LITA Highlights at 2014 ALA Annual Conference

ALA Annual Conference 2014, Las Vegas logo

 

 

Complete LITA schedule with room assignments now available

 

 

LITA Preconferences: Friday, June 27, 8:30am - 4:00pm

Managing Data: Tools for Plans and Data Scrubbing

Presenters: Abigail Goben, University of Illinois, Chicago; Sarah Sheehan, George Mason University; Nathan B. Putnam; University of Maryland
 
As data continues to come to the fore, new tools are becoming available for librarians to assist faculty and use with their own data. This preconference would focus on the DMPTool and OpenRefine. The DMPTool will be presented to demonstrate customization features, review data management plans, best and worst practices, and writing a data plan for a data set a library may collect. OpenRefine will be demonstrated with sample data to show potential use with library data sets and more of the data lifecycle process; metadata will also be covered.
 

Practical Linked Data with Open Source

Presenters: Galen Charlton, Equinox Software; Jodi Schneider, ERCIM Marie Curie Fellow, Inria Research Centre, Sophia Antipolis, France; Dan Scott, Laurentian University; Richard Urban, Florida State University, Richard Wallis, OCLC; Kevin Ford. Library of Congress
 
 
Linked Data can improve how libraries share their metadata, harvest it from non-library sources, and build better applications to connect patrons with library resources. However, what does this mean for the daily work of catalogers? This preconference will narrow the gap between theory and practice by presenting the state of the art for Linked Data management in open source integrated library systems and giving participants the chance to try it out.
 

Web Therapy

Presenters: Nina McHale, ninermac.net; Christopher Evjy, Jefferson County Library
 

Our LibGuides are totally out of control! How do we reign them in?”

 “I was put in charge of our Drupal site when a colleague left the organization. How do I find time to manage it well in addition to my normal work?”

“Our Board wants web statistics, but I don’t know what reports to provide in a way that will make sense and tell them objectively what they want to know. Help!”

“Campus IT won’t let us install a CMS; how are we supposed to develop a robust library web site for our students and faculty?”

Do any of these scenarios sound painfully familiar to you? Take comfort in knowing that you are not alone! If you are headed to Las Vegas for ALA in June, come join Chris Evjy (Jefferson County Public Library) and Nina McHale (Colorado State Library) and others who work on or manage library web sites for some Web Therapy!

Bring your web woes to the table--specific topics will be determined by a survey sent in advance to attendees--and we’ll put our 20+ years of combined experience managing public, academic, and special library web sites to work to develop solutions.

Free hugs!

 

Registration:

Rates
  •  LITA Member $235
  •  ALA Member $350
  •  Non-Member $380
 
How-to
 
To register for any of these events, you can include them with your initial conference registration or add them later using the unique link in your email confirmation. If you don't have your registration confirmation handy, you can request a copy by emailing alaannual@compusystems.com. You also have the option of registering for a preconference only.
  • Register online through June 20 
  • Call ALA Registration at 1-800-974-3084 
  • Onsite registration will also be accepted in Las Vegas.
 

LITA Open House

Friday,  June 27, 3:00 pm -4:00 pm

LITA Open House is a great opportunity for current and prospective members to talk with Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) leaders and learn how to make connections and become more involved in LITA activities.

Sunday Afternoon with LITA, June 29

Top Technology Trends

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

This program features our ongoing roundtable discussion about trends and advances in library technology by a panel of LITA technology experts. The panelists will describe changes and advances in technology that they see having an impact on the library world, and suggest what libraries might do to take advantage of these trends. Presentation of LITA Awards and Scholarships will take place prior to the Top Tech Trends program

LITA Awards Presentation & President's Program featuring Kimberly Bryant

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Speaker: Kimberly Bryant

LITA President Cindi Trainor Blyberg welcomes Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code. Black Girls CODE introduces computer coding lessons to young girls from underrepresented communities in programming languages such as Scratch or Ruby on Rails. Black Girls CODE seeks to introduce programming and technology to a new generation of coders who will become builders of technological innovation and of their own futures.

LITA Happy Hour

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Location: Kahunaville in the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd S. 

 

Please join the LITA Membership Development Committee and members from around the country for networking, good cheer, and great fun! Expect lively conversation and excellent drinks; cash bar.