RUSA Structure Taskforce Final Recommendations

Presented by Kate KosturskiRUSA 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 membership2. Better meet member needs and interests3. Facilitate member participation4. Make the best use of RUSA committee and board meeting time.

Task Force Recommendations

1. Attract more non-academic librarians to RUSA2. 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 participation4. Explore joint programming and other collaborative efforts

with other ALA divisions and roundtables5. 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.comCatherine.kosturski@ithaka.org

Twitter: librarian_kateGoogle Plus: +Kate Kosturski