Building a Community to Foster Your Professional Growth
Free Online Presentation
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
1:00-2:00 PM (Central)
Presented via Zoom
Registration Link
Many academic and research librarians work solo or in small organizations. Working in these environments can foster extremely versatile skill-building and independence. However, it can also lead to a feeling of isolation from other librarians. One common concern among librarians who feel disconnected is that they do not have the opportunities to learn from others, and to benefit from mentorship, collaboration, or other opportunities for professional growth.
In this presentation, four experienced librarians with academic and research experience will discuss a range of opportunities for individual librarians to build community with professional growth in mind. Zary Kamarei will discuss ways in which librarians can connect with colleagues in the same geographic region to support professional growth. Kate Silton will discuss strategies for building communities of practice beyond those created by professional organizations. Erin Richter-Weikum will use her experience in research libraries to discuss opportunities for non-academic librarians and libraries. Karen Sobel will discuss strategies for seeking and building mentoring relationships in order to develop as a professional and ultimately “move to the next level.” The session will include a substantial amount of time for discussion with participants.
This free presentation is sponsored by the ACRL University Libraries Section Professional Development Committee.
Presenter Bios
Karen Sobel is an Associate Professor and a Teaching and Learning Librarian at the University of Colorado Denver. She also directs the University’s Center for Faculty Development & Advancement, which houses a very active faculty mentoring program.
Erin Richter-Weikum is an Information and Research Specialist at L.E.K. Consulting in San Francisco.
Zahra Kamarei (Zary) is the Director of Library Services for the Taylor Health Sciences Library. Prior to joining Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE), she worked as the Director of Science and Engineering Libraries at University of Rochester. Currently she is a member of the editorial board of the Science and Technology Libraries.
Kate Silton is Electronic Resources Librarian/Associate Professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Additional Information
If you can’t make this session but wish to view a recording later, please register so that you’ll receive an email that includes a link to the video of the presentation.
Please direct questions and concerns to Laura Gariepy (lwgariepy@vcu.edu) or Sam Harlow (slharlow@uncg.edu), co-chairs of the ACRL ULS Professional Development Committee. A full list of the committee’s past and future programs are available here.
