ACRL OnPoint is a live series of informal monthly chat sessions that provide the opportunity to connect with colleagues and experts to discuss an issue of the day in academic and research librarianship.
All ACRL OnPoint chats are free and open to the public. Sessions are unmoderated, 30-45 minutes in length and take place in a Meebo chat room. While no registration is necessary to participate, ACRL recommends creating a quick and easy Meebo account for the best experience while participating in ACRL OnPoint discussions/events.
NOTE: Meebo chat rooms have a limit of 80 total participants. Due to this restriction, ACRL OnPoint discussions will be delivered on a first-come-first-served basis. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.
Instructions for creating account
Direct link to Meebo (see instructions above for accessing OnPoint once in Meebo)
Please login 15 minutes before the formal chat begins to test out the chat room features. Additionally, logging in early and staying connected will ensure your participation in an ACRL OnPoint event, as room space is limited to 80 total participants.
Alert: Some users are having difficulty locating the OnPoint room in the Meebo room search. Please visit our embedded Meebo chat page to participate in the chat session in the event that you are unable to locate the room via the Meebo interface.
Upcoming ACRL OnPoint Chats:
December 2, 2009: Job Seeking in a Tough Economy
(11 a.m. Pacific | 12:00 p.m. Mountain | 1:00 p.m. Central | 2:00 p.m. Eastern)
Aspiring academic librarians may find job seeking difficult in today's economy, given budget cuts and hiring freezes at many colleges and universities. Join this month's chat whether you're a new librarian looking for tips or an experienced one with advice to share. Discuss how to stay current while "waiting" for your first academic librarian job. Is teaching as adjunct faculty in a subject area an appropriate "path" to academic librarianship? Would it be better to work as any kind of librarian, such as in a public library? What will make your resume shine in the hands of a search committee? This month’s chat is convened by: Mara M.J. Egherman, graduate student in Iowa's SLIS school; Karin Durán, Eric P. Garcia, and Mara L. Houdyshell, reference and instruction librarians at California State University-Northridge and authors of "From the inside out and the outside in: The academic library interview process in a tight economy", C&RL News, April 2009, Vol. 70, No. 4.
Chat Archives:
March 27, 2008: NIH Public Access Policy chat log archive
April 29, 2008: Section 108 Study Group Report chat log archive
May 14, 2008: Green Libraries chat log archive
October 30, 2008: Licensing chat log archive
January 14, 2009: Student learning outcomes, the culture of assessment, and accrediting agencies chat log archive
February 13, 2009: The New Congress, Library Issues, and You chat log archive
April 29, 2009: Seattle Green: Lessons learned from greening the ACRL 14th National Conference chat log archive
May 13, 2009: Connecting with Funding Sources chat log archive
June 11, 2009: Why Didn't I Think of That? Finding Innovation in Your Library chat log archive
June 17, 2009: Getting to Know YOUR Conference chat log archive
July 29, 2009: Are Reference Desks Passe? chat log archive
September 23, 2009: Ph.D.s in Academic Libraries: The Role of the Scholar-Librarian chat log archive
October 20, 2009: H1N1 and the Library Response chat log archive
November 12, 2009: Getting Involved With ACRL chat log archive