Atla Annual 2020 Online: Full Schedule

10:00am CDT

Opening Plenary - Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe "Responsive and Responsible: Libraries Finding the Path Forward in Challenging Times"

To say that we are in challenging times is an understatement; however, these are not the first challenging times and, unfortunately, they are likely not our last. Libraries are uniquely positioned to work with the communities we serve in finding a path forward. This keynote will draw on the concept of "appreciative inquiry" as an approach moves away from traditional models of individual and organizational development that are based in correcting deficits and move towards strategies that identify strengths and patterns of positive outcomes. By focusing on the needs of our communities and stories of the organization-at-its-best we can identify strategies and characteristics that lead to proud accomplishments and thereby inspire continued performance and growth. By starting with "what works" we can build from our strengths to inspiration and action, thereby journeying toward the futures we want for our libraries and user communities.

Speakers

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe

Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe is now Professor/Coordinator for Research and Teaching Professional Development in the University Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She previously served as the University Library's Coordinator for Information Literacy Services and... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2020 10:00am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Plenary

11:15am CDT

Documenting and Describing the Transcultural: Qualitative Research in Theological Communication

Ethnographic and other qualitative methodological approaches have become increasingly important for theological research, as lived theology and ecclesiological practices are recognized as being a relevant part of the information ecosystem contributing to systematic theological inquiry. These new approaches require attention to how field research in theology is documented and described. This think & learn session will discuss research arising from the University of Bonn symposium “What Does Theology Do, Actually?: Observing Systematic Theology and the Transcultural.”

Dr. Evan Kuehn (North Park) will discuss the transculturality of theological research, and the relevance of qualitative and ethnographic approaches to global theological research for theological librarianship. Hadje Sadje (Leuven) will share about his research on the political theology latent in the practices of Oneness Pentecostal congregations in the Philippines and the role that documentation and description play in this research. Dr. Matthew Ryan Robinson (Bonn) will discuss the nature of non-textual theological artifacts by focusing on three case studies: a painting from Ethiopia, a devotional cross from the Philippines, and a tweet, as objects that present challenges and opportunities for extracting, coding, and analysis.

Speakers

Evan Kuehn

Assistant Professor of Information Literacy, North Park University

Hadje Sadje

Volunteer Faculty; School of Global Studies and Human Rights Studies, Foundation Academy of Amsterdam The Netherlands

Hadje Cresencio Sadje is an associate member of the SOAS Center for Palestine Studies, University of London, UK. In 2016, Mr. Sadje obtained his MA in Crosscultural Theology degree at the Protestant Theological University, The Netherlands. He is currently a graduate student (specializing... Read More →

Matthew Robinson

Research Associate in Practical Theology, University of Bonn

Wednesday June 17, 2020 11:15am - 11:45am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Collection Development, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

11:15am CDT

Libraries and Access to Information in Palestine

During this session attendees will learn about libraries and information access in Palestine, in particular, the West Bank. Living under Occupation for over 70 years has had a major impact on libraries, their function within communities, and access to materials and resources that most libraries in other places around the world do not experience. This paper will give a brief overview of the history of libraries in Palestine, including an historical narrative about the history of the Israel/Palestine conflict. It will also include snapshots of a few libraries within Palestine and examine the experience of a few librarians living and working in the West Bank. The idea for this paper stemmed from a course assignment in International Librarianship at the University of Buffalo and will be published as part of the International Libraries: An Open Textbook through Creative Commons. *This paper will include clips from the documentary film, The Great Book Robbery by Billy Brunner.

Speakers

Deanna Roberts

Circulation and Reserves Assistant, The Burke Library

I work full time at The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, one of many Columbia University Libraries. I'm currently in my second year of an MS LIS program at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Wednesday June 17, 2020 11:15am - 11:45am CDT
Zoom Room 2

Diversity

11:15am CDT

Implementing an Open Source Catalog in a Consortia Environment

The Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries (Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and United Lutheran Seminary) have had a joint library catalog between their three libraries for over 18 years that allowed for inter-institutional lending, some shared purchases, and joint collection development. After using a shared instance of Voyager for 17 years, the Cluster knew it was time to upgrade. During the 2018-2019 school year, the Cluster researched alternative software and ultimately selected the open source tool Koha, hosted by Equinox Open Library Initiative. This session will go over the reasons for change, the selection process, preparing for install, the install process, lessons learned, and the main benefits of a joint catalog.

Speakers

Evan Boyd

Library Director and Archivist, United Lutheran Seminary

Wednesday June 17, 2020 11:15am - 11:45am CDT
Zoom Room 3

Technology, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

12:00pm CDT

Interim Pastoral Skills as a Resource for Library Leadership Transitions

A veteran pastoral minister who is now a library leader and a library science professor reports on practical use of pastoral skills in helping libraries make transition to new leadership.

Speakers

Carisse Berryhill

Abilene Christian University, Abilene Christian University

Theological Librarianship Course @ Illinois iSchool LEEP; Stone-Campbell Archives; Readers and writing processes; scholarly publishing literacy; International Theological Librarianship Education task force

David E. Cox

Library Director, Skeen Library, New Mexico Tech

Wednesday June 17, 2020 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Administration, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

12:00pm CDT

Proposing a TEI-Encoding Project for Wesley Works

The Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), a branch of XML, is a mature standard for encoding texts which was developed three decades ago and continues to be improved and expanded upon today. Learn about how TEI was centrally imagined for a project devoted to a corpus of John Wesley material. We will begin by explaining why we chose to use TEI for the project and reviewing the considerations inherent in transitioning from a longstanding print-based project to a digital project, including the challenges of converting thousands of pages of text across different file types into rudimentary TEI. Next we will move into topics specific to TEI encoding practices, including the creation of XML tagsets designed to maximize the use-value of the Wesley Works for its various audiences: scholars, librarians, and clergy. Finally, we will show the TEI in action by sharing an example of an XML file from our first round of encoding.

Speakers

Andrew Keck

Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Assistant to the Dean, Perkins School of Theology / SMU

Michelle M. Taylor

Continuing Instructor, University of South Florida - Tampa

I teach English and serve as the General Education Literature Coordinator at the University of South Florida. I also specialize in the Digital Humanities and have worked on a broad range of DH projects across many disciplines.

Wednesday June 17, 2020 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Digital Projects, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

12:00pm CDT

On My Own: Teaching Writing as a Research Librarian

For two years I co-taught the research portion of both introductory and advanced research and writing courses at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, along with their Academic Skills Instructor. When my co-instructor left the University in Fall 2018 I was asked to continue teaching the introductory course on my own. While I felt confident in teaching about research, I had never taught writing in a formal way. In this presentation, I will discuss the strategies I developed to teach writing, as well as how I have revised the Introduction to Research and Writing course to reflect my strengths and expertise during the two semesters I have taught it on my own. I will share ideas for course readings, classroom exercises, and lecture topics, as well as how changes to the major course project were inspired by ideas shared during a 2019 Atla Conference session.

Speakers

Kaeley McMahan

Associate Librarian, Research & Instruction, Wake Forest University

Wednesday June 17, 2020 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Information Literacy, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

A Preview of Coming Attractions: The Proposed New Standards for ATS Accreditation

Over the past two years, a Task Force of the Association of Theological Schools' Commission on Accrediting has redeveloped the Standards of Accreditation for seminaries and divinity schools. The proposed new standards will be voted on at the ATS biennial meeting in Vancouver June 22-26, 2020. This session will provide a preview of the proposed new standards and associated self-study guidelines, with an emphasis on the proposed new library and information services standard. The session will be presented by a member of the Redevelopment of the Standards Task Force, Mitzi Budde.

Speakers

Mitzi Budde

Head Librarian & Professor, Virginia Theological Seminary

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Administration, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

Growing in Wisdom

This session will describe a multi-year project at a denominational seminary. SHSST is seeking to measure how effectively it prepares candidates for ministry. This project is based on the Atla ends, ATS standards, and Catholic formation. Using the Atla organizational end that pertains to "Growing in Wisdom" the project will examine delivery methods, evaluation techniques, buy-in from faculty and students, and much more... Many innovative ideas that shaped the project are found in essays from "Integrating Work in Theological Education," Calahan, Foley, & Mikoski, eds. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2017.

Speakers

Jennifer Bartholomew

Director of Library & Academic Support Services, Sacred Heart Seminary & School of Theology

I've was a cartographer and editor before discovering theological libraries. I've worked at Lutheran (ELCA) and Catholic seminaries and am interested in information literacy, interfaith values, and promoting loving kindness.

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Identity, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

EBSCO

EBSCO supports the research needs of students and faculty in the study of religion with our eBook Collection and Archive resources. Join us to hear how EBSCO can help you as we navigate these challenging times together!

Speakers

Rick Rybak

Academic Regional Sales Manager, EBSCO Information Services

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Sponsor

1:45pm CDT

Libraries and Chaplaincy Education -- The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab Wants to Hear From You

The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab (https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/), founded at Brandeis University in 2018, is an organization that sparks practical innovation in spiritual care. One way the Lab does this work is by fostering greater awareness of chaplaincy as a major field of study in educational institutions and helping educators align curricula with on-the-ground needs in spiritual care today. This session presents the results of the March 2020 survey of Atla members on resources in chaplaincy and spiritual care in their institutions. Michael Skaggs, Executive Director of the Lab, will engage participants in an open, seminar-style discussion on what chaplaincy resources are available in Atla member libraries, how librarians can support faculty implementing spiritual care resources into syllabi and broader curricula, and how chaplaincy is evolving as a field of study. This session will also offer attendees the opportunity to identify potential areas of collaboration with the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab and how the Lab can be of service to Atla and its members. Attendees will be introduced to the online presence of the Lab and the resources it offers there, as well as paths to engagement.

Speakers

Michael Skaggs

Executive Director, Chaplaincy Innovation Lab

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Collection Development, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:45pm CDT

Scholarly Communication in Religion: Lessons from the Social Sciences

A bibliometric analysis of the scholarship of ninety-five Social Science faculty members at the University of West Georgia yields findings about journal usage of interest to ATLA librarians who support scholarly communication in Religion. In addition to a brief overview of the methods employed and the conclusions drawn from the dataset, lessons learned about the effectiveness of citation analysis sites, emerging trends in the use of open source research resources by scholars, and tools employed by authors in Social Science disciplines to assert their rights and promote their work emerged from the study. They will be presented for consideration in relation to the discipline of Religious Studies.

Speakers

Beth M. Sheppard

Professor, University of West Georgia

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Scholarly Communication, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:45pm CDT

Gaming (In)formation: Gamified, Transformational Learning in Research and Theology

Gamification refers to the application of game design principles to a non-game context, infusing education with curiosity, imagination, and play. The Beam Library at Oklahoma Christian University has gamified research instruction and theological education, creating transformative learning spaces where desire drives students to explore, overcome challenges, and earn rewards. Chris Rosser will demonstrate three examples of gamified instruction within curricular and co-curricular contexts. First, Chris describes gamified theological education in his Bible and Classical Literature course, which normalizes experience of the Bible as 'strange' by framing students' journeys through texts around Joseph Campbell's construct of the Hero's Journey. Second, Chris will discuss an escape-room style, online, gamified library module that teaches and assesses information literacy outcomes as students escape from a virtual library. Third, we share results from a co-curricular Inquiring Minds badging initiative, in which we partnered with faculty to provide gamified learning for locating, evaluating, and using resources to empower research. Gamification offers a powerful means for rethinking how we do teaching and learning in today's technology-driven environment.

Speakers

Christopher Rosser

Theological Librarian, Oklahoma Christian University

Hi! I'm a librarian-teacher passionate for creative re-imaginings of how research, information, and media literacy instruction is crafted and delivered. I believe the convergence of curricular and co-curricular experience is the future of higher ed, and librarian-teachers are best... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Technology, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

2:30pm CDT

Physical Collections and the 21st Century Theological Library

Collection management has changed over the past generation in libraries and will undoubtedly continue to do so. In a world of ebooks, physical space pressure, consortial reciprocal borrowing, blossoming journal prices, shrinking monograph budgets, and declining print circulation, what is the role of the physical collection in a religious studies or theological library? Come hear from librarian colleagues from a variety of types of religious libraries and join the conversation.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young Miller

Information Literacy and Seminary Liaison Librarian, Moravian University and Moravian Theological Seminary

Derek J. Rieckens

Systems and Archives Librarian, Catholic Theological Union - Paul Bechtold Library

Gerrit van Dyk

Philosophy and Mormon Studies Librarian, Brigham Young University

Karl Stutzman

Director of Library Services, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Wednesday June 17, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Collection Development, Panel (50 minutes)

2:30pm CDT

Protestant Missions Collections: Past, Present, and Future

Collections documenting the history of Protestant missions are of great and ongoing interest to a wide range of researchers. Global in scope, they capture histories and perspectives often not otherwise available and support learning and scholarship in disciplines such as history, anthropology, and religious studies. Yale Divinity Library's Day Missions Collection, the Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary's Missionary Research Library, and Drew University Library's Methodist Missions collections together comprise a significant amount of primary source material that documents this history. The collections have related but distinct provenance and there continue to be new acquisitions that are processed and made available for researchers and students. The panel will include curators and managers of these collections and will consider the background, current uses, and future possibilities of missions-related collections within and beyond the fields of religion and theology. This panel will be of interest to all who work with theological, religious studies, or related collections and institutions, particularly where the documentation and study of colonial legacies is a primary concern for researchers, faculty, and students. It will also be of interest to librarians interested in critical engagement -- for instruction, management, outreach -- with complex and high-interest primary sources.

Speakers

Christopher Anderson

Special Collections Librarian, Curator of Day Missions Collection, Yale Divinity Library

Matthew Baker

Head, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University Libraries

Brian Shetler

Head of Special Collections & University Archives and Methodist Librarian, Drew University Library

Wednesday June 17, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Identity, Panel (50 minutes)

2:30pm CDT

The Role of Librarians in Supporting Textbook Affordability Initiatives at Theological Colleges

Academic libraries increasingly lead textbook affordability initiatives in higher education. In most cases, librarians have played a critical role in building, managing, and supporting these initiatives to alleviate textbook affordability problems that students have been facing. For theological institutions, where there is a shortage of openly-licensed learning materials on religion and theology, implementing a purely OER (open educational resources) solution can be a challenge. This presentation will discuss how textbook affordability initiatives can be implemented and scaled using a multitude of approaches. One can be OER, another can be the use of library-subscribed or purchased resources, and another method can be free online materials. This presentation will discuss the variety of ways that librarians can support these initiatives. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to OER, so the speaker will present a range of ideas that could work at any institution, including training and outreach, faculty grants, learning communities, campus partnerships, publishing support, regional events, and summits.

Speakers

Regina Gong

OER & Student Success Librarian, Michigan State University

Regina Gong is the Open Educational Resources (OER) & Student Success Librarian at Michigan State University (MSU) Libraries. In her role at MSU, Regina leads and oversees the OER program including the OER award and the OER publishing services. She also facilitates the Open Pedagogy... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Scholarly Communication, Listen and Learn (50 minutes)

10:00am CDT

Theological Libraries Serving Immigrant Communities

As theological institutions begin to reach out more to immigrant communities through programs and degrees aimed at these groups, libraries will need to understand how best to serve the research and academic needs of these students. This may mean non-English resources, culturally relevant resources, and staffing changes. Participants will learn about different immigrant communities, will learn about possible resources to help them in serving the students, and will be able to network with others in similar situations.

Speakers

Susan Ebertz

Associate Professor & Director for the Library, Wartburg Theological Seminary

I'm a member of the Atla Board of Directors and would love to hear your thoughts. Talk to me about the Small Libraries Interest Group and racial/ethnic diversity. As you can probably guess I miss large expanses of water (i.e. ocean).

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 2

Diversity, Conversation Group (30 minutes)

10:00am CDT

Supporting Students at a Distance

Case study of resource and information literacy strategy and provision to distance students at a UK seminary with only a single staff member.

Speakers

Donald Mitchell

Librarian, Union School of Theology

Single handed librarian who has worked at UST (formerly WEST) since Sept. 2011. The seminary is independent, non-denominational, drawing from a variety of reformed backgrounds both for staff and students. We teach at UG, PG and also run research degrees. Taught degrees are validated... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Information Literacy, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:00am CDT

Theology in 3D: Virtual Tours for Outreach and Instruction at Pitts Theology Library

Since their introduction in the mid-1990's, virtual web tours have existed alongside traditional instruction and outreach methods as digital tools to increase access and knowledge in a variety of institutions (Mosley and Xiao 1996). By 2002, tours available on the web constituted the third most popular tour option in a survey of 111 academic libraries (Oling and Mach 2002). In the spring of 2019, Pitts Theology Library (Emory University) launched its own virtual tour project using Matterport technology to supplement instruction and outreach for students, faculty, staff, and community members. Systems & Digital Scholarship Librarian, Spencer Roberts, captured and processed the 3D images to make available for the public, while Anne Marie McLean (Reference Librarian & Outreach Coordinator) capitalized on the technology in volunteer projects, orientation sessions, and exhibition promotion. This session will detail the envisioning and execution of virtual tours in Pitts Theology Library, as well as practical applications for its use in both outreach and instruction in a theological library setting.

Speakers

Anne Marie McLean

Reference Librarian & Outreach Coordinator, Pitts Theology Library at Candler School of Theology, Emory University

Spencer Roberts

Systems and Digital Scholarship Librarian, Pitts Theology Library (Emory University)

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 3

Technology, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Covenant Librarianship: A New Epistemology for Theological Librarians

Does one's definition of knowledge impact their perception of librarianship? Do religious texts have much to say about epistemology? If they do, what do they say and how do they impact our role as theological librarians? This presentation will look at passages from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, implementing Dru Johnson's work, to develop an epistemological framework. It will then assess how that framework impacts various tenets of librarianship, briefly touching upon three specific elements: reference interviews, a librarian's perception of scholarship, and a warrant for open access. This presentation will introduce an epistemological framework based on religious texts and argue that it should be used as a means through which theological librarianship should be practiced.

Speakers

Garrett Trott

University Librarian, Corban University

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 3

Identity, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Using Religious Images to Teach Visual Literacy: A Unique Opportunity for Theological Libraries

Over the last year, quite a few publications (books, chapters, and articles) have appeared which focus upon ways of teaching visual literacy and the importance of this skill in the current research environment. Today's researchers must be equipped with the tools to interpret and make meaning from visual materials in order to succeed in their studies. In this regard, the theological/religious world is uniquely well-suited for this discussion, as it already has much to offer in terms of familiar images and icons. These offerings are diverse, familiar, and filled with much meaning and potential. This listen and learn session will explore the practical tools of using icons and other religious art work/media as an entry point into the conversation about the importance of visual literacy. The hope will be that participants leave with a clearer idea of visual literacy and the ways that theological libraries can engage and teach it to our students, while connecting with their previous experiences and knowledge in transformative and empowering ways. By equipping our students with these new skills, they will hopefully become more solid and informed in their scholarship and research and more comfortable using and engaging images in school and beyond.

Speakers

Daniel Smith

Research, Instruction, & Digital Services Librarian, The Styberg Library, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 2

Information Literacy, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Atla Research Tools Update

Want to learn what’s new with Atla’s research tools? Hear about the latest content additions and infrastructure updates included in Atla Religion Database® (Atla RDB®) — the premier index in all fields of religion, as well as AtlaSerials® (Atlas®), and AtlaSerials PLUS® (Atlas PLUS®) — the go-to full-text collections of journals in diverse areas of religion and theology. Session will include a 20-minute presentation by Atla Product Specialist Cristina Ochoa, followed by 10 minutes of interactive Q&A with Atla's team of product experts.

Speakers

Cristina Ochoa

Product Specialist, Atla

As the Product Specialist at Atla, I oversee customer research and new product development. I am also a liaison internally leading projects and streamlining processes, and externally collaborating with key partners and stakeholders, such as EBSCO, on user relationships, marketing... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Sponsor

11:30am CDT

Atla Business Meeting & Association Update

During this session, Executive Director Brenda Bailey-Hainer will provide a brief update on the association followed by the recognition of recent retirees and memorials for those in the Atla community who have passed away. The current President of the Board of Directors, Stephen Sweeney, will offer a presidential address and conduct the annual business meeting of the Association during which the results of the 2020 election will be shared and new board members welcomed and outgoing board members will be thanked for their service.

Speakers

Christina Torbert

Head of Continuing Resources and Acquisitions, Liaison for Phil/Rel, University of Mississippi

I always pass on good advice. It's the only sensible thing to do with it.I am a California native who has also lived in England and Chicago. I married a southern boy, and we moved to Mississippi. I am a serials librarian who is also trained to be a minister. I am not ordained but... Read More →

Brenda Bailey-Hainer

Executive Director, Atla

I'm the Executive Director at Atla, a nonprofit membership association for libraries and librarians serving theology and religious studies programs in higher education institutions. My interests include collaborative digital humanities projects, organizational management, and public... Read More →

Stephen Sweeney

Library Director, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary

Thursday June 18, 2020 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Meeting

12:30pm CDT

Atla Products

Atla creates trusted research tools for the scholarly study of religion and theology, including Atla Religion Database® (Atla RDB®) — the premier index in all fields of religion, as well as AtlaSerials® (Atlas®), and AtlaSerials PLUS® (Atlas PLUS®) — the go-to full-text collections of journals in diverse areas of religion and theology. We also oversee historical archives initiatives and work with several publishing partners to offer electronic versions of specialized bibliographic and reference products.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Margot Lyon

Director of Business Development, Atla

Margot Lyon is Director of Business Development at Atla where she oversees global business relationships, content licensing, and product-related initiatives. Margot has more than twenty years of experience in the information and publishing industry, having worked in public facing... Read More →

Maria Stanton

Director, Content Production, Atla

Lavonne Cohen

Senior Business Development Analyst, Atla

As Senior Business Development Analyst, Lavonne is responsible for financial market analysis and liaising with key business partners related to Atla Research Tools. Lavonne has an AB in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and an MSLIS from Drexel University.

Gregg Taylor

Licensing Manager, Atla

Gregg Taylor is Licensing Manager in the Business Development department at Atla. A scholar of religion by training, Gregg is responsible for content licensing and global publisher relationships. A champion of metadata and a copyright enthusiast, he most enjoys getting to work with... Read More →

Cristina Ochoa

Product Specialist, Atla

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Bloomsbury Digital Resources

Bloomsbury Digital Resources provides creative online learning environments that support scholarly research and inspire students throughout the world. We seek to engage our users with academically rigorous, editorially crafted content that encourages people to think and explore. We believe in working in partnership with librarians, researchers, and instructors to offer flexible solutions and unparalleled customer support, and we strive to create a culture of excellence and entrepreneurial thinking that is solutions-focused and rewards innovation.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Michelle Kelly

Associate Marketing Director, Bloomsbury

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

DIGITALIA

Digitalia Hispánica is a Spanish language collections of 27,000 e-books and e-journals from publishers from Spain and Latin American countries. The titles are organized in different collections: History, Political Science, Business and Economics, Religion, Social Sciences, Philosophy, Art & Architecture, etc. Our patrons include some of the most prestigious universities and colleges in the US, Latin America, and Europe. Includes MARC records, unlimited downloads with DRM, unlimited simultaneous users, and monthly updates on the content.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Xavier Claret

Director, DIGITALIA

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

EBSCO

EBSCO provides search tools, research content, and subscription management services through EBSCO Discovery Services, hundreds of research databases, e-journals, and books.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Ryan Bernier

VP, Database Partnerships, EBSCO

Rick Rybak

Academic Regional Sales Manager, EBSCO Information Services

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Equinox Publishing Ltd

I'm the founder and managing director of the publishing company Equinox Publishing Ltd. We are based in Sheffield, U.K., and have a branch office in Seattle. We publish books (small reference, monographs, textbooks) and academic journals in 4 subject areas (archaeology, linguistics, music, religion) and usually publish around 15 new books in religion each year. Within the broad field of religion, we focus on theory & method, history of religions, biblical studies/ancient near east, Buddhist studies, Islamic studies, pagan studies, new religions, and social justice. 18 of our 50 journals are in the field of religion. All our books are simultaneously published in print and as eBooks. This year we hope to introduce our eBooks and the many options we offer for libraries to acquire single titles or discounted packages.
I look forward to speaking to delegates!

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Janet Joyce

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Equinox

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Fortress Press

Fortress Press is a publishing house of unparalleled relevance and influence, producing books that shape the thought of general readers, clergy, students, and scholars. As a whole, our products are committed to catalyzing conversations that matter.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Heather Hart

Fortress Press

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Gorgias Press

Gorgias Press was founded in 2001 and is an independent publisher of high-quality, peer reviewed books and journals in history, languages, and religious studies. Its specific subject areas include Biblical Studies, Syriac and Eastern Christianity, Jewish Studies, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, Language and Linguistics, the Ancient Near East, Archaeology, and History.

Following the philosophy, “Publishing for the Sake of Knowledge”, the Press is run for scholars, by scholars, and distinguishes itself through the publication of rare and understudied topics alongside more mainstream works. Gorgias Press embraces diversity and strives for excellence in its academic publishing.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Gemma Tully

Marketing Associate, Gorgias Press

Hello! I'm at Atla representing Gorgias Press. Here's our exhibitor page: Gorgias Press - Atla Annual 2021 Online (sched.com)I'm the person who can help you with pretty much everything: information on our theological titles and series, eBooks, special conference discounts for libraries, and more. There's a lot of information in our presentation on our exhibitor page, but I'll be here to answer any ques... Read More →

Tuomas Rasimus

Gorgias Press

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

InterVarsity Press

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is the trusted Christian publisher for ministers, university students, and academicians. For those who are committed to engaging culture while maintaining a distinctive, Christian perspective, IVP is the leading publisher.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Ali Galbraith

Academic Sales Manager, InterVarsity Press

Hi there and thanks for stopping by the booth!I'd be happy to chat with you about the IVP Academic catalog, IVP's library select program, or answer questions you might have about IVP's books.

Maila Kue

Events Marketing Coordinator, InterVarsity Press

Located in Westmont, Illinois, IVP has been publishing thoughtful Christian books for more than 70 years. An extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, IVP is a leading Christian publisher with a respected history providing resources that strengthen the church, encourage... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Langham Publishing

Langham Publishing is an academic publisher of Majority World theology with the purpose of strengthening the global church. Our titles enrich our readers from theological institutions, seminaries, and churches with evangelical theology birthed from non-western worldviews and contexts bringing new insight and understanding to theological disciplines. We publish academic Christian voices that need to be heard by the academy in indigenous contexts, in the West and in other parts of the Majority World.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Luke Lewis

Director of Publishing, Langham Publishing

Christians all over the world don’t have the resources they need. We publish books for Christian leaders in non-western contexts so they can teach God’s word in a way that is faithful, relevant and transforms lives. If Christian leaders in the poorest parts of the world have the... Read More →

Timothy Sands

Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Langham Publishing

Vivian Doub

Editorial and Contracts Coordinator, Langham Publishing

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Midwest Library Service

For more than a half-century, Midwest Library Service has been defined by its superior service, provided exclusively to academic and public libraries. Our comprehensive range of products, services, and resources includes books supplied from more than 15,000 U.S., Canadian, and U.K. publishers and an out-of-print service.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Steven Chase

Midwest Library Service

Midwest Library Service has been supplying libraries with academic and scholarly books for more than 50 years. We provide books from more than 15,000 U.S., Canadian, and U.K. publishers including:•University presses•Scientific, technical, and health science publishers•Small... Read More →

Michelle Marx

Midwest Library Service

Brandon Richardson

Midwest Library Service

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

New City Press

New City Press aspires to be the leading media platform for fostering a culture of unity, encounter, and dialogue. Our mission is to produce, aggregate, and distribute content that enhances spiritual growth and builds bridges across faith and cultural divides. In unity with the charism and ministry of the Focolare, we address issues important to faith communities and society through collaborative and mutually supportive relationships with our audiences, stakeholders, strategic partners.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Greg Metzger

Director of Sales, New City Press

Hello, I am Greg Metzger, Director of Sales for New City Press. I am interested in learning more about your needs as librarians and in talking to you about some of our exciting books for 2020. Can't wait to connect.

Claude Blanc

Executive Director and Publisher, New City Press

Our main claim to fame is our publication of the complete works of Saint Augustine in English. A new volume is scheduled for this Fall. Also, we recently published the latest title added to our series \\"Saint Francis, Early Documents\\": \\"The Conformity\\", this three volume set... Read More →

Tom Masters

Editorial Director, New City Press

Snce 2005 I have been editorial director for New City Press. In that capacity I help authors—some with long experience in publishing, some producing their first books—maintain their unique voice while adapting their concepts to the needs of contemporary audiences. For nearly... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

OCLC

OCLC is a nonprofit global library cooperative providing shared technology services, original research, and community programs. Through OCLC, member libraries produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections. Libraries gain efficiencies through WorldShare, a set of library management services on a cloud-based platform. Wise™ is the first community engagement system built for public libraries. Together as OCLC, we make breakthroughs possible.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Suzanne Butte

Director, Strategic Accounts, OCLC

Suzanne Butte has been with OCLC for many years currently as director of strategic accounts. She represents OCLC and the various products and services to consortia like Atla, state libraries and ARL’s in a number of states. She enjoys meeting with librarians talking about their... Read More →

Peter Zeimet

Senior Library Services Consultant, Collection Man, OCLC

Pete is a librarian (University of Wisconsin) with experience in academic and special libraries. He has worked in library automation for 15 years, the last six years as a specialist with OCLC's collection analytics tools—GreenGlass, GreenGlass for Serials, and Choreo Insights.I... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

Project MUSE

Project MUSE is a leading provider of digital humanities and social science content for the scholarly community around the world.

For 25 years, Project MUSE has been the trusted and reliable source of complete, full-text versions of scholarly journals from many of the world's leading universities and scholarly societies. Currently, Project MUSE has over 700 journals from 125 publishers and offers over 60,000 books from more than 100 presses. All books are fully integrated with Project MUSE's scholarly journal content, with collection and single title purchasing, subscription, OA books/MUSE Open and evidence-based acquisition models available.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Abe Novick

Marketing Manager, Project MUSE

I am thrilled to be here at NISO!

Doug Storm

Field Sales and Library Relations, Project MUSE

My specialty is working with libraries on Evidence Based Acquisitions programs (EBA) to fit your access needs and budget. And I know you've had Goldilocks experiences in the past with programs where you exhaust your funds too soon, or end up with too much access and too little use... Read More →

Melanie Schaffner

Director, Sales and Marketing, Project MUSE

Melanie Schaffner joined Project MUSE® in 1996 and currently serves as Director, Sales and Marketing. Her primary responsibilities include managing global sales and outreach activities, developing business models and a comprehensive marketing strategy for MUSE’s various product... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

12:30pm CDT

The Global Digital Theological Library

The Global Digital Theological Library is a co-owned theological library of digital resources for the developing world.

Participate in the Passport Program!
Our vendors have been incredibly generous in their support of our conference! Show how much you value their support by visiting them during the Virtual Vendor Social and participating in the Passport Program! Learn how you can win donated prizes, including gift cards, books, and other fun items!

Speakers

Thomas Phillips

director, Digital Theological Library

The Global Digital Theological Library works with vendors of good will to provide access to a comprehensive library of contemporary academic ebooks and ejournals in religious studies to seminaries, bible colleges and small colleges in developing nations at prices affordable to schools... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Meetings

Vendor Social

1:45pm CDT

Make Your Pitch!

Managing a library can have its ups and downs, challenges and triumphant moments. Have a dean, director, president or rector to convince? This session will look at different strategies used to get your point out, gain support and achieve your goals. Come learn about strategies to creating your plan and have your voice heard!

Speakers

Jérémie LeBlanc

Jean-Léon Library and Archives, Saint Paul University

Thursday June 18, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Administration, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:45pm CDT

Digitizing the Records of Philadelphia's Historic Congregations

Carol W. Smith of Christ Church Preservation Trust will provide an overview of an exciting project which brings together the records of 11 of Philadelphia's oldest congregations accessible through a unified portal in the Atla Digital Library. She will discuss the background of the project, funding, partnerships, future outcomes and how to best use this website for all types of research from genealogical to social history.

Speakers

Christy Karpinski

Digital Initiatives Librarian, Atla

Christine Fruin

Scholarly Communication and Digital Initiatives Ma, Atla

Christine Fruin is the Atla Scholarly Communication and Digital Initiatives Manager. As an attorney and a librarian, she has worked for nearly 15 years promoting access to and use of diverse collections and scholarship through utilization of fair use, open access, and responsible... Read More →

Walter Rice

..., ...

Carol Smith

Archivist, Christ Church Preservation Trust

I have worked with a number of Philadelphia institutions over the years helping them care for artifacts and archives - ask me about Philadelphia history, archives or digital projects!

Thursday June 18, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Digital Projects, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:45pm CDT

Online Content in International Languages for Religious Education: Digitalia Hispánica, French, Portuguese, and Film Library

We will provide an overview of electronic resources that are available for Atla members: e-books, e-journals, and streaming films/documentaries covering a wide range of disciplines of interest: Religion, Mythology, Philosophy, Psychology, Education, Sociology, etc. with a focus in international languages materials.

Speakers

Xavier Claret

Director, DIGITALIA

Thursday June 18, 2020 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Sponsor

2:30pm CDT

Defining Balances in Collection Development Policies

In addition to defining scope, collection development policies are increasingly defining new balances of digital/print, subscriptions/selections, faculty/student/community/regional needs, curricular/research needs, providing access/building a collection, etc. Learn from three librarians who will dig deeply into the issues around defining a particular balance in collection development as well as describe the process for defining these balances on their respective campuses.

Speakers

Michelle Spomer

Director of Barbour Library, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Myka Kennedy Stephens

Seminary Librarian, Lancaster Theological Seminary

Andrew Keck

Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Assistant to the Dean, Perkins School of Theology / SMU

Katie Benjamin

Divinity Library Director, Divinity School, Duke University

Thursday June 18, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Collection Development, Panel (50 minutes)

2:30pm CDT

Theory and Praxis: Information Literacy in Religious Studies and Theological Education

Since the advent of the Association of College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, information literacy has been substantially reimagined both theoretically and in professional practice. A new open access publication from Books@Atla Open Press (https://books.atla.com), Information Literacy and Theological Librarianship: Theory & Praxis, marshalls personal experiences, best practices, and theoretical explorations unique to religious studies and theological librarianship. Contributing authors include librarians working in seminaries, small liberal arts colleges, regional religious colleges and universities, as well as divinity schools that are part of R1 universities. This panel presentation features a conversation between the volume editor, a contributing author, and an editor from Books@Atla Open Press. Learn more about the productive tension between theory and practice that frames this work, which examines contemporary information literacy instruction from the perspective of theological and religious studies librarianship. Hear how one librarian integrates the ACRL Information LIteracy Framework into assignments and instruction for a credit-bearing, library-led Divinity School course. Discover the significance of this research to the field of theological librarianship and its availability as an open access publication for librarians in all fields to consult.

Moderators

Christine Fruin

Scholarly Communication and Digital Initiatives Ma, Atla

Speakers

Kaeley McMahan

Associate Librarian, Research & Instruction, Wake Forest University

Matthew Collins

Editor in Chief, Books@Atla Open Press; Library Director,, Alma College

Thursday June 18, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Information Literacy, Panel (50 minutes)

2:30pm CDT

Better-Casting: Best Practices for High-Impact Screencast Tutorial Development

When efficiently and effectively developed, screencast tutorials can be a great way to demonstrate resources and ideas asynchronously to interested viewers. In this session, the speaker will provide a whirlwind introduction to best practices for developing high-impact screencast tutorials and offer a brief demonstration of how a tool, such as Camtasia, can enhance users' learning experiences. The presenter will demonstrate screencast development in the context of a sample workflow to help an attendees plan and organize tutorial development in an institutional context.

Speakers

Melody Diehl Detar

Instructional Design Librarian, Duquesne University

Thursday June 18, 2020 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Technology, Listen and Learn (50 minutes)

10:00am CDT

How Projects in Special Collections Help Students Find Their Faith and Voice

Over the past decade, Bob Turner and Carisse Berryhill have collaborated on a project to help students submit special projects into the Archive of the Harding School of Theology. This session will detail that project, show how it has helped students in one context, show how the project can connect to ATS standards, and help you imagine how it can help your institution.

Speakers

Carisse Berryhill

Abilene Christian University, Abilene Christian University

Bob Turner

Library Director, Harding School of Theology

Friday June 19, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 2

Digital Projects, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:00am CDT

Open Doors and Good Intentions are Not Enough: Cultivating Cultural Competencies in LIS Education and Practice

A quick review of sessions at recent conferences and meetings of librarians and library educators reveals a strong interest in issues of diversity, inclusion, white privilege, and a professed awareness of its lack of a diverse workforce. For many engaged in the conversations these seem like issues long neglected by our profession. This session will frame a discussion of the importance of developing cultural competencies in our workplaces and among library students by first taking a long view of the ways librarians, libraries, and library schools have grappled with the challenges of ensuring access to all users. What do we mean by cultural competency? What are our colleagues doing in their shops and in the classroom? What has worked and why? How do we effect institutional change that makes a difference, takes real and realistic steps toward inclusivity and ensures a welcoming environment for workers and users? An examination of these questions will lead into and inform an open discussion to share successes, questions, and concerns.

Speakers

Christine D'Arpa

Assistant Professor, School of Information Sciences at Wayne State University

Christine D'Arpa is Assistant Professor at the School of Information Sciences at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. D'Arpa has designed and taught a range of courses in LIS including Community Archives, Digital Public History, Administration and Use of Archival Materials... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Diversity, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:00am CDT

The Strengths of this Volume...: The Librarian as Book Reviewer

This presentation advocates for theological librarians to engage in the practice of writing and publishing book reviews. Reviewing books for academic and popular publications is one avenue through which librarians are uniquely situated to contribute to scholarly conversations and engage our communities. Reviewing can be a manageable way for busy librarians to publish, it contributes to professional development, it can promote diversity in our collections and institutions, and it can sharpen reference skills. I will offer some practical suggestions for how librarians who have little or no experience reviewing books can begin to do so. I will discuss the pros and cons of reviewing for popular vs. academic publications as well as traditional vs. online and open access platforms.

Speakers

Andrew Stout

Public Services Librarian, Covenant Theological Seminary

Friday June 19, 2020 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Zoom Room 3

Scholarly Communication, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Controlled Digital Lending: An eBook Solution When There is no eBook?

When administrators at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary unveiled plans for a new online-only degree program geared specifically towards students overseas, librarians were faced with the problem of how best to provide access to research and reading materials. eBooks played a large role in the solution, but what about when there is no eBook available for a particular text? Based on a fair use argument, Controlled Digital Lending offers libraries the option to translate print books into eBooks. With Controlled Digital Lending, libraries lend one digital copy to one user at a time for each print copy they take out of circulation. Come and learn about AMBS Library's experiment with Controlled Digital Lending through Internet Archive.

Speakers

Brandon Board

Information Services & Online Learning Librarian, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Karl Stutzman

Director of Library Services, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Friday June 19, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 3

Collection Development, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Information Literacy in the Seminary

This session will enable participants to share ways to do information literacy (IL) in seminaries. There will be four breakout groups during the session, each of which will be assigned one of the major topics below. Please read through all the topics so that you’ll be ready to share in your breakout group.

Ways to Involve Faculty in IL: What does information literacy engagement look like in practical courses, i.e. courses without research projects? courses with research papers? How do we help faculty understand the advantage of IL instruction for their students?
Tiered Approaches to IL: What are consistent difficulties students have with finding materials? How much time do you need to cover finding and using resources? What tools do you provide for finding or using resources besides library staff? How do you publicize them? How much time do you need to cover style, formatting, and library provided tools?
Suggestions for how to Start an IL program: How do you define IL? How is it distinct from writing skills and study skills? What are the basic requirements for beginning an IL program? Who are the faculty members who are most likely to support an IL initiative?
Administrative buy-in to the need for IL training: What metrics do your administrators want to see? What faculty are key for administrative support? How do we help administrators understand the need for IL? How do we move from remedial and reactive IL training to proactive IL training?

The participants will develop a list of ideas and resources to use in their libraries or schools. The list will be written up and distributed to the participants and to the convention annual. This will include a bibliography of IL sources and a list of ideas, things to consider or try, etc. You are invited to join our online group. The URL will be provided in the presentation PowerPoint.

Speakers

Jonathan McCormick

Regional Campus Librarian, Gateway Seminary

Patricia Yang

Digital Services Librarian, Gateway Seminary Library

Friday June 19, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 2

Information Literacy, Conversation Group (30 minutes)

10:45am CDT

Update on OCLC/Atla Consortial Purchased Services and Sustainable Collection Services (SCS) GreenGlass

Receive update on OCLC services that are available in the Consortia Purchasing Program and learn how the Sustainable Collection Services (SCS) GreenGlass tool can help libraries manage their print monograph collections and make data driven decisions on which titles to deselect, retain, digitize and transfer to remote storage. Also hear the benefits of shared print projects and the opportunity to help secure the scholarly record among members of Atla.

Friday June 19, 2020 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Zoom Room 1

Sponsor

11:30am CDT

Planning Strategically for Small Libraries

Strategic plans are vital to give direction for theological libraries. At many small theological libraries much of the time is spent in doing. Planning becomes a lower priority and is pushed to the side. Strategic planning and ongoing evaluation may help focus the many activities and services that small libraries do. Participants will find out about resources to help them in creating their own strategic plan with efficiency, will be able to relate the experiences of the panelists to their own experiences and contexts, and will be able to assess their own context and appropriately develop their own practical approaches.

Speakers

Susan Ebertz

Associate Professor & Director for the Library, Wartburg Theological Seminary

Karl Stutzman

Director of Library Services, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Friday June 19, 2020 11:30am - 12:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Administration, Panel (50 minutes)

11:30am CDT

Poster Presentations

Black Theology Papers Project -- Dr. Andrea C. White, Dr. Adam Clark, Matthew Baker
- Poster will introduce a new electronic portal -- which went live in 2019 -- showcasing research and tools for the teaching of black theology.
Upgrading your OPAC with VuFind -- Wesley Custer
- Asbury Seminary's B. L. Fisher Library undertook a project in the 2019-2020 academic year to upgrade their library access and searching functions by implementing VuFind. This session will discuss the process, the devops tools used, hosting concerns, and the pros and cons from our perspective.
Incorporating Debiasing Curriculum into the Information Literacy Instruction in Theological Libraries -- Marta Samokishyn
- Identifying the elements of bias in a research process is a complex issue in the current socio-cultural climate and technologically driven social ecosystem. This calls for the new critical approach to digital literacy, information and media literacies, as well as critical thinking skills. This poster will discuss the process of incorporating debiasing elements into the curriculum of the credit-bearing information literacy course. The presenter will discuss the role of academic libraries in addressing the issue of bias and strategies students can use to evaluate sources for bias, as well as understanding their own potential biases.
Coming Out as a Library: Offering Support to the LGBTQ+ Community During Trying Times -- Daniel Smith
- This year, The Styberg Library has offered support to the LGBTQ+ community at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in a variety of ways. This work stemmed from larger seminary commitments and statements which served as a foundation and impetus for the work. As an institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church, we recognized how the current impasse in the larger church had effected our community. In response, we offered ourselves as a place of affirmation and support through traditional and novel ways. First, we curated several displays to highlight relevant resources and services that may be of interest to the queer community. We also created an LGBTQ+ specific LibGuide to highlight these library resources and services, in addition to a number of other online community resources. Then, we began the process of constructing an archive to document the local history of the LGBTQ+ community within the seminary after realizing our existent archive was significantly lacking documents and other artifacts from the seminary's LGBTQ+ community and student group. We continue to explore further ways to extend support and would like to share our experiences through a poster to hopefully inspire other libraries to find ways of supporting the LGBTQ+ community in their midst.

Speakers

Adam Clark

Associate Professor of Theology, Xavier University

Andrea White

Associate Professor of Theology & Culture, Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University

Wesley D Custer

Director of Instructional Services, Asbury Theological Seminary

Marta Samokishyn

Collection Development Librarian, Saint Paul University Library

Matthew Baker

Head, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University Libraries

Daniel Smith

Research, Instruction, & Digital Services Librarian, The Styberg Library, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Friday June 19, 2020 11:30am - 12:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Posters, Posters (50 minutes)

11:30am CDT

Now More Than Ever: The Need to Build Open Scholarship in Theological Libraries

Learn from colleagues who have expertise in open educational resources and the movement towards affordable textbook options. How do we move from consumers of these resources to producers of them? Melody Diehl Detar will provide an overview of what open scholarship means, and discuss examples of how it is practiced. Chris Doll will share about his library’s role in surveying and supporting faculty in creating and publishing textbooks with a Creative Commons license. Christine Fruin will discuss Atla’s ongoing efforts to support open scholarship efforts among Atla member institutions.

Speakers

Christopher Doll

Library Director, University Of Dubuque

Christopher Doll is the library director, archivist and seminary faculty member at the University of Dubuque.

Melody Diehl Detar

Instructional Design Librarian, Duquesne University

Christine Fruin

Scholarly Communication and Digital Initiatives Ma, Atla

Friday June 19, 2020 11:30am - 12:20pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Scholarly Communication, Panel (50 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

"How do you do that?" Theological & Religious Studies Collection Development

This conversation session is grounded in research conducted in Fall 2019 and provides participants with collection development trends among Religious Studies subject specialists who are responsible for purchasing materials. After briefly introducing these trends, the presenters will acknowledge the membership base of Atla as comprised of Religious Studies and Theological Librarians, and guide a discussion on how Atla members engage in collection development. Questions to prompt discussion may include: What effective collection development strategies exist among Atla members? What collection development struggles are faced and what are the needs most acutely felt by Atla members? How can Atla members provide support for one another to satisfy these needs? How are the trends represented by the conversation group coordinators similar to or different from the professional practice of Atla members?

Speakers

Alexander Luis Odicino

Libraries Apprentice, University of Colorado, Boulder

Megan E. Welsh

Interdisciplinary Arts & Humanities Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder

Friday June 19, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 2

Collection Development, Conversation Group (30 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

During this session, attendees will learn the basics of U.S. copyright law and fair use jurisprudence as applied to libraries as well as discover best practices to be employed when engaging in digitization of library and archive collections. Permissions and post-digitization licensing and reuse policies will also be covered.

Speakers

Christine Fruin

Scholarly Communication and Digital Initiatives Ma, Atla

Friday June 19, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Scholarly Communication, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

1:00pm CDT

Reframing Description: A Practical Introduction to Linked Data and the Bibliographic Universe

Curious about what this "linked data" stuff is and what it has to do with your bibliographic records? Linked open data has become quite the hot-button topic in metadata and cataloging circles in recent years, but discussion has focused heavily on the high-level, conceptual and theoretical applications. So, what does linked data mean in practice? For decades, bibliographic description has been thought of in terms of records: immutable, monolithic documents which reflect and stand in place of the physical items-in-hand. In this introduction to linked data, we will explore a reframing of bibliographic descriptions as organic, multifaceted collections of descriptive statements which can be molded to suit the needs of a specific user community. This session seeks to provide a low-entry, practice-based introduction to linked data as it applies to the descriptive work of catalogers and metadata librarians.

Speakers

Brinna Michael

Cataloging and Metadata Librarian, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University

Friday June 19, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Zoom Room 3

Technology, Listen and Learn (30 minutes)

2:00pm CDT

Closing Plenary - Tahera H. Ahmad - "Building Interfaith Bridges in Higher Education: A Personal Narrative of Trials and Triumphs"

Speakers

Tahera H. Ahmad

Associate Chaplain and Director of Interfaith Engagement, Northwestern University

Chaplain Tahera Ahmad is a dynamic Muslim ‘scholar-practitioner’who serves as the director of interfaith engagement, associate university chaplain and associate chair of the women's residential college at Northwestern University. She also serves as faculty at Garret theological... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2020 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Zoom Room 1

Plenary