American Library Association UCLA Student Chapter

"How to Publish" with Esther Grassian

2011-06-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, UCLA ALA Student Chapter members attended a talk with insider tips and guidance on how to get published. Esther Grassian, the Information Literacy Librarian at UCLA's College Library and an accomplished writer, spoke to her audience about a wide range of publishing options ranging from blogs to textbooks. To view the slides from this presentation visit this link. Go to "26 May 2011, What Me Publish?." Notes View will reveal her talking points as well.

For those members who couldn't make it, here are some of the highlights from the informative and well organized presentation:

1) When selecting a topic to write about, make sure you have something new to say by doing research on what has been said before.

2) Publishing will help you build a name for yourself, boost a resume, and advance the field.

3) There is a writing progression from free and unmoderated (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and listserves) to a midpoint of control and difficulty (i.e. poster sessions, conference presentations, and magazine articles) to the most restrictive in terms of peer review and standards (i.e. book chapters, journal articles, and books). While students in grad school and new information professionals might not be ready for the high end of the progression, the best approach is to get started building expertise and gaining recognition as a voice in the field.

4) Resources: "LibGuides" (short for library research guides) are a community of consolidated resources organized by subject to assist university courses and special subjects. UCLA has a great collection, and they are readily available to all. Esther has produced several on information literacy instruction. Writer's Market is a book with topic listings of magazine publications, including the requirements for submission, pay, and the types of content a given magazine is soliciting.

5) If you publish, retain your copyright!

6) Calls for book chapters are disseminated via listserves. While new librarians are still early in their careers and low on experience, this is something to keep in mind for the future. A call will contain details of the chapter proposal and the deadline. To respond a writer must give a detailed outline. Those submissions with visuals such as check lists, images, and charts fare better.

7) If you want to write a book, make sure you have administrative support. Approval from the department head can mean time off to work on it as well as grant opportunities. Solicit feedback from the publisher and your colleagues. Acknowledge their help in the book.

Esther's sound advice and practical tips are useful to novice and experienced librarians alike. Cross-reference the 2010-2011 membership list with the new names in publication in a few years and see how many hits you get!

ALA Student Chapter reveLs in a Measure L Victory

2011-03-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday, March 8th, 64% of Los Angeles voters said yes on Measure L! This means great things for Los Angeles libraries, Los Angeles citizens, and UCLA library school students. ALA Student Chapter members worked for several weeks on the campaign, but no future librarian worked harder than ALA Student Chapter Co-President, Britt Foster. Not only was she the brains behind the student operations, organizing phone banking and flyering schedules, but also, she put in many work hours hitting the pavement and dialing voters. Additionally, Britt served as the liaison between the student chapter and City Librarian, Martin Gomez, as well as the Librarian's Guild.

This past Sunday, Measure L supporters convened outside a beautiful library, the Memorial Branch, to have one last rally before voters entered booths on Tuesday. The rally included speakers, authors, musicians, and a magic act. A crowd of around 150 people gathered in front of an antique door in the park outside the library. The library was closed for the day due to budget cuts, and the statement made by the setting was poignant. Some of the speakers were well known to the UCLA MLIS program. Eva Mitnick, an adjunct professor in the area of children's services, spoke to community members about the importance of L through alliterations featuring -you guessed it- the letter 'L.' In recognition of her passion and commitment, Britt was also invited to speak at this final rally for Measure L. Britt's speech was heartfelt and sincere (see below). Four ALA Student Chapter Officers appeared at the event to cheer on Measure L and cheer on Britt. On the whole the event was well attended, and the magician was a raving success with the numerous children present. March 8th: After an anxious day at the polls, confirmation that Measure L had passed came in around 10:30 pm. Since then, students and librarians alike have been riding high on an L shaped cloud. Measure L was crucial for Los Angeles libraries, but as one of the largest and most diverse library systems in the county, it was also an important vote for sending a message to the country about libraries and their value. Los Angeles voters rose to the challenge, and ALA Student Chapter was a part of this momentous occasion. We gave 'em heLL!

Britt Foster's Heartfelt Speech:

I feel I should share with you what it is I’m doing in Los Angeles, and to do that, I’ve got to go back a few years. I visited L.A. for the first time in 2007, and a friend from college offered to give me a tour. After navigating the 101, which is part of the L.A. experience, for sure, we went-- not to the beaches, not to Hollywood, but to the place my friend felt was one of the shining examples of L.A.-- the Central Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. It felt like a religious experience-- I kept telling people that I had visited the “cathedral of books.” Two years later, I sent out applications and was accepted in library schools across the United States, in Brooklyn, in Seattle. But I was waiting for one: when my acceptance letter to the Master’s of Library and Information Science program at UCLA came, I-- I’m not kidding-- screamed and did a happy dance in the kitchen. All I could think about was working for Los Angeles Public Library.

When I asked my fellow library school students what they felt was important for all of you to hear, L.A. natives often started their ideas with their own story about LAPL-- visiting the Chinatown branch on Hill St., what it meant to them to intern in the library they grew up in, serving kids just like they once were. Some of them talked about wanting to work for LAPL, but are looking at jobs in northern California, on the East Coast, because they know it’s not possible with the current state of the library. I don’t want to diminish what it means to myself and my fellow students to leave the library system that is often host to our first professional experience, through internships and research projects, but I think the bigger issue is what it means to the communities of Los Angeles to lose librarians, both those recently graduated, and those that have been laid off after serving the city through LAPL. I think that I love librarians, and libraries, because they believe in people. Los Angeles needs people and places that believe in people: believe in people like the kids who come to the library after school because it is the only safe option for them; believe in people like adults who never learned to read as kids, and are taking literacy classes so that they can read to their kids; believe in people who come to the library to find jobs, to meet with other people, to find that movie or book that reminds them that, as people, we’re all in this together.

I graduate from UCLA in three months, and since I am wholeheartedly committed to becoming a public librarian, I believe in people, too. I believe in the power of the people of Los Angeles to pass Measure L with a “yes” vote on March 8.

Measure L: Day of Action

2011-02-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

UCLA ALA Student Chapter further revealed it's commitment to a year of library activism with the biggest event yet! Chapter members and friends gathered together to get the word out to L.A. voters about Measure L. This ballot measure represents a pivotal moment for Los Angeles libraries. If it passes, libraries will have their funding restored to pre-recession levels, allowing the library to return to six days of service per week (and later seven), increasing the collections budget, and increasing services and programming. If, however, the measure does not pass, L.A, City Council will have no reason to defend libraries from further budget slashes. It has been predicted that should the measure not pass, 64 out of 72 branches would need to close completely. Ouch!

Obviously, a student group comprised of dedicated future librarians is absolutely in favor of Measure L, and we're putting our energies into helping the cause. Students have already been handing out Measure L bookmarks to registered L.A. voters, blogging, writing op-eds, posting fliers at work and home, and leaving quarter sheets at amenable local businesses. Today, however, represented a huge push as the countdown to voting day begins in earnest. Chapter members assembled for updates and action plans. After learning the latest news, small groups split off into stations. There was a table for social networking on laptops, a room reserved for phone banking, fliers for those who wished to hit the pavement, and window chalk for transforming cars into mobile billboards. Best of all, there were sign up sheets to keep the action going until voting on March 8th!

UCLA ALA Student Chapter sponsored the event as a way for busy graduate students balancing work, school, and family to easily give an hour of service to the cause. The goal was to bring activism right to the students. As part of this flexibility, a table will remain in the student commons with all sign up sheets and fliers so that even those members who couldn't make the day of action can still find a way to contribute to this monumental time in LAPL history. To read more about the Student Chapters big day, see today's Daily Bruin!

Measure L: UCLA ALA Student Chapter and Friends Say Yes to Supporting Los Angeles Libraries

2011-02-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

Thursday, February 10, kicked off UCLA ALA Student Chapter's contribution to the Yes On Libraries campaign. Joined by students from all tracks of the information sciences, UCLA ALA hosted Martín Gomez, Los Angeles City Librarian, for an informational session on Measure L.

Measure L, if passed by a simple majority, will raise the allocation of city funds for Los Angles Public Library from the current .0175% to 0.3%. Such an increase would allow for the library to eventually return to six day service and increase the materials budget, with no new taxes and all fiscal transactions subject to audit.

Following Mr. Gomez's session, students brainstormed campaign ideas, which will focus on the UCLA campus, home to 42,000 registered voters, and student's neighborhoods, which cover the range of Los Angeles. Students decided on a range of activities, including handing out and posting fliers on campus and around Los Angeles, using social networking tools and face-to-face social networks to inform and encourage people to vote, submitting op-ed pieces to the Daily Bruin and the Los Angeles Times, and supporting other local actions taken to further this campaign.

See below for resources to spread awareness of Measure L.

Election: Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Last day to register to vote: February 22, 2011

Polling place look-up: http://www.lavote.net/LOCATOR/

Mail-in-ballot period: February 7, 2011- Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Last day to request vote-by-mail ballot: March 1, 2011

Download and print request here: http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election

Mail to:

City Clerk-Election Division

555 Ramirez Street, Space 300

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Website: www.yesonlibraries.com

Twitter: @YesonL, #YesonMeasureL

Facebook: Yes on Measure L: Save Our Neighborhood Libraries

Resources

UCLA ALA Student Chapter Hosts Dr. Camila Alire, Immediate Past President of ALA

2011-01-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, January 13, the UCLA ALA Student Chapter hosted Dr. Camila Alire, Immediate Past President of the American Library Association, for a lecture on advancing your career through leadership, advocacy, and diversity.

Dr. Alire was greeted at the door with her long-time friend, Dr. Elaine Svenonius, UCLA Professor Emerita and a noted name in cataloging. They had a chance to stop in and talk to the faculty for a few moments, and Dr. Alire then greeted UCLA MLIS students and several local librarians, introducing herself personally to each attendee.

From left to right. Top row: Ashley Sands, treasurer; Julie Glassman, vice-president; Lynn Kysh, secretary; Marisa Christensen, publicity; Sherry Sue, web guru; Caprice Roberson, treasurer. Bottom row: Britt Foster, president; Dr. Camila Alire; Stevie Hartford, president; Stacy Wood, vice-president.

Dr. Alire's lecture focused on a hot topic for UCLA students: How to enact positive change through promoting libraries and information institutions, being a voice for all kinds of diversity in the IS professions, and how to achieve positions of leadership that will enable this kind of change-making.

Some key points from the lecture emphasized the importance of "the volunteer arm": getting your hand in the air whenever opportunities arise. Dr. Alire points out that this builds a network, and puts you in the professional place of being someone who can get things done, which can lead to job opportunities you're not even looking for! Dr. Alire called this, "leadership by default," and this received some titters in the audience: the UCLA ALA student members are very active on campus, and know what it means to step up and get things done!

Risk taking in career choices and advocacy was another theme: being able to succeed in risky ventures shows your willingness to take charge. Even if you don't succeed in the initial project, being able to identify a challenge and attempt to solve it is deeply important during these times when information institutions are struggling so.

Dr. Alire also touched on the importance of commitment to diversity, something that concerns UCLA students serving the Los Angeles area deeply, and the importance of being an emotionally intelligent leader.

The UCLA ALA Student Chapter would like to thank Natalie Cole of the California Library Association for her help in arranging Dr. Alire's visit. Look for an article about the visit in the upcoming CLA E-Newsletter!

UCLA ALA Student Chapter Journeys to ALA Midwinter 2011

2011-01-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

Our student chapter recently descended on the ALA Midwinter meeting conveniently located in San Diego, California. UCLA Information Studies students joined the hoards venturing to the Midwinter meeting to enjoy their first professional conference experience. Those Student Chapter members that attended Cindy Mediavilla's "Conference for First-Timers" lecture in the fall were well prepared for the overwhelming nature of such a large event! The proximity of the conference (a 2.5 hour drive from L.A.) made this an affordable professional development adventure not to be missed. While students were not necessarily serving on the multitudes of committees meeting at Midwinter Meeting, several did sit in on these small group discussions to gain a better understanding of committee work. Student Chapter members were welcomed by practicing professionals, once again demonstrating the outstanding collegial nature of librarianship.

Of course, exhibits proved quite popular. Student Chapter members were able to work out their bodies in addition to their minds by hefting enormous red reusable sacks loaded with sample magazines, journals, and advance reading copies of books. The "student" designation on the name badges made it clear that this group would not be remodeling a library anytime soon, causing some vendors to look the other way. Other vendors were eager to greet students and ask them about their program. On the whole, however, just perusing the tools of the trade was enough to expose these future professionals to the names of vendors and the vast array of choices.

UCLA ALA Student Chapter promoted conference registration, prepped students with a how-to lecture event, and organized car pooling to San Diego. It's not every year that this small chapter gets to interact so completely with its national parent organization, which is fondly referred to by UCLA Student Chapter officers as "Mama ALA." Well, Mama, it was great seeing you right after the holidays, and we look forward to doing it again soon! Perhaps over some gumbo?

Awkward Sweater Party Knits UCLA Students Together

2010-12-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

With Winter 2011 course registration underway, UCLA ALA Student Chapter and the Student Chapter of the Special Libraries Association co-hosted an awkward sweater and cookie frosting party for mentors and mentees, and any students who wanted guidance, had questions, or wanted to offer advice on choosing classes.With Crayola-colored spiced frosting, sugar cookies, nonpareils, a crackling (digital) fire, and more sequins, bows, and shoulder pads than Madonna's wardrobe in the 80s, first and second-year MLIS students exchanged the inside skinny on UCLA's winter offerings.

The most common questions from first years centered on core classes, including Information Technology and Information Access, two courses on information tools and reference, respectively, required for graduation. Second year students were more concerned about the portfolio requirement, which, though due in Spring 2011, looms heavy.

Fortunately the cookies and silly sweaters brought a little levity to the gift-wrapped table, and as much gossip as grad requirements were overheard. Fortified by sugar for finals week and better prepared for choosing courses, the awkward sweater party was a smash success!

Cocktail Party of State

2010-11-30T17:12:00.000-08:00

The ALA Student Chapter officers for 2010-2011 recently got together for some sophisticated fun. As these photos reveal, these student leaders know how to look good while talking shop. The event took place in a Santa Monica apartment belonging to one of the Co-Presidents (moi!). Guests were asked to bring a potluck dish as well as a very important accessory. Can you guess? That's right, this was an ol' fashioned political wig party- like the British Parliament, only much more colorful (and less wild). Upon arrival, guests were presented with hand crafted stationary, which outlined The Rules. Co-President, Britt Foster was responsible for the creation and crafty dissemination of the rules. In case you're interested in hosting your own wig party in the near future, here they are:
1. The first rule of wig party is never mention wig party (unless your blogging about it, of course).
2. Don't mention wigs, either.
3. In fact, don't even mention anything rhyming with wig.
4. And while we're at it, don't say a word about e-books, either. We're sick of hearing about them.
5. The same goes for Harry Potter. Geeze. Can't everybody just shut up about that kid already?

Failure to abide by these rules will result in some strange punishment drawn from The Great and Mystical Jar of Mysteries. Your Madame Presidents reserve the right to force The Great and Mystical Jar of Mysteries on anyone at anytime, for any infraction or the rules above, a stellar cocktail, or an amazing...you know. That thing on your head.

Violators drew from a jar of question slips and were required to answer "what if" type questions before the assembly. Surprisingly, the party's chief planners were also the chief transgressors. It's harder than you'd think to not say "wig," especially when everyone in the room is wearing one. The food was delicious and the guests looked smashing. Most attendees confessed to mysterious head itching, likely as a result of all that intense ALA Student Chapter event planning. Stay tuned for the results of this powerful think tank!

Members are Informed and Ready for Their First Conference Experience!

2010-10-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

UCLA ALA Student Chapter recently got the inside skinny on professional conferences from the wise and witty Cindy Mediavilla. Our members are gearing up for California Library Association 2010 in mid-November and eagerly anticipating ALA Midwinter in January. The close proximity of ALA Midwinter this year (about 2 hours away in San Diego) in addition to the rumors of library conference ecstacy have UCLA students abuzz with plans. Fortunately for us, we are now mentally prepped after listening to quality tips this past Wednesday's speaker event. If you weren't able to make the talk, we're providing some of the key points below:

When you get to a conference:

Get a paper program, floor plan and map to get familiar with event locations and start scheduling!

It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with top pick events well in advance of the event.

5 Things to Do at a conference:

1) Programs

Want to go to two programs but there's a schedule conflict? Leave one early, but be sure to sit near the back of the room!

For hot topics, try to get to the program early!

Note: there will be no programs during the ALA Midwinter Meetings

2) Exhibits

ALA conferences have much bigger exhibits than CLA conferences

Opportunities to interact with vendors

Free books, free bags and sometimes free food

Try to spend at least one day just visiting exhibits

You have the option to save money and get an "exhibit only" pass

3) Meetings

Business style meetings to address administration business

Also informal and educational discussion groups

anyone can sit in on the meeting- you don't have to be a member of that group or round table...this is a great opportunity to get a feel for committees.

4) Placement Center

Organizations seeking employees

2010 CLA conference will have Speed Mentoring program

Possibility for on the site interviews, be sure to bring professional attire and copies of your résumé

5) Parties!

Free food!

Good place to network

Check with your workplace beforehand to see if there are any invitations

New Members ALA Roundtable party is always to most fun!

What to Bring

Money for parking and meals

Business cards

Don't have business cards? Make them! Include name, professional email, phone number,

major/school/specialty; now's a good time to change your e-mail to something other than surferbabe@aol

What to Wear

First impressions are important!

Look professional but stay comfortable

Comfy shoes a must!

Remember you may be meeting future employers/coworkers!

Conference attendees love students!

Answer questions about school

Respond positively

Constantly introduce yourself

Transportation

Gale shuttle buses are FREE!

Lines to get lengthy during peak hours, plan accordingly

Interested in going to ALA Midwinter? book a hotel ASAP!

For San Diego: consider Embassy Suites (free food during happy hour!)

Conferences offer a chance to better understand library service, gain professional development, and network with working professionals throughout the state and/or country. In today's economy, that conference fee may be well worth the professional contacts. Besides, by all accounts...It's fun!

Conference How-To for First Timers

2010-10-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow for "Conference How-To for First Timers" by Cindy Mediavilla in room 111. Wednesday, October 20th from 4:30-5:15. The session will offer specific guidance about just what to do to maximize the conference experience in an enjoyable fashion. See you there!

(image courtesy of New York Public Library)

Running the Books

2010-10-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

For further proof of the transformative power of libraries, check out “Running the Books” by Avi Steinberg. Steinberg became a librarian at a Massachusetts prison, and his tale provides ample evidence of the importance of libraries in the souls who use them.

For the NYT review of the book click here.

UCLA ALA Student Chapter Tours LAPL

2010-10-14T14:32:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, September 18, the UCLA ALA Student Chapter visited the Los Angeles Public Library for a VIP tour led by Sylva Manoogian, a former LAPL employee of over twenty years. The day began with a potluck, and the two hour tour focused on an insider's perspective and advocacy for the LAPL system, currently struggling with budget cuts, staff shortages, and reduced hours.

Ms. Manoogian worked within and was director of the International Languages division of LAPL, and described her work within this department, the 1986 fire and the community's efforts to restore the stacks, and why LAPL is so integral to the culturally, ethnically, and economically diverse city of Los Angeles.

Thanks to Cory Hartford for the beautiful photos! See our Flickr stream above for more.

Banned Books Week Scavenger Hunt

2010-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday boasted perfect weather for running all over the UCLA campus. That's just what three teams of chapter members did

in honor of Banned Books Week. Teams were comprised of a blend of first and second year students competing for Banned Books swag and bragging rights.

The purpose of this event was threefold. First, the chapter announced its mentor/mentee pairings, a program designed to support

first year students within the department by pairing them with second year students with similar career aspirations. Chapter members had a chance to bond while completing tasks such as dressing as Captain Underpants in the student store, sanitizing hands at the student health center, and locating or reading aloud from banned books in campus libraries and book stores.

A second planned outcome was familiarizing first year students with essential buildings on campus. For instance, teams were asked to visit our sister department in Moore Hall and get a graduate student from the Department of Education to let them write "I read banned books" on their hand.

A final benefit of this scavenger hunt was introducing students to ALA's annual Banned Books Week. Each clue in

the scavenger hunt was tied to a "Banned Fact" in order to increase awareness of censorship and commitment to intellectual freedom.

Teams scored points by texting photo messages of each accomplished task to headquarters. This tech savvy approach ensured that the campus facilities would remain clean and organized and guaranteed some amusing photo keepsakes of the event!

The three teams were neck and neck throughout the two-hour competition. All three teams completed the 13 clues successfully. The final winner, Team Awesome, won by a mere two points acquired through bonus points assigned for creativity!

If you missed this incredible event, have no fear - we'll be hosting thrilling mentor/mentee social events every other month throughout the year!

British Library to Publish Handwritten Greek Manuscripts Online

2010-09-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

For those of us who are unable to make it to the British Library reading rooms to review the library's collection of handwritten Greek texts in person, never fear. The British Library will post a quarter of their exceptional works online so interested individuals the world over can see classics in their original form. To view the manuscripts, click here.

The Associated Press reports that more documents will be published in 2012.

Celebrating Baseball in Children's Books

2010-09-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

With the airing of Ken Burns' baseball series "Baseball: The Tenth Inning" on PBS this week, it's time for a review of great children's books about the history of the sport.

First up: the magnificent "We Are the Ship", written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. This sumptuous, warm book outlines the enormous challenges and achievements of the Negro Baseball League. The perspective of the illustrations create a feeling of actually being on the field, on the mound, playing the game under a sharp sun. Nelson, whose thoughtful illustrations previously graced Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom and Henry's Freedom Box has portrayed the elegance of baseball in a stirring and personal way.

("We Are the Ship" was awarded the 2009 Robert F. Sibert award and the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Award.)

Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen, an ALA Notable Book of 2005, is another exceptional information book about the history of baseball. It tells the story of Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year-old woman who pitched against Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig, and struck them both out.

For an excellent general grounding on the history of baseball, we suggest The Story of Baseball. This compendium earned an ALA Notable book award for 1984, combining information about baseball fundamentals, the development of the game and information about the various characters who defined the sport for decades to come. This work was updated in 1999.

Jonah Winter and Andre Carrilho's collaboration in You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! makes for an exceptional work. With unique, stylized images, Carrilho crafts a vivid and exciting perspective on the life of Sandy Koufax, while Winter's prose illuminates the strength and character that made Sandy Koufax a baseball hero. The work earned an ALA Notable Award for 2010.

Volunteering in the West Bank

2010-09-14T23:52:00.001-07:00

Summer term is often a time for students to do something a little bit different than the rest of the year. Before I began at UCLA in the Information Studies department last year, I studied archaeology. So, this summer I spent most of my time working as registrar on an archaeological excavation in southern Turkey (an excellent way to combine a love of archaeology and information studies by the way)!

A second way that I combine my love of archaeology and libraries is as chair of the World Archaeological Congress’ Global Libraries Program. The program works to enhance the literary collections of archaeological and cultural heritage research institutions around the globe.

During the summer of 2009, I attended an archaeological conference in the Palestinian town of Ramallah in the West Bank. There, we began collaborating between the Global Libraries Program and the Institute of Archaeology at Birzeit University. While housed in a major university, the Institute has been plagued by a lack of funding, a lack of a full-time librarian, and a lack of new research materials for the last ten years.

Following my excavation this summer, I again visited the West Bank (and this time I brought my friend and archaeological colleague, Sarah Hawley). We spent a week this August volunteering in the Birzeit Institute of Archaeology library. We brought some archaeological journal donations in our suitcase, and we donated our time that week to help organize the materials in the library so that they can be accessible for students and professors to research.

As an MLIS student at UCLA, I have the skills to catalog and sort the books in the library (that were out of their boxes but not cataloged or in any useful order). Unfortunately, the computers were not working and therefore we were not able to access LCC for cataloging. Instead, Sarah and I (alongside Birzeit students who came and helped) took more of an archival approach.

We sorted through all of the libraries loose papers and organized all of the individual journal articles and off prints dispersed through many shelves and boxes. We organized the articles by author and year and they are now a resource for students and faculty.

I want to say thank you to the UCLA ALA Student Chapter for helping me defray part of the cost of traveling to Birzeit University this summer. Sarah and I were able to accomplish a lot in organizing the library. However, even more importantly, our presence was an encouragement to the faculty at the school who are working so hard to make the Institute succeed. In addition, some of the students in the program were not even aware that there was a specialized library available to them. We were an impetus for these students to take ownership of their Institute and a few now plan on volunteering this term to continue the work on the library. I’m just glad that we could help work together to transform the library into a valuable resource.

--Ashley Sands

UCLA ALA Student Group, Co-Treasurer

Unslam the Doors: Protesting the Cuts at LAPL

2010-08-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

On Monday, July 19th, 2010, a protest was held to mark the first non-holiday Monday that Los Angeles Public Library was closed. The protest, sponsored by the Librarian's Guild, was held at the Central Branch of LAPL and addressed staff layoffs and the move to a schedule that leaves all libraries in the system open only five days a week.

Several speakers, including UCLA professor emerita Dr. Virginia Walter, called attention to the importance of libraries to a community, and how those services are affected by the cuts in staff and hours. The cuts have been prompted by Los Angeles' fiscal shortcomings; LA City Council also opted to not place a $39 parcel tax that would have supported library services on the November 2010 ballot, despite a poll taken in May that shows 68% of voters would have voted in favor of the tax.

For more information on LAPL and how to help restore hours, please visit savethelibrary.org, where a letter campaign is currently taking place urging LA City Council to restore library hours. For a national view on the library crisis, visit losinglibraries.org where a map of libraries affected by closures, layoffs, and budget cuts is available.

UCLA’s ALA Student Chapter Fundraises for Spectrum Scholarship

2010-06-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

In support of the ALA’s Spectrum Presidential Initiative the ALA Student Chapter at UCLA recently organized a successful BBQ for Spectrum Scholars fundraiser at the home and garden of Tim Ahern and former CLA President Cindy Mediavilla. The UCLA Student Chapter brought together nearly 30 MLIS graduate students, professors, and library professionals from our community to support this important scholarship to increase diversity within the our profession. We are proud to say that our BBQ helped raise more than $1,000 for the ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship Program.

Among our distinguished guests were numerous professional librarians including Los Angeles City Librarian, Martín Gomez. Mr. Gomez was appointed City Librarian by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in 2009 and we were honored that he could attend and show support for the fundraiser. Also in attendance was one of our own library science graduate students, Jeannie Chen! Jeannie is a former UCLA Spectrum Scholar who came out to support our fundraiser. Jeannie just graduated from the UCLA MLIS program this year so congratulations to her!

Our BBQ menu included grilled burgers, hot dogs, dips, salads, fresh veggies, and a delicious homemade lemon cake baked by our own former Student Chapter Co-President Lindsay Klick. We are also extremely grateful to Ahern and Mediavilla for opening their home to this important fundraising event. Their beautiful backyard garden is a stop on the annual Theodore Payne Foundation’s Spring Garden Tour, and the diversity fundraiser could not have been in a more appropriate setting than a garden resplendent with a diversity of native California plants.

The ALA Student Chapter at UCLA recognizes the importance of increasing diversity within the library profession, and we were honored to help support the ALA’s national efforts to increase academic opportunities for underrepresented populations.

E-book updates...

2010-02-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

British Library Releases Thousands of E-Books

The British Library will be making available 65,000 e-books from the library's collection this spring. Users can read from the pages of the books in the original condition and typesets. The works will also be available for order in printed form on Amazon. More details are available here.

2010-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

John Cotton Dana Public Relations Awards Announced!
This month, libraries with exceptional outreach programs were awarded the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award. The winners included an academic library, a state library and four innovative public libraries. These libraries launched public relation campaigns using social media, public events and community engagement to encourage library use and improve utility to the patron. The results included an increase in library usage, teen attendance and the return of more overdue books.

For example:

"The King County Library System, Issaquah, WA, was "cited for "Look to Your Library…Especially Now," a campaign aimed at providing job and career information. Use of database resources increased, with a quadrupling in use of Resume Builder.

Pasco County Library System Hudson, FL, won for "Rockus Maximus: Battle of the Bands," a library- and community-sponsored Battle of the Bands competition that involved social media like YouTube and MySpace, with a Battle of the Bands live concert. Teen attendance at library programs increased nearly 50% afterward.

San Francisco Public Library won for "Return the Books," an overdue fine amnesty program involving quotes from well-known personalities such as Captain "Sully" Sullenberger. The result: a 23.6% return on overdue materials."

The article, as well as a video one of the winning campaigns can be found here.

2010-01-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

ALSC Media Award Winners Announced

The 2010 Newbery Medal was awarded to "When You Reach Me", a novel of 1970s New York by Rebecca Stead.

Jerry Pinkney's "The Lion and the Mouse" won the 2010 Caldecott Medal.

Newbery Honor Books of 2010 were also announced:

"Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" written by Phillip Hoose, published by Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (link includes video of Claudette Colvin discussing her story).

"The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" written by Jacqueline Kelly, published by Henry Holt and Company

"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" written by Grace Lin, published by Little Brown and Company Books for Young Readers

"The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg" written by Rodman Philbrick,

Caldecott Honor Books, 2010:

"All the World" illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon, published by Beach Lane Books

"Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors" illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman, puslished by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

2010-01-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

Save the Date! ALA Career Panel January 28, 2010

ALA's UCLA Student Chapter will be hosting a career panel for IS students on Thursday, January 28th from 12:30-1:45 in the Information Studies Salon (on the second floor of the GSE&IS building).

Panelists will include distinguished professionals in their respective fields, including academic librarianship, children's librarianship, law librarianship, information architecture, and other areas. Librarians will offer advice as to courses and experiences that would be helpful to students interested in these fields. There will also be refreshments. This should be helpful whether you are just beginning to consider your career options, or if you need more specialized information. Please join us!!

2010-01-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Winners Speak: 2009 I Love My Librarian Awards

The I Love My Librarian Award winners gathered in New York in December and offered their insights about librarianship.

For these librarians, a library is "not just a space or a resource, but truly an experience"... a place to "explore and learn and dream and imagine". A library should be a "safe haven", a setting "where [patrons] can share ideas with one another", as well as an "oasis".
It's a joy to hear these award-winning librarians discuss what motivates them, and what they aim to offer patrons. The full video can be found here.

Congratulations to the 2009 award winners: Sol A. Gomez, Laura Grunwerg, Lucy Hansen, Alice K. Juda, Karen A. Martines, Dwight McInvaill, Seamus O'Scanlain, Dana Thomas, Carolyn Wheeler, and Oceana Wilson.

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/content/winners-speak-2009-i-love-my-librarian-awards

2010-01-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

Perpetual Beta Technology Blog
Perpetual Beta, a new blog about technology and librarianship produced by American Libraries and Jason Griffey was launched last week. According to Griffey, the blog aims to offer practical tips and tricks on technological issues facing librarians, serving as a "Lifehacker for Libraries". Griffey also plans to offer video podcasts and discussions of emerging issues in the field.

The blog can be found here:
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/content/introducing-perpetual-beta

2009-12-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

Biblioburro

One librarian, Luis Soriano Boroquez, brings library books to children in rural Colombia, via a "biblioburro". The video provides a fascinating look into the essential task of the librarian-- to provide patrons access to resources in a dedicated manner.

2009-09-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome back MLIS Students and Faculty!

On behalf of the ALA student chapter officers, we want to welcome back the second year students and give a warm welcome to all the new first year students. Welcome to UCLA’s MLIS program!

We hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing summer! ALA is looking to hit the ground running this year, and we wanted to give everyone a quick preview of some of the exciting things we’re planning this year.

First off, the ALA student chapter will be hosting a recruitment meeting on Friday October 2, 2009 to welcome new students and to recruit new members to the ALA student chapter. And for new students interested in gaining some leadership and organizational experience, we’ll be having officer elections in the coming weeks for the following positions: Vice-President, Secretary, Webmaster/Blogmaster, and Co-Treasurer. Serving as an officer with the ALA student chapter is a great way to get actively involved in your MLIS education and will give you some great organizational experience, which will come in handy as we enter the library profession! This general meeting is open to all and *lunch will be served.*

On Wednesday October 7, 2009, we’ll hold our annual Mentor/Mentee mixer. This is a casual evening event where first year students will have the opportunity to meet their second year mentors, and of course mingle. Drinks and snacks will be served.

Here are some of the other events that we’re planning for the upcoming AY 2009-2010: a tour of UCLA’s libraries, a career panel, resume workshop, a training on how to utilize and leverage social media within our profession, and guest speakers.

Remember to also follow our blog to stay current on ALA events, IS departmental news, conference updates, national news on libraries and information technology, and to follow our news/blog feeds from various national ALA groups, the Library Journal (LJ) newsletter, ACRL, and ALSC.

Good luck to everyone this year!

--UCLA ALA Student Chapter

2009-02-28T22:39:00.000-08:00

ALA Student Chapter at UCLA Guide to Professional Organizations for Students

Hello everyone! I am starting a new feature here on the ALA blog where we interview someone who is the head of a local professional library or information science organization. With all the information out there about professional organizations for librarians, it can be confusing for a student or new librarian to navigate through them. We hope that these interviews will help students learn more about smaller organizations and how to really get involved in a meaningful way with them. Right now the feature will be monthly, but I hope that we can make it bi-monthly in the future.

For our first interview, the wonderful April Cunningham agreed to a phone interview, even though she was home feeling ill, to talk about Southern California Instruction Librarians (SCIL)and how professional organizations can benefit their members. April Cunningham is the Chair for the Southern California Instruction Librarians interest group. She is also the Library Instruction Coordinator at Saddleback College.

April Cunningham is the Chair for the Southern California Instruction Librarians Interest Group. She is also the Library Instruction Coordinator at Saddleback College.

SCIL stands for Southern California Instruction Librarians. It’s an interest group within CARL (California Academic and Research Libraries) which is itself a local chapter of ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries). Got that? Don’t worry, the important thing to know is that it’s a local organization that allows its members to get together and discuss issues in library instruction and information literacy. SCIL also puts on two events per year, SCIL Works and their Spring Program, that let local librarians present and share what they have been doing and learn more about professional skills they can take to their jobs.

Diana Tedone: How did you get involved with SCIL?

April Cunningham: I did not know about SCIL until my first job where my boss suggested I get involved. SCIL was very open to new members and was a great chance to be mentored by librarians with lots of experience and who were passionate about their jobs. SCIL makes it easy to get involved from the beginning of your membership. Also, I was fortunate to have employers who were supportive of the time-commitment I made to SCIL, not every institution is.

DT: What types of programs and services does SCIL provide?

AC: During our business meetings, which take place every six weeks, we have a period called “share and learn” where we choose an article and the reading group discusses it. Our latest share and learn topic was Threshold Concepts, which is a way of looking at teaching that emphasizes the transformation students have to go through in order to start to think about their disciplines the way experts do.

Almost every year we put on SCIL Works in January or February. It’s a half day conference with 3-4 sessions like what you see at a national conference. It’s a good chance for local librarians to show what they are doing in the profession. The recent theme of SCIL Works was Reflective Practice

We also have a Spring Program in May. We bring a professional from outside the library world to speak about things like assessment or management, topics that are important to librarians but in which our profession has not yet developed a great deal of expertise.

For example, one of our speakers, a professor of Education, talked about assessing one shot teaching sessions. Another speaker from Lean Management and Continuous Improvement spoke about the philosophy of management, like value added techniques and looking at processes to make work run more smoothly.

Also, in the last five years we’ve presented at ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) about instructional space, how to set up classrooms and work with physical limits a librarian might have in their classroom. And in 2007 we hosted LOEX (Library Orientation Exchange) in San Diego.

Note: more information about LOEX here: http://public.csusm.edu/acarr/loex/index.html

DT: What is the most rewarding of being involved with professional organizations?

AC: The relationships, for sure. It’s where I get support, which is sometimes hard for instructional librarians to find on their own campuses. Often on a campus there is only one instruction coordinator. While many librarians do instruction as part of their job they have other duties as well, so this is a chance to go and talk to people doing similar jobs and bring back a few ideas. “This is what I’m doing, this is what has worked, this is what hasn’t.” Through SCIL I’ve made some of my closest professional relationships and it lets me see beyond my own campus.

SCIL is a way to get support from other professionals who are experiencing some of the same things you are. The thing about instruction, which you’ll hear a lot, is the idea of needing to lead and manage without any authority. If you’re in collection development or technical services you don’t have to ask other librarians outside your department to do a lot for you, but everyone shares in instruction. Other librarians will have a lot of things to worry about besides instruction, so it’s great to have an opportunity to meet and talk about managing instructional programs and developing ourselves as teachers.

DT: I talked to Amy Wallace a few weeks ago and she mentioned the importance of meeting new people as a beginning librarian.

AC: Yes, SCIL is also good for networking, I’ve known some people who’ve gotten jobs through SCIL. Also, for me it made a difference to have the foundation that SCIL provides when moving from different colleges as I was changing jobs at the beginning of my career.

DT: What is the most challenging part of being involved in a professional organizations?

AC: I think time. Finding time out of your other responsibilities to get involved is hard. For me it balances, because what I learn makes other parts of my job easier. It really depends on the support of your institution.

DT: What types of opportunities does SCIL have for students?

AC: SCIL Works is a great place to present ideas and posters. There are also student discounts for programs.

Students may not have made a commitment yet to what area they want to get in to, but in our view they will probably be teaching more then they expect no matter what. We think it’s great to explore that early.

There is so much information and opportunities it’s hard to maneuver through different organizations. Something SCIL has asked is how much to reach out to students, and what role students can have with the organization. As chair I want to raise awareness among students. If students could be introduced in school they will have a better chance to take advantage of opportunities they may not be aware of yet. Within SCIL there are a lot of chances for interested graduate student to find connections and turn those into a project or internship.
It’s a way to break down the barrier between students and professionals.

DT: That’s true about students being overwhelmed the amount of professional organizations. As a student I’ve been encouraged to get involved with professional organizations, but I’ve never really been sure how,

AC: Because we meet regularly you have the opportunity to make connections quickly. When we see people at more than one meeting they can easily become part of the group.

DT: What advice do you have for graduate students who want to get involved with professional organizations?

AC: Try out a few meetings of different groups. In my experience you make so many personal connections. Find a place that feels comfortable and welcoming. It may matter less what the group is for, because it’s more about making connections with other librarians.

To learn more you can visit the SCIL website here:
http://carl-acrl.org/ig/scil/index.html

To learn more you can visit the SCIL website here:
http://carl-acrl.org/ig/scil/index.html

Do you have a particular organization you want us to interview, or any interview questions you think we should ask? Feel free to comment on this post, or send us an email at ala@ucla.edu.

2008-11-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

Career Panel, November 4, 2008

Last Friday’s Career Panel was a rousing success with roughly fifty students attending the event! Thanks to SGB, ARTiFACTS, SLA, ASIS&T and the ALA Student Chapter for sponsoring the event (and providing snacks!). All the panelists were kind enough to give us the inside scoop on what classes they thought helped them, what the field is like now, what it may look like in the future and general wisdom about getting through library school. But if you couldn’t make it, don’t feel bad, just read on…

Each speaker talked for ten minutes followed by an open forum for questions. The following is a very simplified breakdown of what the panelists had to say followed by some questions and panelist bios.

Cindy Mediavilla – Public Library

Public libraries range widely in size and scope. California alone has 181 public library jurisdictions, mostly city or county. There are pros and cons to working either a large or a small library system.

Small: Example - Downey, Monrovia, Moorpark have one city library each.
Advantages
-Experience everything that happens in public library (reference,
children’s programming, grant writing)
Disadvantages
-Glass ceiling, less opportunity for advancement once a certain level is
reached

Large: Example - L.A. Public Library has 82 branches
Advantages
-Room for promotion
-Room to move around, transfer, try new things while staying within
the same library system
Disadvantages
-Bureaucratic
-Lots of rules to follow in order to implement change

Entry level positions/tasks you might find/be doing as a new librarian:
-Adult services, youth services, grant project, mostly youth services or adult
reference services
-Web master
-Public service desk time
-Maybe a bit of collection development for youth or children’s or specific
section
-Outreach at community fairs, schools, even rotary clubs
-Program coordinator
-Helping with grant writing

Joys of being a public librarian:
-Never a dull moment!
-Get to help people with all kinds of life situations
-Rewarding

Challenges of being a public librarian:
-Never a dull moment!
-May work nights, weekends, longish hours

Recommended courses:
-Public libraries class this winter
-All/any youth services classes
-Government documents
-Information literacy
-At least one internship in a public library

Job outlook:
-Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles County all hiring
-Unfortunately, all other systems experiencing layoffs or pay decrease, hard
times but there are some hopeful situations

Lynn Boyden – Informatics/Information Architecture

How is a job in informatics different than one in libraries and archives?
-Usually work a corporate setting
-You still organize information so people can use it but the information being
organized is different, as is the environment you do it in.

Job titles for informatics professionals:
-Information Architect, Interaction Designer, Taxomomist, Usability
Researcher, Ontologist, (“Analytics Maven” is Lynn’s official title!)
-Real life example: Lynn is an Information Architect/Analytics Maven which
entails looking up ways to improve user experience while improving the
bottom line for the client

Some of the many informatics environments:
-Small startups, larger agencies with twelve offices in eight countries,
independent contractor/consultant

Why have a library degree?
-You have a baseline set of skills which make you desirable above and beyond
-When you tell clients you have trained as a librarian, people get very excited
-Masters definitely gets you respect out in the field

Pros (Right now its all pro!):
-Starting salary of $50,000-60,000 moving on up to $100,000
-Lots of need, jobs galore!

Recommended/useful courses:
-Information Seeking behavior
-Systems Analysis
-Internship in information environment (Disney, Comcast have info
architecture internships)
*BUT: Don’t intern for free at a private company! You are doing work for
them so make sure to GET PAID!
-Metadata
-Cataloging
-Database design
-Management of digital records
-Programming NOT necessary but useful
-Ethnographic research outside department (observing people in the field)
Info architects interested in people’s behavior in their work environment
Classes at Anderson business school - finance, management, analysis

Other Advice:
-Get involved in professional organizations
*ASIST, Usability Professionals Association, IA Institute,
*Meetup.com “UX” website place to meet people, learn about jobs,
expand abilities
-Mentoring REALLY HELPFUL!
*Not just with a professional but with your peers
*“Everyone’s problems are more interesting and easier to solve than your
own!”
-IA Summit in Memphis this year, Spring. End of November is deadline for
submissions.

Brena Smith – Academic Library

As with public libraries, there are small and large academic institutions. The size and type of institution will determine the types of positions available. Some different kinds of academic institutions are community colleges, state schools, public universities, and private colleges.
-Small
*You do everything!
*Cataloging, outreach, programs
-Large
*More specialized
*You work in a certain department
*Reference and/or instruction
*Access services (aka collection development)
*Web services
*Cataloging and Metadata
*Subject specialists: Advanced degrees in an specific area
*At UCLA they are in charge of outreach, education and the collections in
that area (ex. Arts, Music)

Some things Academic Librarians do:
-Outreach with students/faculty
-Education
-Collection development

Recommended courses:
-IS 448 Information literacy!
-Three quarter internship in Reference at UCLA
-Descriptive cataloging ! (over Subject) Learn to understand a record
-Collection development

General Advice:
-Take advantage of internships
-Make sure to get at least one internship in Academic librarianship, 1-3 year
requirement for hiring, many will count internship
-Great to be a RDA! Try to get in during the summer if you aren’t now
-Teaching is actually a big part of the job. Get teaching experience somehow
(teach a workshop, lead a panel, give a talk, etc.)

Job Prospects:
-Sort or grim. Budget cuts at all California colleges right now
-Getting your foot in the door can be difficult
-Hiring process can be from 3-6 months, lengthy
-Start looking after the Winter holidays (in your second year)

Liza Posas – Museum/Special Collections Library

Liza is the Reference Librarian at the Braun Research Library for the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the library section of a small museum with only two full time librarians

Typical day for Liza:
-Check in/work with artists
-Exhibits team meeting
-Coordinate volunteers for “LA as subject”
-Work with researchers

Working in a small library:
-Lots of outreach, collaboration
-Grant writing a big part – need to try to find ways to make grants work for
your institution

How Liza approached library school (and it worked for her):
-Took the classes interesting to her
-Took classes where she heard instructors were good
-Wasn’t afraid to take courses outside the department. (Says: “Do what
interests you!”)
-Focused on two things in her studies: reference and archives
-Holistic approach to information management, hybrid studies

Recommended courses:
-Management
-Collection development
-Research skills courses

Liza found her internships “invaluable”:
-She worked at the Clark library
-Special Collections internship
-College library internship

Happy ending:
Liza found a job which fit her experience!

Dave Farneth – Archives / Special Collections

Somewhere between libraries (sharing all resources with users) and archives (providing very limited access to rare, unique materials) is special collections where the goal is to provide as much access to materials as is possible while still protecting the resource.

Two different mindsets among “archivists”:
-Interested in historical things
-Rare, special collections
People who want to be active in the institution/company they work for

Lots of change in the field:
-Move to electronic resources/records has had huge impact
-Can’t wait anymore to archive/collect records
-Almost 100% managing electronic records

What kinds of collections might you work with?
-Personal archives
-Special Collections
-Getty has six miles of paper records
-Records management
-Managing active records in offices, retention center, Knowledge
Management

What jobs are out there?
-Large University,
*Research Library
*Archive of University
-Large Public University
-Government Archivist
-Corporations/Businesses
*Managing their intellectual property, products, marketing efforts: Ex.
Film Studio, Historical Society, Museum

“Pros” of being an archivist:
-Librarians/Archivists have great skills to transfer!
-You really get to know the collection
-Your collection may only be a small part of the world but you are the expert
about it!
-Strong connection to researchers.
-Get to see the results of your efforts in the form of people’s published works.
-Lots of different functions, multi-tasking

Dave Capolli – Specialist Libraries

How is a specialized library different from a “regular” library and what are the benefits?
-You may not be working in a traditional library
-May work in teams to understand overall information needs of organization
-See more immediate results of the work you do
-Situated where you can build relationships outside of your team, seen as an
asset within the organization
-Collections (print or digital) are focused in the area of expertise of the
organization you work for

You may not be the gatekeeper for the collections:
-Collections are pushed out to the end users at their desktops
-You may be a trainer
-You might work with vendors

Some examples of specialist library jobs:
-Lost of different arenas – corporate, public, academic
-Cataloger for food and nutritionist, law firm, research analyst
pharmaceudical company, development researcher, aerospace researcher,
knowledge analyst for organization, medical librarian

Recommended coursework (“Be proactive!”):
-Internships!!! Be flexible when looking for internships. Even if not exactly
what you want you may be able to transfer the knowledge.
-Directed study – Create your own internship/project
-Systems analysis course really helps to envision a project from start to end.
-Technology oriented courses. Be able to talk the talk! (Don’t necessarily have
to know exactly how to walk the walk).
-Cataloging and metadata
-Look outside department for specialized courses related to special libraries –
for instance Anderson School of Business
-Information literacy course – Learn to train people
-Storytelling – Learn to present, become comfortable speaking in front of
others!

Other Advice:
-Networking is KEY!
-Participation in associations
-Advocate for yourself, give yourself credit
-Be flexible, take on new challenges
-Once you are a professional continue your education, take workshops, stay
current
-Experiment with new technology

After the formal talks, the panels fielded questions. Here are some of the questions with a quick rundown of answers. I haven’t attributed the answers, most were answered by more than one person.

Q: In the case of Specialist Libraries, how important is it to know about the specific field before you apply there?

A: It does help, for instance, in law. It’s easier to get internships while at school than learn on the job so that’s a good place to start learning about the field you want to work in. Good to have

Q: (To Brena) What kind of teaching do you do in Academic Libraries?

A: At the peak time in the quarter, she teaches 4 to 10 sections per week - teach literacy, doing workshops for a certain class. Some librarians offer for credit courses but it is becoming less and less common.

Q: What kind of teaching experience is useful?

A: Good to show that you can put together a program or a lesson plan.

Q: As a librarian at a museum, do you get involved in exhibition design?

A: Not exhibition design. The museum library does suggest objects to go into exhibits such as rare books.

Q: Is there anything you wish you had known when you were in library school?

A: Liza -- Paid more attention in management class! Sometimes you don’t
know why you are learning something until it comes up later.
Cindy – Management single best class she took! Still memorable many years
later. Even if you don’t think you will be a manager, you will.
Brena -- Public service very important! Understanding what it means, how
to interact with people.
Dave F. – It’s a whole new world! It’s fun and exciting that there is always
something new to learn to keep up. Technology is huge. Take
every tech course you can. All these information worlds are going
to start meshing and technology will be the means to do this.

Q: How do you continue your education once you are a professional?

A: Attend professional meetings, read journals and blogs, network with colleagues! A shortcoming in profession is lack of support for continued learning. Once again “be proactive”.

Lynn – Corporate sector will often reimburse for new training. Don’t be
afraid to ask for it. It demonstrates that you want to improve your
institution.
Liza – Good thing to ask when interviewing. Ask about opportunities for
professional development. Required for Academic librarians, esp. if
you are faculty and tenured. Attendance to conferences often
required.
Dave C. – Sometimes you can attend workshops on the company’s bill if you
agree to share what you learn or take a leadership position.
Dave F. – Directly tie the training to your position.

Q: Do internships count as “experience” for all fields represented?

A: Often they are considered. Make sure you have a “deliverable”, a product from your internship to show employers (finding aid, report, etc.).

Q: Is it still viable to work part-time as a librarian?

A: A lot of the Cal States have a part time pool. If you can get on a part time position for community colleges, cal states, get on it! Good pay. No benefits, but you get to try out other things it keeps you knowing what’s up in the library world.

Dave F.: Lots of people’s first time jobs are projects funded by grants. These are
great because you get training, payment, mentoring and great leverage
for a “real” job.

Lynn: Grant projects are a great way to get your foot in the door.

PANELIST BIOS

Here are the panelists, their spam-deterrent emails, and short bios (they’ve all done way more than what I’ve included):

Cindy Mediavilla (cmediavi at ucla dot edu) - Public Librarian
Current Library Programs Consultant for the California State Library with 18 years experience as a public librarian.

Lynn Boyden (lynnboyden at gmail dot com) – Information Architect
Teaches information architecture in the UCLA IS Department. Has practiced for agencies, institutions, and corporations. Published widely, most recently on the subject of information architecture as a career choice.

David Cappoli (dcappoli at ucla dot edu) - Specialist Librarian
Current Digital Resources Librarian for the UCLA IS Department overseeing instructional technology needs for departmental courses. Teaches courses. oversees IS web content, and administers the department's series of continuing education workshops. President of the Southern California Chapter of the Special Library Association (SLA).

David Farneth (DFarneth at getty dot edu) – Archives/Special Collections
Head of Special Collections and Institutional Records at the Getty. Oversees management of rare books, manuscript collections, archives, rare photographs, prints, and the photo study collection as well as Getty’s Institutional Archives department.

Liza Posas (lposas at autrynationalcenter dot org) – Museum/Arts/Special Collections
Reference Librarian for the Braun Research Library (a special collections and research library for the Southwest Museum of the American Indian). Worked as Reference Librarian and the Native American Studies Collection Manager at UC SantaBarbara.

Brena Smith (brena at library dot ucla dot edu) – Academic Librarian
Currently Information Literacy Operations Librarian for UCLA’s College Library responsible for outreach to faculty and student groups. Sole librarian for Westwood College for 2 ½ years.

2008-11-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

DON'T MISS the

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION
STUDIES CAREER PANEL
6 different panelists will discuss different career paths in their field
in the GSE&IS Salon
THIS FRIDAY, November 7th, 1-3pm

Panelists include:

a public librarian,
an academic librarian,
an informatics specialist,
a special libraries expert,
an art/museum librarian,
and an archivist.

This is a great opportunity to learn about diverse career paths in IS, ask questions of professionals working in the field, and mingle with fellow classmates.

Snacks will be served!

stay tuned for more exciting events coming soon...

2008-10-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

With over 40 attendees the Mentor/Mentee Mixer was a huge success! First year MLIS students got a chance meet continuing students and ask them about the program. Everyone had a great time and we're thinking about having more mixers in the future!

Check out our Flickr Account for more photos.

2008-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Summer is winding down and the UCLA ALA Student Group has a lot of exciting things planned for the Fall including field trips, special speakers, and our mentor/mentee mixer. Come to our lunch time recruitment meeting at the beginning of the quarter to learn more!

Remember, if you have any questions about the UCLA MLIS program you can post them here by responding to this post or to the post below this one and we'll be happy to answer the best we can!

-Diana Tedone
Co-President

2008-06-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the UCLA American Library Association Student Group Blog! To ask a question, use the link below to comment on this post!

2008-02-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

100 Books every child should read an article from the Telegraph. This article has different list for three age groups. The author, Michael Morpurgo, writes a good introduction about promoting literacy by introducing kids to stories that they will love.

2008-01-21T11:08:00.000-08:00

[Los Angeles Public Library at City Hall 1905]

Los Angeles City Librarian Fontayne Holmes spoke at UCLA January 17th. She gave a great presentation and the Q&A afterwards was very interesting. The reception afterwards was a lot of fun too!

LAPL is the largest public library system in the nation. It has seen increased use, from 14 million to 16 million last year.

Holmes talked about LAPL’s growth in the last 20 years. In 1986 a fire in the Central Library destroyed 400,000 books. This led to a project to restore the building and gardens (the original gardens had been paved over for a parking lot in the 1950’s). It also started a 317 million dollar branch library construction program. LAPL involved each community in the design process and each library building had a unique architect. In this way each library was individual and fit the needs of the community. The construction program doubled the size of the branch libraries and added some new branches as well.

Bringing computers and technology to people with out home access is another important role of LAPL. According to Holmes, about 1 million people do not have home computers. The computers terminals are some of the most used services in the library. Recently all the branches have wireless access as well.

Holmes emphasized involving the community in public libraries. She talked about reaching out to teens as well as children and adults and the importance of getting community support for projects.

In other news, the student groups are planning a return of Career Fest beginning at the end of this quarter! We all have a lot of work to do before then, but it looks like we’ve got some really interesting talks planned!

(photo taken from Library of Congress Prints and Photography Online Catalog)

2008-01-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

First post of the new quarter! There are a lot of exciting things coming up this quarter. This Thursday ALA is hosting a talk with Los Angeles city librarian Fontayne Holmes. This will be a great talk for anyone who wants to learn more about public libraries.

2007-11-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

Hello All! We are restarting to ALA-UCLA Student blog!
To kick things off check out the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2007

Good luck with finals everyone!

2007-02-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Pioneering Gay Activist Barbara Gittings Dies
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: February 19, 2007 - 12:01 am ET

(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Gay rights pioneer Barbara Gittings has died at the age of 75 from a lengthy and brave battle with breast cancer.

Gittings death was announced Sunday by fellow activist and Philadelphia Gay News publisher and friend Mark Segal announced today.

Gittings first came to the public spotlight in 1965 when she and a handful of gay men and lesbians held demonstrations outside the White House and Independence Hall seeking equal rights for homosexuals.

"These were the first such demonstrations in American history and began an era of gays coming out of the closet. Gitting involvement in the gay rights movement started in the late 1950s when she helped organize the New York City chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis," said Segal.

It was there she met her life partner Kay Lahusen, who has been by her side for 46 years.

Gittings other accomplishments include head of the American Library Association's Gay Task Force.

In 2003 The American Library Association presented Gittings with it's highest honor, a lifetime membership.

She was an active cornerstone in the campaign that led to the American Psychiatric Association dropping its categorization of homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973.

Gittings was an early community journalist. She edited the D.O.B. publication "The Ladder" from 1963-66 and worked with Lahusen on her 1973 book "The Gay Crusaders."

On July 2, 2005 Gittings and Lahusen attended the unveiling of the first official historic marker in the nation recognizing the Gay Rights Struggle. The marker, placed by the Pennsylvania Historic Commission, is located directly across the street from Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Gittings continued to make appearances, even accepting an award from the American Psychiatric Association this past fall, but ill health finally led her and Lahusen to an Assisted Living Facility in Kennet Square, PA, where she went into a coma Sunday morning.

Sunday night she passed away with Kay at her side.

Along with Lahusen, Gittings is survived by her sister Eleanor Gittings Taylor of San Diego, California.

Lahusen has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Barbara's memory to Lambda Legal Defense Fund.

A memorial is currently being planned and details will be announced at a later date.

2006-12-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

Using Books to Help Patients Cope

Books that help kids understand a birth defect, a serious illness or psychological trauma are an obscure part of the publishing world. But at Children's Hospital Los Angeles a "Biblio-therapist" is working to change that.

from KPCC (NPR) 89.3, Dec. 19, 2006

2006-12-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

Closure of 6 federal libraries angers scientists

Fugitive Traced Via MySpace Page, Caught at Philadelphia Library

Ohio Study Says Library Use Worth Four Times the Public Support

New York Times Librarian Awards Announced; Academic Librarians Included

2006-10-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

Books sought for new jail library in Yulee

Students armed with books

2006-10-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Starting Pay Breaks $40K—Placements and Salaries 2005

Charles Darwin Archive Launched

Two Graphic Novels Removed (Temporarily) from MO PL Collection

Blind Web surfers sue for accessibility

New Rule: We Don't Need Drug Tests for Librarians

2006-10-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

Reference and User Services Quarterly now has an online version

At the "Unconference," a Chance To Talk Freely

Welcome to Textbook Revolution!

Textbooks Enter the Digital Era

Trying Again to Make Books Obsolete

2006-10-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

RUSA issues redesigned journal and new journal website

Turkish Writer Wins Nobel in Literature

American Library Association and Bowker announce the launch
of the new Resources for College Libraries (RCL) web site

Library volunteers just say no to drug testing

2006-10-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

Library Workout

1987 - Betty Glover Library Workout Tape Ad

The Library at Guantanamo: 4200 Titles Under High Security

Are Libraries Limited, Obsolete? A Furious Debate in Kansas (and Beyond)

Show Your Librarian Some Love

When Religion Is Worse Than Internet Porn

2006-10-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about the ALA Student Chapter meeting in the IS Department on Tuesday at 12:30 PM

Learn about upcoming events and find out about available leadership opportunities in the ALA Student Chapter.

2006-10-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

Most reliable search tool could be your librarian

Teens join protest against library privatization

2006-09-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Map Thief Sentenced in Federal Court

Reading is Fundamental Program turns 40!

2006-09-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

A catalogue of errors

Library 2.0

Drafted: I Want You to Deliver E-Government

California Passes Bill to Safeguard RFID Privacy

2006-09-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

UCLA ALA Student Chapter Bookstore
Purchase your books, school supplies and more through Amazon.com!

2006-09-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

I'm broke: please ban my book

Program will celebrate First Amendment Champions

ALA supports congressional effort to investigate closure of EPA libraries

New Study: Today’s Public Libraries Are Thriving Technology Hubs That Millions Rely on for First or Only Choice for Internet Access

Archives open up centuries of British sex

2006-09-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

On Banned Books, Our View -- The opposite effect of intent

British Library calls for digital copyright action

2006-09-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Not-so-local lunar library

Vast library, thoughts of John Adams displayed

2006-09-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

ALA's 25th annual celebration of intellectual freedom, Banned Books Week, starts tomorrow, September 23rd!

More information here:

http://ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

SJSU library students involved with LISSTEN (Library and Information Science Students to Encourage Networking) have organized events for Oct. 1st at Cal State Fullerton.

Directions and a schedule of events that day are available here:

http://slisgroups.sjsu.edu/alasc/wordpress/?p=51

Have fun reading those challenged books!

2006-09-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Calif. library can bar worship, court says
The freedom to read is a basic human right

Harry Potter tops list of most challenged books of 21st Century

Vatican Opens Secret Archives from Pre-WWII Period

2006-09-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

Make all your Amazon purchases with this link and support the UCLA ALA student chapter

2006-09-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

The war over one book at a prestigious private school

Books To Be Removed From School Reading List

Harry Potter a hit at Guantanamo

Will it matter if people can’t read in the future?

2006-09-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

Homeless Patrons Win in Worcester

Prison Uncovers Library Book Drug-Smuggling Scam

Australian University Library Removes Alleged Jihad Books

2006-09-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Google: Banning Books In The US Is Bad; Censorship In China, Not So Much

2006-09-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

Librarians from Around the Nation Meet in Salt Lake City