2023 NELLS Mentors

NELA is pleased to announce the 2023 NELLS Mentors! 

Mentors are selected by each individual state association with a goal of fostering relationships with cohort attendees, and to provide a connection back to state associations after the conclusion of NELLS for additional learning and leadership opportunities. This year's mentors are experienced, dedicated professionals with a wealth of knowledge that will surely enrich the cohort's experience.


 

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2022 Impact Report

2023 NELA Call for Elected Officer Nominations

The Call for Nominations is now open! NELA is seeking candidates for the open positions of Vice President, Member at Large, and Treasurer. Details about each officer position, including the length of term, meeting commitments, and basic duties can be found on the NELA website here:  https://www.nelib.org/executive-board-job-descriptions

Nominations Form

Service on the NELA Executive Board in an officer position is a chance to help drive the decisions of our library association and to help set future directions to continue supporting librarians in New England. This is an exciting time to join the leadership of NELA as we continue to grow our membership.

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Deadline Extension: Seeking Facilitator for NELLS 2023

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, brief outline of their vision for this program, and fee requirements to [email protected]. Application deadline has been extended until Monday, December 19th.

2022 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipient

Michael York

The New England Library Association is thrilled to announce that this year’s recipient of the Emerson Greenaway Distinguished Service Award for Librarianship will be New Hampshire state librarian, Michael York. A librarian for over 45 years and New Hampshire’s state librarian since 1999, York has been a fixture in the New England library landscape for decades. In fact, York is a former president of the New England Library Association and the presenter of the very first Emerson Greenaway Award. Whether as the dean of libraries at the University of New Hampshire or as a librarian at Colby-Sawyer College, over the years York has constantly striven to enrich New England’s libraries and ensure that they are always able to meet the needs of New England residents.

Congratulations 2022 NELLS Emerging Leaders


Over 50 applications came in for this year's NELLS Emerging Leaders cohort. NELA would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply for the program, as well as those who wrote recommendations for applicants. We would also like to thank those who took the time to anonymize, review, and select applications. This was a difficult but critical process to ensure a fair selection process.

Ultimately, 26 applicants were chosen for this year's cohort. The NELA Executive Board would like to congratulate the following members of the 2022 NELLS Emerging Leaders Cohort:

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IFC Media Guidance Handout

Conversations with IFC: July Information

Thank you for joining us for the July IFC Meet-Up: Materials Challenges - Talking to the Press and Public with Sam Lee, Chair of CLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee, Ellen Paul, Executive Director of CLC, and Kate Byroade, Library Director at Cragin Memorial Library in Colchester.

If you missed the live NELA meet-up, join Sam, Ellen, and Kate on July 26th through CLA's FREE virtual event.  Please click HERE to register for the CLA event.

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NETSL is Seeking Nominations for 2022 Executive Board

We’re looking for volunteers for the 2022-2023 New England Technical Services Librarians (NETSL) Executive Board. We have a number of open positions and want YOU to join us.

If you’re enthusiastic about innovations in technical services, interested in contributing to regional technical services programming, or want to shape the direction of NETSL as an organization, consider running for a position:

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Conversations with IFC: May Recording

Thank you for joining us for the May Meet-Up.  If you missed the live meet-up, or you would like to rewatch the recording, please see below.

2022 - 2023 Executive Board is Seeking Nominations!

Open Positions

Vice President | Secretary | Member-at-Large

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Conversations with IFC (March Links & Materials)

Thank you for joining us for the March conversations.  Please enjoy these materials from CLA Intellectual Freedom Chair, Samantha Lee.
 

In the Know with ITS - Web Design for Libraries: Tips & Tricks

Web Design for Libraries: Tips & Tricks

NELA 2022 Valentine's Day Fundraiser

Chocolate for a good cause, what could be sweeter? Valentine's Day is coming, and if chocolates are on the menu, consider purchasing from See's Candies and supporting NELA with your purchase. Show some love to the special people in your life (partners, friends, staff, colleagues!)  NELA will receive up to 50% of of each item sold!

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2021 Public Library Staff and Diversity Survey

Deadline extended to January 14, 2022

All US public library directors are invited to complete this new survey to help us better understand public library staff roles, hiring and retention practices, and equity, diversity, and inclusion work. The survey was developed by PLA's Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment Committee in response to field-wide discussions and demand for actionable data about evolving staff roles and diversity and inclusion staffing efforts.

Five reasons why your library should complete the survey:

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Important Statement Regarding Book Censorship

NELA stands with ALA in opposing the recent increase in widespread efforts to censor books in U.S. schools and libraries.  Please click HERE for the full ALA statement.

2021 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipients

Jen Alvino (Director, Windham Public Library, ME)
Edward Garcia (Director, Cranston Public Library, RI)

 Jen Alvino

By the time Jen graduated with an MS in Library and Information Services in 2008 from Simmons College, she had already dedicated many years to working in public libraries.  She began her career in 1994 as a Page at the Portland Public Library.  Since then, she has held a variety of positions, from office assistant, substitute, and Lending Services and Systems Coordinator in Portland, to Technology Coordinator, Head of Lending Services, and Interim Assistant Director at the Walker Memorial Library, before becoming the Director of the Windham Public Library in 2013.  

Jen’s influence as a librarian extends well beyond her service area.  She has made significant contributions to the Maine Library Association as a longtime active member, recently serving as the Association President from 2019-2021.  MLA named her Outstanding Librarian of the year in 2014.  Jen has also been active in the American Library Association for many years, was the ALA Maine Chapter Councilor from 2014-2017, and has been active on many committees.  

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Emerging Leaders Virtual Cohort Attendee Announcement

We are pleased to announce the attendees who have been selected for our first Emerging Leaders Virtual Cohort!
 
Thank you to our amazing sponsors Media Flex & Assabet Interactive!  Without their support, events like these wouldn't be possible!
 
 
Name State
 Martha Boksenbaum RI 
Taylor Cardillo RI
Amy Dziewit MA
Jessica Elias MA
Justine Fafara NH
Sarah Frost NH
Miguel Garcia III CT
Leigh Ann Hamel NH
Susan Harmon NH
Bethany Jarret  MA
Ann Kardos  MA
Sara Kelso MA 
Michael Long  MA
Samantha Lucius  NH
Amy McMullen  VT
Maisam Nouh  CT
Azra Palo NH
Elise Petrarca RI
Alessandra Petrino CT
Loren Polk VT
Lauren Rettig ME
Melissa Small ME
Deborah Smith CT
Megan Smith  ME
Sean Smith MA 
Rachel Statham  ME
Mireille Sturmann RI 
Alyssa Taft RI 
Molly Virello  CT
Katherine Webber ME
Sarah Camille Wilson VT

NELA's Statement on the January 6th Capital Violence

NELA's Statement on the January 6th Capital Violence

The New England Library Association strongly condemns the storming and violent occupation of Washington DC’s Capitol by rioters. This is an affront to the ideals of democracy that are at the heart of librarianship, fueled by white supremacy and the incendiary remarks, conspiracy theories, and lies of a select group of powerful politicians.

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NELA Statement on Racism and Xenophobia

The New England Library Association (NELA) stands in solidarity with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) in condemning violence and racism toward black people, indigenous people, and all people of color, and has endorsed BCALA’s statement condemning increased violence and racism towards Black Americans and people of color.  NELA also supports the right of citizens to peacefully protest white supremacy, police brutality, and institutionalized racism.

NELA has also endorsed APALA’s statement hat condemns the rise in xenophobia and racism due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, and has signed the pledge to combat the rise of xenophobia and racism against Asians and Asian/Pacific Americans due to COVID-19.

Let us all stand together, build coalitions, and be each other’s accomplices in the struggle to end internal, interpersonal, and systematic forms of racism and all other forms of oppression.NELA urges its members to support both the BCALA’s condemnation of the systemic and systematic social injustices endured by black people and people of color, and to take the APALA’s pledge against xenophobia.  Racism, in all its forms, destroys our communities.  We must all proactively work on eradicating racism anywhere and everywhere it exists.

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