Update from ALA, dated 3/6/20: Information about the 2020 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition related to Coronavirus COVID 19. ALA is mindful of the valid concerns and questions from members regarding the 2020 Annual Conference & Exhibition (June 25-30, 2020, Chicago, IL) in relation to Coronavirus COVID 19. As of today, ALA is proceeding with the event as planned and putting together an amazing conference for this Summer. While you’ve undoubtedly heard that some organizations have cancelled events scheduled for the coming months, many of those cancelled events include a large demographic of international travelers or take place in areas with a high incidence of infection. At this time, we are following recommendations from federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html>, reviewing travel advisories issued by the State Department, and working with our conference partner, the McCormick Place Convention Center<https://mailchi.mp/4cdb0834d342/mccormick-place-fall-update-3239945?e=f62eac82a5> to increase the availability of hand sanitizer and hand washing stations, among other measures. We do understand some organizations have implemented their own travel bans and recognize that traveling to conferences is a choice that each attendee will need to make, based on his or her individual situation. ALA will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates regarding any notable changes in conference schedules or travel issues. Please visit the ALA pandemic preparedness resource page<http://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/pandemic-preparedness> for more information about how libraries can be community partners in response to this outbreak. News - 3/10/20 American Library Association 2020 election underway<http://bit.ly/2wOb8tL> Polls opened at 9 a.m. Central Time on Monday, March 9, 2020. ALA members are encouraged to cast a digital ballot to vote for association-wide leadership that will shape the future and direction of the association. ALA’s annual election will close on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. “The American Library Association of tomorrow relies on the stewardship of its members today,” said ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall. “A huge part of that work involves selecting peer leaders who have the vision and commitment to move the association forward. We are at a pivotal time in our history – there is much change needed and much opportunity that lies ahead. Every vote is necessary because it will provide a requisite mandate for the future ALA President, Executive Board and Council leadership. Every vote moves us toward our future and the impact we can create.” ALA’s 2021 – 22 presidential election includes Patricia "Patty" M. Wong, city librarian at Santa Monica (Calif.) Public Library, and Steven Yates, assistant director, University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies. Both candidates participated in the ALA Presidential and Candidates’ Forum that took place at the 2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Voters also will select 33 ALA Councilors-at-Large from a pool of 73 candidates. Biographical information about the Councilor-at-Large candidates is available on the ALA website. Read more<http://bit.ly/2wOb8tL> ALA creates Task Force on United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals<http://bit.ly/38Hh8BS> The American Library Association (ALA) has created a Task Force on the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to develop a multi-year strategic plan in the coming year to increase participation by libraries in efforts to achieve the Goals. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are a call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. The 17 Goals were adopted by all UN members, including the United States. Read more<http://bit.ly/38Hh8BS> Old Dominion University creates ALA Student Chapter<http://bit.ly/2W0RYvr> The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce that the Student Organization of Library and Information Services (SOLIS) at Old Dominion University has created a new ALA student chapter. This is the first student chapter to be formed in Virginia. Each ALA student chapter has its own character and purpose. All enhance students' ALA membership by providing leadership and programming opportunities on the campuses. The Old Dominion University chapter became the 67th ALA student chapter, Dr. Amelia Anderson, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Studies, will serve as faculty advisor for the new student chapter. Read more<http://bit.ly/2W0RYvr> United for Libraries and Tulare County Historical Society to celebrate first female Literary Landmark honoree in California<http://bit.ly/335DCeK> United for Libraries will designate Tulare Historical Museum in California as a Literary Landmark™ in honor of Tulare County Bicentennial Poet and Poet Laureate Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel. The designation will mark the first woman to be honored with a Literary Landmark in the state of California. Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel (1918-2007) was born in Stroud, Oklahoma. She moved to California as a teenager during the Dust Bowl Migration of the Great Depression. While she began writing poetry as a child, McDaniel’s first poem was not published until her fifties, in the “Tulare Advance – Register” newspaper. Approximately 50 booklets of her poetry and stories have been published, many of which have been taught in schools and universities. Her experiences growing up in Oklahoma, the migrant experience, and living in Tulare all influenced her evocative, plain language poetry that resulted in her being dubbed “the Okie Poet.” Read more<http://bit.ly/335DCeK> ALA 2020 ELECTION AASL members on ballot for ALA positions<http://bit.ly/2TD5GTK> Polls now open in 2020 PLA election<http://bit.ly/2xs81s1> AWARDS AND GRANTS 2020 ACRL section award recipients announced<http://bit.ly/2vTlkBa> Public Library Association announces 2020 award winners<http://bit.ly/3cMWgfM> Sarah Schroeder awarded Bogle Pratt International Library Travel Fund Award<http://bit.ly/2vgcCNi> WEBINARS LLAMA webinar offers a more effective way to give employee feedback<http://bit.ly/2vYG0b9> Extra news - 3/4/20 YALSA names 2020 Writing Award recipients<http://bit.ly/2TGgsHo> The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has named the winners of its 2020 Writing Award with individuals being awarded in four categories. Read more<http://bit.ly/2TGgsHo> AASL to host webinars for school library preparation faculty and instructors<http://bit.ly/2IjBxSP> The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Coordinating Committee will host a six-part webinar series to assist college and university faculty as they begin to align their programs, individual courses, and assessments to the 2019 ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards. School library professionals teaching as faculty, instructor, or adjunct in a school library preparation program are invited to attend. Registration is now open at www.ala.org/aasl/caep/webinars<http://www.ala.org/aasl/caep/webinars>. Read more<http://bit.ly/2IjBxSP> LLAMA webinars help new supervisors hit the ground running<http://bit.ly/2PMUzVW> If you are a new supervisor, it helps to be prepared for the challenges your staff may present to you. Whether you were promoted from within or hired from the outside, you can expect to face similar issues. Your staff may have conflicts among themselves, with past management or with customers that should be addressed. You will also need to determine the best way to build an effective team, a process that is vital to your staff’s success and yours. The Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) will present two webinars for new supervisors: “Resolving Past Conflicts,” and “Teambuilding for the Future.” These webinars address two of LLAMA's 14 Foundational Leadership Competencies. Read more<http://bit.ly/2PMUzVW> Hebah Emara named 2019-20 LITA/OCLC Spectrum Scholar<http://bit.ly/32RWU7l> The Library and Information Technology Association and OCLC are funding Hebah Emara's participation in the ALA Spectrum Scholars program as part of their commitment to help diversify the library technology field. Emara is a second-year distance student at the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Information Science and Learning Technologies MLIS program. She is interested in the ways libraries and technology intersect. Read more<http://bit.ly/32RWU7l> Jennifer L. Dean - PhD, MLIS - she, her, hers MLA Board of Directors and ALA Councilor Dean of Libraries and Instructional Technology Distance Education Coordinator University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio 4001 West McNichols Rd Detroit, MI 48221 313-993-1090 deanjl@udmercy.edu [cid:1ecc2e05-33be-49be-9a4d-6577b502017c]