Librarianship

Free ACRL Webinar on June 11: Editing Books on International Librarianship
Monday,  June 11 at 11 am CST (Chicago), 12 pm EST (New York)

Are you interested in learning about upcoming books and new trends in international librarianship and student services? Join ACRL for this webinar discussion with three editors who are editing volumes on these topics in LIS. They will also share their thoughts and perspectives on international librarianship and student services in libraries today; and the experiences of editing a book project.

Speakers:
Leila Rod-Welch, Outreach Services Librarian, University of Northern Iowa
Yelena Luckert, Director of Research and Learning, University of Maryland
Lindsay Inge, First Year Experience Librarian, University of Maryland

Follow this link to attend the webinar: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/rbb6t6fnhlcj/

If you can't make it to the live session the webinar will be archived.