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INTEGRATING PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

LIBRARY RESEARCH SEMINAR V

October 13-16, 2010

College Park, Maryland

 

Call for Juried Proposals

The fifth Library Research Seminar (LRS-V) will bring together a diverse community of scholars from academia and practitioners from libraries and archives who are interested in research that informs policy-making, decision-making, and best practices.  Participants will share research projects and explore ways to develop future research agendas, refine research methods, and facilitate successful completion of research projects.

 

The LRS-V Program Committee invites proposals for various types of contributions (types are described below) on topics related to libraries and archives including but not limited to:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Services in challenging economic times

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Marketing and advocacy

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Leadership and workforce development

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Information and reference services

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->International perspectives

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Contributions to and preservation of cultural heritage

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Gender, ethnicity, age, and disability status

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Copyright, privacy, and other legal, ethical, and policy issues

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Technical services

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->User studies

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Web 2.0, social networking, and new media

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Information literacy

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Digital libraries and archives.

 

Possible types of contributions:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Papers: Research studies that will be presented at the conference and included in proceedings

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Panels: A group of experts discussing related topics, themes or issues in library research

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Workshops: Tutorial sessions that will be educational in nature

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Roundtable discussions: Informal discussion amongst participants focused on a particular topic or theme

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Posters: Graphic presentations on research studies, methods, advances, or preliminary work

<!--[if !supportLists]-->o    <!--[endif]-->Other "wildcard" program formats--you tell us what you would like to do!

 

Doctoral and Masters' students are especially encouraged to submit proposals.

 

Send submissions to lrs-v@umd.edu in either MS Word or PDF format. Proposals must be no more than 1000 words in length and additionally must include: title; author/organizer name, affiliation, and contact information; names and contact information for any other participants.  lrs-v@umd.edu may also be used for inquiries and questions.

 

Important dates:

Proposal submissions:      February 15, 2010

Notification:                       April 15, 2010

Conference dates:              October 13-16, 2010

 

Venue: University of Maryland, College Park (http://ischool.umd.edu)

 

LRS-V co-chairs:  Diane L. Barlow and Trudi Bellardo Hahn, University of Maryland

 

Sponsored by: Library Research Roundtable of the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services

 

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

 

The Research and Statistics Committee of the Reference Services Section of RUSA invites the submission of research projects for presentation at the 16th Reference Research Forum at the 2010 American Library Association Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

 

The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during the ALA Annual Conference, where attendees can learn about notable research projects conducted in the broad area of reference services such as user behavior, electronic services, reference effectiveness and assessment, and organizational structure and personnel. All researchers, including reference practitioners from all types of libraries, library school faculty and students, and other interested individuals, are encouraged to submit a proposal.

 

For examples of projects presented at past Forums, please see the Committee's website:

http://tinyurl.com/rssresearchstatistics

 

The Committee employs a blind review process to select three projects for 20 minute presentations, followed by open discussion. Winning submissions must be presented in person at the Forum in Washington, D.C.

 

Criteria for selection:

• Quality and creativity of the research design and methodologies;

• Significance of the study for improving the quality of reference service;

• Potential for research to fill a gap in reference knowledge or to build on previous studies;

• Research projects may be in-progress or completed;

• Previously published research or research accepted for publication will not be accepted

 

Proposals are due by Monday, January 4, 2010. Notification of acceptance will be made by Monday, February 8, 2010. The submission must not exceed two pages. Please include:

 

1. A cover sheet including your name(s), title(s), institutional affiliation(s), mailing address(es), fax number(s) and email address(es).

2. The second page should NOT show your name, any personal information, or the name of your institution. Instead, it must include:

a. Title of the project;

b. Explicit statement of the research problem;

c. Description of the research design and methodologies used, and preliminary findings if any;

d. Brief discussion of the unique contribution, potential impact, and significance of the research

 

Please send submissions by email to:

Liane Luckman

Chair, RUSA RSS Research and Statistics Committee

lluckman@txstate.edu

The application period for the Reference and User Services Association's (RUSA) Emerald Research Grants is now open.

The award consists of two grants, each worth $5,000, which are sponsored by Emerald Group Publishing, Ltd. and administered by the Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) of RUSA. These grants will be awarded to two applicants seeking support in conducting research in business librarianship and may be used at the discretion of the award recipients. Winners may be asked to present their findings at a public BRASS event within two years of receiving the award and will be required to acknowledge the Emerald Research Grant when publishing or presenting their research.

Those interested in applying should submit a detailed proposal outlining their proposed research project; methodology, scope and timetable; how this project fits into the existing literature; and projected outcomes, including a statement outlining how this research will benefit the library profession. Submissions will be reviewed for thoroughness and their potential to both positively impact the business librarian profession and to provide a useful addition to the existing library literature.   Past unfunded proposals are welcomed. Proposals will be accepted from both individual researchers and those working collaboratively; at least one member of a collaborative team must be a member of ALA. Please submit your proposals via e-mail to Jennifer Boettcher, chair of the Emerald Research Grant committee, at boettcher@georgtown.edu. All nominations must be received by Dec. 31. Winners will receive their cash prize, along with a citation, at the  RUSA Awards Ceremony on the Monday of the ALA Annual Conference, next scheduled for June 24-29, 2010 in Washington, D.C. 

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.  Not a member, but  interested in discounted registration rates on conference, preconferences and other events? Join, renew or add RUSA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.

Apply for a Science Information Doctoral Fellowship - Be a Leader and an Innovator!

 

Are you interested in improving how scientists create, access, share and preserve data?  Do you want to understand how to facilitate the communication of science information between scientists, and across scientific networks including large multinational, multidisciplinary networks?  Are you interested in how  science information is presented and made accessible to decision-makers and the public? Do you want to be the one educating the next generation of science information professionals?

 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are a prime candidate for a University of Tennessee Science Information Doctoral Fellowship.   You should have a strong interest in  developing expertise in science information and communication . Your goals should be to become a  university faculty member teaching the next generation of science information and communication professionals.  You should already have earned a masters degree and  a background in either information/library science, communication, journalism, advertising/public relations and/or earth/environmental sciences.

 

These Fellowships are funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

 

Date for application: Feb 1 2010

 

Contact: Suzie Allard, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Assistant Director

Email: sallard@utk.edu

Phone: 865.974.1369

 

http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/issues/ACRL_RFP_Value.pdf

Value of Academic Libraries Research Proposals

ACRL is seeking proposals from experienced researchers for the development and delivery of a comprehensive review of the quantitative and qualitative literature, methodologies and best practices currently in place for demonstrating the value of academic libraries. The request for proposals is available on the ACRL Web site. Responses are due by 4:30 p.m. CST on Nov. 2, 2009.

The current economic climate and the increased emphasis on assessment and outcomes have forced academic departments' higher education administrators to make tough decisions regarding the funding of programs and units at their institutions. The relevance of libraries is under question.  Now, more than ever, there is a need for libraries to demonstrate their value in clear, measurable ways to leaders in higher education, information technology, funding agencies, and campus decision makers in order to secure adequate funding for their operations.

The primary objective of the comprehensive review is to provide ACRL leaders with a clearer understanding of what research already exists and where gaps occur in research about the performance of academic libraries. Additionally, this review will provide ACRL members with tools and strategies to demonstrate the value of academic libraries to their institutional leadership.

Direct questions to Mary Ellen K. Davis, ACRL executive director, at mdavis@ala.org or (312) 280-3248, or to Kara Malenfant, ACRL scholarly communications/government relations specialist, at kmalenfant@ala.org or (312) 280-2510.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION (Deadline: September 11, 2009)

Collaborative Information Seeking and Sharing: An Annual Research
Symposium of the Special Interest Group on Information Needs, Seeking
& Use (SIG USE) in celebration of SIG USE?s 10th Anniversary.

Saturday, November 7, 2008, 1:30pm-6pm. Hyatt Regency, Vancouver, BC.
ASIS&T 2009's conference theme, ?Thriving on Diversity,? provides an
important opportunity for our Annual Symposium in celebration of SIG
USE?s 10th Anniversary. Building on our people-centered approach, the
reflective moment to be offered by this year's Symposium will be used
to consider the particular challenges of Collaborative Information
Seeking and Sharing. This symposium will offer guided reflection on
essential questions around information behavior research and practice
in social and collaborative information environments: Where is
collaborative information behavior research headed? How are we to
communicate our insights to researchers and practitioners in related
areas of study and design? How can and should our models, theories and
findings inform the design and delivery of collaborative and
innovative information products and services?

The symposium consists of two keynote speeches as well as intensive
seminar discussions. Our speakers include:

* Dr. Diane H. Sonnenwald, Director, Center for Collaborative
Innovation, and Professor at the Swedish School of Information &
Library Science, University of Gothenburg & University of Bor?s,
Sweden. Diane will share insights gained from her research regarding
the challenges, opportunities and new ways of conducting
multidisciplinary research to facilitate information sharing and
knowledge transfer to better enable our models, theories and findings
to inform the design and implementation of collaboration technology.

* Dr. David McDonald, Associate Professor, the Information School,
University of Washington, and NSF Program Officer in the CISE/IIS
Human-Centered Computing program. Dave will discuss some of the
challenges inherent in conducting computer-supported cooperative work
(CSCW) and collaborative systems design, as well as the new trends
contemplated by NSF.

Submission: Attendees will be asked to submit a short Position Paper
(not a formal paper). The Symposium will follow a seminar format
focusing on rich and stimulating participant discussions. Researchers
and professionals interested in participating should submit a 1-page
position paper (about 300 words) reflecting upon critical questions
for collaborative information behavior research to the Symposium
Organizers not later than September 11, 2009. Please send your
position papers to Nadia Caidi and Soo Young Rieh
(nadia.caidi@utoronto.ca; rieh@umich.edu). Applicants are invited to
reflect on the four questions that will frame the symposium and
present ways that their research addresses them:
* How does our research address the transformative relationship
between people and information?
* What are the fundamental questions that we should be looking at in
our research?
* How are we to move towards making a greater impact on organizations
and designers?
* How can or should collaborative information behavior research be
presented to translate effectively into the language of other
information research communities?

Experienced researchers may share information about their current
research and insights from lessons learned through past projects,
while those new to the field may describe their research or
professional interests related to the Symposium themes. Upon
acceptance, position papers will be posted on a wiki accessible
through the SIG USE website (www.siguse.org) prior to the Symposium.
Small discussion groups will be organized around symposium questions
and themes emerging from position papers. In keeping with the theme of
the Symposium, we will also maintain a Twitter stream for the
Symposium, thus encouraging people to exchange information and
contribute their musings before, during and after the Symposium.
Participants must register with ASIS&T at www.asis.org for the
Symposium. Symposium participants are invited to attend a SIG SI/USE
networking lunch during the time between the SIG SI and USE symposia.
Cost: Pay-on-your-own.
The SIG USE 10th Anniversary Reception will follow the Symposium at 6:30pm.

Fees: Before September 25, 2009, members: $95, non-members: $105.
After September 25, 2009 members $105, non-members: $115. SIG USE
members attending both SIG SI (Morning of Saturday, Nov. 7) and SIG
USE symposiums will receive a $10 discount.

Symposium Organizers:

Nadia Caidi, University of Toronto, Canada. Email: nadia.caidi@utoronto.ca
Soo Young Rieh, University of Michigan. Email: rieh@umich.edu
Guillermo Oyarce, University of North Texas. Email: oyga@unt.edu