NELIG Annual Report 2004/2005

 

 

 

The New England Library Instruction group continues to provide strong leadership and professional
development opportunities for librarian/instructors throughout the region. The early formation of a
Steering Committee enabled the group to plan the year’s activities and locations, and provide timely
information on them through our website. Both the Steering Committee and the Annual Planning
Committee have provided vital support and guidance for our programs and the Chair acknowledges
and expresses deep gratitude for their continuing contributions.

NELIG held three programs this year, as well as sponsoring a breakout session at the ACRL/NEC
Annual Conference. A concerted effort was made to hold meetings in various areas of the region,
culminating in our Annual Conference being held in Portland at the University of Southern Maine.
As always, our members were happy to host our meetings, managing room, technology and
breakfast arrangements.

The first meeting of the year was hosted by incoming Chair, Sandra Rothenberg, at Framingham
State College. The theme was “Standards in Sixty: incorporating the ACRL Information Literacy
Standards into the one-shot library instruction session.” Presenters were Kathy Labadorf of UConn,
Corrine Ebbs of Westfield State College, Karen McNulty of Boston College, Linda Stern of Mass.
Bay Community College and Barbara Kenney of Roger Williams University.

NELIG met again in November at Rennselaer at Hartford and hosted by Cecelia Dalzell. The
meeting was a joint effort between ITIG and NELIG and featured a presentation by Kari Mofford,
Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Heidi McCann, Mt. Wachussett Community College, on
“Teaching: Immersion Style.” Project LOLA (Learning Objects/Learning Activities) was presented
by Kendall Hobbs and Rob DeMeulemeester of Wesleyan. The March meeting was held at
Quinnipiac University and was facilitated by Kathy Labadorf of UConn and Laurie Sabol of Tufts.
The topic was assessment, one that many librarians are currently struggling with.

The ACRL/NEC Annual Conference provided an opportunity for NELIG to sponsor a breakout
session on “Teaching in the Information Commons.” Over eighty attendees listened to Mark Caprio
of Boston College, and John Schlinke of Roger Williams Unversity, discuss the implications of
space and media on teaching and learning in the commons environment. Barb Mann, of the
University of Southern Maine, a listed panelist, was unable to attend and her paper was presented
by John Schlinke. The session was moderated by NELIG Chair Barbara Kenney of Roger Williams.

Bringing the NELIG Annual Conference to Portland is enabling us to reach out to our colleagues in
Northern New England, many of whom will be first-time conference attendees. Registration was
closed at over 120 attendees with an extensive waiting list. Our keynote will be Ken Bain, author
of What the Best College Teachers Do. A reception, hosted by the University of Southern Maine,
will be held the evening before the conference. Special rates were secured at the Eastland Hotel,
and many conference-goers are taking advantage of the discount to spend a few days in Portland.

NELIG was well represented at the ACRL/NEC Dessert Social in January. Norma Gahl, our
incoming Secretary, provided a visual presentation of NELIG activities for attendees. The new year
will bring new leadership for NELIG; Sandra Rothenberg of Framingham State College is the New
Chair, Norma Gahl of Newbury College, our new Secretary. The Chair-elect position will be
shared by Susan Herzog of Eastern Connecticut State and Kendall Hobbs of Wesleyan.

It has been a pleasure and privilege to chair NELIG this past year. NELIG members are committed
to developing their teaching skills and sharing their collective experiences in order to better support
our students. Instruction librarians contribute significantly to the vitality of their campuses and will
continue to meet the challenges presented by growing and changing technologies, Googledom, the
Millennials, dwindling resources, and the ever-shifting academic landscape, with hospitality, good
humor and collegiality. NELIGers rock!

Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Kenney, Chair, 2004-2005
Reference and Instructional Services Librarian
Roger William University
June 2, 2005