What’s New with Other Groups

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgThis is What's New with Other Groups in ALA ConnectJust like on Lost, it's always good to know what Others are up to. In ALA Connect, groups can publish content so that anyone can view it. That way, they can share what they are doing with you, and you can find out what's going on with them.

September 15, 2009

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I
FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.org

This is What’s New with Other Groups in ALA Connect

Just like on Lost, it’s always good to know what Others are up to. In ALA Connect, groups can publish content so that anyone can view it. That way, they can share what they are doing with you, and you can find out what’s going on with them.

To find out what’s going on with a group, you can Browse the different types of group by category, or even scroll through an alphabetical list of them all. But, this can be a little unwieldy. To help narrow down the choices, you can browse by category, or type of group. You can even look at new groups and groups with recent activity. If you want to know more about finding things that might interest you, check out the Finding New Groups screencast.

If you know the name of the group you’re interested in, try searching for it. I’ll search for LITA- The Library and Information Technology Association. The results show me that LITA has a division, as well as quite a few committees-which are formal groups within ALA’s structure- and communities, which are user-generated, based on interest. To find out more about the differences between the groups, check out the Groups FAQ page under Help.

Right now, LITA has some content that is public- I can see it even though I’m not a member. I’d really like to be alerted each time public content is posted, so I can do that by subscribing to the rss feed on this page. Now, when I look at my feed reader, I can see new public items that have been posted!

Groups have to manually check a box to mark items public, so you don’t have to worry about your work being made public if you don’t want it to. To read more about this, visit the Groups FAQ page under Help. However, groups are encouraged to make their meeting notices public, as the ALA Open Meetings Policy states.

For more information about ALA Connect, visit the help community or use the ‘contact us’ form if you have questions

Music: Momentum by Crepusculum, available at www.archive.org.

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgYou and your group members can now collaborate on and keep track of your ALA work all in the same spot with ALA Connect's Online Docs!

What’s New with My Groups: Finding and Featuring Group Information on ALA Connect

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgIt's easy to track your groups' conversations and work with ALA Connect. Once you're logged in to ALA Connect, your groups' newest information is displayed right on your homepage, alongside information from other active groups and communities. For more information on getting the latest from other groups, check out the What's New with Other Groups screencast.

Latest Library Links

2d

Cara S. Bertram writes: “As we look forward to book award ceremonies at the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego this summer, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the history of one of the most prestigious children’s book awards, the Caldecott Medal. The idea was first presented in 1935 in a letter by Frederic G. Melcher,” who had established the Newbery Medal in 1921. Melcher’s suggestion was prompted when Professor May Hill Arbuthnot of Western Reserve University in Cleveland communicated the concern that the Newbery was not recognizing literature for the youngest children.

American Library Association Archives, Apr. 29
2d

Kristi Kellogg writes: “Images are an essential component of online content—and it’s obvious why. Images aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful marketing tools that help you stand out. Whether you’re creating a social media post, a webpage, an ebook, a blog post, or something else, adding visuals goes a long way in improving the overall user experience. However, you can’t just pull images off the internet and use them—and it’s your responsibility to determine if and how you can use the image without breaking the law.”

Search Engine Journal, Apr. 6
3d

Rachée Fagg writes: “Reading, a gateway to knowledge and empowerment, serves as the cornerstone of education worldwide. However, for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, the journey of mastering this essential skill can present unique challenges. Traditional reading materials, laden with text, often intimidate and discourage ESL learners, hindering their progress. Wordless books, as the name suggests, eschew conventional text in favor of vivid illustrations that narrate compelling stories. By relying solely on visuals, these books transcend language barriers, inviting readers of all ability levels to embark on imaginative journeys.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 26
3d

Keahi Adolpho and Stephen G. Krueger write: “This comprehensive review illuminates the current state of scholarly literature on trans and gender diverse inclusion in libraries, with the intention to provide a foundation and identify gaps for further research. We found that, with the exception of works on archives and cataloging, little scholarly literature goes beyond introductory talking points on basic information about trans and gender diverse people. We conclude with a call for much more in-depth research on this essential topic.”

In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Apr. 24
4d

Allison Escoto writes: “There’s no doubt about it. Librarianship can be a demanding career path, and the quest to find just the right work-life balance while managing stress is perennial. This eclectic collection of books speak to that delicate balance by covering the importance of wellness, preventing burnout, practicing mindfulness, and essential self-care practices.”

American Libraries column, May
4d

Emily Drabinski writes: “When you’re president of the ALA, you get asked a lot of questions. But here’s one that’s hard to answer: ‘What’s your favorite library?’ When you’ve seen as many amazing libraries as I have, it’s impossible to choose, so my favorite library is always the most recent one I’ve visited. As much as individual libraries are distinct, they also have a lot in common. Librarians select, acquire, describe, organize, and provide access to information. These fundamentals might look different in time and place, but they remain the core of our profession.”

American Libraries column, May
4d

Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position. Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products.”

American Libraries feature, May

View more Latest Library Links

What’s New with Other Groups

Share

Online Docs: Collaborative Document Editing on ALA Connect

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgYou and your group members can now collaborate on and keep track of your ALA work all in the same spot with ALA Connect's Online Docs!

What’s New with My Groups: Finding and Featuring Group Information on ALA Connect