RUSA President's Report

RUSA President's Report Please submit committee reports twice a year; they are due 2 weeks before or after each Midwinter and Annual conference. Committee reports differ from minutes: minutes contain details of a meeting, including discussion points, questions, and action items and a report is a 1-2 page summary/ overview of activities and plans covering the last several months. Post all reports to: http://connect.ala.org/node/207988 and label accordingly; send a copy to [email protected] for distribution to RUSA Board

DATE: January 23, 2014 – for ALA Midwinter 2014, Philadelphia

COMMITTEE NAME: RUSA President/ Executive Committee

ACTION ITEMS IN PROGRESS / PENDING: Note: Most of these items in progress are being accomplished in coordination with the RUSA Executive Committee.  Provide opportunities for recruitment and engagement by our RUSA Student members. This includes the RUSA Free School initiative, based on a proposal by Leighann Wood, and the RUSA Student Sponsored Memberships initiative proposed by VP Joe Thompson. RUSA Professional Development Committee is currently working on the implementation plan for RUSA Free School.  Develop a plan and consistent process for addressing RUSA Awards that lose funding. A proposal has been developed by RUSA Awards Coordinating Committee.  Consulted with Publications and Communications to restart this committee with a set of priority areas and expected outcomes.  With the RUSA Executive Committee, developing a proposal for rebranding RUSA.  Participate as a member of the RUSA Review Task Force and Professional Competencies Task Forces  Ex Officio member of Just Ask Task Force  Lead planning process with RUSA Exec to initiate a RUSA Trends Working Group (to be lead by Jennifer Boettcher, RUSA Councilor) to present trends in user services and reference.  President's Program for Annual 2014 is in process with theme (Library Values and Public Perceptions) with speakers: Wayne Bivens-Tatum, Wayne Weigand, Lisa Carlucci-Thomas, Jeanne Goodrich. Much thanks to the committee! There will also be follow-up online discussions or webinars after Annual 2014.  Wrote three RUSQ President's columns and two RUSA Update columns.  Worked with RUSA Exec and RUSA office to craft position description and hiring plan for RUSA Update editor. Mary Popp will be chair the task force to find a new RUSA Update Editor. ACCOMPLISHMENTS / ACTION ITEMS COMPLETED AND WHICH RUSA STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS/OBJECTIVES THEY SUPPORT:  Initiated IAmRUSA interactive member of the week in Sept 2013 using ALA Connect to present RUSA weekly member profiles and allow others (members of not) to ask questions of the profiled member. Thanks for launching this goes to Sarah Hammill (RSS Past-President) and Kirk MacLeod (RUSA Spectrum Scholar) for creativity and hard work.  Started weekly RUSA President's Office Hours, weekly Tuesdays 2-3 Central Time, using Adobe Connect. This is an open time for RUSA members or potential members to ask questions, share ideas, and work through issues. Joe Thompson, VP, has attended several office hours as well. Attendance has ranged from 0-7 people with questions from new members with questions about getting involved to committee chairs with questions and issues. It has been my privilege to facilitate this wide range of needs.  Lead RUSA Executive Committee and RUSA Board online meetings (with considerable help from RUSA leaders and RUSA Office)  Hosted at RUSA New Chair and Board Member online orientations (Aug. & Sept. 2013)  Participation in the ALA Fall Leadership Meeting in Chicago (Oct. 24-26, 2013)  Participation in ALA Midwinter 2014 in Philadelphia RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE: None at this time

OTHER COMMENTS: So much thanks to RUSA Exec for working together so well, to RUSA Board for their leadership and critical ideas, and RUSA Office for their hard work. SUBMITTED BY: Kathleen Kern

Rev. December 19, 2013