RSS Review - Winter 2009
Cynthia Levine, Editor
Message from the Chair
Lots of behind the scenes activities are in full swing in the Reference Services Section as we prepare for the approaching Midwinter meeting in Denver. Flurries of e-mails come through with people working on marketing the New Definition of Reference or preparing for discussion group sessions or setting meeting agendas. In addition to the working meetings, RUSA is planning for some division-wide social activities. Plans are underway for a RUSA Membership Social on Friday night January 23 from 5-7 p.m. at Baur's Restaurant, 3 blocks from the Convention Center (see: http://www.baursdenver.com/ ) and a RUSA Book Awards Announcement and Reception on Sunday January 25 from 4-5:30. Watch for more details as Midwinter approaches.
I finally took the Facebook plunge; I didn't want to fall into Marie Radford's "old fogey" category. I am chairing our library marketing and communication team as we prepare to move out of our building this fall for a renovation and addition to the old library. We are trying a lot of different communication modes on campus including Facebook. I can see lots of advantages for interacting on Facebook. (I think all of us are suffering from in-box overload in our e-mail accounts) I became a fan of the new RSS Facebook page. If you haven't become a fan yet, I invite you to do so. The page is still in the early development phase, so now is a good time to get involved. RUSA has a Facebook page too.
I think that many of us will be looking for ways to increase virtual participation in the section and the association. Exploring a variety of options like Facebook, online communities, Wikis, etc. gives us more options for being involved without everyone having to travel. I know that institutional budgets, including money for travel and professional development, are tight this year. I hope we can be creative about working with RSS members to involve as many people as possible in the work of the section. Your thoughts and ideas are welcome. I invite committee chairs, discussion group leaders, and RSS members to begin promoting the upcoming Midwinter sessions on RSS-L. I hope that I will see many of you Denver in January. Thanks for your continued participation in RSS. -Judy Solberg, Chair, Reference Services Section
RSS Honor Roll Remember the last time you were on the Honor Roll? If you have been a member of 3 committees or held 3 positions in the Reference Services Section (RSS) of RUSA, you can bask in that glory again! The RSS Honor Roll is for members who have held 3 positions and/or been on 3 committees within the section. The current Honor Roll members are:
Wayne Bivens-Tatum
Sarah J. Hammill
Lisa Horowitz
Brett Lear
Cindy Levine
Barb Mann
Joe Thompson
Dave Tyckoson
Send an e-mail to Sarah J. Hammill at hammills@fiu.edu with your 3 positions/committees and add your name to the list. Then, brag to all of your friends that you made the Honor Roll!
15th Reference Research Forum: Call for Proposals
The Research and Statistics Committee is accepting proposals for the 15th Reference Research Forum to be held at the 2009 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during ALA Annual, where attendees can learn about notable research projects conducted in the broad area of reference services. Proposals are due by January 5, 2009. For more information, read the Call for Presentations on the RUSABlog (http://rusa.ala.org/blog/2008/10/09/rrf/). The Committee will select two presentations during the Midwinter meeting, and will begin work on the 2008 Reference Research Review, which will highlight notable research articles regarding reference services from the past year. - Liane Luckman, Chair, Research and Statistics Committee
New Definition of Reference
The Marketing and Public Relations of Reference Committee has been charged with marketing the new definition of reference, and are working on taking effective and affordable steps to publicize the new definition. Efforts include a press release to be sent to ARL and other statistics-gathering organizations, an op-ed piece to be sent to several major library publications, and a notification for all fans of RSS on Facebook. - Kate Silton, Chair, Marketing and Public Relations Committee
Reference Services Section (RSS) on Facebook
The RSS Fan page on Facebook provides a great way to network with other RSS members. You can share information and let people know about events and activities. You can get started using this url:
http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=612225850&k=62AY4W5YP25M5DFHRD54ST
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS
Management of Reference Committee, Emilie Smart, Chair
Time: Sunday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. - noon
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Room 212
Topic: Embracing the Reference Desk
The Management of Reference committee will use its Midwinter meeting to host a discussion, "Embracing the Reference Desk. " All frontline personnel, managers and administrators are invited to attend what we hope will be a lively and useful discussion of the reference desk as "place. "
User Education and Information Literacy Committee, Paul Victor and Steven Vest, Co-Chairs
Time: Sunday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. - noon
Place: The Curtis - Hopscotch
Topic: The Digital Divide in Libraries
Are students really on the tech-savvy side of the digital divide?
RUSA CODES/RSS Dual Assignments Discussion Group, Allison A. Cowgill and Qiana M. Johnson, Co-chairs
Time: Saturday, January 24, 10:30 a.m. - noon
Place: Grand Hyatt Denver - Grand Ballroom
Topic: Spreading the Word: Making Decisions and Sharing Bad News about Library Budget Cuts
The current national economic crisis is seriously impacting budgets in all kinds of libraries. What are the best ways to communicate how our services and collections are being affected? How do we make difficult decisions about what to buy and what to eliminate? What are the best ways to explain these choices to our library communities and library colleagues? What are the best ways to respond to user comments, concerns and complaints?
Participants will share their strategies for dealing with these challenges both inside and outside of their libraries. All conference registrants are invited to attend this lively, timely and informative discussion
Ethical and Legal Issues Discussion Group, Deborah J. Van Petten, Chair
Time: Saturday, January 24, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Place: Grand Hyatt Denver - Mt. Evans A
Topic: Consumerism in LibrariesThis discussion will explore the impact consumerism has on librarians in public, academic and special libraries. Has anyone developed best practices for handling this topic?
Reference Services in Large Research Libraries, Sarah G. Wenzel, Chair
Time: Sunday, January 25, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Korbel Ballroom 4F
Topic: Reference for the Masses: Bringing Quality Reference to the Commons, and to Remote Users
Come and join another spirited discussion as we explore serving patrons as part of (or as removed from) an "information commons" (whether or not that nomenclature is used). As time permits, we can turn our collective thoughts towards serving users not physically near us in general, perhaps discussing any new (or new uses of) technologies.
Hot Topics in Frontline Reference, Suzy Szasz Palmer, Chair
Time: Saturday, January 24, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Room 406
Topic: Beyond Meebo: New Alternatives in Instant and Text Messaging Reference Services
Thinking about implementing Instant Messaging into your reference services? Already doing it? All are welcome to attend "Beyond Meebo: New Alternatives in Instant and Text Messaging Reference Services. "
Reference Services in Small and Medium-Sized Research Libraries, Sarah Hammill, Coordinator
Time: Sunday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. - noon
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Room 104
Topic: Green Libraries
The discussion will focus on future trends, including efforts to operate green libraries in this age of concern about global warming.
Performance Issues for Reference and Information Librarians, Crystal M. Lentz, Chair
Time: Monday, January 26, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Room 112
Reference Services in Public Libraries, Amy Harmon, Chair
Time: Saturday, January 24, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Place: Colorado Convention Center - Room 101