Category Archives: Spring Meeting

AAAL COVID-19 Response

Member News, Spring Meeting, Uncategorized

We’ve heard your concerns about our AGM on May 1, 2020 at Red Deer College. The AAAL Executive is taking COVID-19 seriously; we’re listening to guidance from Alberta Health Services and our host institution.

Our team is exploring options for moving the meeting online by considering open source software like Jitsi and learning from those who have held online conferences, as well as postponing or cancelling the meeting.

We’ll let you know if the meeting will be cancelled, postponed, or moved online by April 1. Until then, wash your hands and stay safe!

AAAL Spring 2020 Meeting – Save the Date & Call for Proposals

Spring Meeting

Please mark your calendars! The Alberta Association of Academic Libraries (AAAL) Spring 2020 meeting and AGM will be held on May 1, 2020 at Red Deer College in Red Deer, Alberta.

AAAL, in its latest incarnation, is 10 years old! We know our AAAL member libraries have been changing right along with us and we want to hear about your work along the theme of Transitions: A Decade of Development. What transitions have you seen in your library over the last decade? What great accomplishments, transitions or developments would you like to share that will inspire your colleagues?

We invite staff from AAAL member libraries to submit a proposal to share your experiences, research, and lessons learned along the conference theme. For this meeting we would also like to invite members to highlight any other work you would like to showcase at this professional learning and sharing event. What new program, service, or space are you/your library providing to your users? What technologies or tools are you using to improve how you, your library, or your users get things done?

Presentations can be either:

  • 5 minute lightning talk that is a quick overview of your ideas, experience, and programs/services OR
  • 30 minute session that can include ideas, experiences, original research, engaging discussion questions or activities

Submit your proposal by Monday, March 23rd. Successful presenters will be contacted between March 30th and April 6th.

Seeking financial support to attend and present at the meeting? We encourage you to apply for an AAAL Professional Development Award.

Wondering how we’ll select sessions? Take a look at our rubric and use it as a guide for your proposal.

We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Call for host institution, AAAL Fall 2019 meeting

Fall Meeting, Spring Meeting

Are you and your colleagues interested in showcasing your library and campus? Would you like to host academic librarians from around Alberta for a learning and networking event? The Alberta Association of Academic Libraries (AAAL) is currently seeking a host institution for our Fall meeting scheduled for November 2019 (date tbd with host). Interested institutions should complete this google form by Friday, Aug 2.

What’s involved in hosting a AAAL meeting? Here are the basic requirements:

  • Meeting space for 60 attendees for a keynote presentation and other workshop/learning activities
  • Standard technology for presentations/meetings — overhead projector, microphones, computer with Internet connectivity
  • Guest wifi
  • Space for participants to eat lunch — this can be in the same space and/or a nearby space; catering (lunch/coffee breaks) is sponsored by AAAL

As the Workshop Committee develops themes and programming, we invite potential hosts to share their ideas with us.

If you’re interested in hosting but cannot accommodate the Fall 2019 meeting, consider getting a jump on the Spring 2020 call for hosts by completing the Spring call for hosts form here.

Thank you for considering this request. Questions or comments about hosting can be directed to Angie Mandeville (afm1@ualberta.ca) or Jessie Loyer (jloyer@mtroyal.ca).

Kind regards,

Angie Mandeville, AAAL Workshop Committee Chair

Jessie Loyer & Ebony Magnus, AAAL Co-Chairs

Still time to register for the AAAL Spring Meeting!

Spring Meeting
Hello AAAL members,

This is a reminder that Friday at 4 p.m. is the deadline to register for the Alberta Association of Academic Libraries’ Spring 2019 Meeting. We have twelve spots remaining!

Library staff from all member institutions are invited to join us at Olds College on Friday, May 10th. We are very excited to be offering a workshop on using design thinking to enhance user experience with University of Alberta librarian, Céline Gareau-Brennan. Following the workshop and a delicious BBQ lunch, the afternoon is filled with interesting lightning talks on a wide variety of topics. The full meeting package with agenda and session descriptions can be found on the AAAL website.

We hope to see you there!

The AAAL Executive + Committee Members

Call for Mentorship Committee Members

Spring Meeting, Uncategorized

The AAAL Mentorship Committee is seeking 2-3 AAAL members for 2-year terms, starting 2019-20.

The mentorship program benefits the career development of all involved. It facilitates support for early-career professionals, creates leadership opportunities for those farther along, and encourages networking across member institutions, all of which strengthens the profession at large.

Responsibilities include:

  • Calling for and reviewing applications for AAAL member mentors and mentees to serve for one academic year, September to April.
  • Pairing mentors and mentees.
  • Offering support and guidance on possible directions for mentorship by maintaining a resource list.
  • Maintaining and updating the Mentorship section on the AAAL website.
  • Conducting an annual program evaluation.
  • Seeking feedback and making recommendations to the AAAL Executive.
  • Reporting to the AAAL Annual General Meeting and Fall meetings.

Please contact any member of the Mentorship Committee if you need more information about the work of the committee.

If you are interested in being a committee member, please submit your name to the AAAL Chair Elects, Jesse Loyer (jloyer@mtroyal.ca) and Ebony Magnus (ebony.magnus@sait.ca). We’re hoping to have new committee members in place before the spring AAAL AGM meeting (May 10) so there can be an easy transition with the departing committee members.

Many thanks!

AAAL Mentorship Committee: Isobel Rancier, Kalin Jensen, Lindsey Whitson, Alison Foster