Michigan Library Association is having its annual conference this week and I’m signed up to attend a number of programs. Below are the names, descriptions and times of the sessions I’m planning on attending. I’m not sure what the Internet situation will be while I am there so don’t expect up-to-the-minute information. I will, however, post something on each session by the end of the conference (Friday, October 13th).
Update (10-13-2006): I’m back from the conference but will hold off on the “sum up” post. Since, we were promised that MLA would be posting most of the presentations on their site; it made sense to wait a while. This way I will try to provide links to the various presentations when I post on the conference. The whole experience was amazing and I can hardly wait to share some of the information gleaned.
TIME: Wednesday, October 11, 2-3:15 p.m.
TRACK: Technology
SPONSORING UNIT: Library Technology Division
TITLE: Top Tech Trends
SPEAKER: Sheryl Cormicle Knox, Technology Director, Capital Area District Library
PROGRAM: Top trends in technology and how they affect libraries—Among the bleeding edge inventions, what holds promise? As more and more libraries adopt them, how are yesterday’s innovations panning out? What trends in the consumer market are going to have an effect on our collections and services? Come hear one person’s educated guesses and share your perceptions.
TIME: Wednesday, October 11, 3:30-4:45pm
TRACK: Library As Place
SPONSORING UNIT: Conference Program Committee’s: Call for Presentations
TITLE: “Toto, I Have a Feeling We Are Not In Kansas Anymore!”
SPEAKER: Bambi Mansfield-Sanderson, Director, Crawford County Library System; Anna Biernat, Program Director, Crawford County Library System; Jennifer Dean, Director, Northland Library Cooperative.
PROGRAM: Hold on to your ruby red shoes…for this session will be a tornado of information and ideas that will help all libraries to become the “ Emerald City” of their own community. Join us as we show you how to change the dreary gray perceptions and stereotypes of libraries into a colorful world of excitement and enthusiasm. Attendees will be invited to peek into the minds of two crazy and creative women who have rejected doing things as they have been done in the past and have instead “Followed the Yellow Brick Road” to make their library system the Land of OZ… Warning: This session is not for those of you who are content with your library system the way that it is today, are comfortable in what you currently do, and are unwilling to consider change…
TIME: Thursday, October 12, 8:30-9:45 a.m.
TRACK: Technology
SPONSORING UNIT: Conference Program Committee’s: Call for Presentations
TITLE: RF I DO! Better library collections with RFID technology
SPEAKERS: Mary A. Kelly, Reference Librarian, Salem-South Lyon District Library; Derek Engi, Network Administrator, Salem-South Lyon District Library.
PROGRAM: RFID technology has much more to offer librarians beyond collection security and self check-out. This presentation will explain the potential to make a collection better by gathering real-time data using an RFID system. It will also describe how to use RFID technology to weed collections more effectively and to monitor library usage beyond circulation. There will be a demonstration of some of the data gathering performed at the Salem-South Lyon District Library with the use of the Checkpoint system inventory wand. Libraries currently using an RFID system will gain new insight to its capabilities, and those considering RFID technology will be amazed at its usefulness and versatility in the area of collection management.
TIME: Thursday, October 12, 10-11:15 a.m.
TRACK: Collections
SPONSORING UNIT: Access, Collections and Technical Services Roundtable/Library Technology Division
TITLE: Revolutionary Changes in the Out-of-print Book Market: Buying and Selling on the Internet for Libraries
SPEAKER: Dr. Robert Holley, Professor, Library & Information Science Program, Wayne State University
PROGRAM: The Internet has revolutionized the out-of-print book market. Now that any book owner can become a seller on Amazon.com or Half.com, buyers, including libraries, have near instant access to over 6 million titles. While availability is up to around 95% for 19th and 20th century titles, prices are down so that most popular works since 1950 are available for $2.95 or less. Libraries can now easily find retrospective materials to fill in gaps and to serve as an alternative to interlibrary loan. Libraries, especially those with active Friends groups who can list the books and take care of the transaction, can also become sellers and bring in much more money for rejected gifts and discards than the traditional book sale.
TIME: Thursday, October 12, 2-3:15 p.m.
TRACK: Leadership and Management
SPONSORING UNIT: Conference Program Committee’s: Call for Presentations
TITLE: Holding Critical Conversations: A Step-by-step Tool for Addressing Tough People Issues at Work
SPEAKER: Kathy Pyatt, Management Coach, Pyatt & Associates LLC, A Career Enhancement Company
PROGRAM: All too often, managers and others avoid having critical conversations with employees about poor work performance, unacceptable behavior, or personality conflict because they don’t know how to do it productively. In this session, participants will learn how to identify when a critical conversation is necessary and a step-by-step process for holding these conversations that will result in productive change. During the session, participants will see the facilitator, a management coach and trainer, role-play these conversations and then participants will plan one of their own and practice the steps themselves. They will leave with the tools necessary to use these skills immediately on the job.
TIME: Thursday, October 12, 3:30-4:45 p.m.
TRACK: Leadership and Management
SPONSORING UNIT: Public Library Division
TITLE: Before You Recruit: Developing an Effective Volunteer Program
SPEAKERS: Diana Rodriguez-Algra, Executive Director, Volunteer Centers of Michigan
PROGRAM: With budgets tightening and staff stretched thin, more libraries are looking to volunteers for help. How do you attract and retain volunteers that have the skills and commitment you need to do the job right? The Executive Director of Volunteer Centers of Michigan will share her expertise on using volunteers effectively, along with a panel of librarians who have made their programs successful.
