Join the Creative Ideas in Technical Services Interest Group (CITSIG) for
an engaging session at Core Virtual Interest Group Week! CITSIG's program
presents a virtual spin on its standard discussion group format: two
presentations on timely topics will each be followed by a chance for
attendees to engage in lively, informal discussions. Come ready to think
and discuss!

*February 4, 2021*
*2:00 PM CST*
Register here: https://ala-events.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsfuuqqzsuE9zp564WhGkvCwfyMwiRlWnf


Featured discussion topics:

As libraries strive to represent diverse points of view in their
collections, we need to have an accurate picture of where we are now. By
looking at metadata and assessing which aspects of the collection are the
strongest we can then decide whether to build on existing strengths or
spend money and time on less robust subject areas.

We decided what aspects of the collection we wanted to view (age of
material, place of publication, format, gender (for smaller groups)). Using
this data we experimented with visualizations to convey information on the
collections’ age/format/place of publication.

It is important to remember that there is a difference between difference
in the creators and publishers and differences in thought. Also analysis
depends on reliable metadata. Incomplete or erroneous metadata will impact
findings.

Presenters: Sarah Theimer, Catalog and Metadata Librarian, University of
New Hampshire; Jay Colbert, Metadata and Discovery Librarian, University of
New Hampshire

—

It’s no secret that technical services and librarianship in general is in
flux with many long-term employees departing their institutions due to
retirement, furloughs, or layoffs. Meanwhile, critical technical services
positions are lost through attrition, departmental procedures remain in
binders and the information that they contain are lost, and few new
technical services experts are brought in to keep departments afloat.
Supervisors may be unaware of the consequences of loss without rehiring,
and should they rehire into these positions, how do they know what to look
for?

Contingency planning, succession planning, and bench strength may be the
answer to this conundrum. While not new to the business world, this growing
trend in librarianship can help properly organize essential documents,
start new hires on the right path, allow retiring professionals to advocate
for experts “from the grave”, so to speak, or even advocate for refilling
vacant positions.

The introductory presentation for this discussion will include key
definitions, examples of what technical services planning may look like,
and provide a brief example of a technical services contingency plan in
action. This presentation is appropriate for all librarianship types, all
technical services specializations, and all employee levels within a
technical services team.

Presenter: Elizabeth Szkirpan, Director of Bibliographic Services, McFarlin
Library, University of Tulsa

For more Core Virtual IG Week events, see the full schedule here
<http://www.ala.org/core/continuing-education/interest-group-week>.

(Please excuse cross-posting!)

-- 
Sarah Hovde
Core Creative Ideas in Technical Services Group (chair)
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