Welcome to MLA’s Paralibrarian Section! 

*** 2011-2012 Paralibrarian Meeting Schedule  ***

All meetings are on Thursday mornings, 10am – 12noon

                    2011

                    9/8     Newton Free Library
                              Agenda: Conference planning, membership, promotion

                    10/20  Worcester Public Library
                              Agenda: PARA Guidelines

                    11/17  Virtual Meeting – Skype* 
                              Agenda: PARA guidelines, publicity for Awards, BCDT

                    2012

                     1/12   Reading Public Library
                              Agenda: PARA Guidelines, Awards, BCDT

                     2/23   Virtual Meeting – Skype*  (time change: 1:30 - 3pm)
                              Agenda: PARA meeting with MBLC, Awards, BCDT

                     3/15   Memorial Hall Library, Andover      
                              Agenda: Awards Voting (10:30am Executive Session)  

          
                     5/9   MLA Annual Conference: Paralibrarian Section Annual Meeting

                     5/31     Northeastern University Library      
                              Agenda: Wrap-up and Board transition

• Book Cart Drill Team Competition Rules & Regulations; team application; and score criteria

• Register your team online

• 
  **THANK YOU DEMCO for your generous donations to sponsor the BCDT Competition**
  

• Join in the discussion: the Paralibrarian Blog!
  
  
• PARA: PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement 

Contact and mail application to:
PARA Program
c/o Debbie Pennino
Northeastern University Libraries
360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA
617-373 7722
dpennino@neu.edu

 

• Career Development - Browse Awards, Grants & Scholarships

Online Web Courses (free!!!) and eligible for Continuing Education Credits (CEU)
or
go to this site for ALA Online Learning digital supplement:
http://ala-publishing.informz.net/ala-publishing/archives/archive_2175090.html

• 5 Good Reasons to Join the MLA Paralibrarian Section

Special ALA/MLA joint membership deal!!

• Meeting dates for the Paralibrarian Section Executive Board
  
  
• Our Mission and Goals
  
  
• Paralibrarian Officers and Committee Chairs
  
  
• Are you interested in participating in the Section or becoming an officer of the Paralibrarian Section?

• Paralibrarian Section By-laws

• The Paralibrarian Award Recipients & Nominees 2012

Armine Bagdasarian- Regis College, Weston
Alexis Bergeron- Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield
Lyndal Blodgett- Concord Free Library
Gerry Deyermond-Memorial Hall Library, Andover
Martha Grant- Melrose Public Library
Cindy Hinckley-Sherborn Library
Debbie Hogan-Henry Whittmore Library, Framingham State University
Amanda McClaine-Cary Memorial Library, Lexington
Carla B. Morrissey- Mt Wachusett Community College, Gardner
Hope Schneider-Greenfield Community College Library
Judith Straeffer-Chelmsford High School Learning Commons
Joan Sutherland- East Forest Park Branch Library, Springfield
Group Nomination–Millis Public Library
Donna Brooks, Joan Dikun, Nancy Doyle,
Lorraine Fermano, Karen Mortimer, Maria Neville, Rena Romano, Marcie Smith, Betsy Vecchi

PARA - PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement
Please come to one of our workshops to get answers to all of your questions about the PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement

• PARA Recipients 2006 - 2011
  
• PARA Guidelines - Click here (and forms)

P A R A(PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement)Recipients Levels I; II; III; IV* Developed and implemented by the MLA Paralibrarian Section*
   
         2012

                Level I   Judith Fallon- Gordon Library- WPI-Worcester
                            Kevin MacKenzie- Shea Library- American International College/ Springfield

                Level II  Karen Horn- Sturgis Library- Barnstable
                            Cindy Filipe- Reuben Hoar Library- Littleton

2011
Level I -	Lori Salotto - Middleborough Public Library Meredith Toumayan - the Governor's Academy, Byfield                       Gina Wells - Mowhawk Trail Regional School District
Level II -	Virginai Julian - Gordon Library/WPI - Worcester                        Sandy Leifeld - Newton Free Library
2010
Level I -	Karen Horn- Sturgis Library- Barnstable                       Toni Wilcox- Mohawk Trail Regional School District
Level III –	Gerry Deyermond- Memorial Hall Library, Andover                         Kathy Coughlin- Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton
2009
Level I –	Genie Shearer- Mohawk Trail Regional School District                      Virginia Julian- Gordon Library/WPI, Worcester
Level III –	Linda Dodge- Gleason Public Library, Carlisle
2008
Level I –	Wanda Musacchio- Mohawk Trail Regional School District
Level III –	Allison Sloan – Reading Public Library, Reading                          Carol Geary, Sutton Free Public Library, Sutton
2007
Level I –	Mary Boehmer, Hawlmont School Library, Charlemont Betty Smith, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton                       Faith Hoffman
Level II –	Kathy Coughlin, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton Gerry Deyermond, Memorial Hall Library, Andover                        Janice Lazarus, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton                        Doreen Morse, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton                       Jeanne Sill, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton                        Donna White, Reuben Hoar library, Littleton
Level III-	Andrea Curran, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton Helen Graham, Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton                                 Debbie Pennino- Northeastern University Libraries, Boston
2006 (Pilot year)
Level I –	Elizabeth Goodrich, Gordon Library/ WPI, Worcester Elenore McGourty, Gordon Library/WPI, Worcester
Level II -	Allison Sloan, Reading Public library, Reading

  

*Level IV added at the Section Annual Meeting April, 2010
**With special thanks to Debbie Bockus and Debbie Pennino for their commitment and promotion of this program to recognize the achievements of Massachusetts Paralibrarians

Massachusetts State BOOK CART DRILL TEAM COMPETITION (BCDT)
Ladies & Gentlemen!!!!!  The BCDT Competition takes place at the MLA Annual Conference!!! Book Cart Drill Teams are great marketing, team building, promotion and branding tools...and a lot of fun!

Find out more about how to start a BCDT at your library. Register your team to compete at the next MLA Annual Conference. You can read the full rules of the BCDT here.

Sponsored by DEMCO and hosted by a surprise celebrity emcee! Prizes, Trophies and Awards!!! Past Performances: the Andover Cartwheelers; Methuen Des Cartes Coquettes; the Plymouth Rockettes; the Arlington Rockin' Robbins and the MLA Paralibrarian Section Book Cart Drill Team ... for Dummies!!!! 

 
5 GOOD REASONS TO JOIN THE MLA PARALIBRARIAN SECTION

What’s in it for you? Good question. And here are some good answers:

• ADVOCACY – Network with a group of non-MLS degreed library staffers who are dedicated to libraries, excited about career opportunities and working together with other paralibrarians and librarians to promote library services and library careers. 

          Paralibrarians hear us ROAR!!!  We bring a lot of energy to the MLA Conference.
          Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Paralibrarians make quite an impression. You can be a part of it.

• RECOGNITION – Two awards are presented at the MLA Conference for Outstanding Paralibrarian of the Year and Paralibrarian Advocate of the Year. Nominations come from you!

• IDENTITY – Wonder where you fit in to the big picture of library services in Massachusetts? Wonder who to share ideas with or where to go for information? The Paralibrarian Section meets regularly (see calendar of Board meetings) and you are invited to attend the meetings or participate in a Roundtable (see calendar of regional roundtables) to brainstorm issues of particular interest to library support staff.

• EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES – The Career Development Committee of Paralibrarian Section developed the PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement program – known as the PARA.
  

         The Pilot year was a Great Success!!  We're starting out local and thinking globally!!! The
         PARA offers paralibrarians an MLA "Notice of Achievement" to recognize and standardize
         library experience and skills, and to expand career and financial opportunities.

• SAVINGS – Currently, you can join ALA, LSSIRT, MLA, and the Paralibrarian Section for a reduced fee! Read about it at http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/membership/librarysupportstaffmembership/LSSjoint.htm

Join MLA, fill out the application and follow the instructions. Don’t forget to check the box: Paralibrarian Section. No additional fee to join the Paralibrarian Section. That’s one way the Paralibrarian Section is leading the group, changing the scenery of libraries and advocating for it’s members. Here are some benefits of MLA/Paralibrarian Section membership:

• Discounts for the MLA Conference and all the benefits of MLA membership (see MLA home page)
  

• Receive emails with advance notification on topics of interest, such as the conference and roundtables

• Set the agenda for the MLA Conference with other committee members

• Work with the Career Development Committee to develop paralibrarian standards in Massachusetts

• Nominate award recipients for Outstanding Paralibrarian of the Year and Paralibrarian Advocate of the Year

• Enjoy meeting fellow paralibrarians at the MLA Conference and Section Annual Meeting
  

• Network with members and staff from libraries around the state
• Visit the Paralibrarian Section blog:  http://mlaparalibrarian.wordpress.com/

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Meeting dates for the Paralibrarian Section Executive Board

The Paralibrarian Section meets approximately every six weeks from 10 am to noon, both on site and "virtually". MLA members are welcome to attend to learn about the business of the Section. The Section holds an annual meeting and election of officers at the MLA conference; sponsors a range of conference programs and awards; and presents an annual report to MLA. The Section Chair acts as liaison to MLA and attends the MLA Executive Board meetings. Locations and dates of meetings can be found on the MLA Calendar of Events (and at the top of this page).


  Meetings are held on Thursdays; 10 am - 12 noon
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Paralibrarian Section Mission and Goals

MISSION STATEMENT:Through support and increased awareness of paralibrarians, the Section advocates for recognition and participation in the library community. The Section promotes and provides a forum for networking and career development opportunities. GOALS:

• To provide every non-MLS library staff member who works in any type of library across Massachusetts with continuing education and networking opportunities.

• To encourage paralibrarians to join MLA, thereby boosting membership and clout in the Association.

• To develop and expand the PAralibrarian Recognition of Achievement (PARA) as a tool for career recognition and development.

• To create avenues of recognition for all the good work that paralibrarians do.

• To form a community that encourages respect and admiration for those staff members who want to build their careers but might never choose to pursue an MLS degree.

• To educate library directors and management of the need to allow their staff time away from the library and financial support to participate in workshops, serve on committees, and attend annual conferences.

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Paralibrarian Section Board:

Co-Chairperson  Gerry Deyermond Memorial Hall Library, Andover (978) 623-8401 ext.35 gdeyermond@mhl.org	Co-Chairperson Allison Sloan Reading Public Library 781-942-9104 sloan@noblenet.org
Past Chairperson Gael Nappa Haverhill Public Library 978-373-1586 gnappa@mvlc.org	Vice-Chairperson Meredith Toumayan Langley Adams Library, Groveland 978-372-1732 mtoumayan@mvlc.org
Secretary Denise Faucher Worcester Public Library 508-799-1642 dfaucher@worcpublib.org	Treasurer Jeanne Sill Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton 978-486-4046 jsill@mvlc.org
Career Development Debbie Pennino Northeastern University Libraries 617-373-7722 dpennino@neu.edu	Conference Committee Liaison Allison Sloan Reading Public Library 781-942-9104 sloan@noblenet.org

MLA Paralibrarian Section Appointed Support Positions:

Awards - Robin Demas, Concord
Roundtables - Susan Babb, Massachusetts Library System
PARA Review Board - Karen Horn, Barnstable; Lori Salotto, Middleboro;Virginia Julian, WPI
Communications -
Photographer/Videographer -
Donations/Auction Items -
Youth Section Liaison -
Publicity -