This call for survey participation may be of interest to some AAAL members:

The SAMPL research lab is currently conducting a study, “Checking In: A Job Satisfaction Survey for Library Workers”, piloting a job satisfaction survey for library workers. We have found that the current literature and measures do not capture the unique working conditions and environment of library workers.

This study is being conducted by researchers in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. This survey aims to gain a better understanding of the factors related to the job satisfaction of current library workers in Canada. 

The survey will be available through the Qualtrics platform with the following link https://ualbertauw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dptGP3b2kiSB7Cu and will take 40-45 minutes to complete. Participants must be English-speaking current library workers over the age of 18. They will receive a $5 digital gift card for either Tim Hortons or Starbucks as compensation for their time. Participation is voluntary and information will remain anonymous. Survey data cannot be linked back to participants. 

On behalf of our research team, thank you for your time and consideration. If you supervise or manage library staff, feel free to share this research opportunity with them as well.

Please reach out to the Study Coordinator, Kiranpreet Ghag at kkghag@ualberta.ca, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this study. 

This call for LAA nominations may be of interest to some AAAL members:

Dear LAA Members and Alberta Library Community,

We’re thrilled to invite you to take an active role in shaping the future of the Library
Association of Alberta by becoming a Board member!

As a board member, you’ll have the opportunity to influence the direction of the Board and
the Association, working collaboratively with others to enhance the library profession across the province. The upcoming 2024-2025 year promises to be an exciting one, as LAA joins as a partner with the Stronger Together Conference, bringing in-person learning back to library workers in Alberta, and rolling out the LAA strategic planning process.

While serving on the board requires a time commitment, it’s a rewarding experience that
allows you to chair and participate in various committees such as Continuing Education,
Member Services and Advocacy.

Through your contributions, you’ll not only benefit the Alberta library community but also develop your own personal skills and network.

For 2024-2025, we have four positions available:

• First Vice President/President-Elect (three-year term)
• Second Vice President (two-year term)
• Two Directors (two-year terms)

Detailed descriptions for these positions are included on the attached information sheet. If you
have questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the
current board members listed at www.libraryassociationalberta.com

If you’re passionate about promoting library services in Alberta, we encourage you to
consider running for a position on the LAA board. The deadline for nominations is May 7,
2024 with the online election taking place from May 13, 2024 – May 24, 2024. Successful candidates will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on May 30, 2024. Nominations from any current member of the LAA are welcome.

You can nominate yourself or another candidate HERE. And if you are considering running
for one of these positions, please reach out with questions or ideas! Please note that
nominations must come from those with current LAA memberships.

We’re looking forward to an exciting election and the opportunity to welcome new voices from all library sectors to the Board.

LAA Nominations Announcement 2024-2025.pdf

The University of Alberta Library is excited to announce that the Peel’s Prairie Provinces Collection has a new website! 

Peel’s Prairie Provinces is a collection of digitized materials related to western Canada and now includes over 30,000 postcards, 8,000 books and printed ephemera, 900 maps, and 66,000 historic newspapers. Although many materials are in English, the collection also includes numerous materials in French, Ukrainian, and other languages. 

Originally hosted online through the University of Alberta Library, the Peel collection is in the process of being migrated to the Internet Archive platform. The new Peel website will provide context about the collection and tools to help find materials during the migration, while the full-text items will be hosted on the Internet Archive. Advantages of migrating items to the Internet Archive include the ability to easily zoom in and other viewing features, a flipbook for an easier reading experience and you can now download high-resolution files yourself. 

The Peel’s Prairie Provinces Collection is another noteworthy addition of digitized materials to the Internet Archive University of Alberta Library Internet Archive collection, following the additions of the William C. Wonders Map Collection, the Wiedrick Collection Alberta Schools Historical Textbooks and the University of Alberta historic theses and dissertations.

If you have any questions or comments about the new Peel’s Prairie Provinces website, please don’t hesitate to contact us at digitization@ualberta.ca.