SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
12:00 – 1:00 Welcome to Conference
This introduction to NELA and this conference is especially
useful for first-timers..
1:00 – 2:00 Keynote Address: Killing Librarianship
A passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in
today’s society, R. David Lankes is the Director of the
Information Institute and the library science program at Syracuse
University. He believes that what might kill our profession is not
ebooks, Amazon, or Google, but a lack of imagination. We must
envision a bright future for librarians and the communities they
serve, then fight to make that vision a reality. We need a new
activist librarianship focused on solving the grand challenges of
our communities. Without action we will kill librarianship.
2:15 – 3:30 Managing Aggressive Behavior
R.N. Van Wickler, Superintendent of Adult Corrections in
Cheshire County, NH, provides practical advice for dealing with
aggression, including discussion of violence continuums and
personal safety rules. Anyone who deals with other people can
benefit from the insights available in this presentation.
2:15 – 3:30 Social Media @ New York Public Library
The Information Technology Section (ITS) presents Lauren
Lampasone from the New York Public Library to describe her
highly successful social media campaigns. She works with all
staff to develop content for blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, and
with reference staff who provide customer services on social
media. A brief ITS business meeting is included.
2:15 – 3:30 Top Teen Programs
Looking for some fresh and exciting ideas for teen
programming? Need tips to make young adult events a success?
The New England Round Table of Teen and Children’s Librarians
(NERTCL) hosts Kate Bell Carpine from Flint Memorial Library
in North Reading, MA, and Melissa Orth from Curtis Memorial
Library in Brunswick, ME, to describe fabulous programs and
offer practical suggestions for working with this sometimes
elusive group of patrons.
2:15 – 3:30 Discussion Group: Book Delivery Systems
Learn about successful New England delivery systems.
3:45 – 5:00 Books I Never Returned
Take a look at the lighter side of libraries. Comedian Brian
Longwell has presented his perceptively amusing overview of
numerous corporations and institutions, and is now ready to apply
his evaluation to the world of libraries. Come for some laughs,
and find out how to “humor your stress.”
3:45 - 5:00 From Folktales to Fiction
Folk tales, fairy tales, and fantasy fiction are integral to children’s
and YA collections. Melanie Kimball, Assistant Professor at
Simmons College, offers insights and perspectives on these
genres in children’s and YA collections and provides a booklist of
“must have” titles or editions. .
3:45 – 5:00 Who’s Monitoring Your Research?
The Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) presents Trina Magi,
UVM librarian, to take a fresh look at privacy, offering new
information and practical tips, and exploring the question, “Does
privacy matter, and does anyone care?” Dr. Zachary Schrag,
author of Ethical Imperialism, discusses his book which explores
the growing tendency of university ethics panels to impede the
work of scholars in social sciences and other non-medial fields.
3:45 – 5:00 ITS Carnival
Step right up! See and touch the newest tech gadgets, talk tech
with colleagues, join discussions and poster sessions on current
tech topics. In this “Touch My Junk” session, Demetri Kyriakis
from the Morse Institute Library in Natick, MA, and Brian
Herzog from the Chelmsford (MA) Public
Library lead a panel of reference librarians considering how to
deal with patrons who bring their own technology seeking
assistance. More than an ethical dilemma, it poses interesting
questions. Is this the “new” reference question? Is this the new
normal? The Carnival is repeated each day..
3:45 – 5:00 Discussion Group: State of the States
Leaders from the New England state library agencies discuss the
current challenges and opportunities in a tough economy.
5:00 – 6:3 0 Reception in the Exhibit Hall
6:30 – 9:00 NELA Annual Banquet
Author Frank Delaney’s latest book, The Matchmakers of
Kenmare, presents another epic tale of Ireland, following his
earlier best-selling novels Ireland and Shannon. Like his earlier
books, the newest title is steeped in colorful history, in this case
the World War II era. In its starred review, Booklist says
he “...re-earns his reputation for total reader engagement with his
latest deeply thought-out novel.” Thanks to Random House for
sponsoring Frank Delaney’s presentation.
A selection of Frank Delaney’s books is available for purchase
and autographing following the banquet..
MONDAY, OCTOBER 3
8:30 – 10:00 Website Makeovers for Mobile Users
Is your website mobile-friendly? Melora Norman from the
Unity College Library in Unity, ME, shares her expertise on
universal and common-sense techniques and best practices for
content and design. Steve Butzel from Portsmouth (NH) Public
Library showcases his successes with LibAnywhere and his
mobile Online Newstand.
8:30 – 10:00 Mysterious and Unfathomable: RDA
Cataloging at the Clark
Speculation abounds concerning RDA (Resource Description and
Access), but what are the realities of this new cataloging
standard? The Clark Art Institute library was a formal test site,
and has used RDA for the past year. The New England Technical
Services Librarians (NETSL) presents Clark librarians
NELA/VLA CONFERENCE PRELIMINARY PROGRAM
Christopher Geissles and Penny Baker to share their
experiences, good and bad, working with RDA.
8:30 – 10:00 Rudyard Kipling in Vermont
Did you know that the literary giant Rudyard Kipling spent
four years in Brattleboro, Vermont, and built his dream house
there? During that brief time he produced four books, including
the Just So Stories. Learn more about his Vermont
experience and enjoy a selection of Just So Stories presented
by Jackson Gillman, a Kipling re-enactor for more than
eleven years.
8:30 – 10:00 Blog Buzz
Blogging is an important tool that brings youth librarians and
youth literature enthusiasts together. A NERTCL panel of
four prolific bloggers shares tips on creating blogs and evaluating
the benefits of blogging. Panelists include Ellizabeth
Bluemie, co-owner of the Flying Pig bookstore in Shelburne,
VT, Andrea Graham, creator of the 4YA blog, Leila Roy,
founder of the blog Bookshelves of Doom, and Jennifer
Rummel from the Otis Library in Norwich, CT. A take home
list of useful blogs is included.
8:30 – 10:00 ITS Carnival
See general description Sunday at 3:45. This session concentrates
on the Tech Petting Zoo, and is open on a drop-in basis..
8:30 – 10:00 Perceptions of Libraries 2010: Context and
Community
OCLC’s latest market research study, Perceptions of
Libraries 2010, explored how the economic environment has
effected perceptions and behaviors of our users and potential
users. Carole Myles from OCLC presents an impressive, and
often surprising, compilation of statistics you can use in
advocacy and grant applications, along with observations
about new formats and trends.
9:45 – 1:00 Exhibits Open
10:00 – 11:00 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
11:00 – 12:00 Net Neutrality and Intellectual
Freedom
Why is net neutrality one of the most pressing intellectual
freedom issues of our time? Lauren-Glenn Davitian, Executive
Director of the Chittenden County TV Center for
Media and Democracy (CCTV), joins a panel of IFC
members for a discussion of this important issue. Since 1984,
CCTV has managed public access TV across Vermont and
developed a Burlington community media center that helps
activists and non-profits expand their reach and impact.
11:00 – 12:30 What’s the BIG Idea?
Sally Anderson, Executive Director of the Vermont Center
for the Book and creator of the National Science Foundation–
funded What’s the BIG Idea math and science project,
presents the skills, concepts, and content integral to math and
science programming for children ages 4-7. Explore picture
books and investigate activities that can be transferred
directly into story hours and programs for families.
11:00 – 12:30 Counterparts
NELA encourages state association officers to meet and
exchange ideas to improve their organizations. Informal
table talk discussions cover leadership and the role of the
president, financial management, membership and advocacy.
11:00 – 3:00 ITS Carnival
The Petting Zoo continues and twelve tech Poster Sessions are
added. Exact time and topic information will appear in the
program you receive at conference.
11:30 – 12:30 Discussion Group: NELLS
Learn about the New England Library Leadership
Symposium (NELLS) and the training it offers. Is this
program right for you, or perhaps for someone on your staff?
11:30 – 1:00 Adventures in Cartooning
Comics and graphic novels can be an important part of
library collections. James Sturm, cartoonist and co-founder
of The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction,
VT, renowned for Market Day, God Gold and Golems, and
many more, discusses ways libraries can harness the power of
comics to promote visual literacy and storytelling and prepare
readers for the digital age. Caitlin McGurk, head librarian at
The Center, describes the role of librarians in promoting story
telling for all ages, and compares the societal roles of libraries
and comics.
11:30 – 1:00 Miscellany Collection
Learn how a small digital collection caught the imagination of
the scholarly community of Tufts University and beyond.
Alex May and Alicia Morris from Tuft’s Tisch Library
describe their Miscellany Collection developed to meet the
needs of increasingly technology-savvy faculty and students.
They discuss overarching strategy, metadata standards, the
decision to move to a digital environment, and the work
necessary to design and complete this project. The program
sponsor is NETSL, whose business meeting is included.
12:30 – 2:00 By the Numbers: Do Hennen, LJ
Ratings & Other Scores Tell Truth?
Why benchmark library services? Nancy Davis of The Ivy
Group explains the four common rating systems, the pros and
cons of benchmarking, how to use benchmarking studies,
integrating census data into the process, and the pitfalls of
benchmarking.
12:30 – 2:00 NERTCL Luncheon
T.A. Barron, acclaimed author of The Lost Years if Merlin
and The Tree of Avalon series, the standalone title The Hero’s
Trail and many more best-selling books, believes that every
individual, regardless of age, gender or race, can make a
positive difference. How can we convince young people of
their heroic potential? Through stories. Using examples from
his writing and real-life kids who have won the Barron Prize
for Young Heroes, he shows the power of stories to excite and
inspire. The NERCL business meeting is a brief part of the
program, and you will receive his “Young Heroes Package” as
a special gift.
A selection of T.A. Barron’s books is available for purchase
and autographing following the luncheon.
1:00 – 3:00 Discussion Groups: Best Services
for Diverse Groups
Consecutive half hour sessions discuss serving specific
groups that may require special consideration. Discuss broadband
service in rural Vermont with Martha Reid, Vermont State
Librarian. Michele Jenness of VT Immigrant & Asylum
Advocates leads talk of service to Haitian populations. Yet to Be
Confirmed facilitates the discussion of serving non-English
speaking groups, and Thomas Middleton, author of Saber’s
Edge, guides the discussion of service to veterans and military
families.
1:30 – 3:00 The Future Is On Demand: Just-In-Time and
Patron Driven
One of the most exciting developments in academic library
collections is the shift away from “just in case” purchasing
toward “just in time” access to resources. Laura Crain from
Vermont’s St. Michael’s College Library focuses on how her
library employs a variety of tools to ensure that they acquire
physical and electronic content that matches actual need and use.
The Academic Librarians Section (ALS) partners with NETSL to
sponsor this session.
1:30 – 3:00 Understanding and Responding to
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Bullying and cyberbullying are now widely recognized to be
physically, socially, and emotionally harmful. Current research
indicates that over 30% of students are bullied during their academic
careers, impacting their attendance, academic performance,
and emotional well-being. Kathy Johnson from the Anit-
Defamation League of New England offers interactive training to
help you understand the nature and impact of these behaviors and
take steps to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. The GLBT
section (HQ76.3) is the program sponsor.
1:30 - 3:00 Over There: Wisdom from Social Media
Mavens Across Disciplines
How is social media transforming non-library fields and what can
we learn from its deployment in other disciplines? Shay Totten
from Vermont’s independent newspaper Seven Days describes
how tools such as Twitter and Facebook allow him to report in
real time. Seth Mobley from Vermont Community Access Media
describes how new media is changing the work of public access
Television stations.
3:00 – 4:00 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
4:00 – 5:00 ITS Carnival
Bring your IT questions to “Stump the IT Chump” to solve all
your techie dilemmas.
4:00 – 5:00 Discussion Group: Emerging
Leaders
A panel of four graduates outlines the American Library
Association’s Emerging Leaders program that helps young
librarians become leaders. It focuses on the “#make it happen”
philosophy which goes beyond having a good idea to add acting
on it to produce results. Panelists include Ed Garcia from
Cranston (RI) Public Library, Jamie Hammond from Naugatuck
Valley Community College in CT, Justin Hoenke from Portland
(ME) Public Library, and JP Porcaro from Jersey City (NJ)
University Library.
4:00 – 5:30 Trends in Technology for Reference
Technology should be invisible and make things easier, not more
difficult. There are many ways technology can be used effectively
in reference service in any library. Andy Burkhardt from
Champlain College in Burlington, VT, Michele McCaffrey from
St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT, and Heidi Steiner from
Norwich University in Northfield, VT, discuss innovative, costeffective
ways to use technology in outreach, management of
reference services and enhancing virtual reference interactions.
4:00 – 5:30 Howdy Partner!
Are you a good partner? Nancy Davis of The Ivy Group
discusses community partnerships and how to manage them from
beginning to end. She includes examples of partnerships that fail
as well as successful public library partnerships with public and
private sector organizations.
4:00 – 5:30 Stress Less with Mindfulness
Access to vast information and multiple communication devices
works for patrons, but can lead to fragmentation of attention and
pressure for staff. Services can become unsustainable and even
counterproductive. Cheryl Bryan of the MA Library System and
Jean Amaral from Antioch University in Keene, NH, offer
possible counter measures to increase attention to current tasks
and to help manage stress from busyness and information-rich
environments.
4:00 – 5:30 Supporting Emergent and Early
Readers
For those children who are just beginning to read, the possibiliteis
for exploring texts are endless. NERTCL presents Sandy Leifeld
from Newton (MA) Free Library to offer suggestions and
strategies to support beginning readers, including many book
selections suitable for this group.
5:30 – 7:00 Reception and NELA Games
Explore Burlington City Arts, housed in a former firehouse and
also known as the Firehouse Gallery. It’s located in the heart of
downtown in the Church Street Marketplace. Explore their
exhibits, enjoy a networking social hour, and join the musical fun
of “Name That Tune” for the 2011 edition of the NELA Games.
A shuttle bus serves this event and the Dine-Around.
7:00 - ?? NELA Dine-Around
Sign up to sample one of the fine local restaurants with a group of
your colleagues. A wide variety of cuisines is available within
walking distance of our reception location. Vermont Library Association
members lead each group.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4
8:00 – 8:30 NELA Business Meeting
8:30 – 9:30 New England Rapid Reviews
Join the six directors of the New England Centers for the Book for
high speed reviews of five outstanding books from each state. In
two minutes each, they will tell us as much as they can about each
title. Reviewers include Sally Anderson from Vermont, Kat
Lyons from Connecticut, Louise Moulton from Rhode Island,
Mary Russell from New Hampshire, Sharon Shaloo from
Massachusetts, and Elizabeth Sinclair from Maine. Take home a
list of their recommendations.
8:30 – 9:30 Reader’s Advisory for Kids & Teens
Join Cindy Schilling of Wells (ME) Public Library for a
practical and informative session on providing readers’ advisory
service to young people. Get tips and learn about resources for
helping kids and teens find reading material that matches their
interests and tastes. NERTCL is the program sponsor.
8:30 – 9:30 Discussion Group: Budget
Presentations
The budget presentation is probably your most important speech
each year. Discover tips and tricks to make a good one, and
share success stories with other budget presenters.
8:30 – 10:00 Collaborative Assessment for
Massachusetts Public Colleges
In 2009 the MA Commonwealth Consortium of Libraries in
Public Higher Education Institutions worked to establish shared
priorities for library assessment. Once the project was
completed the libraries agreed on a set of comparative metrics,
and designed a dashboard to monitor results. ALS presents
Stephen Spohn from LYRASIS and Linda Oldach from Mount
Wachusett Community College, to discuss the project and its
implications.
8:30 – 10:00 ITS Carnival
See description on Sunday at 3:45.
8:30 – 10:00 Displays on a Budget
Make your library shine with the use of creative arrangements
and displays. Doreen Buchinski from Waltham (MA) Public
Library shows how to entice users to check out materials with
the creative use of displays.
9:45 – 11:30 Exhibits Open
10:00 – 11:15 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
11:15 – 12:45 Leading Change.
Consultant Kathryn Deiss believes that leaders at any level of
an organization have a responsibility to help people understand,
adapt to, and even instigate change. People need to overcome
the fear losing the familiar and recognize the difference between
what is changing and what is not. Learn how to be effective
leader of change at a time when change is the only constant.
11:15 – 12:45 Mission Morale: Cultivating a Caring
Work Culture
Discover how to avoid the morass of low morale and create a
culture of collegial caring in your library. Learn how to use
cost-effective strategies and implement new policies to improve
morale. Presenters are Jennifer Sabatini Fraone from the Boston
College Center for Work and the Family and Mara Neufeld
Rivera from Resource Systems Group in White River Junction,
Vermont.
11:15 – 12:45 Tools of the Trade
Want to spice up your storytime and babytime programs? In this
NERTCL session you will learn some tools of the trade. Clare
Dombrowski from Amesbury (MA) Public Library and Sandy
Leifeld from Newton (MA) Free Library demonstrate ways to
integrate songs, rhymes, flannel boards, and music and musical
instruments with stories. Joan Knight from Jafrfrey (NH)
Public Library showcases puppets and their ability to grab the
attention of even the most restless children.
11:15 – 12:45 Checklist for Digital Divide Readiness
Libraries everywhere have patrons with low tech literacy.
We offer classes and training to assist patrons with learning
technology, but we don’t have to stop there. Jessamyn West,
an expert on digital divide issues, suggests how we can offer
more help, from website tips to reading lists to local advocacy,
and improve access to technology for these patrons. ITS is the
program sponsor.
11:15 – 12:45 Digital Newspaper Project
Birdie MacLennan of the University of Vermont leads a panel
discussion about her institution’s collaboration with VT
Department of Libraries, Ilsley Public Library of Middlebury,
VT, and the VT Historical Society to select and digitize up to
100,000 pages of Vermont newspapers published from 1836 to
1922. Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the
Humanities, the project is part of the plan to create a freely
accessible national digital resource of historic newspapers from
all the US states and territories. The program sponsor is ALS
12:45 – 2:15 Author Luncheon
First-time author Tom Ryan has written the ultimate buddy saga.
The subtitle tells much of the story: Forty-Eight High Peaks,
One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship. The White
Mountains of New Hampshire feature forty-eight peaks of 4,000
feet or more, and hikers frequently set a “lofty” lifetime goal to
conquer them all. Tom Ryan and his dog Atticus achieved this
feat – twice - in just eleven months. His book, Following
Atticus, recounts their adventures and the impact they have had
on their lives. Thanks to HarperCollins for sponsoring Tom
Ryan’s appearance at NELA.
Tom Ryan’s book is available for purchase and autographing
following the luncheon.
2:15 – 5:00 POST CONFERENCE: Serving on the
Front Lines of Workforce Recovery
Libraries are first responders to the increased demand for jobrelated
assistance, but demand often outstrips our time to build
resources and services. The IMLS-funded Project Compass
provides real world success stories and a foundation of skills to
meet these workforce demands. Explore best practices for
building programs and services for job seekers and local
business development, forming partnerships with local workforce
agencies, and providing financial literacy and technology
training. Project partner WebJuncion staff present this important
and timely session.
Talk Tables
Sometimes the best ideas for making your library better come
from your peers. New this year, this networking format provides
informal discussions among colleagues. A sampling of topics to
be covered includes Working in a Union Shop, Running a Small
Library, Career Development, Resume Review, and The Benefits
of NELA Membership. The exact schedule will be published in
the program you receive at conference.
12:00 – 1:00 Welcome to Conference
This introduction to NELA and this conference is especially
useful for first-timers..
1:00 – 2:00 Keynote Address: Killing Librarianship
A passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in
today’s society, R. David Lankes is the Director of the
Information Institute and the library science program at Syracuse
University. He believes that what might kill our profession is not
ebooks, Amazon, or Google, but a lack of imagination. We must
envision a bright future for librarians and the communities they
serve, then fight to make that vision a reality. We need a new
activist librarianship focused on solving the grand challenges of
our communities. Without action we will kill librarianship.
2:15 – 3:30 Managing Aggressive Behavior
R.N. Van Wickler, Superintendent of Adult Corrections in
Cheshire County, NH, provides practical advice for dealing with
aggression, including discussion of violence continuums and
personal safety rules. Anyone who deals with other people can
benefit from the insights available in this presentation.
2:15 – 3:30 Social Media @ New York Public Library
The Information Technology Section (ITS) presents Lauren
Lampasone from the New York Public Library to describe her
highly successful social media campaigns. She works with all
staff to develop content for blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, and
with reference staff who provide customer services on social
media. A brief ITS business meeting is included.
2:15 – 3:30 Top Teen Programs
Looking for some fresh and exciting ideas for teen
programming? Need tips to make young adult events a success?
The New England Round Table of Teen and Children’s Librarians
(NERTCL) hosts Kate Bell Carpine from Flint Memorial Library
in North Reading, MA, and Melissa Orth from Curtis Memorial
Library in Brunswick, ME, to describe fabulous programs and
offer practical suggestions for working with this sometimes
elusive group of patrons.
2:15 – 3:30 Discussion Group: Book Delivery Systems
Learn about successful New England delivery systems.
3:45 – 5:00 Books I Never Returned
Take a look at the lighter side of libraries. Comedian Brian
Longwell has presented his perceptively amusing overview of
numerous corporations and institutions, and is now ready to apply
his evaluation to the world of libraries. Come for some laughs,
and find out how to “humor your stress.”
3:45 - 5:00 From Folktales to Fiction
Folk tales, fairy tales, and fantasy fiction are integral to children’s
and YA collections. Melanie Kimball, Assistant Professor at
Simmons College, offers insights and perspectives on these
genres in children’s and YA collections and provides a booklist of
“must have” titles or editions. .
3:45 – 5:00 Who’s Monitoring Your Research?
The Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) presents Trina Magi,
UVM librarian, to take a fresh look at privacy, offering new
information and practical tips, and exploring the question, “Does
privacy matter, and does anyone care?” Dr. Zachary Schrag,
author of Ethical Imperialism, discusses his book which explores
the growing tendency of university ethics panels to impede the
work of scholars in social sciences and other non-medial fields.
3:45 – 5:00 ITS Carnival
Step right up! See and touch the newest tech gadgets, talk tech
with colleagues, join discussions and poster sessions on current
tech topics. In this “Touch My Junk” session, Demetri Kyriakis
from the Morse Institute Library in Natick, MA, and Brian
Herzog from the Chelmsford (MA) Public
Library lead a panel of reference librarians considering how to
deal with patrons who bring their own technology seeking
assistance. More than an ethical dilemma, it poses interesting
questions. Is this the “new” reference question? Is this the new
normal? The Carnival is repeated each day..
3:45 – 5:00 Discussion Group: State of the States
Leaders from the New England state library agencies discuss the
current challenges and opportunities in a tough economy.
5:00 – 6:3 0 Reception in the Exhibit Hall
6:30 – 9:00 NELA Annual Banquet
Author Frank Delaney’s latest book, The Matchmakers of
Kenmare, presents another epic tale of Ireland, following his
earlier best-selling novels Ireland and Shannon. Like his earlier
books, the newest title is steeped in colorful history, in this case
the World War II era. In its starred review, Booklist says
he “...re-earns his reputation for total reader engagement with his
latest deeply thought-out novel.” Thanks to Random House for
sponsoring Frank Delaney’s presentation.
A selection of Frank Delaney’s books is available for purchase
and autographing following the banquet..
MONDAY, OCTOBER 3
8:30 – 10:00 Website Makeovers for Mobile Users
Is your website mobile-friendly? Melora Norman from the
Unity College Library in Unity, ME, shares her expertise on
universal and common-sense techniques and best practices for
content and design. Steve Butzel from Portsmouth (NH) Public
Library showcases his successes with LibAnywhere and his
mobile Online Newstand.
8:30 – 10:00 Mysterious and Unfathomable: RDA
Cataloging at the Clark
Speculation abounds concerning RDA (Resource Description and
Access), but what are the realities of this new cataloging
standard? The Clark Art Institute library was a formal test site,
and has used RDA for the past year. The New England Technical
Services Librarians (NETSL) presents Clark librarians
NELA/VLA CONFERENCE PRELIMINARY PROGRAM
Christopher Geissles and Penny Baker to share their
experiences, good and bad, working with RDA.
8:30 – 10:00 Rudyard Kipling in Vermont
Did you know that the literary giant Rudyard Kipling spent
four years in Brattleboro, Vermont, and built his dream house
there? During that brief time he produced four books, including
the Just So Stories. Learn more about his Vermont
experience and enjoy a selection of Just So Stories presented
by Jackson Gillman, a Kipling re-enactor for more than
eleven years.
8:30 – 10:00 Blog Buzz
Blogging is an important tool that brings youth librarians and
youth literature enthusiasts together. A NERTCL panel of
four prolific bloggers shares tips on creating blogs and evaluating
the benefits of blogging. Panelists include Ellizabeth
Bluemie, co-owner of the Flying Pig bookstore in Shelburne,
VT, Andrea Graham, creator of the 4YA blog, Leila Roy,
founder of the blog Bookshelves of Doom, and Jennifer
Rummel from the Otis Library in Norwich, CT. A take home
list of useful blogs is included.
8:30 – 10:00 ITS Carnival
See general description Sunday at 3:45. This session concentrates
on the Tech Petting Zoo, and is open on a drop-in basis..
8:30 – 10:00 Perceptions of Libraries 2010: Context and
Community
OCLC’s latest market research study, Perceptions of
Libraries 2010, explored how the economic environment has
effected perceptions and behaviors of our users and potential
users. Carole Myles from OCLC presents an impressive, and
often surprising, compilation of statistics you can use in
advocacy and grant applications, along with observations
about new formats and trends.
9:45 – 1:00 Exhibits Open
10:00 – 11:00 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
11:00 – 12:00 Net Neutrality and Intellectual
Freedom
Why is net neutrality one of the most pressing intellectual
freedom issues of our time? Lauren-Glenn Davitian, Executive
Director of the Chittenden County TV Center for
Media and Democracy (CCTV), joins a panel of IFC
members for a discussion of this important issue. Since 1984,
CCTV has managed public access TV across Vermont and
developed a Burlington community media center that helps
activists and non-profits expand their reach and impact.
11:00 – 12:30 What’s the BIG Idea?
Sally Anderson, Executive Director of the Vermont Center
for the Book and creator of the National Science Foundation–
funded What’s the BIG Idea math and science project,
presents the skills, concepts, and content integral to math and
science programming for children ages 4-7. Explore picture
books and investigate activities that can be transferred
directly into story hours and programs for families.
11:00 – 12:30 Counterparts
NELA encourages state association officers to meet and
exchange ideas to improve their organizations. Informal
table talk discussions cover leadership and the role of the
president, financial management, membership and advocacy.
11:00 – 3:00 ITS Carnival
The Petting Zoo continues and twelve tech Poster Sessions are
added. Exact time and topic information will appear in the
program you receive at conference.
11:30 – 12:30 Discussion Group: NELLS
Learn about the New England Library Leadership
Symposium (NELLS) and the training it offers. Is this
program right for you, or perhaps for someone on your staff?
11:30 – 1:00 Adventures in Cartooning
Comics and graphic novels can be an important part of
library collections. James Sturm, cartoonist and co-founder
of The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction,
VT, renowned for Market Day, God Gold and Golems, and
many more, discusses ways libraries can harness the power of
comics to promote visual literacy and storytelling and prepare
readers for the digital age. Caitlin McGurk, head librarian at
The Center, describes the role of librarians in promoting story
telling for all ages, and compares the societal roles of libraries
and comics.
11:30 – 1:00 Miscellany Collection
Learn how a small digital collection caught the imagination of
the scholarly community of Tufts University and beyond.
Alex May and Alicia Morris from Tuft’s Tisch Library
describe their Miscellany Collection developed to meet the
needs of increasingly technology-savvy faculty and students.
They discuss overarching strategy, metadata standards, the
decision to move to a digital environment, and the work
necessary to design and complete this project. The program
sponsor is NETSL, whose business meeting is included.
12:30 – 2:00 By the Numbers: Do Hennen, LJ
Ratings & Other Scores Tell Truth?
Why benchmark library services? Nancy Davis of The Ivy
Group explains the four common rating systems, the pros and
cons of benchmarking, how to use benchmarking studies,
integrating census data into the process, and the pitfalls of
benchmarking.
12:30 – 2:00 NERTCL Luncheon
T.A. Barron, acclaimed author of The Lost Years if Merlin
and The Tree of Avalon series, the standalone title The Hero’s
Trail and many more best-selling books, believes that every
individual, regardless of age, gender or race, can make a
positive difference. How can we convince young people of
their heroic potential? Through stories. Using examples from
his writing and real-life kids who have won the Barron Prize
for Young Heroes, he shows the power of stories to excite and
inspire. The NERCL business meeting is a brief part of the
program, and you will receive his “Young Heroes Package” as
a special gift.
A selection of T.A. Barron’s books is available for purchase
and autographing following the luncheon.
1:00 – 3:00 Discussion Groups: Best Services
for Diverse Groups
Consecutive half hour sessions discuss serving specific
groups that may require special consideration. Discuss broadband
service in rural Vermont with Martha Reid, Vermont State
Librarian. Michele Jenness of VT Immigrant & Asylum
Advocates leads talk of service to Haitian populations. Yet to Be
Confirmed facilitates the discussion of serving non-English
speaking groups, and Thomas Middleton, author of Saber’s
Edge, guides the discussion of service to veterans and military
families.
1:30 – 3:00 The Future Is On Demand: Just-In-Time and
Patron Driven
One of the most exciting developments in academic library
collections is the shift away from “just in case” purchasing
toward “just in time” access to resources. Laura Crain from
Vermont’s St. Michael’s College Library focuses on how her
library employs a variety of tools to ensure that they acquire
physical and electronic content that matches actual need and use.
The Academic Librarians Section (ALS) partners with NETSL to
sponsor this session.
1:30 – 3:00 Understanding and Responding to
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Bullying and cyberbullying are now widely recognized to be
physically, socially, and emotionally harmful. Current research
indicates that over 30% of students are bullied during their academic
careers, impacting their attendance, academic performance,
and emotional well-being. Kathy Johnson from the Anit-
Defamation League of New England offers interactive training to
help you understand the nature and impact of these behaviors and
take steps to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. The GLBT
section (HQ76.3) is the program sponsor.
1:30 - 3:00 Over There: Wisdom from Social Media
Mavens Across Disciplines
How is social media transforming non-library fields and what can
we learn from its deployment in other disciplines? Shay Totten
from Vermont’s independent newspaper Seven Days describes
how tools such as Twitter and Facebook allow him to report in
real time. Seth Mobley from Vermont Community Access Media
describes how new media is changing the work of public access
Television stations.
3:00 – 4:00 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
4:00 – 5:00 ITS Carnival
Bring your IT questions to “Stump the IT Chump” to solve all
your techie dilemmas.
4:00 – 5:00 Discussion Group: Emerging
Leaders
A panel of four graduates outlines the American Library
Association’s Emerging Leaders program that helps young
librarians become leaders. It focuses on the “#make it happen”
philosophy which goes beyond having a good idea to add acting
on it to produce results. Panelists include Ed Garcia from
Cranston (RI) Public Library, Jamie Hammond from Naugatuck
Valley Community College in CT, Justin Hoenke from Portland
(ME) Public Library, and JP Porcaro from Jersey City (NJ)
University Library.
4:00 – 5:30 Trends in Technology for Reference
Technology should be invisible and make things easier, not more
difficult. There are many ways technology can be used effectively
in reference service in any library. Andy Burkhardt from
Champlain College in Burlington, VT, Michele McCaffrey from
St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT, and Heidi Steiner from
Norwich University in Northfield, VT, discuss innovative, costeffective
ways to use technology in outreach, management of
reference services and enhancing virtual reference interactions.
4:00 – 5:30 Howdy Partner!
Are you a good partner? Nancy Davis of The Ivy Group
discusses community partnerships and how to manage them from
beginning to end. She includes examples of partnerships that fail
as well as successful public library partnerships with public and
private sector organizations.
4:00 – 5:30 Stress Less with Mindfulness
Access to vast information and multiple communication devices
works for patrons, but can lead to fragmentation of attention and
pressure for staff. Services can become unsustainable and even
counterproductive. Cheryl Bryan of the MA Library System and
Jean Amaral from Antioch University in Keene, NH, offer
possible counter measures to increase attention to current tasks
and to help manage stress from busyness and information-rich
environments.
4:00 – 5:30 Supporting Emergent and Early
Readers
For those children who are just beginning to read, the possibiliteis
for exploring texts are endless. NERTCL presents Sandy Leifeld
from Newton (MA) Free Library to offer suggestions and
strategies to support beginning readers, including many book
selections suitable for this group.
5:30 – 7:00 Reception and NELA Games
Explore Burlington City Arts, housed in a former firehouse and
also known as the Firehouse Gallery. It’s located in the heart of
downtown in the Church Street Marketplace. Explore their
exhibits, enjoy a networking social hour, and join the musical fun
of “Name That Tune” for the 2011 edition of the NELA Games.
A shuttle bus serves this event and the Dine-Around.
7:00 - ?? NELA Dine-Around
Sign up to sample one of the fine local restaurants with a group of
your colleagues. A wide variety of cuisines is available within
walking distance of our reception location. Vermont Library Association
members lead each group.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4
8:00 – 8:30 NELA Business Meeting
8:30 – 9:30 New England Rapid Reviews
Join the six directors of the New England Centers for the Book for
high speed reviews of five outstanding books from each state. In
two minutes each, they will tell us as much as they can about each
title. Reviewers include Sally Anderson from Vermont, Kat
Lyons from Connecticut, Louise Moulton from Rhode Island,
Mary Russell from New Hampshire, Sharon Shaloo from
Massachusetts, and Elizabeth Sinclair from Maine. Take home a
list of their recommendations.
8:30 – 9:30 Reader’s Advisory for Kids & Teens
Join Cindy Schilling of Wells (ME) Public Library for a
practical and informative session on providing readers’ advisory
service to young people. Get tips and learn about resources for
helping kids and teens find reading material that matches their
interests and tastes. NERTCL is the program sponsor.
8:30 – 9:30 Discussion Group: Budget
Presentations
The budget presentation is probably your most important speech
each year. Discover tips and tricks to make a good one, and
share success stories with other budget presenters.
8:30 – 10:00 Collaborative Assessment for
Massachusetts Public Colleges
In 2009 the MA Commonwealth Consortium of Libraries in
Public Higher Education Institutions worked to establish shared
priorities for library assessment. Once the project was
completed the libraries agreed on a set of comparative metrics,
and designed a dashboard to monitor results. ALS presents
Stephen Spohn from LYRASIS and Linda Oldach from Mount
Wachusett Community College, to discuss the project and its
implications.
8:30 – 10:00 ITS Carnival
See description on Sunday at 3:45.
8:30 – 10:00 Displays on a Budget
Make your library shine with the use of creative arrangements
and displays. Doreen Buchinski from Waltham (MA) Public
Library shows how to entice users to check out materials with
the creative use of displays.
9:45 – 11:30 Exhibits Open
10:00 – 11:15 Refreshments in the Exhibit Hall
11:15 – 12:45 Leading Change.
Consultant Kathryn Deiss believes that leaders at any level of
an organization have a responsibility to help people understand,
adapt to, and even instigate change. People need to overcome
the fear losing the familiar and recognize the difference between
what is changing and what is not. Learn how to be effective
leader of change at a time when change is the only constant.
11:15 – 12:45 Mission Morale: Cultivating a Caring
Work Culture
Discover how to avoid the morass of low morale and create a
culture of collegial caring in your library. Learn how to use
cost-effective strategies and implement new policies to improve
morale. Presenters are Jennifer Sabatini Fraone from the Boston
College Center for Work and the Family and Mara Neufeld
Rivera from Resource Systems Group in White River Junction,
Vermont.
11:15 – 12:45 Tools of the Trade
Want to spice up your storytime and babytime programs? In this
NERTCL session you will learn some tools of the trade. Clare
Dombrowski from Amesbury (MA) Public Library and Sandy
Leifeld from Newton (MA) Free Library demonstrate ways to
integrate songs, rhymes, flannel boards, and music and musical
instruments with stories. Joan Knight from Jafrfrey (NH)
Public Library showcases puppets and their ability to grab the
attention of even the most restless children.
11:15 – 12:45 Checklist for Digital Divide Readiness
Libraries everywhere have patrons with low tech literacy.
We offer classes and training to assist patrons with learning
technology, but we don’t have to stop there. Jessamyn West,
an expert on digital divide issues, suggests how we can offer
more help, from website tips to reading lists to local advocacy,
and improve access to technology for these patrons. ITS is the
program sponsor.
11:15 – 12:45 Digital Newspaper Project
Birdie MacLennan of the University of Vermont leads a panel
discussion about her institution’s collaboration with VT
Department of Libraries, Ilsley Public Library of Middlebury,
VT, and the VT Historical Society to select and digitize up to
100,000 pages of Vermont newspapers published from 1836 to
1922. Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the
Humanities, the project is part of the plan to create a freely
accessible national digital resource of historic newspapers from
all the US states and territories. The program sponsor is ALS
12:45 – 2:15 Author Luncheon
First-time author Tom Ryan has written the ultimate buddy saga.
The subtitle tells much of the story: Forty-Eight High Peaks,
One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship. The White
Mountains of New Hampshire feature forty-eight peaks of 4,000
feet or more, and hikers frequently set a “lofty” lifetime goal to
conquer them all. Tom Ryan and his dog Atticus achieved this
feat – twice - in just eleven months. His book, Following
Atticus, recounts their adventures and the impact they have had
on their lives. Thanks to HarperCollins for sponsoring Tom
Ryan’s appearance at NELA.
Tom Ryan’s book is available for purchase and autographing
following the luncheon.
2:15 – 5:00 POST CONFERENCE: Serving on the
Front Lines of Workforce Recovery
Libraries are first responders to the increased demand for jobrelated
assistance, but demand often outstrips our time to build
resources and services. The IMLS-funded Project Compass
provides real world success stories and a foundation of skills to
meet these workforce demands. Explore best practices for
building programs and services for job seekers and local
business development, forming partnerships with local workforce
agencies, and providing financial literacy and technology
training. Project partner WebJuncion staff present this important
and timely session.
Talk Tables
Sometimes the best ideas for making your library better come
from your peers. New this year, this networking format provides
informal discussions among colleagues. A sampling of topics to
be covered includes Working in a Union Shop, Running a Small
Library, Career Development, Resume Review, and The Benefits
of NELA Membership. The exact schedule will be published in
the program you receive at conference.
Wow! Doreen Buchinski is coming! I am so there! I love her displays!
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