Join us for the DUSLA, SCALA and DUSAA Holiday Party!

Where: Brauhaus Schmitz, 718 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
When: 6-8pm

DUSLA, SCALA, and DUSAA are getting together for a holiday party!

Join us and let's celebrate the end of the quarter and the year together!

DUSLA NYC Trip to the Special Collections of the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Historical Society

Last Friday, DUSLA visited NYC to take tours of the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Historical Society special collections. Both tours were amazing! At the Museum of Natural History, we were introduced to the library, the photo archive, and the rare book room. Our tour guide Mai- also an iSchool alum- showed us some choice rare books from their collection, photos of which can be seen below the cut. A notable photo shows a scientific collection of ocean creatures from the 16th century- including a mermaid!

At the New York Historical Society, our tour guide Maureen walked us through the beautiful book room into the special collections department and were able to speak with many of the staff about their positions at the Historical Society. We were also shown some interesting artifacts from their collection, such as tattoo flash from the early 20th century, seen in a photo below. Other items included charming and poignant letters from a WWI solider to friends, and a very old recipe for eggnog!

All in all, we had a great time. Thanks to everyone that made it out, thank you to our fantastic tour guides, and thank you to the Museum and Historical Society for having us. Stay tuned for future similar events!

 

American Museum of Natural History and New York Historical Society special collections trip!

WHERE? American Museum of Natural History (1-2:30 PM) and New York Historical Society
special collections (3:30-5 PM)
WHEN?  Friday, November 22nd, 2013

Bus fare will be covered, food and any extra purchases on your own.

Bus leaves at 9:00 AM from 30th ST. Station, return to Philadelphia at 9 PM.

We will get to NYC at approximately 11:30 AM so there will be time to grab a bite before the tour (either sack lunch or purchase).

The return bus will depart at 6:15 PM from 34th St between 11th Ave and 12th Ave.

There are VERY limited spots available, so reserve your spot ASAP by emailing  duslaonline@gmail.com!

Eastern State Penitentiary Trip Photos

DUSLA and DUSAA sponsored a trip to the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia on November 4th, 2013. While there we had a tour of the grounds as well as heard some of the history of the penitentiary from our guide. We also got to see some of the collections in the archive, which included artifacts made by the prisoners and guards.

See some images under the jump! Many thanks to Steve Swetz for the photographs.

Librarians as Intelligence Analysts Webinar

DUSLA will be taking part in an interactive webinar session with Dr. Edna Reid on the topic of librarians as intelligence analysts. Dr. Reid made a similar talk at this year's SLA Annual Conference and it was so popular, many were unable to see it!

What: 'Librarians as Intelligence Analysts' Webinar

When: Tuesday, November 12, 1-2pm

Where: CCI's iCommons Conference Room

Popcorn will be provided!

This interactive session will identify emerging roles for librarians/information professionals as intelligence analysts, open source specialists, and cyber intelligence analysts.

For more information on this webinar, visit SLA's info page.

DUSLA Boston - Boston Athenaeum Trip

Hey all New England Drexel students! DUSLA is sponsoring a trip to the Boston Athenaeum on:

Saturday, November 9th at 11:30. 

This will be a great time to tour this historic site and meet up with your Drexel classmates.

Please RSVP to Meena Jain, DUSLA Regional Coordinator (Boston) at mj443@drexel.edu by Friday, November 8th.

After the tour we can hang around and have lunch and chat. Hope to see you there!

November First Friday Happy Hour

Come and join us for our monthly First Friday Happy hour!

When: Friday November 1, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Distrito, 3945 Chestnut St  Philadelphia, PA 19104

First Friday Happy Hours are a great way to relax, meet fellow library students, and professionals in the field! Come and take a midterm break with us!

Eastern State Penitentiary Tour (sponsored by DUSLA/DUSAA)

Interested in special libraries? Then we have the tour for you! DUSLA and DUSAA will be hosting a trip to the Eastern State Penitentiary on Monday, November 4th from 1-3 PM. We will have a tour of the site followed by a guided tour of the collections. We will be meeting outside the entrance!

We are limited to fifteen people maximum, so if you are interested in attending, contact DUSLA at duslaonline@gmail.com ASAP to RSVP!

October First Friday Happy Hour!

Welcome back, or maybe, welcome to Drexel!

DUSLA will be having its First Friday Happy Hour this Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Devil's Alley at 1907 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

Bring a friend or come alone and meet your fellow students and area professionals!

We hope to see you there!

DUSLA Barnes Trip

Would you like to come on a trip to the Barnes? Of course you would!

DUSLA is hosting a trip Sunday, September 22nd, at 11 AM. Meet up with us at 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philly!

SPACES ARE LIMITED! RSVP with duslaonline@gmail.com if you're interested ASAP!

DUSLA Summer Break Social

Come and celebrate the end of summer with DUSLA members and officers!

Friday, August 23, 2013 at 7pm
Fado, 1500 Locust St, Philadelphia

A portion of the night's drinks and appetizers will be on us! See you there!

DUSLA Summer Break Social

Come and take a break from the summer quarter, or catch up with your fellow iSchool students with DUSLA! We'll be meeting at Fado Irish Pub, on 1500 Locust St in Philadelphia on August 23rd at 7 PM.

No need to RSVP, we hope to see you there!

Washington, DC iSchool Networking Reception

Attention Washington, DC area iSchool students! There will be a networking reception September 19th, 2013.  This event will be held from 5 to 7:30 PM on the Rooftop Deck of Lafayette Tower at 801 17th Street, N.W., Washington D.C.
This is located within walking distance of Farragut West Metro station on the Blue & Orange Lines, and Farragut North Metro station on the Red Line.

Faculty and students will be in attendance, so drop on by and say hello! This event is free and includes wine and appetizers.

RSVP online at: www.ischool.drexel.edu/DCnetworking

Rain location will be Suite 420 in Lafayette Tower.

Simmons-sponsored Trip to EBSCO

Want to visit EBSCO in Ipswich, Massachusetts? Now you can! SLA@Simmons Student Chapter in Boston is sponsoring a trip on Tuesday, June 25th.

Please RSVP with Liz or Sam if you are interested in attending, at dewitts@simmons.edu or erose.walmer@gmail.com. Car pooling will be provided from Simmons, so please arrive between 8:30 and 9 AM.

More info will be available after you RSVP.

DUSLA End-of-Quarter Bowling Party

DUSLA and SCALA present our End-of-quarter Bowling Party!
Saturday June 15, 5-7PM
PEP Bowl, 1200 South Broad Street, Philadelphia , PA
(Broad and Federal Streets—Ellsworth/Federal stop on the Broad line)

Space is limited, please RSVP: duslaonline@gmail.com

Shoes and Lanes are paid for, and Food will be Served!

Resume X Event in Boston

On May 30th, several Drexel iStudents attended a Resume Review activity hosted by SLA@Simmons. This was an invaluable experience for us as we got expert opinions on our resumes as we enter the work force.

Just as valuable was the networking opportunity with Simmons' students and our own classmates who we "see" on Blackboard regularly. We look forward to many more fun and collaborative opportunities in the Boston area!

Library of Congress Trip

Last Friday, we visited the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Not only did they give us a bit of the general tour like last year, but we also got to go inside the reading room and take a look at what goes on behind the scenes.

We also received an interesting discussion regarding some of the rare collections at the Library of Congress, and got to see not only a Nuremberg Chronicle, but some older newspapers and comic book covers.

We look forward to seeing you come with us next year!

Library of Congress Trip Information and Itinerary

The following is some information about the Library of Congress trip:

Our Megabus will be leaving at 7:15 AM on Friday the 17th. You should be at the stop well in advance of that time. See the map to the right; the A marks the approximate location of the buses. You can click the image to enlarge it!

We will be meeting in that location, so keep your eyes peeled!

We will arrive in DC around 10:30 AM or so. Our tour in DC will run from 1-4 PM.

We will be leaving on the 4:15 PM bus after the tour, with an expected arrival back in Philadelphia around 7:40 PM. Please remember that road delays are possible on a Friday.

We look forward to seeing you there, and have a great trip!

Boston Students - Resume Review and Networking Session

For Drexel iSchool students in the Boston area – join the SLA student chapter of Simmons and SLA New England for an evening of networking and resume review on Thursday, May 30th from 5PM – 7:30 PM at Simmons College (One Palace Road Building, Room 210).

This will be an excellent opportunity to meet professionals and get some fantastic resume advice.

Please RSVP at the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ResumeX

and email Meena Jain, the DUSLA Regional Coordinator: Boston, at mj443@drexel.edu so she knows who from Drexel is attending.

Our First Annual Mentoring Dinner

 On Wednesday, May 8th, we had our first annual mentoring dinner!

Students were paired with area library and information science professionals according to their interests and asked questions about various topics in information science.

We had a wonderful time. Not only did students get to meet alumni and professionals, but through an ice-breaker session, we were able to connect with some of our fellow students as well.We hope to see everyone again next year!

Library of Congress Trip

Interested in a trip to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.?

DUSLA's yearly trip to the Library of Congress is coming up, and seats are limited! We will be traveling to the LoC for a guided tour on Friday May 17th.

Email duslaonline@gmail.com to RSVP for the trip.

May's First Friday Happy Hour

We had our monthly First Friday Happy Hour on May 3rd at Smokin' Betty's, and had a great time!

We hope to see you for our next Happy Hour. Continue to watch this blog for the next location and date.

May First Friday Happy Hour

Don't forget!

DUSLA's May First Friday Happy Hour will be tomorrow, from 5:30-7:30 PM at Smokin' Betty's on 116 S. 11th Street.

Come to meet fellow iSchool students and area library and information science professionals!

Talking Shop: A Mentoring Dinner for Drexel iSchool SLA Alumni and Current Students

 Sign up NOW for this great mentoring opportunity with FREE food!  RSVP ASAP to reserve your spot!

Talking Shop: A Mentoring Dinner for Drexel iSchool SLA Alumni & Current
Students

Please join us for DUSLA’s first annual mentoring dinner designed to bring
together Drexel iSchool student and alumni SLA members in the casual dining setting of  Drexel's Academic Bistro. Space is limited to two dozen alumni and an equal number of current students interested in exploring special library career paths. The dinner is made possible through the support of the Drexel Alumni Association.

 Event Format:Students will select three SLA Divisions of interest and experience
“mini-mentoring” sessions based on each of their choices. The students will rotate through three  different small group conversations with alumni that change with each course: hors d'oeuvres,  entree, and dessert. In turn, alumni can inquire about current hot topics at the iSchool with each
student they mentor.

How to Participate: 
Alumni:Please reply listing your SLA Divisional affiliation along with
current and past job titles and industries in which you have experience. Alumni will be matched with the career goals of registered students and will be contacted one week prior to the event  with background on their matching students.


Students:check out the SLA Divisional webpage<http://sla.org/get-involved/divisions/>and choose three SLA Divisions of interest to
include in your RSVP. Also note any coursework and job experience relevant
to special librarianship or industry. Also, please bring a few copies of your resume to the event. RSVP early as this event will fill up quickly!

•Wednesday, May 8, 2013 • Event starts 5:00PM sharp
•Hosted by Drexel University Special Libraries Association
•Drexel’s Paul Peck Problem Solving & Research Building (aka “academic”
building) 101 North 33rd Street 6th Floor Philadelphia, PA
•Cost: Free, but space is limited
•RSVP with SLA Divisional affiliation required

RSVP’s:
Erin DeFord, DUSLA Vice President ecd69@drexel.edu


About SLA:
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is the international association
representing the interests of thousands of information professionals in over eighty  countries worldwide. SLA's information professional members are employed most frequently by  corporations, law firms, private businesses, government agencies, museums, colleges, hospitals, and associations.

Sharepoint Workshop

On April 18th, DUSLA sponsored a Sharepoint workshop run by Nicole Snyder, Director of Library Services at Novak Druce Connolly Bove & Quigg LLP. Sharepoint is used in many library and information science workplace environments, so even if someone isn't adept in it, it can be useful for both work and resume to be familiar with the way it operates and how it can be used.

As Nicole, an iSchool alumnus herself, is a law librarian, her input is based on her experiences using it in a law library setting.

One of the things we learned was that Sharepoint is tied to user accounts on computers, and that different levels of control can be assigned to users. This means that people at different levels of a hierarchy might have more or less input into various features of Sharepoint.

Another thing we learned is that Sharepoint works with all Microsoft products, and that it works well for projects and organizations of both large and small sizes. Furthermore, in contrast with a Document Management System, it allows for better tagging and information about the contents of a document.

The second half of the workshop allowed us to get our feet wet and play around with Sharepoint a little bit. It was quite easy to pick up and adjust certain features, such as adding task reminders and adjusting user accounts. I can definitely say I came away from the workshop with a much better understanding of how to use Sharepoint than before!

GPLLA Mentoring Committee Meet & Greet

Looking for an opportunity to be mentored? Or are you more interested in being a mentor to new and upcoming library students?

Look no further than the GPLLA mentoring committee! The committee is taking applicants for mentors and mentees for their upcoming meet and greet at the Last Drop Cafe on 1300 Pine Street in Philadelphia. The event will last from 5:30 to 7 PM.

Please send an RSVP to Carey Sias (csias@jenkinslaw.org) or Grace Boivin (grace.bovin@gmail.com), and fill out the form at http://gplla.org/w/about/mentor-program

National Library Week Book Drive and Wine Social

To celebrate National Library Week, the Drexel iSchool is hosting a book drive and wine social! Come to room 014 in the Rush Building on Wednesday the 17th with a new or gently used book and stay to enjoy some light socialization with your fellow iSchool students.

Please RSVP at http://ischool.drexel.edu/nlwbookdrive

All books donated will go to the Free Library of Philadelphia's Book Corner.

Online Student Social

Calling all iSchool students! Do you have any questions about library school; job, internship, or volunteering opportunities; or what it's like to be a professional librarian? We're here to help!

DUSLA will be having its Spring Online Social with officers of SCALA tomorrow night, Thursday, April 11th, at 7:00-9:00 PM EST. Please use the following link to access the chatroom: http://bit.ly/SCALAevent

Reminder: First Friday Happy Hour, April 5th

This is a reminder that you are invited join us for our recurring First Friday Happy Hour on April 5th, from 5-7 PM at Devil's Alley on 1907 Chestnut Street!

As always, come to relax during the first week of the spring semester and meet your fellow iSchool students as well as area library and information science professionals.

Members of SEPLA (Southeastern Library Association) will be in attendance, so  interested students are strongly encouraged to come to the event.

RGSLA - Disaster Planning: Lessons Learned from Real Disasters

On Thursday, March 28th, I attended a webinar on disaster management presented through the SLA. This was free for members, but non-members had to pay a minimal charge.

Before the talk was underway, the presenters, Fran Wilkinson, Nancy Dennis, and Cheryl Zebrowski, polled the audience about their disaster management plans. 69% of the people attending said that their organization didn't have a disaster management plan. 13% said that they did, and another19% said that they had one in the works.

The presenters opened by discussing three disasters that had taken place in the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico. There had been two floods and a fire, the first flood taking place not too long after they first established their disaster plans. Due to their experiences with emergency situations in libraries, they discussed what they had learned in managing library crises.

They said that it was was to be prepared for any sort of disaster, but also to look into what would be most likely to affect a given library. For example, certain libraries might be more concerned about flooding than earthquakes, while others for various reasons might look into the mitigation of any emergencies concerning hazardous materials. Evaluating your environment and your building for any likely sources of problems is a key first step. For example, what is your institution's plumbing like?

Also key is knowing how to shut off utilities, where the emergency equipment and exits are, and how the security system works. They used an example of an institution where the doors might lock during an emergency, which could be problematic for exiting or entering the building.

They listed several characteristics of a good manager of a disaster situation: they should have interest in recovery and the institution, they should be able to stay calm, they should be a team player, they should be organized, they should have good communication skills, they should be flexible, and they should be able to take initiative.

Finally, they named a few key steps that should be a part of every disaster plan process. There should be an inventory of any particularly vulnerable items and data. There should be an evaluation of areas at risk, and potential disaster sources. There should be employee training. All employees should have physical copies of the disaster plan for home, car, and work, along with its presence on the intranet, if there is one. Disaster plans should have employee contact information (and because of this, they should not be publicly available). There should be a contract with a disaster recovery service in place before a disaster -- research and communication with vendors is key. Finally, there should be an emphasis on personal safety. No one should risk their life for library materials in a disaster.

They closed by reminding attendees that disaster situations can take their toll on psyches and morale, and that it's important to be patient and remember to take care of yourself and your fellow employees.

LLAMA Webinar: “Job Hunting for Today’s Libraries in Today’s Job Market”

I attended a webinar put on by LLAMA that provided some insight into the hiring processes in libraries, and also gave some tips and suggestions for would-be librarians looking for work. As a student librarian with only volunteering and internships under their belt, I was curious what they had to say, and whether I could apply it to my own job-hunting efforts.

One of the items they started off the webinar with was a surprise to me. They said that few people get to the interview stage of the hiring process. Before that, there is a lot of review of applicants ongoing, so it's imperative to give the interview your best if you're called in for one. This means doing your research on the position, and even more importantly,  coming prepared to answer the questions they're likely to ask. One question they said that often causes problems for would-be hires is "why do they want this position?" Many people are apparently unable to answer this.

They also noted that patience was key: the hiring process can take as long as three to six months from start to finish.

They also discussed the importance of a solid application: it should talk up your abilities and strengths, and of course use good spelling and grammar. A good cover letter should do much the same, while also focus on communicating why you are a good fit for the position and the organization. Above all else, though, it's important for a cover letter to be concise.

One of the most important tips they gave, though, was volunteering and internship experience can be critical, especially if you end up competing with people with professional experience. The more and the more relevant to the position in question, the better.

Finally, they closed off the webinar with some very sage advice: before your interview, remember to sleep, eat, and if you drink coffee normally, be sure to have your coffee.

First Friday Happy Hour April 5th!

Come and join us for our recurring First Friday Happy Hour on April 5th, from 5-7 PM at Devil's Alley on 1907 Chestnut Street! As always, come to relax during the first week of the spring semester and meet your fellow iSchool students as well as area library and information science professionals.

New York City Public Library Trip Report

Image: An engraving over a doorway within the New York Public Library.

DUSLA and SCALA organized a trip to the New York City Public Library last Friday, March 8th. Though the weather was harsh, the library itself was more than inviting. We received a short talk and a tour of some of the special rooms within the Schwarzman Building.

First Friday Happy Hour, February 1st 2013

Join us for DUSLA's First Friday Happy Hour, on February 1st, 2013! The event will be held at Landmark Americana from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This is located on Drexel Campus on 3333 Market Street, or, just across the street from Drexel's Hagerty Library. We look forward to seeing you there!

DUSLA/SCALA Welcome Back Online Social

DUSLA and SCALA will hosting a free online welcome back social tomorrow night from 7-9 PM EST. Everyone is more than welcome to attend! Come and talk to us about your plans for the quarter, and learn about our upcoming events for this quarter and beyond. Log in at: bit.ly/SCALAevent 

DUSLA Winter Social

DUSLA will be hosting a social open to all library students and library professionals on Saturday the 19th, from 2-5 PM, at the Ross Commons. We will having an afternoon of tea and games to celebrate the new year and a new quarter at Drexel. Feel free to bring your favorite board game along!

But that's not all, we have a variety of events planned for this quarter and beyond. Keep watching this space and our Twitter account for future events.