Faculty, students, and alumni from SC&I’s Library and Information Science (LIS) Department will attend the annual New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) Conference, May 29–31, at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City. The conference is the premier professional development event for the state’s library community, and this year’s theme is “Breaking Barriers: Inclusive Collaboration.”

The NJLA Conference features special events, vendor meetings, and poster sessions, and Rutgers SC&I is proud to be a Platinum Strategic Partner once again. Anice Vance, author of the novel “Hush Harbor,” will visit revolutions that transformed nations in his keynote address, “Hope at the Ends of World: Resistance, Belonging, and the Revolutions That Define Us.”

On Thursday, May 30, Rutgers Digital Data Curator and SC&I lecturer Isaiah Beard MLIS’15 will present “Shifting to Digital: Using Online Digital Collections for Student Capstones.” LIS Associate Professor of Professional Practice Marc Aronson, NTT lecturer in Library and Information Science Brenda Boyer, LIS Professor Marie Radford, and LIS Associate Teacher Professor Joyce Valenza present “Hot off the Presses: Fresh Insights on Leadership and Collaboration From Rutgers.” In this intimate conversation, Aronson will describe how he and co-author Paul Freedman worked with four partners to tell the middle-grade story of “Bite by Bite: American History Through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes.” Boyer will discuss her book chapter, "Information Literacy in High Schools: Designer Librarians Needed" that will be published later this year in “We Can Teach That: Information Literacy for School Librarians.” Radford will provide an overview of her forthcoming book chapter highlighting results from focus groups with academic librarians and undergraduates from diverse communities centered on exploring microaggressions and microaggressive behavior. Valenza will share content from her “School Library Manager: Leading Through Change, Seventh Edition” and its free companion website, as well as her chapter, “The Future of School Libraries: It's About Equity.” Valenza will also present “An AI Petting Zoo: Promising Practices in Research and Productivity.” Also, on May 30, SC&I’s Beta Phi Mu chapter will have a table at the Student and Recent Graduate Gathering from 8:15 a.m. – 9 a.m.; all Omicron chapter members are encouraged to stop by. On Friday, May 31, Boyer will participate in a poster session.

NJLA, the state’s oldest and largest library organization, advocates for advancing library services, provides continuing education and networking opportunities for librarians, and supports the principles of intellectual freedom and access to library materials for all.

Learn more about SC&I’s Library and Information Science Department, Master of Information program, and Ph.D. program in Communication, and Media.