Hello all,

Apologies for having to resend.  It’s been brought to my attention that the registration url below is redirecting to the wrong location.  To view the correct page on the ALA site, please copy and paste into your browser:

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/events/annual/preconferences.cfm

Thanks all and looking forward to seeing folks in New Orleans!

Carolyn

Apologies for cross-posting

Strange Bedfellows:  IT and Reference
Collaborations to Enhance User Experiences

There’s still time to register for this fun and interactive pre-conference!

If you’re looking for ways to leverage IT resources to meet user needs, check out these teasers below to see what’s in store in this upcoming ALA pre-conference to be held June 24, 2011:

Char Booth, Instruction Services Manager & E-Learning Librarian, The Claremont Colleges

Abstract: Collaboration between library public services staff and IT staff is a complex undertaking that is often fraught with frustration. Developing strong partnerships between these two stakeholder groups is key to ongoing innovation in reference and research support. In this presentation, Char delves into the clash of user services and IT cultures and how the two can meet productively, suggesting strategies for gaining insight, facilitating relationships, and, eventually, building robust, well-designed, and adequately supported products and projects.

• Dan Suchy, User Services Technology Analyst & Matthew Critchlow, Web Technical Manager, University of California, San Diego

Abstract: Do joint IT and Reference Services projects make you cringe?  Does it seem like both groups are talking, but nobody is really listening? We’ll share a tale of two UCSD Library projects, compare their approaches, and discuss the hard-learned lessons that led us to work together more effectively.  We’ll also suggest some ways you can begin to build, or rebuild, the relationship between IT and User Services.   

·         Joanne Kossuth, Technology Strategy Team Member at Educational and Institutional Cooperative Purchasing

Abstract:  Share your collaboration experiences and challenges and have the opportunity to compare those experiences with colleagues.  Find out where the collaborators and the experiences fit within an active model that is the basis for collaborations occurring at Olin College and within the Babson, Olin, Wellesley collaboration (BOW).

·         William Denton, Web Librarian & Adam Taves, Reference and Instruction Librarian, York University, Toronto

Abstract:  Reference librarians are whiny and demanding.  Systems librarians are arrogant and rude.  Users are clueless and uninformed.  A new discovery layer means that they need to collaborate to build it and then - the next step - integrate it into teaching and learning.  How can we bring such a tool to fruition without tearing at each others' throats?

The afternoon will include breakout sessions where attendees can work with the speakers to brainstorm on applying the strategies presented to real-world projects that they are currently involved in or would like to see realized.  

Visit  http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/events/annual/preconferences.cfm

to learn more and register.

Strange Bedfellows is a joint offering from the Reference Services Section (RSS) and Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (MARS) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).