Post on 29-Dec-2015
RUSA Structure Taskforce Final Recommendations
Presented by Kate Kosturski
RUSA Board Meeting
21 January 2012
RUSA Board, Midwinter 2012, #B1201
Task Force ChargeThe taskforce will review the recommendations of the RUSA
Electronic Participation taskforce as part of its work, but will go
beyond simply looking at electronic participation. The taskforce
will make recommendations for structural changes that RUSA can
implement that can help to:
1. Increase membership
2. Better meet member needs and interests
3. Facilitate member participation
4. Make the best use of RUSA committee and board meeting
time.
Task Force Recommendations
1. Attract more non-academic librarians to RUSA
2. Provide Suggestions and Guidelines for Divisions and
Committees to Transition from In-Person to Virtual Meetings
3. Build and maintain support resources on the RUSA
Website/ALA Connect to foster electronic participation
4. Explore joint programming and other collaborative efforts
with other ALA divisions and roundtables
5. Increase efficiencies and eliminate duplication across RUSA
divisions
Recommendation #1: Attract More Non-Academic Librarians
Did you know…
• Approx. ½ of RUSA
membership is not an
academic librarian
• Many RUSA members
belong to at least one
other ALA Division
Recommendation #1: Attract More Non-Academic Librarians
Develop a Value Proposition Statement!
• RUSA Mission
• RUSA Membership Goals
• Facts about non-academic lib membership
• Testimonies of membership value
• Myth v. fact statements about membership
Recommendation #1: Attract More Non-Academic Librarians
Marketing Initiatives
• Survey to non-academic librarians
• Targeted marketing
• Reform committee structure (ex. Medical
librarian committee)
• Collaboration with other ALA Divisions
• RUSA “ambassadors”
Recommendation #2: Transition from in-Person to
Virtual MeetingsAreas of Issue/Concern for
Transition
• Tools
• Access
• Timing
• Chair Responsibility
• Participant Commitment
Recommendation #2: Transition from in-Person to
Virtual MeetingsTools
• Free vs. paid, ease of use
• Tools under consideration:
– AdobeConnect, GoToMeeting, Skype
• RUSA Web Conferencing Task Force chose
Blackboard
Recommendation #2: Transition from in-Person to
Virtual MeetingsAccess
• Not all tech is
created equal!
• Personal vs. work
computers
• Operating systems –
Mac vs. PC
Recommendation #2: Transition from in-Person to
Virtual MeetingsTiming – When is the best
time to have a meeting?
– Weekday vs. Weekend
– Time of day
– Time of year
– Time zones
– Level of Access
Recommendation #2: Transition from in-Person to
Virtual MeetingsIssues for Committee Chairs and Attendees
• For Committee Chairs…
– Setting goals, meeting schedule and deadlines
– Increased communication
• For Attendees
– Funding not available for virtual attendance
– Easier to zone out/multitask (not fully engaged)
– In-person needs take priority
Recommendation #3: Building and Maintaining a Support
PageGood News!
The RUSA Web Page
and RUSA ALA
Connect Site are in
place and ready to
serve this particular
need
Recommendation #3: Building and Maintaining a Support
PageHow can we make this relationship
work?
• Use both sites in tandem!
– Put general information on the RUSA website
– Link to the details on the ALA Connect page!
• Make sure it’s updated!
– Easy to do for ALA Connect
– What about RUSA Website?
Recommendation #3: Building and Maintaining a Support
PageBut there’s room for improvement…
• Drupal Migration: Any Move is a Mess
– Site looks great, but you can’t find things.
• We need good calendar
applications/software!
– Should be easy to use/update
– Must have option to export/download
events
Recommendation #4: Joint Programs with ALA
Divisions/Roundtables• Many RUSA members are
also members of another
ALA Division/Roundtable
• Other divisions have
collaborated successfully
in the past
– LITA/LLAMA Leadership
conference: 1996
Recommendation #4: Joint Programs with ALA
Divisions/Roundtables
• American Association of
School Librarians (AASL)
• Association for Library
Collections & Technical
Services (ALCTS)
• Association for Library
Services to Children
(ALSC)
• Library Leadership
and Management
Association (LLAMA)
• Public Library
Association (PLA)
• Future interest: Gov’t
Docs Round Table
(GODORT)
Groups Interested in Collaboration
Recommendation #5: Increase Efficiencies and Eliminate Duplication
Across DivisionsWho should do this?
Not this task force!
• 2012 Emerging
Leaders Project
• Separate Task force,
RUSA Board, Heads of
Committees, RUSA
O&P Committee?
Recommendation #5: Increase Efficiencies and Eliminate Duplication
Across DivisionsSome questions to ask in transition planning…
• Are all sections appropriately meeting RUSA’s Mission and
Goals?
• Is the section based organizational model working?
• Are there roles that could be best performed by the RUSA
board?
• Is there an appropriate degree of coordination among the six
sections?
• Is there any degree of duplication among the six sections that
can be reduc
Heartfelt Thanks to the RUSA Structure Taskforce
Greg Fleming(RUSA BRASS)
Sarah Jane Hammill(RUSA RSS)
Geneva Holliday(RUSA STARS)
Edward Kownslar(RUSA CODES)
Mary K. Mannix(RUSA History)
Donna Scanlon(RUSA MARS)
Joseph A. Thompson, Jr.
(RUSA Member)
Heartfelt thanks as well to Gary White (RUSA President) and everyone at the RUSA home office!
Questions? Contact Me!
librariankate7578@gmail.com
Catherine.kosturski@ithaka.org
Twitter: librarian_kate
Google Plus: +Kate Kosturski