The primary work of BLC is done through its membership communities, committees, and caucuses—which for decades have fostered collaboration, provided networking opportunities, introduced diverse perspectives, and held space for learning and growth. Thanks to the dedication of four new co-chairs, we're pleased to announce the revival of two dormant Communities of Interest: Government Documents and Assessment.
The discussions and knowledge-sharing platforms these communities provide have been missed. You can learn more about each community below. If you're interested in joining, please sign up for the email list by clicking the buttons within each section. From there, you'll be added to standing meeting invites and provided access to the Community's shared Google Drive. You can also join the Communities on the login side of BLC's website by creating an account.
The Assessment Community of Interest is for staff from BLC libraries who are involved or interested in assessment to share information and support one another in all aspects of our assessment activities and learning.
Major areas of library assessment include collections and discovery, instruction and outreach, reference, space and infrastructure, administrative activities, professional development, organizational culture and climate, usability, user experience, and more.
Membership in the Assessment COI includes a diverse group and is open to both library assessment practitioners and personnel interested in assessment activities at their institutions. Library assessment includes a broad range of quantitative and qualitative activities such as data collection, analysis and visualization, survey design and implementation, usability studies, web analytics, and ethnographic research techniques – to name just a few. The COI provides a forum for us to learn from one another, provide professional development opportunities, and work together to promote best practices that support evidence-based decision-making in the BLC libraries.
The COI has agreed to meet virtually or otherwise several times a year and at the BLC Forum. If you are unsure whether this is the right group for you, connect with Amahl McHenry (amchenry@blc.org) or one of the committee co-chairs: Sarah Fitzgerald (sfitzgerald@umass.edu) or Susanna Cowan (susanna.cowan@uconn.edu).
Ready to get started? Click the button below to be added to the Assessment Community of Interest email group. You'll receive invites to any upcoming meetings and be added to the Shared Google Drive.
The Government Documents Community of Interest is focused on issues relating to providing government information for research. Twelve of the 26 BLC libraries are members of the Federal Depository Library Program, providing government information for research. All are selective libraries collecting print and/or electronic resources that meet the information needs of their community. The government document materials in the libraries are available to the public, even if the library itself is a private institution. The Government Documents COI meets as a networking group to discuss issues of importance to government document librarians.
The twelve BLC libraries that are part of the Federal Library Depository Program maintain resource guides providing details of access to their collections. These collections are open to members of the BLC library community and, in many cases, to the public at large.
The Government Documents COI is open to any librarian or library staff providing access to or interested in government information for research. If you are unsure whether this is the right group for you, connect with Amahl McHenry (amchenry@blc.org) or one of the committee co-chairs: Aimee Slater (aslater@brandeis.edu) or John Devine (jdevine@bpl.org).
Meetings are held occasionally and usually in conjunction with the BLC Forum.
Ready to get started? Click the button below to be added to the Government Documents Community of Interest email group. You'll receive invites to any upcoming meetings and be added to the Shared Google Drive.
Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to engage with these revitalized communities. Your involvement is key to making these communities stronger.