St. Catherine University: SLA

On Tuesday, December 7, 2010, the St. Kate’s Special Library Association Student Group will host a Silent Auction fundraiser at the Holiday Party event sponsored by MALL and SLA at St. Kate's to raise funds for a scholarship. This scholarship will help to send a St. Kate’s MLIS student to the SLA Annual Conference being held in Philadelphia in June 2011. We would love your help with donations! Some of the most popular items include: Gift certificates – Gas Stations, Restaurants, coffee/tea shops, movie theaters, video stores, book retailers, pet stores, craft stores, Home Depot, Best Buy – any place you frequent. Gift baskets – wine/liquor, bath items, BBQ tools Tickets to sporting or cultural events – MN Wild, Vikings, Guthrie Memberships – museums, cultural Hand-crafted items – jewelry, purses, scarves, quilts, knitted items Photography or Artwork An invitation to dinner or a home-cooked meal An hour of housecleaning service or some babysitting Anything YOU WOULD li...

The student group sponsored two events in October, the Plymouth Library Tour and Speed Networking event and Salon #4 – How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All .  Both events were in collaboration with the MN chapter and it was great to see so many students and MN chapter members at the events. On October 15, the student group hosted its first Salon series event for the Marilyn Johnson lecture, How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All , held at St. Catherine University.  Ms. Johnson spoke of how once she lost her research and IT department at Time magazine, she discovered the myriad of services available to her at her public library and how they have saved her personally and professionally.  She spoke the praises of librarians far and wide! Afterwards, the dinner, drinks and discussion at Geordies 454 Bistro was well attended by MN Chapter members and St. Kate’s students and faculty.  And, the best surprise of all, Marilyn Johnson joined us f...

There is still time to RSVP for MN Chapter's Salon 4:  Librarians to the Rescue, dinner, drinks and discussion following Marilyn Johnson's lecture.  Please RSVP by sending an email to csimon1656@gmail.com by Wednesday, October 13. See our original blog post for details,  Salon 4 - Librarians to the Rescue

The St. Catherine University’s Special Libraries Association invites you to attend: Plymouth Library Architectural Tour + Speed Networking Tour the new Plymouth Library with architect Jonathan Strand of Bentz/Thompson/Rietow and one of the Plymouth librarians. The Plymouth Library opened this past spring in the city of Plymouth.  It is one of the latest public libraries to open in the Twin Cities area and it exemplifies some of the most cutting-edge ideas about what a contemporary library should be.  A feasibility study that evaluated options for remodeling the existing facility and constructing an all-new building resulted in the decision to design a new building to overcome the constraints of the existing facility.  This resolution opened the door for rethinking the library from the ground up.  It also coincided with Hennepin County’s making a new commitment to sustainability, particularly to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.  With these decisions in pl...

The St. Kate’s SLA Student Group is extending the party!  You are invited to join Minnesota SLA Chapter members for a post-lecture discussion, dinner, and drinks following the book talk  with author Marilyn Johnson on Friday, October 15, 2010 . The SGO is sponsoring Marilyn Johnson’s talk about her new book, “This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All.”  (See the SGO announcement at http://lissgo.blogspot.com/2010/07/author-marilyn-johnson-to-speak-at-st.html .) After the lecture , the St. Kate's SLA Student Group is hosting a group discussion at Geordies 454 Bistro as part of the Minnesota SLA Salon Series.  Please join MN SLA members and your fellow students for the post-lecture dinner and drinks from Geordies new Fall menu. This is a great social and networking opportunity! Marilyn Johnson's talk will be followed by questions and a book signing.  Books will be available for purchase from Common Good Books. Please RSVP for ...

The St. Kate’s SLA Student Group Web site has MOVED!   And, we have a new LOOK! Check out our new site at http://units.sla.org/StudentGrps/ucsc/ and explore.  At our site you can find out about: Who we are Upcoming tours and events Our past activities Resources for study, the information profession, and the job search Scholarships Ways you can participate!! We would like to thank Lacey Mamak, our out-going Webmaster, for her work on the new CSS design.  We appreciate her design efforts and getting us started on an updated look with a more maintainable CSS layout!!  Thank you Lacey! So, be sure to update your Student Group Website bookmark!   (For a while our old URL, http://units.sla.org/StudentGrps/ucsc/home.shtml , will forward to the new address.)     Happy Browsing and check back frequently for events and ways you can Join us this Semester!

On Monday, August 30, 2010 , the student group leadership is holding a 2010-2011 kickoff planning meeting. We are meeting at Brewberry's coffee shop near campus to begin planning events and library tours for the upcoming school year. This is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the student group and get more involved! We have a few things in the works, but please join us and bring your ideas on how we can explore and learn more about special librarianship! Brewberry's The Coffee Place - near St. Kate's campus 75 Fairview Avenue South, St Paul, MN 55105-1712 Monday, August 30, 2010 5:15 p.m. Also, please join us even if you only want to learn more about the student group or meet this year's co-leaders. You don't have to jump in with both feet - you can do as much or as little as you are comfortable with. Or, if you can't make it next week and have ideas to share or want to be involved in the future please email the student group at: stkates...

The Minnesota SLA chapter announced the 2010 winner of their annual Grieg Aspnes Scholarship.  Congratulations go to Carol Lynn O'Gara - our own student group Co-Leader!  Here is the announcement made today from the Minnesota chapter: Congratulations to Carol Lynn O'Gara, the winner of the 2010 Grieg Aspnes scholarship! Carol is planning on graduating in May of 2011 from the St. Kate’s MLIS program.  She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Thomas and her law degree from the University of Minnesota. Carol Lynn has served as one of the SLA Student Group co-presidents and will continue that role in the upcoming year.  She has especially enjoyed her management and technology classes at St. Kate’s, and while her interests cover many areas of special librarianship, her newest interest is law libraries. She just accepted a job at Crane Engineering as a librarian/research assistant. Carol Lynn also continues to volunteer at the Minnesota State Service for ...

The Student Governance Organization (SGO) of St. Catherine University's MLIS program is hosting author Marilyn Johnson on October 15, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. in the Jeanne d’Arc auditorium on St. Catherine University’s St. Paul Campus. Ms. Johnson is the author of  This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All . For more information see St. Kate's MLIS SGO Blog .

Yes, you have landed at the right place. - your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  This is the St. Kate's Special Library Association Student Group blog! This new look for our blog is a preview of the new look for the Student Group Web site.  The Web site redesign is in testing and will be launched before the start of the new school year.  The blog has been redesigned to match more closely with the new Web site design and create a cohesive online presence for the Student Group. Watch here for the announcement when the Web site redesign goes live!

Polly Perkins was our 2010 SLA National Conference Scholarship Winner and she was off to New Orleans in June. Polly wrote of her experience at her first SLA National Conference for the MN SLA Chapter's Spring 2010 Bulletin . Her reflections are reprinted here: SLA in New Orleans: What a Great Time! Polly Perkins, Student Group Co-President I was so excited to be awarded with the St. Kate's SLA Student Group Conference Scholarship. I was thrilled to be able to experience a truly professional networking and learning opportunity in a city I had not seen for over twenty years. When I arrived, I gathered my maps and headed out for a stroll around the French Quarter. I had no concept of the true definition of hot until I stepped outside my hotel and was steam broiled in about two seconds. As I walked and sweated, I was amazed at how lovingly the history had been preserved by the current residents and their refusal to give in to the devastation caused by Katrina. There is a unique...

Our new Associate Dean for the St. Kate's MLIS program, Dr. Deborah Grealy, was introduced to the MN SLA Chapter at their meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 . Dr. Grealy spoke of her career in Special Librarianship and how she has always sought out the local SLA chapter. She also spoke of the accreditation process and her vision for St. Catherine University's MLIS program. She was warmly received by Minnesota's special librarians. Following Dr. Grealy's talk, five St. Catherine MLIS graduates and current students sat on a Reverse Mentoring Panel. The purpose of the panel was to provide veteran librarians with some insight from new librarians. The panelists spoke of school and work experiences that have been most helpful to them, ways experienced librarians can help those of us new on the job, the importance of communication and business skills, and being a "pretend extrovert." Many thanks go out to Liz Scheibel for planning and moderating the panel. Also, ...

Before we begin the new school year, it is time to look back at some of the events we had last spring. On Monday, March 15 the student group joined with the SCU MLIS department and shared a Monday Night Event. The student group's portion of the evening was a presentation on the SLA Alignment Project. The following recap, from Polly Perkins, was published in the MN SLA Chapter's Spring 2010 Bulletin : "Caralyn Champa, MLIS Alum 2009, and SLA Alignment Ambassador, presented at the March 1st Monday night event at St Kates on the Alignment Project, an intensive two-year research effort recently undertaken by the Special Libraries Association. The Alignment Project was aimed at understanding the value of the information and knowledge professional in today's marketplace and how to communicate that value. Caralyn's report covered the Projects results, information of interest to everyone concerned with the changing information landscape and SLA. Caralyn's PowerPoint...

Apply now for the Grieg Aspnes Memorial Award, a scholarship awarded to a St. Catherine University MLIS student who is interested in Special Librarianship. The scholarship is awarded by the Minnesota SLA Chapter. The following information is from the MN SLA Chapter: The Grieg Aspnes Memorial Award $2,000 Award for a SCU Student Interested in Special Librarianship Library and Information Science students, either full-time or part-time, are invited to apply for an award of up to $2,000.00 and complimentary membership in the Special Libraries Association and the Minnesota Chapter of SLA. Only one such award will be granted annually and is limited to students who will graduate in December 2010 or later. The criteria are: Interest in special librarianship, as shown by course selection or past experience; Leadership abilities, demonstrated in either academic or extracurricular activities; Overall academic achievements. Students who are interested in applying should submit a letter addre...

On April 1, two groups of about five St. Kate's MLIS students traded an hour of beautiful spring weather for a tour of the library at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts , and the trade was well worth it! Head Librarian Janice Lurie gave us an introduction to the library/archives and the purpose it serves for the museum as a whole. She gave us all very good advice on the need to stay proactive and to work collaboratively with institutional colleagues, while keeping the organization's overall vision and mission in mind. We heard about the wide variety of patrons at the library from Assistant Librarian Jessica McIntyre. She wowed everyone with her ability to answer obscure questions from the public, from students, and from museum curators. NHPRC (National Historical Publications and Records Commission) Project Archivist Stephanie Kays told us about the projects that she works on as part of a three year grant. She is working with museum staff on document management issue...

We had twenty-one people, including four alumni, come learn about how to create an e-portfolio for marketing yourself in the job market. Thanks for the great turnout! If you are interested in taking Ellen's e-portfolio class it is offered, free of charge, fall and spring semesters to SCU students and alumni. Watch the KateWay News. If you were unable to attend on March 8 you will soon be able to download the handout of e-portfolio resources from the SCU MLIS Web site. Watch for it on the Events Archive page.

Caralyn Champa, MLIS Alum 2009, and SLA Alignment Ambassador, presented on the Alignment Project, an intensive two-year research effort undertaken recently by the Special Libraries Association at the March 1st Monday night event at St Kates. The Alignment Project was aimed at understanding the value of the information and knowledge professional in today's marketplace and how to communicate that value. Caralyn's report covered the Projects results, information of interest to everyone concerned with the changing information landscape and SLA. Caralyn's Powerpoint presentation is available at: http://www.stkate.edu/~mlisweb/change/eventsarchive.php

Are you beginning or in the middle of a job search? Come learn about an exciting way to market yourself, the principles of a good portfolio, how to tailor it for your MLIS skill set, and tips for using an e-portfolio in your job search. The St. Kate's SLA Student Group and the St. Kate's MLIS department are proud to present: Marketing Yourself with a Professional E-Portfolio Monday, March 8, 2010 6:30 - 8:00 PM Coeur de Catherine, room 20 Ellen Richter-Norgel, Director of Student Retention at St. Catherine University, will take us through the process of creating an electronic portfolio that will help you stand out in a crowd, especially in this tight job market. Eight years ago Ellen developed the workshop "Developing Your Professional E-Portfolio." She continues to teach this free course to St. Kate undergrads, graduate students, and alumni. Ellen will discuss what a portfolio is and what it isn't, the importa...

We're pleased to announce that the winner of this year's conference scholarship is Polly Perkins. The scholarship, up to $2000 in reimbursements, will send Polly to the SLA 2010 Annual Conference in New Orleans this June. Polly Perkins has been a member of both the SLA Minnesota Chapter and the St Kate's Student SLA Group for two years. She has been part of the leadership team for the Student Group this academic year and plans to graduate in May of 2011. Last year, she parlayed a student library internship at Enclos Corp, a design/build specialty construction firm in Eagan, into a full-time position as their solo librarian. She is in the middle of rolling out an online knowledge center at Enclos and is very excited to attend her first SLA conference. Librarianship is Polly's third career;previously, she was a hospital administrator specializing in EPA/OSHA regulations and adult education, and later, she was a landscape designer for a local nursery. She is grateful for...

We are taking applications until January 31 for the Student Group's annual scholarship for attending the SLA conference. Details can be found at http://units.sla.org/studentgrps/ucsc/confschol.shtml (please make sure to read the whole page / all the requirements). Any questions can be emailed to the address on that page. The scholarship is for reimbursements up to $2000 - plenty to cover all your essential expenses! Get the details on the conference at https://www.sla.org/content/Events/conference/index.cfm .