Engaging and Collaborating with our Peers

We will build strong relationships with peer institutions and peer networks to become better aware of the state of our profession, to gather ideas and learn skills from our professional colleagues, and to share the expertise of our staff with others.

Objectives for 2007-08

Support more than 50% of staff in attending off-campus professional development opportunities or conferences. [Original]

Christopher Barth

Matt Baumann

Andi Beckendorf

  • Iowa Library Association (Coralville, IA), October 2007
  • Traveled abroad to participate with the Luther Scandinavia and Baltic program (Norway and Russia), April 2008

Bob Erickson

  • EduComm 2007 Conference (Anaheim, California) June 2007.
  • Microsoft Business Desktop Deployment Hands-on Lab (Chicago, IL), November 2007
  • GusDay 2008 (St. Peter, MN), February 2008

Adam Forsyth

Jean Gehling

Ryan Gjerde

Cindy Goede

John Goodin

Diane Gossman

Marcia Gullickson

Jane Kemp

Todd Marken

Andrew Olson

Bob Puffer

Larry Sikkink

  • SIGUCCS Fall Conference (Orlando, FL), October 2007
  • Microsoft Business Desktop Deployment Hands-on Lab (Chicago, IL), November 2007
  • GusDay 2008 (St. Peter, MN), February 2008

Debbie Smith

  • Midwest Regional Datatel User Group Conference (Sioux City, IA), September 2007
  • Datatel Constituent Management training (Fairfax, VA), October 2007
  • Datatel User Group Board meeting (Fairfax, VA), July & November, 2007
  • Datatel Communications Management training (Fairfax, VA), February 2008
  • Datatel User Group Conference (Washington, DC), March 2008

Steve Smith

  • AdAstra User’s Conference (Kansas City, KC), October 2007
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Administration Training (Decorah, IA), December 2007

Germano Streese

Rachel Vagts

  • Hosted annual Consortium of Iowa Archivists meeting (Decorah, IA) June 2007
  • NITLE: Digital Audio Workshop-To-Go (Bryn Mawr, PA), March 2008
  • Midwest Archives Conference, (Louisville, KY) April 2008
  • Served on State Historical Society of Iowa HRDP grant review panel (Des Moines, IA)
  • Appointed by Governor Chet Culver to the Iowa Historical Records Advisory Board (Des Moines, IA)

Next Steps: We will work to expand the number of staff participating in off-campus professional development activity in the coming year.

Pursue expanded local networks of library and information technology professionals. [Original]

A number of new expanded relationships were initiated during 2007-08 in both library and technical arenas. Specifically:

  • Adam Forsyth has participated in MetroNet, an informal consortium of City of Decorah, Winneshiek County, Decorah Community Schools, and Winneshiek Medical Center working to build a local fiber network within the City of Decorah. The initial phase of construction is underway in Summer 2008 connecting different school facilities together. While the immediate plans do not include bringing the network over the College Avenue bridge, Luther will continue to participate in this group to monitor developments and consider a connection to the network at an appropriate time.
  • John Goodin was invited by the State Librarian of Iowa to be a member of the Iowa Shared Automation System Advisory Group. This group will participate in the development of a voluntary statewide shared automation system, open to Iowa libraries of all types.

Next Steps: We will continue to pursue local relationships and networks where appropriate.

Pursue expanded national networks of library and information technology professionals. [Emergent]

A number of new expanded relationships were initiated during 2007-08 in both library and technical arenas. Specifically:

  • Christopher Barth and Marcia Gullickson participated in Task Force meetings of the Coalition for Networked Information, an organization dedicated to supporting the transformative promise of networked information technology for the advancement of scholarly communication and the enrichment of intellectual productivity. This organization brings together national leaders in libraries, information technology and most places in-between to discuss and learn the state-of-the-art innovations in areas of networked information.
  • Luther joined the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE) in January 2008. This organization seeks to provide professional development and collaboration for faculty, librarians, and instructional technologists at liberal arts colleges. Luther has joined NITLE through a partnership between LIS and the Dean’s Office and several Luther staff have participated in NITLE events in the first months of membership. Information about upcoming NITLE events is available at NITLE or on the LIS website.
  • Luther joined the Council on Library and Information Resources, a national organization that fosters new approaches to the management of digital and nondigital information resources so that they will be available in the future, expands leadership capacity in the information professions, and analyzes changes in the information landscape and help practitioners prepare for them. CLIR is a sponsor of a national group of integrated library/IT organizations at college such as Luther. Christopher Barth participates in this CLIR CIO group that meets twice annually to discuss and address issues of common interest.

Next Steps: We will continue to pursue national relationships and networks where appropriate.

Ongoing Initiatives and Operations

During the 2007-08 academic year, Luther continued membership in organizations such as the Iowa Private Academic Libraries, Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and Educause.

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