2016 SIBF-ALA Conference Program and Presentations
Conference Program and Presentations
November 8-10-2016
Sharjah International Book Fair (Expo Centre Sharjah), UAE
(Click on each link to open the presentation in PDF format)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Keynote—“Because Transformation is Essential to the Communities We Serve”
Dr. Julie B. Todaro, 2016-17 President of the American Library Association and Dean of Libraries at Austin Community College, manages eleven full service campus libraries and two center libraries. She has been a library manager for over thirty years and has experience in all types of libraries and library settings. She is a sought-after consultant, presenter, and author. Her two most recent books are Mentoring from A to Z and Library Management for the Digital Age: A New Paradigm.
Session A (concurrent programs)
I. How do you know what technology trends to join?
Technology is constantly evolving, and library technology is moving along with it. Of course, just because a technology emerges into the mainstream, it doesn't necessarily fit your local situation. This presentation and workshop will teach you how to think about technology in the context of your needs so you can make sound decisions about where to focus their technology investment. Costello will present a way of thinking about technologies and implementation projects. Attendees will break into groups to define a technology need and create selection criteria for picking the solution, and share their discovery of the technology planning process.
Presenter: Laura Costello, Head of Research & Emerging Technologies, Stony Brook University Libraries, New York, USA
II. Planning and Promoting Library Services that Engage and Benefit your Community
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is internationally recognized for developing services that help address major community issues from public health to early childhood literacy. Creating new services and collections that attract and benefit your community requires innovation, strategic planning and solid understanding and engagement with your community through surveys, demographic analysis, and other methods. City Librarian John Szabo will share LAPL’s recipe for success, including how the library creatively promotes services and resources to various audiences.
Presenter: John Szabo, City Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, California, USA
III. Welcome to Makerspace: who, what, where, when, and why all about makerspaces!
Makerspaces have gained popularity in the USA and beyond. What is all the fuss about? Join us as we discuss all the details about makerspaces! The who, what, where, when, and why? What is a makerspace? What are the basics to get started? Who are makerspaces for? Why are makerspaces needed in schools? Where are the spaces created? How is it structured? How is it funded? You’ll leave this session with ideas on exactly how to get started, and excited to bring this new model of learning to your library.
Presenters: Andy Plemmons, School Library Media Specialist, David C. Barrow Elementary, Athens, Georgia, USA
Session B (concurrent programs)
I. Trends in Academic Librarianship: Perspectives from the Gulf
Academic libraries throughout the world are increasingly facing pressure to prove their value to their academic communities, and this is also true of the Gulf region. This interactive panel presentation composed of academic librarians from across the Gulf region will cover a wide variety of aspects related to new trends in academic libraries including access, data, outreach and services. Participants will actively engage in discussion with peers and panelists, taking away ideas and tips for innovative library practices.
Presenters: Christine Furno, Reference and Instruction Librarian, American University of Sharjah, UAE; Rhonda Stricklett, Information Literacy Librarian, American University of Sharjah, UAE; Beth Daniel Lindsay, Access and Public Services Librarian, New York University-Abu Dhabi, UAE --- "Student Library Advisory Committee"; Reya Saliba, Information Service Specialist, Weill Cornell Medicine, Qatar --- "Academic Libraries as Partners in Community Outreach".
II. Creating Spaces and Activities that Attract Teenagers
Corinne Hill, the 2014 Library Journal Librarian of the Year, has transformed Chattanooga Public Library by fostering a culture of change and innovation. The 2nd floor of the main library is now a learning playground for youth. Local area teens helped develop the space where they can make clothes, play arcade games, enjoy food, and create music. High in technology, the space is comfortable, open and flexible. Its success hinges on staff being aware of current trends in popular culture and technology and the ability to shift activities as needed. Hill will describe the process of transformation, lessons learned, and future plans for services to teens.
Presenter: Corinne Hill, Director, Chattanooga Public Library, Tennessee, USA
Session C (concurrent programs)
I. Research Writing and Research Impact Measures: What Librarians Need to Know
Library professionals from the MENA region need to contribute more to the global knowledge base of the profession. This session will provide guidance on how to become an effective researcher and writer and how to get published in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings. We will discuss the research publication process, quality and optimization of research publications, structuring of research publications, the review and indexing process, author profiling and research networks and research impact measures and evaluation metrics. Our aim is to provide more awareness among library professionals of scholarly publishing and its importance in building professional your profile, as well as the increased research output from the region.
Presenters: Dr. Saif Al Jabri, Director of Information Center, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Oman; Dr. J. K. Vijayakumar, Interim Library Director, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
II. How to be a Creator
Too often, students have few to no opportunities to explore and create during the school day. These hobbies of exploration are often pursued after school hours. With the inclusion of makerspaces in schools, students can now make and create while at school. What does it feel like to do these things? Put yourself in the students’ shoes and see how it feels to create and be a creator, aka a “maker.” How does it feel when things don’t go as planned? What does it mean to fail? How do we work through challenges and failure? Join us as we make connections between creating and exploring, and to math, science, and other core curriculum subjects.
Presenter: Sherry Gick, Library & Instructional Technology Specialist, Rossville Consolidated Schools, Indiana, USA
III. Building Stronger Library Associations in the MENA Region
It is a crucial time for libraries in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. To continue to grow and thrive, the profession needs to have strong vibrant library associations that provide support, guidance, and advocacy. Library associations in the region will provide updates on their activities, successes and challenges. Facilitators will lead the discussion and provide ideas and resources to strengthen associations.
Presenters: Dr. Khaled Mohamed Emam Elhalaby, President, Arab Federation of Library Associations; Heba Mohamed Ismail, Libraries Technical Manager, Egypt's Society for Culture & Development, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt; Rasha Hussein Tawfik, Director of The Cultural Center, Egypt's Society for Culture & Development, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Keynote—Thinking About the Future: Trends and Signals for the Library of the Future
If we consider the future as extending out of our present, we can recognize the importance of exploring the trends and signals we encounter all around us and how those help point to preferable futures for our work. Sharing some of what the American Library Association’s Center for the Future of Libraries is learning, this presentation will help all of us find a productive role in building libraries of the future.
Presenter: Miguel Figueroa, Director, ALA Center for the Future of Libraries, Chicago, USA
Session D (concurrent programs)
I. Academic Libraries and Student Success: Lessons from the Assessment in Action Project
Academic librarians are connecting with campus partners in novel ways to investigate how they bring value to their institutions. Learn about the Association of College and Research Libraries’ project “Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success,” including replicable examples from other libraries. Learn how to initiate a discussion between academic librarians and campus stakeholders about the library’s potential impact on student learning and success, and recognize ideas and strategies that promote evidence-based demonstrations of an academic library’s contributions to student learning and success.
Presenters: Kara Malenfant, Senior Strategist for Special Initiatives, Association of College and Research Libraries, ALA, Chicago, Illinois, USA
II. Literacy in the School Library
Let’s talk literacy programs! From one great read to generified libraries to students developing the collection to collaborating with libraries beyond the walls of our school, literacy programs remain the heart of libraries. We’ll discuss successful programs and what makes them that way. How do we empower student voices through literacy in our library programs?
Presenters: Kathy Burnette, Media Center Director, The Stanley Clark School, South Bend, Indiana, USA
III. Making an Impact: Outreach, Marketing, Development, and Community Service
All libraries need to be active, engaged, and connected to their communities. The two presenters will share their expertise, providing insights on the successful embedding of their libraries in their communities through a variety of programming, exhibits, events and lectures, Positive impact in the community creates more opportunities for support for libraries. The presentations will provide tips on how to bring these activities to life through outreach and marketing practices. This session will include creating a “Self-Study” report for your library’s events, marketing, outreach, and development programs.
Facilitators: Essraa Nawar, Libraries Development Coordinator, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA; Lamia Abdel Fattah, Head of Library Sector, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
Session E (concurrent programs)
I. Integrating Continuous Learning with Work
Julie Todaro presents a vision for the library as a learning organization and offers practical instruction in how to achieve learning and work strategic goals in institutions. You will focus on creating the ideal learning environment; defining terminology and incorporating learning language into the organization's mission, goals, and documents; examining models and best practices of work environments with ongoing training, education and development programs; and identifying competencies and individual learning and teaching styles. Handouts include resources for managers to use for individualized learning as well as for designing a continuous learning program for their environment.
Dr. Julie B. Todaro, ALA President, and Dean of Libraries at Austin Community College, Austin, Texas, USA
II. School Libraries Sharing: Successes & Struggles in School Libraries
A chance to share experiences, apps, websites and/or tools that are working in our libraries as well as what we are currently wondering about.
Facilitator: Andy Plemmons, School Library Media Specialist, David C. Barrow Elementary, Athens, Georgia, USA
Session F
I. The Role of Libraries in UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Reading Initiatives and Beyond
Countries around the world are responsible for developing and implementing national strategies to achieve UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Access to information will be critical to supporting governments to achieve development goals, and libraries and librarians of all types can be successful partners in these efforts, but need to be recognized, included, and supported. Reading initiatives throughout the region are one great example of how libraries can contribute. Join the discussion on what librarians can do and how to advocate for the role of libraries as valued collaborators.