Call for Proposals – Fall 2016

September 30, 2016UncategorizedAAAL

The Alberta Association of Academic Libraries (AAAL) Fall 2016 Meeting will take place on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the University of Alberta.

Please consider submitting a proposal for a 20 minute session on something new or engaging that is happening at your library, or on a topic applicable to academic libraries in our province!

What new program, service, or space are you and your library providing to your user community? What new technologies or tools are you using to improve how you, your library, or your users get things done?

Looking for ideas on what to present? Check out past AAAL Lightning Strike presentations.

Wondering how we’ll select sessions? Take a look at our new rubric and use it to prepare your proposal.

Submit your proposal online by Monday, October 24, 2016.
In need of financial support to present at the meeting? Apply for an AAAL Professional Development Award as part of the submission process.

We hope to see you in Edmonton in November!

AAAL Workshop Committee
Claudette Cloutier (UCalgary)
Shawna Murphy (MHC)
Trish Rosseel (UAlberta)

Save the Date! Fall Meeting Nov. 17 in Edmonton

September 21, 2016UncategorizedAAAL

Please mark your calendars! The AAAL Fall Meeting for 2016 will be held in Edmonton on Thursday, November 17 at the University of Alberta.

A call for presentations, RSVP info and agenda are forthcoming. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact either AAAL co-chair with any questions or concerns.

AAAL Communications Committee Vacancy

August 25, 2016UncategorizedAAAL

The AAAL Executive is looking for an enthusiastic library staff member from an AAAL institution to put their name forward to fill a vacancy on the AAAL Communications Committee.

The responsibilities of this Committee are as follows:

Coordinate communications of the AAAL including all social media accounts and the AAAL blog
Solicit and distribute news items from members on a regular basis
Coordinate with the Executive Committee to maintain and update the AAAL website

Please express your interest via email to cj.dejong@ualberta.ca by Wednesday, September 7th.

7 Questions with Sheena Gardner

August 3, 20167 QuestionsAAAL

July’s installment of 7 Questions With… AAAL Members features Sheena Gardner, Co-chair, Library Services, Grande Prairie Regional College

1. What is something interesting you learned in the last month? I just came back from Haida Gwaii where I spent a day at the Haida Cultural Centre learning about the history and culture of the Haida nation. It was amazing and I feel very blessed to have taken that trip.

2. If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Minerva McGonagall

3.If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be? It couldn’t be this next year but in the future I would like to work on a documentary. A year sounds like a good amount of time to do it.

4.What is your best piece of life advice? Listen to your gut.

5. What is your favourite thing to binge watch? The Vice Channel

6. What do you do when you’re not working? I go to the rec centre a lot and volunteer for different cultural events (Folk Fest, Short Film Fest, the Writing Contest run by the Public Library). And I love to travel to B.C. to catch up with friends.

7. What is your favourite quote? Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it…
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
-Goethe

AAAL 7 Questions with Trish Rosseel

July 8, 20167 QuestionsAAAL

June’s installment of 7 Questions With… AAAL Members features Trish Rosseel, Associate University Librarian, Public Services, University of Alberta Libraries

Trish Rosseel Photo 2 1. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Weave

2. What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? So many great artists and songs! James Taylor, U2, Tragically Hip, Indigo Girls, Tracy Chapman, Wailin’ Jennys, Be Good Tanyas, Martin Sexton, David Gray, Coldplay, Walk Off the Earth, Tegan and Sarah…

3. What is your best piece of career advice? About 10 years ago I was in a small shop in Deep Cove, BC which had all these great posters with excellent typography and one – which has hung in all of my offices ever since – became a personal mantra of sorts: Work hard and be nice to people.

4. What is your favourite thing to binge watch? Broadchurch, River, Homeland, Scott & Bailey, Wallander

5. What is your proudest non-work related accomplishment? A couple years ago after a whole lot of dedicated – and tiring – training, I ran a Spartan Race, a Tough Mudder and my one and only triathlon in the span of a year. Definitely never thought I could do any, never mind all, of them, but really put my head down and enjoyed the experiences. I am now officially over this phase! ; )

6. What is your favourite quote? Rainer Maria Rilke’s:
Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.

7. What is your favourite colour? Blue