February 05, 2024

We are excited to announce that the WRLC Annual Meeting will take place on May 21-23rd, 2024.

This three-day event is an opportunity for us to come together as a community and celebrate our achievements, share our experiences, and plan for the future.

We are planning a packed agenda filled with engaging discussions and opportunities for networking. Whether you are a new member or a long-time supporter, you won't want to miss this chance to connect with your colleagues and peers.

In next month’s newsletter, we will be sharing more information about the program, and how to sign up to be a presenter. In the meantime, we encourage you to mark your calendars and plan to join us for this exciting event.

We look forward to seeing you in May!

- WRLC Sharing Expertise Committee

Twice per year, Ex Libris refreshes all Sandbox environments. A refresh means that all data and configurations are copied from the corresponding production environment to the sandbox; these replace any data and configurations already existing in the sandbox.

Our first refresh of the new year is scheduled for Sunday, February 11th, 2024.

WRLC will do its best to recreate all consortial user accounts created in the past six months (login information will be emailed to all applicable users), but if you find that you do not have access to the sandbox after Tuesday, February 13th, you can fill out the WRLC Sandbox Access Request Form to request a new sandbox user account.

American University Library is awarded inaugural INSIGHT Into Diversity LEAD Award

INSIGHT’s Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award acknowledges initiatives to make academic libraries diverse, equitable, and accessible spaces. From increasing diversity in our hiring to countless DEIA focused events, the library is excited to share the initiatives that are being recognized by this esteemed award.

Learn more about the award here: https://www.insightintodiversity.com/lead-award/

Reparative Cataloging Update for January 2024

Each month, members of the WRLC Reparative Cataloging Subgroup take turns sharing news related to reparative cataloging and recent updates to the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSHs).

There have been no updates to LCSH in the last month. There are, however, a number of tentative lists of headings awaiting approval by the Library of Congress. These headings are not yet valid for use in cataloging until they have been approved. Here are some highlights from the tentative lists:

• Africanfuturism - referring to the literary genre distinct from Afrofuturism

• Black towns - referring to municipalities in the United States or Canada established in the 19th to early 20th centuries by or for freed persons and Black people

• Fat shaming

• Fat acceptance

Also, please check out news related to critical cataloging from across the profession collected by Violet Fox at the Cataloging Lab website: https://cataloginglab.org/2024/01/02/critcatenate-critcat-in-december-2023/.

As always, if you see headings or descriptions that you feel should be updated or changed, please submit the Reparative description heading reporting form created by the subgroup or join us at our next meeting on February 21, 2024.

Job Opportunity at WRLC

WRLC is seeking an SCF Specialist to work in our Upper Marlboro headquarters.  This is a great job for a recent graduate of a WRLC partner institution or a part-time librarian seeking a full-time job with benefits.  More information is below:

JOB TITLE: Shared Collections Specialist

SUMMARY:

The Shared Collections Specialist plays a key role in ensuring the success of the WRLC by accessioning, shelving, retrieving, scanning and fulfilling requests for books, journals, archival boxes and other library materials housed in the WRLC Shared Collections Facility (SCF). The Shared Collections Specialist reports to the Shared Collections Supervisor and provides guidance to the temporary processing staff and to the courier staff, as needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Processes books, journals, audio-visual media, archival boxes and microforms into the WRLC Shared Collections Facility. Unpacks, inspects, and sorts materials. Assembles and labels trays. Uses the WRLC’s processing website to update item records for inventory control and to cross-check accessioning to ensure 100% data accuracy.

• Retrieves and refiles requested materials from the SCF and microforms collection. Shelves materials in the SCF using an automated lift and portable scanner. Careful attention to accurately refiling materials is essential. Use of the lift requires OSHA certification.

• Fills requests for loans by printing out requests; pulling materials from the SCF shelves or microform cabinets, scanning and electronically transmitting articles and preparing physical materials for delivery.

• In the absence of the Shared Collections Supervisor, organizes and revises the work of the temporary processing staff and coordinates the delivery service to ensure timely receipt of materials requested by faculty, students and others in the Consortium libraries.

• Professional Development, Training and other Initiatives: Serves on committees and task forces. Participates in meetings and departmental planning. Provides constructive input for enhancements to services or revisions to policies and procedures. Serves as backup to other positions as necessary. Undertakes special projects and performs other duties as assigned. Seeks new knowledge and updates skills to enhance performance in all areas of responsibility.

QUALIFICATIONS

Expected: A high school diploma. Strong oral and written communication skills. Knowledge of Windows desktop, word processing, e-mail, and scanning software.  Ability to adjust to periods of increased workflow and varying responsibilities; flexible; ability to work as part of a team in a changing environment. Ability to handle heavy loads (lift 50 lbs. regularly; 80 lbs. on occasion.)

Desired: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Experience using Ex Libris’ Alma. Familiarity with the role of academic libraries meeting the information needs of students, faculty and staff; library or document delivery experience preferred.

To apply, please send cover letter and resume to personnel@wrlc.org.

• Benefits Summary

• WRLC Employee Handbook

A Review of Generative AI Tools for Research

2/9/2024 - 12:00:00 PM

With the advent of ChatGPT and AI in general, doing library research has never been more complicated! Come and test drive several 'new' products that will dramatically assist you in your research. We will explore such tools and platforms as Perplexity, Elicit, Consensus, Lateral, ScholarAI, OpenAlex, and Scite and how they can streamline your research workflow.

Instructors: Kevin Gunn, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship and Charles Gallagher, Research and Instruction Librarian.

- Kevin Gunn, CU
gunn@cua.edu

Open@WRLC $2,000 Faculty Course Transformation Program Request for Proposals and Information Webinars

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 : 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - https://open.wrlc.org/events/wed-02142024-1200

Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 : 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - https://open.wrlc.org/events/thu-02222024-1300

Webinars Via Zoom

The WRLC is excited to launch the second pilot year of the Open@WRLC Faculty Course Transformation Program with a  Request for Proposals! The $2,000 OER Adoption stipend is intended to support faculty who wish to replace a commercial textbook with OER. Those who adopt a resource will be using existing resource(s) as-is or with minimal editorial changes. Selected faculty will be expected to adopt the selected material during the 2024-2025 academic year. Final submissions are due Monday, March 4, 2024 11:59 (EST).

In addition to Open@WRLC Faculty Curse Transformation Program, please join the WRLC's Textbook Affordability Working Group (TAWG) to learn more about the faculty stipend program in which workshop attendees can earn $200 for writing a review of a textbook in the Open Textbook Library. More details about how to register for upcoming informational webinars and contact your campus TAWG representative can be found here on the Open@WRLC Events page. We look forward to seeing you!

https://open.wrlc.org/events

CORE Interest Group Week

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures (a division of ALA) is the national association that advances the profession of librarians and information providers in central roles of buildings & operations, leadership & management, metadata & collections, and technology. It is made up of 45 interest groups covering an increasingly broad range of areas. Interest Group Week happens the first full week of March each year. It consists of 30 discussions and programs over 5 days, all free and open to everyone. Each session lasts one hour. Each year's schedule is posted the first week in February, and registration links are added as information is submitted by the individual interest groups. Recordings are posted the second week in March. The Library Storage Interest Group presents two brief discussions from library storage professionals on Tuesday, March 5th at 4:00 PM. WRLC’s Aaron Krebeck and Princeton University’s Ian Bogus will discuss high-density deaccessions and Amy Boucher from Harvard University will be talking about what happens when you are given an old coffin factory as a library storage facility!

View CORE’s full list of interest groups to join year-round discussions and activities.

• Acquisitions Coordinator - Georgetown Law Library

• Shared Collections Specialist - WRLC

• Information Literacy Librarian - The University of the District of Columbia

• Librarian, Electronic Resources - Gallaudet University

• Librarian, Instruction and Research - Gallaudet University

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