Another year of ALSC membership lies before us. Now is a great time to reflect on our own experiences within the organization. How has our membership within ALSC changed our lives, and how can we leverage our own experiences in talking to our colleagues who might also benefit from ALSC membership? Whether you’re in a leadership position in your library trying to encourage your employees to pursue professional organization membership, or an ALSC-lover who wants to see more of your colleagues learning from the good work ALSC does, or an employee trying to convince your employer to cover your dues payments, here are three ways to share the benefits of ALSC professional membership with those around you.
Author: ALSC Membership Committee
Finding Your Fit at ALA Annual
This year’s ALA Annual Conference left my head spinning from what can accurately be described as a love fest for library workers. From an ALA exclusive open house at the Library of Congress to intimate conversations with new friends, my heart and mind were overflowing. Collaborations and contributions from library advocates across the country – many of whom are students, part-time library workers, or those working in fields complementary to librarianship – enriched the conference with a depth of knowledge and expertise. Read on for a few highlights and insights from fellow conference attendees.
Explore Planet Word with the ALSC Membership Committee
Do you consider yourself a wordsmith or a lover of languages? Are you a current, former, or future member of ALSC or interested in youth services? Then you won’t want to miss out on joining the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Membership Committee on Friday, June 24th to learn about ALSC, connect with other youth services professionals and kick off ALA in style. The Membership Committee will be walking to and exploring Planet Word, the museum where language comes to life.
Finding Time for the Bechtel Fellowship
It’s definitely the season for making summer plans. As you’re finalizing summer reading programs and coordinating vacation schedules, this is a good time to think about your professional goals, too, and to consider whether applying for the Bechtel Fellowship might be part of your plans.
How to Advocate for Professional Development Support
Professional development is essential for library workers, no matter where we are in our careers. While there are sometimes professional development opportunities through your library, often opportunities must be sought out. Professional development also requires resources including time, space, supervisory support, and money. Some supervisors and libraries have built in systems with dedicated resources, but this is not the case across the board. Additionally, you may find that resources and support may fluctuate because of changes in library leadership, funding, staffing, etc. That’s why it’s important to be your own advocate when it comes to finding professional development opportunities and seeking out resources to support your participation in those opportunities. Here are a few ways you can make your case to your supervisor and library that can be utilized at different times in your career.
ALSC is for Everyone
ALSC is for everyone, school librarians included!
2022 ALSC Emerging Leaders Team K
LibLearnX came and went in a blur this past month! In addition to the excitement of the Youth Media Awards announcements, another group was also celebrated: the 2022 class of the American Library Association’s Emerging Leaders.
Connecting (Virtually) during LibLearnX 2022
It’s always challenging to network at conferences. It takes energy and a fair bit of gumption to introduce yourself to folks, especially if you’re new to the library world. When a conference is virtual, that adds another barrier. So much of networking is based on happy accidents: finding yourself in the same session/bus/elevator as someone else and taking the opportunity to strike up a conversation. For LibLearnX, the ALSC Membership Committee’s goal is to create an intentional space for happy accidents via Zoom. While it’s not the same as the in person conference events we dream about going back to some day (ALSC 101, small group dinners), we hope it can be a time to make new friends and reconnect with old ones too.