ACRL announces Midwinter workshops

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is offering three professional development workshops in conjunction with the 2009 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Denver. Registration is now open for the Jan. 23 workshops at http://www.ala.org/acrl/events (click “ACRL @ Midwinter”).

Bring it on Home! Creating Custom Search Plug-ins for Your Library(1 to 4:30 p.m, Friday, Jan. 23): Discover how to create search plug-ins for Web browsers and the social networking site Facebook.com. Through real life examples and hands-on instruction, the workshop presenters will illustrate how to deliver currently existing online content and services by means of a plug-in. Plug-ins allow users to customize their own search experience, providing access to content and services from the library without having to navigate to the library Web site first. Find out how plug-ins can help increase the online presence of your library. Speakers: Paul Beatty, distance learning librarian; and Erin McCaffrey, digital systems librarian, Regis University.

Do You Q? Looking at Your Users in a New Way! (1 to 4:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23): Do you need to know what your users are thinking? Of course! But, how? Using Q Method, you can measure the qualitative, fuzzy opinions of users in a quantitative way. Making strategic plans, evaluating new services, developing staff training programs - all of these can be helped with Q Method. Discover how to use Q in your library. During the workshop, receive sample data and practice administering the sorting. Learn to use the freeware software developed by the Q Method community and brainstorm ideas for using Q in your library. Speaker: Mary Wilkins Jordan, doctoral student, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
Nobody Told Me I’d Have to Teach! Strategies for the Accidental Librarian (9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23): Many people become librarians because of a love of research and reading or a strong commitment to public service - not because they love getting up in front of groups and teaching. Yet academic librarians are more and more frequently finding themselves thrust into the teaching spotlight by the increasing demand for library skills and information literacy programs. This six-hour workshop mixes a little lecture with a lot of discussion and meaningful activities to explore some pedagogical fundamentals that will help you become better in the classroom. Speakers: Michelle Drumm, emerging technology trainer; and Laura Coons, instructor, General Education, Johnson and Wales University.

Complete workshop details are available online at http://www.ala.org/acrl/events (click “ACRL @ Midwinter”). The advance registration deadline is Dec. 5, 2009. Direct questions to Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org or (312) 280-2522.

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The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), representing nearly 13,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians. Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments. ACRL is on the Web at http://www.acrl.org/.