Letter from VLA President Todd Elliott: July 2018

Greetings VLA Colleagues!

No matter what kind of library you work in, there is always going to be one of “those” customers/patrons/students that require a bit more patience then normal… or is that just me? Susan Henricks, in her article on problem patrons, rates them in three classes: Class I / Dangerous; Class II / Potentially Serious; and Class III / Nuisances. I hope that most of these problematic types fall in the latter category for you. Sometimes you can get a little annoyed when working with a patron but you just smile through it and serve that person. Besides, the best library stories often come from these very folks! If you care to guess, I just finished a conversation with a regular who can settle for no less than the director when he feels there is a problem. No sweat.
Some of you were fortunate enough to get to American Library Association Annual Conference in New Orleans… the rest of us stayed behind and enjoyed the images that went up all over social media (#ALAAC18, for those who want to look over it). Conferences are a great way to learn and connect. From the celebrity speakers to our own Lisa Varga in her dinosaur costume, everyone seemed to be having so much fun! ALA Annual will be close to home in Washington, DC next summer so here’s to getting there in 2019.

You say you want a “revolution?” Get ready for Virginia Library Association 2018 Annual Conference! Online registration went live recently so check out all the offerings available, and I look forward to seeing you at Williamsburg Lodge in Colonial Williamsburg September 26-28. We are fast approaching the July 16 deadline to win one of fifteen $100 stipend to VLA 2018 and made available by the Fundraising/Development Committee. Winners chosen randomly and notified by Friday, July 27. Hurry!

I am apologizing to John Lennon for the opening of that previous paragraph. Back in my youth librarian days, it was a common practice for me to enlist my two sons as helpers during Summer Reading Programs – oh, the times that dad embarrassed them while giving silly performances to large groups of their peers. Those expressions were priceless! Continue to enjoy summer where you are.

Hit me up at [email protected]. Thanks to my VLA colleagues who give the occasional shout. I enjoy hearing from you.
Cheers,
Todd

Citation: Henricks, Susan. "The Problem Patron." Library Administrator's Digest 36.8 (2001): 57. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2018.

Tiffany Duck and Dorothy Hargett: 2018 Joint Conference of Librarians of Color Travel Grant Winners

This year, VLA offered two Travel Grants (at $1400) apiece for two Virginians to attend the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 26-30. We would like to congratulate Tiffany Duck and Dorothy Hargett and wish them a fantastic experience at JCLC!

TIFFANY DUCK

Tiffany Duck is a native of the Tidewater area and has worked in various positions within public, community college, and academic libraries for over 8 years. She spent most of her professional career working at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library as a Regional Circulation Manager and as a Branch Manager. There, she launched the “Reading is Grand! Celebrating Grand-Families @ Your Library” program, an intergenerational program that facilitates bonding between grandparents and grandchildren.  Today, Tiffany proudly serves as the Manager of Library Locations at the Suffolk Public Library, providing  leadership and oversight to the front-line operations of Suffolk's branches.

Tiffany is active professionally, serving as the Chair of the eBook Awards Committee (the first of its kind) for the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and as Co-chair of the Literary Awards Committee. In addition to being active in ALA, she serves on the VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Earning her M.L.I.S from San Jose State University in 2013, Tiffany's areas of interest include community engagement, customer service and access, library advocacy, and intellectual freedom.

In August 2017, Tiffany won the prestigious Dr. John C. Tyson Leadership Award, named after the first African-American State Librarian of Virginia.

"I am thrilled to have won the JCLC travel grant from the Virginia Library Association. This conference experience is invaluable because of the way that all the ethnic caucuses are coming together to learn and discuss methods to further embrace our communities. I plan to take full advantage of this opportunity and share all the valuable resources and discussions with my Executive Team and Suffolk Pubic Library family after the conference."

Dorothy Hargett

Dorothy Hargett is an Assistant Librarian and Head of Access Services, at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. As the Head of Access Services she is responsible for providing leadership and overseeing all aspects of the management and functions of the Circulation and Interlibrary Loan departments.

Dorothy has served on many local and national library planning committees and deemed an expert in the field of Access Services.  She has received commendations for her work as a literacy tutor and mentor for elementary students from Title I Schools in Hampton Roads.

Ms. Hargett’s passion for customer service and effective leadership in the workplace has provided many opportunities to present at various venues on these topics. She obtained a Masters of Library Information Science from the University of Tennessee, and a Master of Arts degree in Human Services Counseling from Regent University.

"I am very excited and honored to attend the 2018 Joint Conference of Librarians of Color.  I am filled with enthusiasm to be present at a conference with a goal to share programs and agendas that will focus on diverse communities. I am always looking for innovative ways to serve, encourage and inspire library patrons, no matter age, color or nationality.  My expectations in attending this conference are to interact and learn from librarians from different parts of the world.  I am eager to gain knowledge about new programs and creative ideas that I can share with my colleagues in order to effectively serve an increasingly diverse community.  I believe that every patron who walks through the doors of the library should feel welcome."

Letter from VLA President Todd Elliott: June 2018

Greetings VLA Colleagues!

With June underway, many of you are imagining vacations and “staycations” that might include a visit to a beach or hiking a trail. Me? I’m not working on my tan, so I tend to spend more time in nice, cool movie theaters! Meanwhile, your friends in public libraries across the Commonwealth are geared up for Summer Reading Programs (SRP), ready to combat the dreaded “summer slide” for our children. Portsmouth is ready and I hope that all of the other PLs are, too!

A big “thank you” to the VLA Professional Associates Forum for a job well done in bringing “Other Duties as Assigned” to Newport News Marriott at City Center! Keynote speaker Mauricio Velasquez gave a presentation, “Toxic Employees – Toxic Workplaces,” that was so engaging. Everyone that I spoke with enjoyed the networking opportunities as well as learning new things to take back to their workplaces. It was especially memorable for me because I won the birdfeeder basket in the scholarship raffle, which was donated to a local community garden.

Summer also heralds upcoming elections for Virginia Library Association. Elections are held for Vice-President/President-Elect and Secretary, and will be held online between July and August -- watch your email for ballot details! Each officer serves as a member of the Executive Committee and VLA Council. Please refer to the Association Manual and By-Laws for detailed information and responsibilities located – where else? -  on the website.

Speaking of the annual conference, get ready for Virginia Library Association Revolution, the 2018 Annual Conference. The event will be held at Williamsburg Lodge in Colonial Williamsburg September 26-28. Your colleagues on the Conference Committee have worked hard to make your experience meaningful through a revolutionary selection of workshops, concurrent sessions, speakers, presentations, and special events that allow you to take charge of your professional path.

When the weather turns hot, I am reminded of the time that my oldest son, Daryll, went on a school field trip to Swan Lake Iris Gardens in Sumter, SC, that my wife and I chaperoned. After numerous warnings about staying away from the water, guess who was the only student who fell in the lake that day? Messed up isn’t it? He’s 32 now, so he survived but I don’t think that his parents’ reputations did that year. Take your eyes off a child one second… a cautionary tale to remind our youth staff to look sharp and enjoy SRP!

Finally, as in any season, be sure to do something fun just for you. Enjoy but be careful, y’all! Thanks, as always, for supporting VLA! Feel free to give me a shout at [email protected].

Cheers,
Todd

2018 Virginia Libraries Journal: Call for Submissions

Virginia Libraries is seeking articles for its 2018 annual issue, and the Editorial Board is excited to see submissions exploring projects, programs, trends, issues, research studies, and initiatives, that you are leading!

Articles in the 2018 annual issue will be published on an item-by-item basis, as received, through December 2018. Submit for publication at any time. The deadline for submissions to be published by the December 2018 end of volume is September 30, 2018.

Virginia Libraries, VLA’s open access journal, has recently changed to an annual frequency. Volume 62, 2017 articles are available in HTML online with a full volume all-in-one PDF format in process. Submissions for 2018 are already in process and will begin publication in the next few weeks. Virginia Libraries features peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed content of interest to all types of libraries (academic, public, corporate, school, and special), with a particular focus on content of interest to and deriving from the library community in Virginia. The journal’s goal is to further research in all areas of library and information services, communicate best practices, and explore trends and issues of interest to the library profession.

Queries are welcome! Do you have a topic you’re considering, or are you wondering about which article type best fits your writing interest? For questions or more information, contact the Editorial Board at: [email protected].

Who can submit? Submissions are welcomed from all types of libraries and library staff as well as graduate students. Part of the journal’s mission is to introduce new Virginia voices to the library literature and provide an encouraging environment for new authors from all types of libraries. Journal editors will work closely with prospective authors in the development of submissions and articles.

Submission criteria: The journal is considering submissions for:

• Research articles
• peer reviewed; report on research studies, scholarly research and analysis, or literature reviews
• Best Practice articles
• peer reviewed; describe innovative initiatives and effective practices
• Case Studies
• examine a narrowly focused scenario in an applied context and with a training or educational purpose; no peer review
• Essays / Commentary
• discuss a topic or issue of interest related to libraries; more room for subjectivity and expression of a position; no peer review
• Themed Columns - a 2018 topic is: Civic Engagement and Participation
• Librarians from James Madison University are building on a statewide survey they conducted last year and writing a column that includes brief case studies on the topic of public, school, special, and/or academic libraries supporting your community’s participation in civic life. Has your library hosted dialogues on topics of importance to your city? Promoted voter registration? Organized a book display about current issues relevant to civic life? Hosted a forum with politicians or candidates? They would love to hear about these types of activities and more! If you want your library’s civic engagement program to be highlighted, please share some information in this brief online form -- http://jmu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXBhlIR9At6Oq6p --  by Friday, June 1, 2018.

For further information see the journal website: https://virginialibrariesjournal.org/, or contact the Editorial Board at: [email protected].