While thinking about a theme for this semester's newsletter, I was struck by how many distance students SIRLS has, how many SIRLS students have summer internships or conferences, and how many SIRLS alums now have jobs overseas. Therefore, this issue is focused on these travel stories. Whether it's California, New York City, Puerto Rico, or Africa, SIRLS students definitely get around!
12 November 2011
Issue Intro: SIRLS Around the World!
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Summer Travels with SIRLS Director, Bryan Heidorn
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United Nations Secretariat Internship Programme
Over the summer, I completed the ten-week United Nations Secretariat Internship Programme with the Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT) in New York City. Daily tasks included collaborating with OICT, the Archives and Records Management Section and individual work units for implementing and updating a United Nations taxonomy; analyzing and classifying business unit records; and determining retention schedule phases for electronic content. Ann enjoyed the opportunity to work in an IT office and learn about current records management trends and issues in a global organization.
Ann Clark is a Tucson-based second-year SIRLS Master's Candidate
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SIRLS at the 77th IFLA General Conference
I learned that IFLA has a somewhat similar structure to ALA (the American Library Association), at least on the surface. Like ALA, IFLA has a number of smaller, more focused groups that conduct business at IFLA (similar to the mid-winter ALA meetings) and put on presentations and programs (similar to the annual ALA conference). These smaller groups are called divisions, sections, and special interest groups. Some of the groups are focused on a geographic area, such as the Latin America and Caribbean section, other groups are focused on a topic, such as the Literacy and Reading section or the Education and Training section. Much of the work seems to be conducted virtually among each group. It is difficult to imagine how work was completed internationally before email! You can learn more about the activities and groups within IFLA by visiting their website (http://www.ifla.org/en/activities-and-groups).
The conference has plenty of opportunities for attendees to attend meetings, attend formal presentations, visit poster sessions, visit the exhibit hall, and attend sessions off-site, which gives you an opportunity to see another part of the city. There were also all-conference evening receptions, as well as receptions hosted by individuals and vendors.
My presentation was sponsored by the IFLA New Professionals Special Interest Group (SIG). The New Professionals SIG is a forum for new professionals (and students) to network with other new LIS professionals from around the world. My co-presenter, Jessica Hernandez, also attended, and is a SIRLS and Knowledge River alumna. We gave a short presentation on the Knowledge River program and SIRLS, titled “The Diversity Imperative for Cultivating 21st Century Librarians: The Knowledge River Model”. You can see the entire lineup of programs from this session, including the full text of the papers on the SIG’s website: http://npsig.wordpress.com/beyond-new-professionals/.
Another session I attended was the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Indigenous Matters. This SIG, which was recently convened by Loriene Roy, former ALA president and a faculty member at the University of Texas School of Information, was created to address the interests of indigenous peoples in librarianship, indigenous knowledge, intellectual property, and issues of librarianship to people of indigenous backgrounds. The meeting provided updates on international indigenous librarianship, activities of the SIG, as well as seek feedback from attendees regarding suggested next steps for the SIG. I learned that there will be an International Indigenous Libraries meeting and the IFLA President’s Forum, to be held in April 2012 in Vancouver entitled “Indigenous Knowledges: Local Opportunities and Global Contexts”. I’m interested in learning more about this SIG’s involvement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and treaties that many developed nations belong to and the impact and need to recognize indigenous intellectual property. This SIG also involved with incorporating indigenous ways into the IFLA Education and Training guidelines (for LIS education programs).
The SIG’s special guest was Anahera Morehu (Maori, Aotearoa/New Zealand), who gave updates from New Zealand. I had the pleasure of working with Anahera, John Berry, and Jolie Graybill (SIRLS alumna) on an outreach plan to involve more international indigenous librarians. You can find out more about the Indigenous Matters SIG at this webiste: http://www.ifla.org/en/indigenous-matters
If students are interested in the work of IFLA, I highly encourage them to sign up as student members, or new graduate members. There is also a program called Adopt a Student! which provides student membership benefits as well as a sponsor who is willing to help open the door to this organization. More information can be found here: http://www.ifla.org/en/set/adopt-a-student
This conference reminded me that although we may be separated by large distances, there are many librarians and LIS students around the world who are concerned about the same issues that we are here in the USA. I could not possibly share all of the wonderful experiences I had in this short article, but hopefully this gives the readers a taste of what to expect at an IFLA conference. I’m also happy that I was able to share some of these experiences with a SIRLS and Knowledge River student who also attended. Previously, I would not have considered IFLA as a high priority conference, but I’m now considering attending future IFLA conferences because of the networking opportunities and learning opportunities that you cannot get in here in the USA. The 2012 conference will be held in Helsinki, Finland, and the 2013 conference will be in Singapore. See you there?
Sandy Littletree is the Knowledge River Program Manager at SIRLS
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Results of the ALA Student Chapter Survey
Reposted from Don Wood's Blog at http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/student-member-blog/2011-ala-student-chapters-survey-results:
The 2011 ALA Student Chapters Survey was conducted over a three-month period (July 2011 through October 2011). The results are in and can be found posted HERE!
Thanks to everyone who completed this 20-minute survey. You have provided us with invaluable information that no doubt will result in your having a greater ALA Student Chapter experience and in helping to ensure a greater ALA Student Chapter experience for future Student Chapter members.
A disheartening finding is that only just over 51 percent of the students answering the survey belong to their state library association. Some Chapters offer students the opportunity to join them and ALA for $35.(See Join Your Chapter and ALA for One Low Price!)
To learn more about ALA student Chapters, please visit the ALA Student Chapter Leadership page.
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19 February 2010
Issue Intro: Career Paths and Community Connections
It is a thrill to present our second BiblioTech publication of the year. Our current issue is titled "Career Paths and Community Connections," and highlights professional activities and opportunities. Library and Information Science professionals are involved in a wide-range of undertakings at the local, national and international level.
In "Student Organization Highlight: PLG," SIRLS student and PLG President shares information on the Progressive Librarians Guild. This active organization offers many wonderful activities throughout the year, and is an excellent way for students to connect with SIRLS and the broader library community. Similarly, the article "Just Join: The Benefits of Association and ALA Division Membership" by Knowledge River Alum Jessica Hernandez, discusses the advantages to becoming involved in professional associations.
In "Exhibits at the UA Libraries with the Undergraduate Services Team," Knowledge River Scholar Jeffrey Cruz shares his experiences developing two successful library exhibits. Cruz's efforts highlight the diversity of resources available at the University of Arizona libraries, and serve as an example of libraries reaching out to the broader community. Beyond the university or local level, librarians across the globe are also involved in important work.
SIRLS student and Library Student Organization (LSO) President Danielle Walker sheds light on librarianship in Vietnam in "An Interview with Trang Huynh." As a Fulbright Scholar and Library Director at Cantho University, Huynh shares a lot of interesting information on her experiences in Vietnam. Walker's focus on different career paths and international librarianship contributes an important global perspective to this edition of BiblioTech.
In closing, thanks to our outstanding writers who helped make this issue a success. The LSO BiblioTech team would like to maintain the momentum of our current issue by coordinating one final publication this semester. Submissions will be accepted from now until March 1st, 2010, and can be sent to jnhernan@email.arizona.edu. Articles and creative works are accepted on a variety of topics, and submissions related to job searching are especially welcome.
We appreciate your support of this online magazine.
Cheers,
Jessica Hernandez
BiblioTech Editor
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