End of Term Social * Friday, December 2

RSVP at our Facebook event or email drexelscala@gmail.com

Literary Events in Philadelphia

Philly Happenings

October 25

6 PM "The Strangest Tribe: How a Group of Seattle Rock Bands Invented Grunge

Penn Bookstore, 36th & Walnut

FREE event

October 27

5 PM The Story of a Life: acclaimed Israeli writer Aharon Appelfeld speaks w/ Nili Gold, Penn's Hebrew languages department

Claudia Cohen Hall, Room G17, 36th and between Locust & Spruce, Penn's Campus

Free Admission

6 PM "The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies"; local crime experts rank the greatest gangster films of all time.

Penn Bookstore, 36th & Walnut

FREE event

7:30PM  Jennifer Egan, "A Visit from the Goon Squad" with Jaimy Gordon, "Lord of Misrule", and Karen Russell "Swamplandia!"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

$15 General Admission, $7 Students. For Info: 215-567-4341.

October 29

2 PM Chuck Palahniuk speaking about "Damned"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

No tickets required. For Info: 215-567-4341.

November 1

7:30PM Jeffrey Eugenides "The Marriage Plot"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

$15 General Admission, $7 Students. For Info: 215-567-4341.

Novemeber 09

6 PM Straight Edge: writer Sacha Z. Scoblic discusses her memoir, "Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety"

Penn Bookstore, 36th & Walnut

FREE event

November 10

5 PM "People of the Book: The Politics of Writing in Jewish Modernity", the author Andreas Kilcher, professor of literary and cultural studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, discusses.

Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, Class of '55 Room, 3420 Walnut Street

FREE event

for more info, email: jsp-info@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

November 15

6 PM former "Simpsons" writer, Larry Doyle discusses his new collection of humorous short stories, "Deliriously Happy: And Other Bad Thoughts."

Penn Bookstore, 36th & Walnut

FREE event

7:30PM Claire Tomalin "Charles Dickens: A Life"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

No tickets required. For Info: 215-567-4341.

December 01

7:30PM Randall Kennedy "The Persistence of the Color Line: Racial Politics and the Obama Presidency"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

No tickets required. For Info: 215-567-4341.

December 5

7:30PM Susan Orlean "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

No tickets required. For Info: 215-567-4341.

December 13

7:30PM Edward J. Larson "An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science"

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Free Admission

No tickets required. For Info: 215-567-4341.

Mentorship Opportunity

Are you a library student thinking about a career in academic librarianship? The ACRL-Delaware Valley Chapter can match you up with a librarian mentor who can answer questions, give advice, or just serve as a sounding board for your worries and ideas.

To be matched with a mentor, please send your contact information and your areas of interest to DVCmentoring@gmail.com. We will match you with a librarian who has expertise in those areas, and works within a reasonable geographic proximity. 

To learn more go to: http://www.acrldvc.org/mentor.htm

Professional & Job Hunting Resources

Get involved in the LIS community and boost your job search with this helpful list of resources from our student chapter liaison at ALA. Good luck!

Five EBSCO Scholarships for 2012 ALA Midwinter

http://bit.ly/obuPik

NMRT Shirley Olofson Memorial Award for funding to the 2012 ALA Annual Conference

http://bit.ly/VOL4c

ALA Scholarships Program

ALA has lots of money that they want to give to students! Check out the opportunities here.

http://ala.org/ala/educationcareers/scholarships/index.cfm

Professional Development/Communication

ALA Listservs

So much information is shared through this listservs that I cannot stress enough that you should find some listservs to follow. There are tons and can get specific, but take a look and see what's of interest for you. I highly recommend following the New Members Round Table list (NMRT-L) as it has lots of resources for students and new librarians.

http://lists.ala.org/sympa/lists

Free Webinars!

Library Webinars is a blog organized by the Northeast Florida Library information Network and gathers information on library webinars being offered around the country. These are great opportunities to learn more about particular topics, might help generate ideas for events, and is just good information to share with members.

http://neflin2.blogspot.com/

Job Hunting Resources

I need a library Job (Facebook, email list, and twitter)

http://www.facebook.com/ineedalibraryjob

Higher Ed Jobs (good for those interested in academic libraries)

http://www.higheredjobs.com/

LibGig

http://publicboard.libgig.com/

ALA JobList

http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/controller.cfm?rssjobid=17750

Association of Research Libraries Job List

http://www.arl.org/resources/careers/positions/index.shtml

LIS WIKI "HOWTO: Apply for a library job"

http://liswiki.org/wiki/HOWTO:Apply_for_a_library_job

Open Cover Letters

Wondering what your cover letter should look like? tired of looking at all those online templates? Check out  Open Cover Letters, which is full of anonymous cover letters from hired librarians and archivists.

http://opencoverletters.com/author/opencoverletters/
 

iConnect Networking Event October 14-15 on campus & online!

Join us and other professional associations at iConnect.  R.S.V.P. for the events and webcast at http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/iconnect. See you there!

Lubuto Library Presentation Follow-up

In case you missed the Lubuto Library presentation by Jane Meyers, you can catch it here:
http://goodwincollege.adobeconnect.com/p7p8axs73e9/

For more information, see their Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LubutoLibrary or visit their website at http://www.Lubuto.org

Back-to-School Social * Friday, September 30

RSVP at our Facebook event or email duslaonline@gmail.com.

Back-to-School Events Round Up!

Here's a week of ways to celebrate the new term, socialize and network.  Welcome back!

Graduate Student Association (GSA) Welcome Back Event
Celebrate with GSA, EGA and DIG at this social event for all graduate students. Two free drinks and endless appetizers.  More info...

• Friday, September 23 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
• Landmark Americana (on the Drexel campus - 3333 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104)

Special Event with Jane Meyers of Lubuto Library Project ONLINE too!
The Lubuto Library Project builds libraries for AIDS orphans and street children in Southern Africa. Come learn about how libraries make a difference in third world communities—and how you can get involved. More info...

• Monday, September 26 from 5:00 -6:00 PM
• Hagerty Library Room 033 on the Drexel Campus and online at http://bit.ly/SCALAevent
• R.S.V.P to drexelscala@gmail.com
  

iSchool Alumni Association (ISTA) Networking Happy Hour
Make connections with former classmates, iSchool alums, and graduating students. FREE for iSchool alumni and students. $10 per guest. More info...

• Thursday, September 29 from 5:00 – 7:30 PM
• World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104)
• Click here to R.S.V.P.

DUSLA & SCALA Back-to-School Social 
Kick off the new term with DUSLA and SCALA. Appetizers and beverages are on us. Come meet classmates and discuss upcoming events. New students welcome! More info...

• Friday, September 30 from 5:00 -7:00 PM
• Landmark Americana (on the Drexel campus - 3333 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104)
• Click here to R.S.V.P. or email duslaonline@gmail.com

A Conversation with Jane Meyers of the Lubuto Library Project

Please join us for a very special event with Jane Meyers, Founder and CEO of the Lubuto Library Project. The Lubuto Library Project builds libraries for AIDS orphans and street children in Southern Africa (mostly Zambia). Come learn about how libraries make a difference in third world communities—and how you can get involved. For more information visit www.lubuto.org.

WHEN: Monday, September 26 from 5-6 PM

WHERE: Hagerty Library Room 033 on the Drexel Campus - Refreshments will be served. This event will also be simulcast live online at http://bit.ly/SCALAevent 

image credit: Lubuto Library Project

Life in Library School—with a Baby!

We're kicking off a new guest blogger series featuring stories and advice about the library school experience. Today, recent Drexel grad Olivia Castello shares her perspective on becoming a parent while in school.

I started my MLIS at Drexel’s iSchool in March of 2009 and graduated in June 2011. During this time I took 1-2 classes a quarter, worked at 3 different internships, volunteered as a digital librarian... and had a baby!

Simon was born in August 2010, about mid-way through my time at Drexel. I learned a lot from the experience of being pregnant and caring for an infant while pursuing a graduate degree at the iSchool.

Contrary to what you might assume, grad school can be the perfect time to have a baby... especially if it is your first child. It was for me, at least. The feasibility of it all depends entirely on your particular situation. I am lucky to have a wonderful husband who, from the outset, committed to covering our expenses for the roughly 2 years while I pursued my degree. I was also enrolled at the iSchool as an online student even though I live in Philadelphia. I found this arrangement to be ideal since I was able to schedule the classes I needed online but was also able to make it down to campus for the occasional on-campus class, group work session and iSchool event. Because of all these factors, I had the freedom to stay at home with the baby while still actively pursuing my degree.

Our New officers!

Congrats to Leila Lucas our new Vice President and Jeff Lambert our new President!  Our new website address is as follows:  http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/studentorgs/ala/index.html

Voting has closed for new officers.

Volunteer librarians needed for West Philly Schools!

Gain library experience while supporting local schools!  Read on for details...

 

The Lea School at 47th and Spruce has lost its staff librarian to the layoffs. To offset this and supplement the library, the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC)'s Open Books, Open Minds program will be coming to Lea in the fall 2011.

Surviving the Job Search: From the Other Side of the Desk... The Phone Interview!

Today’s guest post comes from Vicki Gruzynski, an Information Services Librarian at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO).

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have recently finished up my duties as a member of a hiring committee here at SEMO, so these tips and tricks for a successful phone interview and on-campus interview experience are fresh in my mind.

ALA Virtual Conference - July 13-14

Missed the ALA conference?  Check out the Virtual Conference:

"ALA Virtual Conference brings you additional interesting and useful sessions—perfect for those who couldn’t make it to Annual Conference as well as those who did and are ready for more—right from your own computer.

ALA is offering a full series of 11 interactive web sessions on Wednesday, July 13 and Thursday, July 14 after the 2011 Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA. The conference will begin each day at 9:30 a.m. Eastern/6:30 a.m. Pacific and end at 5:00 p.m. Eastern/2:00 p.m. Pacific."

For more info and to register visit http://www.alaannual.org/virtual/

Special Library Association Conference 2011

Special Libraries Association (SLA) is an international professional association  for library  and information professionals working in business, government, law, finance, non-profit, and academic organizations and institutions.

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) was founded in 1909 in the state of New York and is now the international association representing the interests of thousands of information professionals in over eighty countries worldwide.

Click on this link to find out more about the Special Libraries Association:   http://sla2011.tornado1.com/

The  2011 SLA conference  in Philadelphia provided me with the tremendous opportunity of   becoming "future ready" by exchanging ideas and connecting with thousands of information professionals.  

I learned many things from the lectures at the conference.  Below are the highlights of some of the lectures I attended.  

Volunteering for the ipl2

One of the best work experiences I had during my pursuit of the MLIS at Drexel was as a volunteer for the ipl2. The ipl2 is an “information community” that provides authoritative collections, information assistance and instruction to patrons from around the world. It was formed by the merger of the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarian’s Internet Index (LII) websites and is hosted by Drexel University at the iSchool. The ipl2’s Ask an ipl2 Librarian service is heavily used by thousands of patrons, particularly teachers and youth.

Summary - Job Search Information by Jenny Maurer

SUMMARY NOTES 
Managing your online presence and networking

·         If there is information about you online make sure it is accurate, up-to-date, and that you set yourself apart (especially when you have a common name) when possible.

·         Google your full name to see what comes up. Set up a Google Alert of your name, and variations of it, to keep on top of what information about you is online.

·         Word of mouth, referrals, and recommendations are all common ways of hearing about job openings. Make sure you keep in touch with your network and let them know you are looking for a job.

·         Always present yourself positively and in a collegial manner. You never know when someone you meet or when someone who is following you online might be in a position to hire you.

Surving the Job Search: From the Other Side of the Desk

Today’s guest post comes from Vicki Gruzynski, an Information Services Librarian at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO).

Being on a search committee is a valuable and rewarding experience, albeit very time consuming. It has given me a unique perspective on the hiring process that I will certainly keep in mind when applying for jobs in the future.The timing of this post could not be more perfect, as my colleagues and I finished our committee duties mere days ago. While I cannot speak for every university hiring committee, I can lend you my insight from my recent experience of being on the other side of the hiring process. For brevity’s sake, I will only be focusing on the written application portion of this whole ordeal because the phone interview and on campus interview are worthy of their own attention.

Celebrate the end of the Spring term with SCALA, DUSLA and DUSAA!

We'll be sharing a delicious dinner at New Delhi in University City (4004 Chestnut St.) on Friday, June 3 at 7 PM.

The dinner buffet is awesome and costs $11.95 (and there's also a full bar).

We hope to see you there! Questions? Email gbt25@drexel.edu.

Surviving the Job Search, Part IV

Our guest blogger series on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search continues with Peter Coyl, librarian at an international K-12 school in Taiwan.

Job searching can be tough. But it’s even tougher when there is economic hardship and Library jobs are being cut all over the country. Some people are lucky to live in an area that has an abundance of options, while others live in an area that seems to be saturated with more job seekers than there are jobs.

Webcast: Leveraging You! Developing an Online Presence for the Job Search and Beyond

Learn how social media can help you develop and maintain a personal brand and professional reputation. LIS students can leverage these tools to successfully land a position, develop a support network, and participate in the conversation of librarianship. The session will include practical tips, recommended sites, and best practices.

LinkedIn LinkUp

Are you LinkedIn? Professional online presence is an important part of the job search and way to continue to network with colleagues and engage in the conversation of libarianship. As part of our focus on career development in May, we're encouraging members to create or update their LinkedIn profiles and make as many connections as they can by the end of the month.

Surviving the Job Search, Part III

Our guest blogger series on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search continues with Jessica Evans Brady, Visual & Performing Arts Librarian at Florida State University.

The job search can be daunting. It can sometimes feel like you are sending resumes out into a black hole. It can be a challenge to stay optimistic and continue to put your best face forward. Here is my story of how I survived the job search and finally found a position that keeps me challenged, inspired, and gainfully employed.

Surviving the Job Search, Part II

Our guest blogger series on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search continues with Megan Good, Director of the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia.

Hello everyone!

I’ve been asked to write a guest spot about my experience searching for librarian/archivist jobs in the vast ocean that it is. Since many of you probably haven’t met me, I thought that I would give some background information about myself and then jump into what worked for me, what didn’t and some tips that I’ve picked up along the way.

iSchool Night at the Phillies on June 8

Let's go Phillies! The iSchool is sponsoring a night at the ballpark on June 8 at Citizens Bank Park. Tickets are available to students for just $15 each. Student group members get first dibs on tickets today! Click here for information on how to purchase and other details.

Check out this Event at the Penn Bookstore

The Googlization of everything : (and why we should worry) (Book, 2011) [WorldCat.org]

Surviving the Job Search, Part I

SCALA's guest blogger series debuts with advice from recent Drexel grads on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search. The first post is from Kiyomi Deards, Assistant Professor and Science Librarian with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Libraries.

Job Search Timeline:

November 2009 – Submit first job application
June 2010 – Graduate from Drexel
July 2010 – Receive job offer from University of Nebraska-Lincoln
July 27 2010 – Move to Lincoln, NE
August 2 2010 – Start work at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Total time from first job application to job = 9 months

Advice for Job Seekers:

Cool Careers: Culinary Library & Federal Archives

It's field trip time! Join us for an exciting library career event on Thursday, May 19 at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College.

Library Tour: Feast your eyes on the culinary and hospitality collection.

Networking Reception: Mingle in the on-campus restaurant. Wine, cheese and appetizers will be generously provided by the The Restaurant School.

Career Panel: A conversation with dynamic librarians about their career paths, interesting collections and advice for students entering the field:

Madeline Copp, Academic Librarian at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, which grants Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Hospitality Management degrees.

Beth Bensman, Archives Specialist for The National Archives at Philadelphia, which maintains the historically significant Mid-Atlantic federal records from 1970 to the present.

This event is FREE but reservations are required.  If you would like to attend, please RSVP to drexelscala@gmail.com by Monday, May 16.

Summer Special Collections Research Opportunities at Temple

The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and Temple University Special Collections Division are pleased to invite you to explore the collections housed within the Temple libraries.   

First Friday at Yards in Philly

Join student groups SCALA, DUSLA and DUSAA for a casual networking event this Friday night. This is a public event—friends and partners welcome.

Yards Brewery's very first First Friday event: Local beer, food, art & crafts! Fudge & cupcakes from Betty's Speakeasy and local cheese & sausage from Birchrun Hills Farms. Paintings by Brad Carney and Brian Potash (Devilfish Ink). Local art & craft vendors. Live music by Gringo Motel, Chalk & The Beige Americans, and The Sideshow Prophets. Draft specials all night!

WHEN: Friday, May 6 from 5 pm - Midnight
$5.00 door charge starting at 7:30pm for the bands

WHERE: Yards Brewing Company, 901 N. Delaware Avenue - just north of Spring Garden Street at the intersection of Poplar Street and Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia

Get directions and SEPTA info.

No RSVP necessary, but check out the Facebook event.

Spring Meeting Friday, April 29

Come welcome new members, meet other students and discuss upcoming events. In the spirit of spring, we're having a picnic with pizza in the iSchool garden.

On the agenda:

• Prize giveaway from Library Networking Event
• Professional branding events in May
• Debut of guest blogger series 
• Your ideas for future events (speakers, field trips, quizzo, etc.)
• Volunteer opportunities and upcoming conferences (ALA, SLA)
• Youth Services themed event
• Ways to reach online students

When: Friday, April 29 from 5 - 6 pm.

Where: Rush Garden (in front of of the iSchool building)
If the weather does not cooperate, we'll be in Rush 014.

Online students: How can we provide better virtual programs and support? Would you be interested in a live Tweet of the meeting? Send ideas, suggestions or questions via email, Twitter or Facebook. 

Answer our poll to let us know if you plan to attend.

Are you attending the spring meeting?

• Indeed
• Perhaps
• Nope

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

Image credit : Bruno Monginoux / www.Landscape-Photo.net (cc-by-nc-nd)

Professional Library Association Networking Event

Happy National Library Week!

To celebrate, the iSchool at Drexel is hosting a Professional Library Association Networking Event this Tuesday, April 12 from 5 -7 pm.

This event is FREE and open to anyone who is interested in librarianship.  Students, alumni, and friends are welcome. Wine and appetizers will be served.

Network: Meet representatives from professional library associations and student chapters.  This is a great opportunity to learn about the different kinds of librarianship, student discounts and the chance to network with library professionals. Association involvement is one of the best LIS job-hunt secrets.

Win: Stop by the SCALA table and enter to win a student ALA membership or a copy of This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All.

Resume review: Two career services representatives will be in attendance; bring your resume for feedback.

Location: Drexel University – Main Campus, Paul Peck Alumni Center, 32nd and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Click here to RSVP.

Online students: The event will be recorded and available online for viewing.  If you'd like to enter the giveaway, email us.

See you there!

It's time for ACRL!

ACRL hits Philadelphia tomorrow, and there are plenty of opportunities to meet up with other librarians, even if you are not attending the conference. Join SCALA for dinner Friday night, meet iSchool students and faculty at Drexel's reception, and get your groove on for a good cause at Bibliodiscotheque! Here is a rundown of events, followed by some general conference-going advice in the SCALA's first DOs and DON'Ts post.

Wednesday night: A Conversation with Colleagues & Future Academic Librarians at Hagerty Library, 33rd and Market streets (RSVP requested)

Thursday night: Bibliodiscotheque!

Friday night: Dinner with other library school students? Drexel student or not, let us know if you're interested by filling out this form.

Ready to take on the conference? Here's what you need to know.

If you registered in advance, DO bring your badge and remember to stop by the registration table.

DO plan ahead. Take a look at the schedule and note which events interest you most. Have a backup plan, too. The conference schedule lets you search by keyword, date, and track (pre-determined lists of related events).

DON’T be married to your schedule. Opportunities come up, sessions may not be what you expect, and you want the flexibility to make the most of your conference experience.

DON’T feel like you have to suffer through a session that is not what you expected or that you are not interested in. You can attend more than one session in a given time period. DO sit by the door or the aisle if you plan to bolt.

DO attend the fun events – Bibliodiscotheque, the reception, the keynotes. You can sleep on Sunday.

DO attend the exhibits on Thursday or Friday (it's free!), Bibliodiscotheque, and the Drexel reception Wednesday night even if you are not attending ACRL.

DO tweet during the conference! If you are a Drexel MS(LIS) student and @DrexelSCALA isn’t following you on Twitter, let us know.

DO bring a bag large enough to carry home more than you brought. ACRL is not providing tote bags this year, so any swag you pick up will have to be carried another way.

DO wear layers and comfortable shoes. Hotels and convention center rooms can be chilly, and freezing is far from fun.

DON’T dress too casually. Library conferences are far from formal affairs, but that is no excuse to wear a high school theater T-shirt, ill-fitting jeans and flip-flops. Even if you are not job-hunting now, you want to put your best self forward.

DO meet new people, students and otherwise. Exchange business cards or contact information, and remember to follow-up later, especially if they work someplace you would love to be someday!

DO make up some simple business cards with your contact information and your status as a student.  You never know who you’re going to meet.  DON’T be afraid to give your card to someone, no matter how important they are in comparison to you!

DO bring a few copies of your resume to be reviewed at the Placement Center, or to hand out if someone asks (but DON’T plan on handing a lot out – people don’t want to be burdened with a ton of paper).

Got comments? Post them on Twitter or in the comments below.

— Catherine and Andrea

Breaking the Mold panel is online!

Now that school is winding down, here are some archived job-related talks from SCALA and ALA!

First is the DUSLA/SCALA panel discussion Breaking the Mold: LIS Careers Outside the Library. Some people have reported an audio echo, but if you use the slider bar to jump into the talk and then back to the beginning, it seems to fix itself.

The LLAMA job hunting talk from November also is online. LLAMA (Library Leadership & Management Association) is a division of ALA, and the presenter, Brian Keith, is the assistant dean of the University of Florida Libraries. Keith discussed finding, applying for, interviewing for, and getting library jobs from the perspective of the hiring manager. Learn what mistakes NOT to make and how to make yourself stand out!

Do you have any tips about where to look for jobs or learn more about LIS careers? Share them in the comments!

Volunteers Needed for the Philadelphia Book Festival

The 2011 Philadelphia Book Festival is looking for volunteers to help run various author events, musical performances, interactive programs, and a festival street fair. From April 11th - 16th, the Central branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia will be bustling with activity and they need your help to make it happen. Get more details on the Book Festival's website about volunteering.

Image: (c) 2011 Mikey Burton

Elections!

Image

Well, it's that time of year. Two of our officers are graduating in just a few days, so we're electing new officers.

Voting is open now until Wednesday, March 16th, at 5pm EST. We will announce the new officers at our end of term happy hour at Landmark (33rd and Market) from 5-7 that evening.

Vote now!

End of the Quarter Happy Hour

Are you jumping for joy knowing the quarter is almost over? SCALA wants to celebrate with you!

End of the Quarter Happy Hour
Wednesday, March 16th
5-7 pm
Landmark Restaurant
(Market St between 33rd & 34th Sts)
FREE APPETIZERS & SPECIAL DRINK PRICES!

Answer the poll below!

Are you coming to the Happy Hour?

• Yes
• Maybe
• No

View Results
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Image Credit: flickr.com - elston - CC license

Opportunities from Drexel and ALA

Friday, March 4: One-hour open online chat with ALCTS New Members Interest Group (ANMIG) at 11 a.m. Eastern. 

Are you a graduate student or recent graduate student looking for your first full time job as a cataloger? Or maybe you are a more experienced librarian that who has recently been laid off or are looking for new opportunities? Maybe you have found a satisfying cataloging related position and would like to share your experience with those who are looking for work? If so then, you should be interested in the ALCTS New Members Interest Group's March chat. Topics include where to look for cataloging jobs, desirable qualities and qualifications for cataloging applicants, ways to build cataloging skills during a job search, access to professional materials and keeping up to date with the profession, managing your online presence, and traditional job search topics such as resume building, cover letters, interviewing etc.


ANMIG team members Sarah Smith and Erica Findley will host the chat. If you can't make the chat, the transcript will be made available in ALA Connect.

The chat is open to all ALA members of all types and non-ALA members.

To join the chat please visit our ALA Connect page and look for the embedded Meebo room. Get more information here: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/alcts-webinars-free-lis-students-and-faculty

Tuesday, March 29: Drexel University Research Day proposals due.

All members of the Drexel University community are invited to a celebration of Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity with a day of posters and presentations at the Daskalakis Athletic Center on Friday, April 8, 2011.

Please note that the abstract submission site will close at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

For more information, visit www.drexel.edu/researchday or email researchday@drexel.edu.


Free webinar from ALCTS: Current student members of the American Library Association will be able to register for any ALCTS webinar free of charge.  Students who wish to take advantage of this offer need to be current student members of ALA and register in advance for the webinar(s) in which they are interested.  Students need not be ALCTS members. 

"Beyond Books" Graduate Fellowships Available

Check out this fantastic opportunity to attend "Beyond Books: News, Literacy, Democracy & America's Libraries." Apply for one of 10 fellowships which will pay for registration, travel, and lodging for the event in Cambridge, MA, April 6-8, at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media.

For more information, go to http://journalismthatmatters.org/biblionews/2011/03/03/fellowships/

Applications are due March 15.

Breaking the Mold: LIS Careers Outside the Library

Want to know what other careers are available to MSLIS students?

Join SCALA, Drexel University Special Libraries Association (DUSLA), and a panel of information professionals Wednesday, February 23 for “Breaking the Mold: LIS Careers Outside the Library.”

The panel discussion starts at 5 p.m. in Rush 209. The event will also be simulcast LIVE at http://bit.ly/DUSLAtalk AND http://bit.ly/SCALAevent for online students' convenience. As always, there will be free pizza!

The speakers will describe their current positions and career paths before a Q&A session. These information professionals have a wide range of professional experience, including academic libraries, vendors, corporate information centers, and knowledge management.

Amy Graham, a Drexel MSLIS alumna, has worked as a one-person information center for the technical support department of a computer retailer; a research associate at an executive search firm; a college library cataloger; and now works for an authority control vendor.

Richard Townsend, MS, R.Ph., is Manager, Strategic Business Intelligence, at Global Competitive.

Susan Zalenski, another iSchool alumna, is Senior Manager of Scientific Information at Cephalon. She also has worked at Thomson Reuters/Dialog as a trainer and consultant and at AstraZeneca as a knowledge manager. She previously participated in a panel on Non-Traditional Library Careers at the SLA Annual Meeting.

For more information, email drexelscala@gmail.com.

Image Credit: Flickr - Shannon K - CC license

Elections at Winter meeting

At next Monday's Winter meeting, SCALA will be selecting new officers. If you are interested in becoming an officer or getting more involved in the group, please come! Being a SCALA officer looks great on your resume, connects you with the larger professional organization of the ALA, and can qualify you for perks such as the ALA Conference Student-to-Staff program.

Want more info on what it's like to be an officer? Email drexelscala@gmail.com.

SCALA Elections and Winter Meeting

When: Monday, February 7th @ 5-6pm
Where: Landmark Restaurant, Market St between 33rd and 34th Sts
FREE APPETIZERS!

If you are planning on coming, please let us know in the poll below!

I'm coming to the SCALA elections meeting!

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LibraryTube - Private Viewing Room URL

LibraryTube is happening tonight! This is SCALA's first event of 2011. If you want to get involved in SCALA, or you're just looking to take a short break from studying to hang out with other iSchoolers, this is the perfect opportunity!

To join fellow SCALA members and iSchool students in this library video extravaganza, log online at 9PM EST and go to the following web address: http://www.synchtube.com/r/K6Wr.

Pop some popcorn, grab a glass of wine, and meet us tonight for LibraryTube!

Email drexelscala@gmail.com if you have any questions. :)

Internship - Villanova University - Digital Library

Check this out if you are in the Philadelphia area and interested in digital libraries...

Title	Villanova Digital Library Internship Spring 2011
Categories	Para-Professional, Part-Time
Location	Villanova, PA
Employer	Villanova University
Position Description	The Villanova Digital Library offers 1 dynamic and innovative internship position for the Spring 2011 academic semester. Interns will work a 20 hour work week, with flexible work scheduling; starting and ending dates are also flexible. Interns will be provided training in creation and management of digital library collections. The primary mission of Villanova's Digital Library is accomplished through the ongoing development, maintenance, and preservation of digital collections and online digital library resources. These include materials such as medieval manuscripts, letters, typescripts, books, photographs, maps, sheet music, posters and broadsides, and newspapers. During the course of the internship, an intern will follow a project through the development life cycle and will acquire and enhance their digital project management skills. Activities may include image preparation and quality control, metadata creation, text encoding, transcription, scanning, web site development, student supervision, computer programming, research, writing, and interface evaluation. In addition, the intern will have the opportunity to assist in digital preservation activities.
Duties & Responsibilities	* Participates in the development of metadata by following project-specific guidelines and procedures and by adhering to established national and local standards. * Maintains quality control and project goals by reviewing work, site proofing, monitoring of OCR, SGML and XML output, and record editing and updating as necessary. * Assists in development of supplemental contextual materials for project. * Maintains statistical records of production by monitoring the material flowing through the unit and resolving work-flow problems. * Maintains flexibility and awareness of changes in department by assuming other duties and responsibilities as assigned. * Enhances database quality and searchability by collaborating with staff on database design issues.
Qualifications	* Interest in digitization in cultural heritage settings; * Ability to perform diverse and complex tasks with accuracy and attention to detail; * Ability to exercise independent judgment; * Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; * Ability to work successfully in a production-oriented environment; * Ability to direct the work of others; * Flexibility; * Good written and oral communication skills; * Working knowledge of historical research methodology and experience with standard bibliographic tools. * Familiarity with digital projects preferred; * Coursework or experience in cataloging and/or archival description preferred. * Experience with digital imaging and OCR software preferred. * Prior experience in an archival or museum setting preferred. * College degree with background in humanities or social sciences preferred. * Current graduate students in a library science, archival studies/public history, museum studies, or computer/ information science program are encouraged to apply. * Creativity required.
To Apply	To apply, please go to the Villanova HR website at: https://jobs.villanova.edu/postings/2703 Contact information: Michael Foight Special Collections and Digital Library Coordinator Falvey Memorial Library Villanova University Villanova PA, 19085 michael.foight@villanova.edu 610-519-5185
Salary	$15/per hour
Hours	20 hours per week

LibraryTube - Video Suggestions Needed!

As another iSchool quarter begins, so does another quarter of SCALA events! Next Tuesday night (1/11/11) at 9pm EST, join us for a night of LibraryTube.

LibraryTube goes something like this:

• Everyone suggests their favorite funny or inspirational library-themed YouTube videos to SCALA co-chair Lindsay Cummings (lindsaysc@gmail.com).
• Then join your fellow online (or on-campus but online) classmates for a synchronized screening of great library videos on Tuesday, 1/11 at 9PM EST.
• LibraryTube will take place on SynchTube in a private viewing room open only to iSchool students. We can watch the videos together simultaneously and chat at the same time!

But we need your help! Send Lindsay (lindsaysc@gmail.com) your library-themed YouTube video suggestions to make this event a success!

Keep an eye out on the blog and Google group for the link to the LibraryTube private viewing room soon.

Image Credit: Flickr - Corie Howell - CC license