Poster Web Conference, Session 2 (Oct 28-Nov 11)

SLA All Sciences Poster Web Conference, Session 2

Dates: October 28 - November 11, 2008
Sponsors: Chemistry, Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics, Science & Technology, Engineering, and Biomedical & Life Sciences Divisions of the Special Libraries Association.

Location: http://forum.lib.lsu.edu/slachem/
Registration: free
Format: asynchronous web-based discussion board

List of presentations and accompanying forums:
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/sci/chem/vbulletin_real/schedule_Nov2008_unlinked.html

Please join the five science divisions of SLA for the second session of a two-part web conference featuring many of the posters originally presented at the SLA Annual Meeting, June 2008, at the All Sciences Poster Session and Reception in Seattle. Session 2 begins today, October 28, 2008 (CDT) and will last through the end of the day, November 11. Each poster presentation will have its own discussion forum moderated by at least one of the authors/presenters.

The presentations and discussion forums for all posters will be open and available the entire duration of the conference, thereby allowing conference attendees ample time to see the posters and take part in any and all sessions of interest. The conference site will be open 24 hours a day, and, as discussions are asynchronous, you will be able to participate at times most convenient to you.

Full participation in the event will require registration, but this is free and painless. For those of you who have already registered for a previous conference, your Username and Password are still valid. If, however, you have forgotten what they are, just click on the login button on the conference home page without filling in anything, and you'll be provided a link which will enable you to have your username emailed to you and to reset your password. When you fill in your registered email address in the box provided, you will be sent instructions on how to reset your password.

If you do not choose to register, you may still view all content and discussions, but you will not be able to post your own comments or questions. We do hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to discuss the various topics with the presenters, however.

If you have any questions at all about the conference, how to participate, or problems with registration, please email or call William Armstrong at (225) 578-2738 or notwwa@lsu.edu.

Chemistry Division Posters Online

Most of the Chemistry Division posters from the SLA Conference are now online, in time for the Poster Web Session:

• Catalyzing Community: Librarians in the Loop
• Science Experiments: Reaching Out to Our Users
• (Renovation – Architect) + Creativity = New Spaces that Work
• The PAMS Reference Wiki: a New Way to Address Traditional Reference Needs
• Low-Tech Works Too: Low-Tech Tools Help Science Students Collaborate in the Library
• Virtual plans, real projects: Second Life helps the UCSC S&E library plan its future
• Library 2.0: Collaborative – Interactive – Patron Focused
• Using Instant Messaging at an Academic Library Reference Desk: Successes, Challenges, and Future Directions

Poster Web Conference, Session 1 (Oct 6-21)

SLA All Sciences Poster Web Conference, Session 1

Dates: October 6 - 21, 2008
Sponsors: Chemistry, Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics, Science & Technology, Engineering, and Biology divisions of SLA

Location: http://forum.lib.lsu.edu/slachem/
Registration: free
Format: asynchronous web-based discussion board

List of presentations and accompanying forums:
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/sci/chem/vbulletin_real/schedule_Oct2008_linked.html

Please join the five science divisions of SLA for the first session of a two-part web conference featuring many of the posters originally presented at the SLA Annual Meeting, June 2008, at the All Sciences Poster Session and Reception in Seattle. Session 1 begins today, October 6, 2008 at 8:00a.m. (CDT) and will last through the end of the day, October 21. Session 2 runs from Oct. 27 - Nov. 11. Each poster presentation will have its own discussion forum moderated by at least one of the authors/presenters.

The presentations and discussion forums for all posters will be open and available the entire duration of the conference, thereby allowing conference attendees ample time to see the posters and take part in any and all sessions of interest. The conference site will be open 24 hours a day, and, as discussions are asynchronous, you will be able to participate at times most convenient to you.

Full participation in the event will require registration, but this is free and painless. For those of you who have already registered for a previous conference, your Username and Password are still valid. If, however, you have forgotten what they are, just click on the login button on the conference home page without filling in anything, and you'll be provided a link which will enable you to have your username emailed to you and to reset your password. When you fill in your registered email address in the box provided, you will be sent instructions on how to reset your password.

If you do not choose to register, you may still view all content and discussions, but you will not be able to post your own comments or questions. We do hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to discuss the various topics with the presenters, however.

If you have any questions at all about the conference, how to participate, or problems with registration, please email or call William Armstrong at (225) 578-2738 or notwwa@lsu.edu.

Conference Schedule Posted

A preliminary first draft DCHE programming for the 2008 conference is now online. We will continue to update the schedule as more information becomes available.

Note: this still a work-in-progress. Please let me know if you see things that need to be fixed or updated.

Call for Posters: 2008 in Seattle

Call for Posters, 2008 Annual Conference (Seattle)
Theme: Collaborative Communities in Physical and Virtual Environments: the Science Library and Beyond

SPONSOR: Chemistry Division
LOCATION/DATE/TIME: SLA Annual Conference - Seattle 2008; Tuesday, June 17, 7:00pm – 9:00pm

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: March 1, 2008

DESCRIPTION:
The science library is changing rapidly; older technology in the form of print is causing the walls to close in on us, just as newer technology is opening new doors while at the same time placing new demands on us. Our patrons are developing different expectations of the library, information retrieval, and the spaces within which working interactions have traditionally been conducted. We must learn to adapt in new and innovative ways, often involving a complete rethinking of the concept, “library.”

How have you begun to adapt your space to meet the needs of today's science patrons? Have you experimented with collaborative work spaces, either physical or virtual? Have you established a presence in Facebook, My Space, Second Life or other social environments? What about innovations in virtual reference? Are you using institutional repositories in collaborative ways?

If you are involved at all in any of these activities or have explored ideas yet unnamed, please consider sharing the results of your efforts at the upcoming All-Sciences Poster Session at the Annual SLA Conference in Seattle , June 2008. This theme is being sponsored by the Chemistry Division.

The poster session will provide an informal and lively venue for sharing innovative ideas on a topic that is of importance to us all. Which of the new innovations have been working well for you? Which have not? Your colleagues will be most interested in learning from your efforts and your ideas, both successful and unsuccessful.

Guidelines for materials and layout of poster presentations are available on the SLA Chemistry Division website at http://www.sla.org/division/dche/poster.html.

SUMBISSION DETAILS:
Please submit your name, institution, email address, poster title, and description (250 words or less) by email to Bill Armstrong at notwwa@lsu.edu. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2008. Any SLA member is welcome to submit an abstract for consideration. In the event that a greater number of submissions are received than can be accommodated, members of the Chemistry Division will be given first preference. All applicants will be notified no later than April 1, 2008 as to whether or not their proposal has been accepted.

CONTACT:
William W. Armstrong (notwwa@lsu.edu)
Sciences Collection Development Coordinator
Chemistry Librarian
Liaison to Physics & Astronomy
Middleton Library
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge , LA 70803 USA
Ph. (225) 578-2738
Fax: (225) 578-9432

2008 Sparks Award Information

2008 Marion E. Sparks Award for Professional Development

The Chemistry Division of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) is sponsoring a student/new member travel award to defray the costs of attending the 2008 SLA Annual Meeting June 15-18 in Seattle, WA. The award is intended to encourage the professional development of student members and new members of the Chemistry Division and encourage their participation in Chemistry Division activities.

TRAVEL AWARD:
$1,500 stipend to attend the 2008 SLA Annual Conference. The winner will also receive a certificate of achievement and will be introduced at the Chemistry Division Business Meeting & Breakfast.

ELIGIBILITY:
All student members of the Chemistry Division and all new members of the Chemistry Division (individuals who have joined since January 2007) are eligible. All applicants must have joined the Chemistry Division by March 3, 2008.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Please submit the following:

• A brief essay that: a) clearly articulates your objectives for professional development; and b) indicates what you hope to gain from attending the SLA Annual Meeting. Maximum length: 2 pages.
• Resume
• Names of two references
• Brief budget (expected expenses for registration, airfare, lodging, food and/or continuing education course).
  Registration in a Chemistry Division or other Continuing Education (CE) course is recommended, but not required.

DEADLINE:
All applications must be received by March 17, 2008. The winner will be notified by April 10, 2008. Essays will be judged by a panel of SLA Chemistry Division members.

SUBMIT APPLICATION VIA EMAIL TO:
Cory Craig (cjcraig@ucdavis.edu)
University of California, Davis
Physical Sciences & Engineering Library
One Shields Avenue
Davis, California 95616-8676

HISTORY:
The award is named to honor Marion E. Sparks, a chemistry librarian at the University of Illinois from 1913 until her death in 1929. Ms. Sparks contributed a great deal to the field of chemical information, her achievements include teaching courses on chemical information, and authoring and publishing what is argued to be the first book to formally address chemical literature and library instruction.