SOLIS Professional Conference Scholarships

By: Jessica Davis

The University of South Florida Student Organizations of Library and Information Science (SOLIS) is accepting applications for the First Annual Professional Conference Scholarships!

Applications will be accepted from March 7th, 2011 – March 21st, 2011 for the following professional conference organizations:

• American Library Association (ALA, http://www.ala.org/)

• Special Library Association (SLA, www.sla.org)

• Florida Library Association (FLA, http://www.flalib.org/)

Students are limited to one national and one state Professional Conference Scholarship award over the course of their USF School of information graduate program studies.

Awards: One scholarship will be available per year for each annual conference. The scholarship award amounts are based on the annual conference:

• ALA and SLA: $1500

• FLA: $200

Funding for the USF SOLIS Professional Conference Scholarships is generously provided by the USF School of Information.

Requirements: Scholarship applicants are required to:

·   be members of SOLIS.

·   include proof of membership in the professional organization for the conference they are attending.

·   be a student at the time of the conference. This is determined based on the date of the student’s graduation ceremony.

·   Winning applicants must write a blog article and lead a brown bag or after-dark lecture discussing their conference experience.

Application Process:

Applications will be collected via SurveyMonkey. Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GDJV8D8 to apply.

The survey will function as the official application for all three conference scholarships. Applicants may return to previous questions and modify responses until the survey is submitted or exited. For each scholarship, the applicant who meets all scholarship requirements and has accumulated the most points for participation and service activities will receive the scholarship award. Please note that scholarship points are retroactive, beginning August 2010. Any activities before August 2010 will NOT be considered for this award. The applications will be reviewed on March 23rd, 2011. Students may be asked to verify information submitted in their applications. The results will be posted on the SOLIS Blackboard announcements, website, and blog. Award winners will also be contacted via e-mail by the scholarship committee.

For questions regarding SOLIS membership, contact us at slisstudentorgs@usf.edu. Questions regarding the Professional Conference Scholarships should be directed to the Scholarship Committee Chair at jrdavis2@mail.usf.edu. Thank you!

 

Filed under: ALA, Conferences, FLA, Professional Organizations, Scholarships

Big savings for students on 2010 Center for Intellectual Property Symposium!

Steve Peterson with the Center for Intellectual Property (CIP)  invites YOU!

“Want to learn more about digital copyright, broadband, Google Book Search, and current legislation (to name a few)?  The CIP is now offering students entry to the 2010 symposium for only $30 (regularly $430 for non-members). This significant savings is available for a limited time on a first-come basis.”

For those of you already making your way up to Washington, D.C. for the ALA Annual Conference from June 24-30, why not go a couple of days early from June 22-24 to take advantage of this opportunity?

Some reasons YOU SHOULD ATTEND:

• Look at what you could learn .

• You pay only $30 for a symposium worth $430.

• The CIP Symposium is  being held in the same exact location as the ALA Conference.

• You will represent USF School of Library and Information Science.

• You will have a unique experience that you can add to your resume.

• You will have knowledge that will set you apart from other job candidates.

• You can share what you have learned with your peers.

Please let the SLIS Student Organizations know if you decide to take advantage of this bargain! We would love to hear about your experience!

Filed under: Conferences, Education

NMRT Student Reception at Annual

You’re Invited!

NMRT’s Student Reception at ALA Annual 2010 in DC

When:  Sunday, June 27, 2010
6:30-7:30pm
Where: Marriott at Metro Center
Jr. Ballroom 1/2

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to network with fellow students
and learn more about ALA in a relaxed environment!  Representatives
from various ALA sections and roundtables will be on hand to speak
with you about becoming more involved in ALA.  We’ll also be
presenting this years’ Student Chapter of the Year award winner!

Light refreshments will be available. We would love for the USF SLIS Student Organizations to have a great turnout at the reception. Hopefully next year, we will get the Student Chapter of the Year award!!!

Filed under: Conferences, Professional Organizations

Would you recognize a miracle?

Would you recognize a miracle if you saw one?

On Monday, April 12, 2010, you can celebrate National Library Week, consider this question and help generate donations to benefit travel for library grad students to conferences and meetings.

Underneath the Lintel is a one‐man show about a fictional librarian from Hoofdorp (the Netherlands) who finds a book returned in the overnight slot 136 years overdue. The book was borrowed November 12, 1873 and not returned. What begins as a zealous attempt to recover a huge fine evolves into a quest to prove the identity of the egregious violator of library policy. Our host employs tools of librarianship to support his “Impressive Presentation of Lovely Evidences.”

A lintel forms the top of a door frame

ABOUT THE PLAY: This story is a funny, warm, sometimes moving, twisty journey into a mystery shared by audience and performer. Underneath the Lintel made its Off Broadway premiere in a 6 month run at SoHo Rep in New York City in 2002. Since then, it’s been successfully published and has received many professional productions. The first performance of any kind was by the author at the Yale Cabaret in New Haven, CT.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER: Arlen Bensen is a graduate student and graduate assistant in the USF School of Library and Information Science. He previously spent more than 30 years pursuing a career as a performing arts professional. Primarily a director (and a current member of SSDC, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers), Arlen also acted with many accomplished professionals including Denzel Washington (in Othello in 1977) and T. Ryder Smith who played the Librarian in the 2002 Off Broadway premiere of Underneath the Lintel. Arlen was fortunate to direct and teach many extremely talented people including stars like Melba Moore (Anything Goes, SummerFest, Montclair, NJ, 1994) and Michael Learned (Lettice and Lovage, also at SummerFest in 1993). Other notable directing efforts by Arlen include the Florida premiere of Three Tall Women by Edward Albee (Sarasota, 1996), the Southwest premiere of Oleanna by David Mamet (New Mexico Rep, 1994) and the world premiere of The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge by Mark Brown at Orlando Shakespeare Theater in 2004.

Times and Places: 2 performances are planned for April 12:
Noon, Grace Allen Room, USF Tampa Library
7:00 PM, Manatee Room (3705) Marshall Center
Again, admission is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit travel for library grad students. Help spread the word!

Note: the script contains one instance of language which may be objectionable to some people. [AB]

Filed under: Conferences, Education, Uncategorized, USF Libraries

Presenting for FLA? Need Practice?

Hello everyone,

Next week’s Brown Bag (March 31st) will feature Bill Harris, who will be sharing his FLA presentation with us.

I wanted to encourage those of you who are presenting at FLA or any other conferences to consider presenting before Brown Bag as practice.  It is a great way to get good feedback in a friendly environment!  Please email me directly if you are interested!

Thanks!

Ava Iuliano
aiuliano@mail.usf.edu

Filed under: Conferences, Education, Jobs

Library Students at TEDxTampaBay

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) touts itself as a conference for “Ideas worth spreading.”

“The annual conferences in Long Beach and Oxford bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).”

This year TED will host about 50 speakers, including Bill Gates, David Byrne, Valerie Plame, and Stephen Wolfram. But the best talks are often from folks you’ve never heard of. (For example this year check out Jane McGonigal, Stewart Brand, and Ze Frank.)

In the interest of spreading the TED model around the world TED launched TEDx. A “program that enables local communities such as schools, businesses, libraries, neighborhoods or just groups of friends to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events.”

Arlen Bensen

This year is the first year for TEDxTampaBay and two three USF School of Library & Information Science students are involved.

Arlen Bensen is a co-host and has been instrumental in organizing, stage design, and bringing in speakers.

Arlen is currently doing his fieldwork student work at Safety Harbor Public Library and is a Graduate Assistant at USF School of Library and Information Science.

Helping with the event is David Davisson. Dave is assisting with the social media and will be tweeting, blogging, and streaming information to the Facebook fan page throughout the day.

Nancy Petty will also be on hand to help speakers monitor their speaking time and act as support staff for the event.

TEDxTampaBay is this Friday, February 12. Be sure to check out the event. Speakers this year include Jimmy Wales (Jimmy’s talk was canceled due to inclement weather), founder of Wikipedia, and James Tokley, first official Poet Laureate of the city of Tampa.

Filed under: Conferences

LITA Forum Student Registration Request

If you want to attend the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA) conference this October 1st through 4th in Salt Lake City, you can request a special discount for students.

You can’t get this discount through registering on the site, but need to contact LITA by email. There’s only a limited number of discounted memberships available, so send in your email promptly

***

STUDENT REGISTRATION RATE AVAILABLE for 2009 LITA National Forum Salt Lake City, UT October 1-4, 2009

The Library & Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association, is offering a special student registration rate to the 2009 LITA National Forum to a limited number of graduate students enrolled in ALA accredited programs. The Forum will be held October 1 – 4, 2009 at the Hilton City Center Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about the Forum, visit http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/index.cfm

In exchange for the discounted registration, students will assist the LITA organizers and the Forum presenters with the on-site operations for the Forum. This year’s theme is “Open and Mobile.” We are anticipating an attendance of 400-500 decision makers and implementers of new information technologies in libraries.

The selected students will be expected to attend the full LITA National Forum, Friday noon through Sunday noon, but not the pre-conferences on Thursday and Friday. You will be assigned a variety of duties, but will be able to attend the Forum programs, which include 3 keynote sessions, approximately 30 concurrent sessions, and 12 poster presentations.

The student rate is $175 – half the regular registration rate for LITA members. This rate includes a Friday night reception at the hotel, continental breakfasts, and Saturday lunch.

To apply for the student registration rate, please provide the following information:

1) Complete contact information including email address,
2) The name of the school you are attending, and
3) 150 word (or less) statement on why you want to attend the LITA National Forum

Please send this information no later than September 11, 2009 to lita@ala.org, with LITA Forum Student Registration Request in the subject line.

Those selected for the student rate will be notified no later than September 14, 2009.

Filed under: Conferences

More SLA

Keynote Speaker, Colin Powell. Photo credit : Jill Hurst-Wahl, SLA

This is the Centennial Celebration of SLA. Vist SLA site to learn more www.sla.org.

Special Libraries Association (SLA) covers many diverse areas. A large number of the librarians are “solo” librarians. They are the only professional in their organization and do all the technical work themselves. I met librarians from the National Institute of Health, Boeing, Dialog, Quebec Liquor Board, pharmaceutical companies, a music library, Target (yes, the department store) plus academic “special libraries”. The main topic of discussion among librarians and at seminars was technology not books. The huge vendor expo was filled with booths offering products from databases to library school education (San Jose U, Drexel. etc.). Many of the leading database vendors had several booths such as Dialog, DowJones, Springer, and Ovid. Government databases, news, statistical and journal databases were everywhere. APA had a booth and scary as it seems to me – is coming out with a new edition of their citation guide.  Most booths offer a drawing for a prize, usually related to their product, and offer promo items: pens, magazines, highlighters, tote bags, etc. Several vendors offered free ice cream in the afternoon and various groups, many divisions of SLA, sponsored buffets with finger food in the vendor area. Oh, by the way, L. Ron Hubbard had a booth !

The diversity of workshops was amazing. Some were offered for a fee and many, many were free. I chose free every time. There were many sponsored by divisions of SLA (IT; News; Solo Librarians; Chemistry; Academic; Museums, Arts amd Humanities; Military; Petroleum and on & on.) If you have an interest, there is a division or caucus that will include that interest. You will meet people that share your interest and work in related fields. There is a GLBTQ group, some of the members  had a blast at the Gay Pride parade on Sat. night in NW D.C. I got to see some of the parade and it was great fun.

Colin Powell was the keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies. He was excellent! No matter what your politics you have to appreciate his knowledge, and the great responsibilty and service he took on for our country. He spoke, without notes, with no podium (one was available he just chose not to use it) for an hour. He was humorous and entertaining. He would be great at a party! He is very saavy about social networking (he claims his granchildren will not answer his e-mails, they only want to tweet), technology and information management. He was responsible for a huge techno overhaul in the State Department. He has great appreciation for librarians, knowledge managers or whatever we want to call ourselves. He  understands what we do and how important it is. It felt great to be appreciated.

The officers of SLA were all friendly and helpful. The current Preident, Gloria Zamora, came around to members attending the “First-Timers” seminar and introduced herself, gave out her business card and was very friendly. She is a librarian at the Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. She later was the host for the opening ceremony, awards and keynote speaker session.  The jumbo-trons gave everyone a great view of the ceremonies and the quality of the picture was excellent. Before each award a short trailer introduced the recepient and their achievements. It was very helpful to know who these people were and what they  had done. The winners were young, old and in-between. There were awards for “Rising Stars”, Fellows, and Leadership awards. It was fun to learn about the different fields these librarians were in and what they did to merit an award.

I had a great time and learned a lot too. The people I met were fantastic: fun, helpful and smart. It was well worth the sore feet. There are pictures on Flickr from the events. I will go through and pick some to post when I get caught up with my schoolwork.

Filed under: Conferences, Uncategorized, Posted by: Ann Marie Maloney, SLA 2009

SLA Conference June 2009

June 14-17 the  SLA conference will be held in Washington, D.C. I have been awarded a student travel grant by the Florida & Caribbean Chapter of SLA. This will allow me to attend the conference. As a condition of my award I must write an article for the Chapter newsletter and do a blog. I will be blogging on this site. Our blog website link will be posted to the SLA local chapter members. I hope you will all feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions for the blog and my trip.  Ann Marie Maloney Does anyone want any special information on any Special Library topic? My e-mail address is ammalon2@mail.usf.edu. Information on the conference is at: http://www.sla.org/content/Events/conference/ac2009/index.cfm

Filed under: Conferences, Uncategorized, Conferences

Cash Prizes

LIS student and vice president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) Laura Welch sends along the following information -

Emerging Paradigms: An Interdisciplinary Conference

“Emerging Paradigms is an interdisciplinary conference where graduate students are encouraged to present boards and/or papers on new, emerging research in their field of study.”

Cash prizes will be awarded. See link below for more details.

Find out more here.

Filed under: Conferences