Updates — IPAL

This year, ILA/ACRL and IPAL are joining together to host a two-day integrated conference, May 31st and June 1st at Drake University’s Olmsted Center. Our keynote speaker is Loretta Parham, CEO and Library Director of the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center, Inc., an independent entity operating as the single library shared by its four institutions—Clark Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Parham was named the 2017 ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year.

Online registration is open through May 29th.

Hotel blocks are available at two area hotels. Reservations must be made by May 9th to get the conference rate.

The proposal deadline is now Friday, May 18th.

The Iowa Private Academic Libraries (IPAL) is seeking applications for this year’s Richard Fyffe Scholarship Award. The scholarship was established in memory of Richard Fyffe, the Samuel and Marie-Louise Rosenthal Librarian of Grinnell College from 2006-2015. Richard played an important role in the activities of the Iowa Private Academic Libraries group during that time. He was particularly interested in scholarly communication and collaboration. This award is in honor of the contributions Richard made to the library profession.

The scholarship award is provided to groups or individuals in amounts up to $1,000. This award is to support scholarly activities of importance in academic libraries. No matching funds are required.

IPAL is particularly interested in funding scholarly pursuits, such as speakers or training events, facilitation of regional/multi-library workshops, or other professional development activities.

Any person employed by a member of IPAL or the library itself may apply. Awards are limited to one per library or group per year.

After winning an award, the submitter(s) must present their project(s) to IPAL. This requirement may be met by speaking at the next annual IPAL conference, submitting a report to the IPAL website, or other means approved by the committee.

Please distribute this announcement as appropriate. Submissions may be made using this Google form or by emailing the attached form to Natalie Hutchinson, review committee chair, at Natalie.Hutchinson@dmu.edu. Submissions will be collected April 18-May 4. Winners will be notified by May 18th and funds will be distributed on July 1st.