Boston Library Consortium

For Librarians

The Boston Library Consortium offers services to librarians at member libraries ranging from resource sharing and e-resource licensing to professional development and programming on issues of importance to academic and research libraries.

For Students, Scholars & Researchers

Those affiliated with the Full Member libraries of the Boston Library Consortium can take advantage of access to and borrowing of materials from these libraries.

Our Members

Wellesley College
Boston University
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
State Library of Massachusetts
Tufts University
University of Connecticut
University of New Hampshire
Northeastern University
University of Rhode Island
Brandeis University
University of Massachusetts Boston
Bentley University
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Marine Biological Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Boston College
Williams College
Wesleyan University
University of Massachusetts Medical School

Networking Day 2019 with Keynote Speaker DeEtta Jones

The BLC's 2019 Networking Day will feature keynote speaker DeEtta Jones, principal of DeEtta Jones & Associates , and a trusted voice in leadership, equity, and diversity topics. Ms. Jones has worked closely with the...

Learn more

BLC Members in the News: University of Connecticut's Connecticut Digital Archive Joins DPLA

The Connecticut Digital Archive, a University of Connecticut Library program, has joined the Digital Public Library of America, adding over 75,000 items. These materials, which range in content from historical to contemporary photograph collections, personal...

Learn more

Member Events

May 22, 2019

Symposium

Networking Day 2019

The BLC is pleased to announce our annual Networking Day will be held at Brandeis University in the Sherman Hall Function Room on Wednesday, May 22nd from 9:30AM-4:00PM.

The keynote speaker is DeEtta Jones, of DeEtta Jones & Associates, who will talk about Courageous Leadership. Focusing on what it means to be a leader of conscience, DeEtta will share guidance for both senior leaders and those early in their leadership journey. She has been a leading voice in shaping contemporary thinking and practice around workplace culture, personal transformation, diversity and inclusion and was the primary architect of the BLC Leads leadership development program.

Select BLC Communities of Interest will be meeting at the conclusion of Networking Day. If you have any questions, please email Executive Director Susan Stearns (sstearns@blc.org).

PLEASE REGISTER HERE

Agenda

9:30 am	Registration and Continental Breakfast
10:00 am	Welcome: Simon Neame, President of the BLC and Susan Stearns, Executive Director
10:15 am	Keynote: DeEtta Jones of DeEtta Jones & Associates
11:45am	Panel of BLC Leads Participants – Graduates of the 2017 and 2018 BLC Leads Leadership Institute will discuss how the program has shaped their leadership.
12:45pm	Break to setup for Lunch
1:00pm	Lunch
1:45pm	BLC Update – Susan Stearns
2:00pm	Lightning Talks: What’s New at BLC Libraries – BLC member libraries’ staff will provide brief presentations on initiatives and projects of interest.
3:00pm	Break
3:15pm	Breakout Sessions for the BLC Communities of Interest – Locations TBD
3:30pm	BLC Leads Meet Up – Participants in the 2017 and 2018 program are invited to a meet up with light refreshments. BLC Board Members are welcome to join.

April 26, 2019

Symposium

The Section 108 Dilemma: Red Tape, Video Tape, and Digital Conversion

The Boston Library Consortium’s Media Community of Interest is happy to announce our spring program: The Section 108 Dilemma: Red Tape, Video Tape, and Digital Conversion

Friday, April 26, 2019, 10:00am-3:30pm

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Sponsored by the Boston Library Consortium (BLC)

We have reached capacity for this event; if interested, please email mmendez@blc.org to be added to the wait-list.

About this Event

As older formats become obsolescent, today’s academic libraries are making decisions about weeding and preserving older audio and video formats. But it isn’t simply a decision to keep or to save: copyright law and technical work for conversion are complex considerations. This program attempts to help unpack the red tape and skills involved in preserving analog video and audio with experts on copyright, analog to digital conversion, and new initiatives. Please learn about the dilemmas, find answers, and contribute to the discussion that academic libraries need to have. A flyer for the event is available here.

Event Program (link will open a pdf document)

Speakers:

Kyle Courtney, Program Manager and Copyright Advisor, Office for Scholarly Communication, Harvard University
Jessica Fjeld, Lecturer on Law and Clinical Instructor, Cyberlaw Clinic, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School, Cyberlaw Clinic
David Shea, Student attorney for the Harvard Cyberlaw Clinic
Sarah McCleskey, Head of Resource and Collection Services, Hofstra University
Jonathan Iannone, Digital Media Supervisor, Northeastern University Libraries
Kimberly Kennedy, Digital Production Coordinator, Northeastern University Libraries
Chris Lewis, Media Librarian, American University
Phil Salvador, Collections Coordinator, American University
Meghan Bergin, Metadata Coordinator, UMass Amherst Libraries
Gabe Stetson, Coordinator of Digital Curriculum, Reserve, and Media, UMass Amherst Libraries
Bryce Roe, Manager of Audio Preservation Services, Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
Chris Heaney, Audio Preservation Engineer, Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
Dawn Aveline, Director of Preservation Programs, Preservation Technologies
Robert Strauss, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Preservation Technologies

For questions, contact the event committee: Laura Jenemann (ljeneman@bu.edu), Debra Mandel (d.mandel@northeastern.edu) , Joanna Fuchs (jmfuchs@brandeis.edu) and Mei Mendez (mmendez@blc.org).

Event Logistics:

The event will take place in the Treasure Room of the Brandeis Library. Please refer to this campus map to note the Library's location.

Driving & Public Transit Information

From Mass Pike I-90 Eastbound

Take exit 14 for I-95/Rt 128. Keep left for 95/128 North. While on the ramp, exit immediately onto exit 24 for Route 30. Bear left onto Route 30. Turn right at the first traffic light onto River Road. Follow this for 1.5 miles, where it turns into South Street. Brandeis is one-half mile ahead on the left, at 415 South Street.

From Mass Pike I-90 Westbound

Take exit 15B for Weston, Rte. 30. At the end of the ramp, turn right onto Park Road. At the traffic light, turn right onto Route 30. Turn left at the next traffic light onto River Road. Follow this for 1.5 miles, where it turns into South Street. Brandeis is one-half mile ahead on the left, at 415 South Street.

From I-95/Route 128 Southbound

Take exit 24 for Route 30. At end of ramp, proceed through traffic light (across Route 30) onto River Road. Follow this for 1.5 miles, where it turns into South Street. Brandeis is one-half mile ahead on the left, at 415 South Street.

From I-95/Route 128 Northbound

Take exit 24 for Route 30. Route 30 is one of several options at this exit, so follow signs carefully. Turn left at the top of the ramp onto Route 30. Turn right at the traffic lights onto River Street. Follow this for 1.5 miles, where it turns into South Street. Brandeis is one-half mile ahead on the left, at 415 South Street.

Commuter Rail (Fitchburg Line/South Acton Line)

Commuter train service is available from Boston's North Station (Fitchburg/South Acton line) to the Brandeis/Roberts Station that borders the campus. See MBTA site for schedules.

Parking Information:

Visitor Passes
For anyone driving to the event, you will need to get a visitor pass from Public Safety. When you enter campus, you will go to the Information Booth located at the Main Entrance. You will tell the parking attendant that you are here for a BLC event at the Library. The attendant will ask you some vehicle information before issuing the pass. Your visitor pass will allow you to park in any area designated as blue.

If for some reason, there is no attendant at the Information Booth, you will need to go to Public Safety in Stoneman to get a visitor pass. To get to Stoneman, from the main entrance you will turn right up the Loop Road. You will pass the Science center on your left and on your right, you will see the bridge crossing South Street. On your right-hand side is Stoneman it is across stair leading up to the Usdan Castle.

Parking
With a visitor pass, you can park in any lot or area designated as a Blue Zone. Areas to park:
Along the Loop Road from the Usdan Student Center to the Chapels, Kutz Hall lot, North Parking Lot, the small lot in front of the Heller School, and the small lot in front of the Library across from the Mandel Center.

Lodging:

The following hotels are located near Brandeis University.

Boston Marriott Newton (5min car ride to campus)

2345 Commonwealth Avenue

Newton, MA 02466

617-969-1000

Best Western TLC Hotel (10min car ride to campus)
380 Winter St.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02451
781-890-7800

Courtyard Boston Waltham (10min car ride to campus)
387 Winter St.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02451
781-419-0900
866-419-0999

The Westin Waltham Boston (10min car ride to campus )
70 Third Avenue
Waltham, Massachusetts 02451
781-290-5600 front desk
800-937-8461 reservations

April 30, 2019

Meeting

Associate University Librarians COI Meeting

The Associate University Librarians COI will meet on Tuesday, April 30th from 10:00am to 2:00pm at UMass Boston, in the Library's Teaching Lab. Directions, logistics information, and the meeting agenda will be shared via the BLC.AUL list-serv.

May 01, 2019

Meeting

Heads of Resource Management (HRM) Committee Virtual Meeting

The Heads of Resource Management Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 1st, 2019, from 10:00am-12:30pm. Login information and the meeting agenda will be distributed via the HRM list-serv.

May 03, 2019

Training

Joint Project Management Workshop -- BLC and IPLC

The Boston Library Consortium (BLC) and the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation (IPLC) are pleased to offer a one-day workshop on Project Management on Friday, May 3rd from 9:30am to 3:30pm, at Boston College's Theology and Ministry Library, room 112 (directions and parking information below).

This interactive workshop will begin with a brief presentation on project management and communication strategies, followed by hands-on discussion of agile and scrum methodologies, as well as an overview of Gantt charts and project networks. Participants are invited to bring a current or upcoming project in order to take full advantage of the exercises.

Registration is limited to 30 participants from both consortia, and if more than one individual from a single institution is registered, they will be placed on a waiting list until all institutions are represented. Registration will close on Thursday, April 25th.

Participant Objectives:

Following this session, participants will be able to:

articulate one reason establishing a communication strategy is an essential element of project management (e.g. establishing norms and professional expectations for a project).
name and describe at least one attribute of one Agile project management methodology (e.g. Scrum or Kanban).
name and describe at least one attribute of traditional project management methodologies (e.g. project network, Gantt chart.)
apply at least one aspect of either Agile or traditional project management to their work.

Workshop Agenda:

Time/Duration	Topic/Activity
9:30am-10:00am	Breakfast/Networking
10:00am-10:15am	Welcome \| Workshop Goals \| Introductions
10:15am-11:00am	Introduction to Project Management
11:00am-11:15am	Break
11:15am-12:15pm	Project Management: The Human Element
12:15pm-1:15pm	Lunch
1:15pm-1:45pm	Agile & Scrum: What are they and How to use them
1:45pm-2:30pm	Hands on Scrum: Writing & Sharing Stories for a Project \| Writing & Timing Tasks for a Project
2:30pm-3:00pm	Gantt Charts & Project Networks: What are they and How to use them
3:00pm-3:15pm	Hands on: develop Gantt chart based on Scrum exercise
3:15pm-3:30pm	Wrap up \| Questions

About the instructor:

Galadriel Chilton is the Director of Collections Initiatives for the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation, a partnership of 13 academic libraries (Brown, Dartmouth, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Penn, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford). In this role, she plans, implements, and oversees collaborative collection initiatives and projects. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at Berea College, holds a Master of Library Science from Indiana University, a Master of Arts in educational technology and instructional design from San Diego State University, and a certificate in project management from Cornell University.

Directions and Parking:

Please visit the Theology and Ministry Library's webpage for directions. Parking is available in the lots located to the left and in front of the Library. Additional parking is located past the library, and to the right. Boston College's Parking Department will be informed of the event and will not ticket non-BC vehicles. Please let Mei Mendez (mmendez@blc.org) know if you experience any difficulties or have any questions).

The Boston College Theology and Ministry Library is located on the Green Line. Please consult the MBTA website for additional information.

Room 112 is located in the first floor of the library.

We have reached capacity for this event; if interested, please email mmendez@blc.org to be added to the wait-list.

Speakers:

Event Logistics: