Registration for three RUSA preconferences opens Jan. 4

Contact: Liz Markel


Marketing Specialist, RUSA/ASCLA


(312) 280-4398


lmarkel@ala.org

NEWS


For Immediate Release


December 15, 2009

CHICAGO—Registration for the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) 2010 lineup of preconferences opens Jan. 4, 2010, and this year’s events will tackle topics such as genealogy reference, the present state and future path of reference services and usage of interlibrary loan statistics to make business decisions.




This year’s RUSA preconferences, which will be held in conjunction with the 2010 ALA Annual Conference, June 24-20 in Washington D.C., offer half- or full-day professional development opportunities for librarians and employees from all types of libraries. This year’s events are hosted by RUSA’s History Section (HS); the Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) and Reference Services Section (RSS); and the Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS)—all special interest sections within the division. Tickets can be purchased through the
ALA Annual Conference online registration form, and conference registration is not required in order to participate.




This year’s events are:




Behind the Genealogy Reference Desk: Our Capital’s Hidden Genealogy Gems



Friday, June 25, 2010, 8:30a.m. – 5 p.m.


This full-day workshop will be held at the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington, D.C. Speakers and topics will include Megan Lewis, reference coordinator from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; a representative from the Daughters of the American Revolution; and an expert in Native American research. Additionally, noted genealogist John Humphrey will show us how to make the most of our time and resources when researching in our nation’s capital.


Advance registration: $100, RUSA members; $145, ALA members; $220, non-members; $75, student and retired members.




Reference Evolution: Envisioning the Future, Remembering the Past



Friday, June 25, 2010, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.


Join your reference colleagues for a lively discussion of the current state of reference and user services, looking beyond the hype to see where things are actually headed. Speakers will offer a "state of the union" on the reference profession, acknowledging traditional reference tools and skills that remain relevant and projecting how newer technologies will better serve patrons.


Advance registration: $175, RUSA members; $195, ALA members; $220, non-members; $150, student and retired members.




Interlibrary Loan Statistics: What We Gather, How We Use Them, and Who We Provide Them To



Friday, June 25, 2010 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.


This preconference will help attendees sort through the myriad ILL statistics available from a variety of sources and how to use these numbers to make decisions about staffing, collection development and other important workplace issues. Participants will gain practical knowledge regarding the creation of reports, manipulation of canned reports supplied by vendors and how to use this data to provide quality service.


Advance registration: $140, RUSA members; $155, ALA members; $175, non-members; $120, student and retired members.




In addition to the special interest sections hosting this year’s workshops, RUSA is also home to the Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) and the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES). Membership in any of these sections is free with RUSA membership, and RUSA members are also entitled to the lowest registration prices on these workshops and other RUSA professional development events throughout the year.
Learn more about membership at the RUSA website, or join now at
www.ala.org/membership.




The Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.