Welcome to MLA’s Paralibrarian Section! 

*** 2012-2013 Paralibrarian Meeting Schedule  ***

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

                    2012

                    9/13    Worcester Public Library
                              Agenda: PARA plans, Conference planning

                    9/26    PARA Roundtable - Sturgis Library, Barnstable

                    10/24  Career Development meeting

                    10/25  Virtual Meeting – Skype*
                              Agenda: Publicity, Conference planning

                    12/6    Middleboro Library
                              Agenda: Publicity for Awards, BCDT

                    2013

                     1/17   Virtual Meeting – Skype*
                              Agenda: Awards, BCDT

                     1/30   PARA Roundtable - Topsfield Town Library

                     2/28   Northeastern University Snell Library
                              Agenda: Conference planning

                     3/21   Concord Public Library     
                              Agenda: Awards Voting (10:30am Executive Session)  

          
                     4/24-25-26   MLA Annual Conference: Paralibrarian Section Annual Meeting

                     6/6    Topsfield Town Library     
                              Agenda: Wrap-up and Board transition

Massachusetts State BOOK CART DRILL TEAM COMPETITION (BCDT)

The youtube videos of the Book Cart Drill Team are here.  Two parts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb2Z1Jk_TI4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2vyZIACAyc…

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 emcee! Prizes, Trophies and Awards!!!

Past Performances: the Andover Cartwheelers; Methuen Des Cartes Coquettes; the Plymouth Rockettes; the Arlington Rockin' Robbins; the Reading Rollers and the MLA Paralibrarian Section Book Cart Drill Team ... for Dummies!!!!

Contact and mail application to:
PARA Program
c/o Karen Horn
Sturgis Library
3090 Main Street 
Barnstable, MA 02630
508-362-6636
Khorn@clamsnet.org

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

• PARA Recipients 2006 - 2012
  
• PARA Guidelines - Click here (and forms)

P A R A Recipients Levels I; II; III; IV*
Developed and implemented by the MLA Paralibrarian Section*
   

Level I   Judith Fallon- Gordon Library- WPI-Worcester

            Kevin MacKenzie-Shea Library-American International College/ Springfield

NOTE: The PARA Review Board will meet to review applications and materials for the PARA on the following dates:

July 25-31, 2012

October 24-31, 2012

February 21-28, 2013

The deadline to submit an application for consideration is up to 10 days prior to the scheduled Review Board meeting. Applications submitted within 10 days of the meeting date will be held for consideration at the next scheduled meeting. Applicants may email the Review Board to verify timely receipt and review of their application. The Review Board will contact the applicant by email within 30 days of the meeting with a preliminary decision.

February 11, 2013 is the cut off date for applications and materials to be reviewed for PARA presentations at 2013 MLA Annual Conference.

                                 P A R A RECIPIENTS 2006 - 2011

2011
Level I	Lori Salotto - Middleborough Public Library, Middleborough Meredith Toumayan - Langley Adams Library, Groveland Gina Wells - Mowhawk Trail Regional School District
Level II	Virginia Julian - Gordon Library/WPI, Worcester    Sandy Leifeld - Newton Free Library, Newton
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 Dist
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

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OTHER INTERESTING STUFF FYI:

• Career Development - Browse Awards, Grants & ScholarshipsOnline 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

• "HOW TO SEARCH GOOGLE" video:  http://www.google.com/insidesearch/landing/powersearching.html

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• 
  

5 GOOD REASONS TO JOIN THE MLA PARALIBRARIAN SECTION

• 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

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

Chairperson Megan Carney Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen (978) 686-4080 ext.20 mcarney@mvlc.org	Past Chairperson Gerry Deyermond Memorial Hall Library, Andover (978) 623-8401 ext.35 gdeyermond@mhl.org
Vice-Chairperson Meredith Toumayan Topsfield Public Library, Topsfield 978-887-1509 mtoumayan@mvlc.org	Secretary Denise Faucher Worcester Public Library 508-799-1642 dfaucher@worcpublib.or
Treasurer Gael Nappa Haverhill Public Library 978-373-1586 gnappa@mvlc.org	Conference Committee Liaison Allison Sloan Reading Public Library 781-942-9104 sloan@noblenet.org
Career Development Karen Horn Sturgis Library, Barnstable 508-362-6636 Khorn@clamsnet.org

MLA Paralibrarian Section Appointed Support Positions:

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