Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Annual Report 2011–12

Abstract

Each year serves as a foundation for future Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) activities, and this was no less tree in 2011-12. ALCTS continued to make progress on several fronts and forged new ground as well. The implementation of an innovative strategic plan to guide ALCTS, effective use of task forces to address significant issues, and creative efforts to broaden virtual participation were among the steps taken during the year to strengthen and energize the association. Strategic Plan At the 2011 American Library Association Annual Conference, the ALCTS board approved a new kind of strategic plan, one that is flexible and focused on critical issues. The Planning Committee, chaired by Norm Medeiros, collaborated across the division to track progress this year and monitor new areas of interest. The current target areas include (1) explaining what we are about and what we do; (2) improving how we operate; (3) sustaining ALCTS as a vibrant, relevant organization; and (4) supporting standards development, implementation, and dissemination. At each Annual Conference, the board will review the plan and adapt it to meet changing needs. The Collections Task Force, chaired by Mary Beth Thomson, made great strides in its first year toward carrying out its charge to examine how ALCTS can complement the ALA Strategic Plan 2011-2015 goal to provide leadership in the transformation of libraries and library services in a dynamic and increasingly digital information environment. (1) To this end, the task force launched a micro-grant program to support and encourage innovative practices, emerging technologies, and innovation in collections. Two micro-grants up to $1,500 will be funded annually for small projects or research initiatives in support of transforming collections. Transforming Collections, a program at the 2012 Annual Conference sponsored by the task force, fostered stimulating discussion about advances affecting library collections. In relation to ALAs 2011-2015 Strategic Plan goal area about advocacy, the ALCTS board formed the Advocacy Task Force in fall 2011, chaired by Mary, Beth Weber, to look at what advocacy means within the context of ALCTS. ALCTS' liaisons to the ALA Advocacy Coordinating Group and the ALA Legislative Assembly are among the task force members. The task force will define ALCTS' role in advocacy and recommend what steps, if any, ALCTS should take to enhance its advocacy efforts. Education ALCTS excelled in its continuing education and program offerings this year. With 3,000 subscribers, ALCTS's monthly e-forums attracted a broad range of practitioners to discuss topics as diverse as data management, telecommuting, and discovery tools. ALCTS's web courses continued to be of great interest, at times sold out. More than thirty webinars, 25 percent dealing with RDA, were presented during the year to sizeable audiences. (2) ALCTS held a five-day Virtual Midwinter Symposium, two three-day Virtual Annual preconferences, an in-person symposium at the 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting, and two in-person preconferences at the 9.012 ALA Annual Conference. ALCTS; sections and interest groups coordinated a wide variety of conference forums and programs. The ALCTS/Association of College and Research Libraries Joint President's Program featuring Duane Bray, Head of IDEO Global Digital Business, was an excellent example of cross-divisional collaboration. This remarkable track record is a reflection of much hard work on the part of ALCTS' sections, interest groups, and committees, especially the Continuing Education Committee and Program Committee, and, of course, the ALCTS office. The Task Force to Convene a Meeting with Library Educators, co-chaired by Tony Olson and Heather Moulaison, successfully completed its charge to plan and convene a meeting with library and information science educators and ALCTS members to discuss education for bibliographic control. …