From securing an IMLS grant to launching tools like the ReShare CDL report and BLC Resource Hub, BLC has made significant strides in advancing strategic initiatives this fall. Below, you'll find highlights of these member-driven accomplishments, demonstrating how collective effort and shared expertise are shaping the future of our consortium.
We hope you enjoy this edition of the BLC Bookmark News and we encourage you to reach out to Team BLC with any questions, comments, suggestions, or if you’re looking for ways to get involved.
Professional Development
Resource Management
Resource Sharing
Shared Systems and Services
Other Consortial Updates
Professional Development
BLC awarded IMLS grant to pilot BIPOC Leadership Academy
BLC was awarded $149,879 from the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program for our BIPOC Leadership Academy for Support Staff (BLASS) initiative. This marks BLC's second IMLS grant in our history, and the first supporting our professional development programs. This grant will support the design, implementation, and assessment of a three-day leadership academy tailored specifically for BIPOC support staff library supervisors who do not possess Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degrees. BLASS will take place in July 2025 and offer 30 library staff members the opportunity to attend. Interested in participating? Please fill out this initial assessment form to express your interest and be added to our distribution list for information on the application process and next steps!
BLC Communities
BLC welcomed a new slate of co-chairs to lead our membership Communities this summer. The BIPOC Caucus and Archives & Special Collections COI have also been reinvigorated, with new leadership and activities planned throughout the upcoming year. Last month, the AUL Community of Practice relaunched as the Senior Managers (SrM) Community of Practice. This reimagined group is open to individuals who report directly to a dean/director and are involved with library-wide administrative work.
Free ELUNA Learns Sessions
As part of BLC’s membership in ELUNA, all staff at member institutions can access ELUNA Learns—a series of free online professional development sessions. These sessions offer valuable insights and practical skills relevant to a wide range of roles. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to further your professional growth! Learn more about the ELUNA Learns program here.
BLC Leads 2025
Applications for BLC Leads 2025 will open in December 2024! We invite you to learn more about the program here. BLC Leads is a learning community of library leaders advancing collaborative action in the workplace and accelerating leadership journeys. Combining instruction, engagement with BLC leaders and alumni, small-group learning, and site visits over the course of six months, BLC Leads positions mid-level library professionals to scale their leadership responsibilities and grow their leadership skills within their current position.
BLC is committed to making BLC Leads accessible to all member institutions, fostering a diverse community of leaders irrespective of their financial capacities. Recognizing that some institutions may encounter challenges in covering the full cost, we've established the BLC Leads Fund to reduce the program fee for those who would otherwise be unable to participate in the program. The deadline to apply for the BLC Leads 2025 cohort is January 31, 2025. If you’re interested in learning more about the BLC Leads experience, we encourage you to reach out to the program alumni listed at the bottom of this page. Application details will be announced in the coming weeks via BLC Announcements.
Resource Management
Group Subscriptions Strategy
A small group of HRM Committee members have been meeting since August 2024 to chart future directions for our group subscription strategy. BLC has continued to engage with vendors, and advocate for transparent pricing, generous licensing terms, and other issues raised by colleagues across BLC’s member institutions.
Resource Sharing
ReShare CDL for ILL Report
In October 2024, BLC released a new report, generously supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [LG-254935-OLS-23]. ReShare CDL: Software & Workflows for Consortial CDL for ILL details BLC’s engagement with CDL for ILL to date. This report provides an introduction to a new consortial CDL solution (ReShare CDL) and describes adaptable workflows to support consortial CDL requesting and processing.
ILL Systems Evaluation Working Group
A new working group kicked off in September 2024 to develop criteria to evaluate ILL systems. These criteria will help gauge needs of our member institutions, inform how we engage with technology vendors, and guide a broader evaluation of existing ILL systems currently on the market. The group plans to release a draft of the criteria in early 2025 for feedback from BLC’s resource sharing communities.
Consortium Card Working Group
BLC established a new working group to assess our current consortial borrowing policies and consider the potential pilot of a digital consortium card to better meet the needs of patrons and scholars at our member institutions. A survey was released in October 2024 to assess current practices, identify pain points, and determine future directions for the consortium cards.
BLC Staff’s Ongoing Advocacy
Marc Hoffeditz, BLC’s Resource Sharing Program Manager, delivered the keynote address at VIVA’s ILL Forum in July 2024 discussing BLC’s work on CDL, e-book interlibrary loan, and other consortial initiatives. Charlie Barlow, BLC’s Executive Director, was the keynote speaker at the IDS Project Conference in July 2024 presenting Will it Lend?: Digital Frontiers in Resource Sharing.
Shared Systems & Services
BLC Network Zone Launch
BLC’s Shared Library System officially launched this summer. BLC’s Network Zone provides a common platform that participating institutions use to build, manage, and access their collections and provides a foundation for new services and initiatives with an aim to improve access to library services and resources for participating members.
Shared Services Working Group
At the May 2024 board meeting, BLC proposed reframing the Shared System Directors’ Group to include additional member institutions and explore additional new shared services beyond Alma and Primo. To that end, BLC has re-established its Shared Services Working Group charged with providing recommendations to BLC’s Board of Directors regarding the scope and structure of BLC-facilitated shared services programs that member institutions can opt into.
Technology Inventory
BLC staff assumed responsibility for administering the Technology Inventory, undertaken by the Technology COI for the past several years. Ben has worked with Lori Stethers (Wesleyan University) and Janice Christopher (UConn) to refine the survey to meet new and evolving institutional needs.
Other Consortial Updates
BLC Resource Hub
To support BLC's strategic initiative to "refine mechanisms for Communities to share information, data, and documentation," we have introduced the BLC Resource Hub. This centralized platform provides access to key consortial resources, including policies, reports, presentations, and templates. Future updates will expand the Hub to feature member-generated content from consortial projects, based on feedback from BLC Communities.
BLC Onboarding Resources
BLC has launched several tools, including the BLC Onboarding Cheat Sheet and bi-annual BLC 101 webinars, to help orient library professionals at BLC member institutions to BLC’s organizational structure, programs and initiatives, and opportunities for professional development and service. Stay tuned for BLC’s onboarding email series, launching soon.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of the BLC Bookmark News and we encourage you to reach out to Team BLC with any questions, comments, suggestions, or if you’re looking for ways to get involved.