Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

CHICAGO — Uniquely positioned to connect library users to the information they seek, and thus to the wider world, library staff serving on the front lines of reference have both the power and responsibility, in turn, to position the library as an institution that remains relevant and responsive.

CHICAGO — The Reference and User Services Association, (RUSA) a division of the American Library Association, (ALA) announces its new editor for RUSA Update, Carol Schuetz. Carol is the business resources specialist at the Jesse H. Jones Library at Baylor University.

CHICAGO — A new webinar from the Reference a­­nd User Services Association (RUSA) will teach readers how to improve their book annotation writing skills. “Book Annotations: Short and Snappy Made Easy” is presented by two team members from NoveList, Shauna Griffin, MLS, and Rebecca Honeycutt, MLS, and will take place at 2:30 CDT, Thursday, Nov. 6. For more information and to register, visit http://www.ala.org/rusa/book-annotations-short-and-snappy.

CHICAGO — A new committee is set to start work on selecting the prestigious 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, awards that reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers. For the first time in 2015, an independent bookseller chosen by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) is joining the committee, reflecting the impact and influence of these awards on general readers both inside and beyond the library and adding additional expertise.