ALA |

Library & Information Technology Association

August 20, 2009

This is one of our periodic messages sent to all LITA members. This update includes information about the following:

* LITA National Forum Opportunities and Deadlines

* Annual Conference Highlights on the LITA Blog

* Approved LITA Slate for next Spring’s Election

* LITA Workshops in Boston in January

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LITA National Forum Opportunities and Deadlines

Planning to attend the LITA National Forum in Salt Lake City, October 1-4, 2009 at the Hilton City Center? Then you will want to register before August 31^st to get the earlybird discount. Go to http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/registration.cfm to sign up.

The Hilton has guaranteed rooms for anyone who registers with them by September 1^st.

Go directly to our LITA site at http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/SLCCCHH-LIT-20090930/index.jhtml to book your room.

The Forum theme this year is “Open and Mobile”. There are over 30 concurrent sessions

(http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/concurrent.cfm ) addressing the delivery of library content and services to people where they are, when they need it. In addition, the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy addresses the public policy issues surrounding mobile technologies. Everything from “the big picture” to specific examples of tools and solutions are addressed. Both practical applications and research are addressed. Beyond the theme, additional topics include cloud computing, repositories, green IT, interfaces, and more.

Three noted keynote sessions

(http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/keynote.cfm ) are planned:

Joan Lippincott from the Coalition for Networked Information will speak to Mobile Technologies, Mobile Users: Will Libraries Mobilize? ;

David Weinberger from the Berkman Institute for Internet & Society will speak to Knowledge in the Age of Abundance;and,

Liz Lawley from the Lab for Social Computing at the Rochester Institute of Technology will speak on the Technical/Tangible/Social, addressing the growing importance of “social objects” in technology implementation, and how those objects serve as a focal point for cohesive social interactions.

The two preconferences are being offered.

(http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/precon.cfm )

These start on Thursday afternoon and continue through Friday morning.

The Future of Mobile with Jason Griffey who will address service models and content delivery issues as well as review specific tools that are currently available and consider how these tools model the direction for the future in mobile.

Accessibility Update: Section 508 and WCAG in a Library 2.0 World with Nina McHale will immerse you in web accessibility and online library tools. Gain a deeper understanding of web accessibility guidelines Section 508 and WCAG; address the continuing development of cutting edge technologies for populations who use assistive technologies. Learn how to optimize library resources, e.g. web pages, catalogs, ILL modules, etc.

Note: You do not have to register for the Forum in order to register for either of these sessions.

In addition, a number of poster sessions are being offered

(http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/poster.cfm ), lightening talks are being planned, and networking opportunities abound.

For full descriptions of all sessions and other information, please visit:

http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/forum2009/index.cfm

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Annual Conference Highlights on the LITA Blog

LITAblog.org

Whether or not you were able to attend the Annual Conference in Chicago last month, you really want to visit the LITA Blog to gain access to the content of many wonderful programs including: Casting a Wide Net: Using Screencasts to Reach and Teach Library Users; the BIGWIG Social Software Showcase 2009; the Ultimate Debate 2009; Summer Reading Online;

Resuscitating the Catalog: Next-Generaton Strategies for Keeping the Catalog Relevant; Content Management Systems in Libraries: Opportunities and Lessons Learned; In Defense of SciFi; Open Library Environment Project (OLE) (2 programs); Science Fiction and Fantasy: Uncovering the Modern World of Information, Society, and Technology through Metaphor and Imagination; Top Tech Trends postings from panelists; Net Neutrality and Its Implications for Libraries; the Digital Library Hardware Showcase; and, Creating Library Web Services: Mashups and APIs.

Thanks go out to all the volunteers who helped capture these sessions to share with all of us.

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Approved LITA Slate for next Spring’s election

The 2010 Election Nominating Committee proposed the following slate to the LITA Board of Directors, who then approved it:

Vice-President/President-Elect

Colleen Cuddy NYU Health Sciences Lib;

Dale Poulter Vanderbilt University;

LITA Councilor

Sharon Castleberry Desoto (TX) Public Library;

Adriene Lim Portland State University;

Director (2 to be elected; three-year term)

John Culshaw University of Colorado;

Jason Griffey Univ of Tenn—Chattanooga;

Steve McCann Univ of Montana;

Cindi Trainor East Kentucky Univ.

Our thanks go to the Nominating Committee: Bonnie Postlethwaite, chair; John Blyberg and Jennifer Ward, members. Please also thank the candidates who have agreed to serve LITA as possible members of the Board of Directors.

Your ballots for this election will be emailed in the spring.

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LITA Workshops in Boston in January

LITA is offering two workshops on Friday, January 15, 2010 in Boston:

Creating Library Web Services: Mashups and APIs

Speaker: Karen Coombs, University of Houston

del.icio.us subject guides, Flickr library displays, YouTube library orientation; with mashups and APIs, it's easier to bring pieces of the web together with library data. Learn what an API is and what it does, the components of web services, how to build a mashup, how to work with PHP, and how to create web services for your library. Participants should be comfortable with HTML markup and have an interest in learning about web scripting and programming and are encouraged to bring a laptop for hands-on participation.

Writing for the Web

Speaker: Brenda Reeb, University of Rochester

Learn how to present text and words on a webpage in ways that enhance findability and readability of webpage content. You have the opportunity to receive feedback on your own writing during the workshop and critique web copy on sites selected by the presenter.

Leave the workshop with quick-fixes you can apply to your site immediately as well as strategies for tackling long range projects that will enhance the quality of your library website.

For more details, go to http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litaevents/midwinter2010/index.cfm .

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I want to encourage you to connect with LITA by

1) Exploring our web site at www.lita.org;

2) Subscribing to LITA-L (send an e-mail to: sympa@ala.org with the subject line “subscribe lita-l”. (Do not include the “”.) That’s it; Sympa will pick up your email address and subscribe you to the list;

3) Visiting the LITAblog.org, or LITA wiki , or yourBIGWIG;

4) Accessing ALA Connect;

5) Reaching out to the LITA leadership at any time (contact information is on the web).

Mary Taylor

Executive Director, LITA

800‑545‑2433 x4267

mtaylor@ala.org