Writing for the Profession
Looking for opportunities to publish in library and information science journals? Consult the LIS Publications Wiki to find information on scholarly journals, professional and trade publications, book publishers, online forums and more!
Skilltype
UK Libraries is a member of Skilltype, a talent management platform that offers a wide variety of training and more. Contact Melissa Barlow to set up an account, create a profile of your interests, and explore the training available to you.
Professional Development
- LinkedIn LearningUK personnel can access LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) at no charge.
- CourseraPlatform offers many courses from higher ed institutions available at no charge on a variety of topics
- EdXAnother platform with a variety of free courses
Other Job Enrichment Opportunities
- UK Human Resources Training Provides access to Information Technology training, Supervisory/Management and Professional Development courses.
- UK's Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching UK Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) partners with Presentation U, Peer tutoring Program, and Academic Preparation and Placement. Together they form a cohesive unit focused on innovative designs in teaching and learning, faculty development, and student success.
- Presentation U Presentation U is a state-of-the-art multimodal communication center offering tutoring for students and support services for faculty to increase oral, written, and visual communication competence both inside and outside of the classroom, as part of UK's Quality Enhancement Plan.
- Peer Tutoring Program The Peer Tutoring Program at The Study offers free drop-in tutoring for many University of Kentucky (UK) core courses. Offering proactive assistance, the goal of the Peer Tutoring Program is to enhance students' academic experience as early and as often as possible.
- Academic Preparation and Placement (APP) The Academic Preparation and Placement (APP) program: provides free placement testing for UK students and supplemental instruction for admitted students who do not meet state minimum test score requirements for college readiness to help prepare for college classes.
Professional Organizations
Want to participate in professional organizations by serving on committees, work groups or roundtables? Have a presentation to share with your peers? Here are several state, regional, national and international organizations that welcome members and participation through service or presentations. There are many specialized organizations that are appropriate venues for faculty involvement. Supervisors, colleagues, or mentors are good sources of information on the specialized organization appropriate for the faculty discipline.
- American Library Association (ALA) Founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the American Library Association was created to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
- Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, is a professional association of academic librarians and other interested individuals. It is dedicated to enhancing the ability of academic library and information professionals to serve the information needs of the higher education community and to improve learning, teaching, and research.
- Association of Research Libraries (ARL) ARL is a nonprofit organization of 126 research libraries at comprehensive, research-extensive institutions in the US and Canada that share similar research missions, aspirations, and achievements.
- Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) Association of Southeastern Research Libraries brings together leaders from research, federal, and state libraries in the region to foster a high standard of library excellence through inter-institutional resource sharing and other collaborative efforts. Today, ASERL is the largest regional research library consortium in the United States.
- Society of American Archivists (SAA) The Society of American Archivists is North America's oldest and largest national professional association dedicated to the needs and interests of archives and archivists. SAA represents more than 6,200 professional archivists employed by governments, universities, businesses, libraries, and historical organizations nationally.
- Special Libraries Association (SLA) Information recognizes no boundaries. Information professionals cannot afford to, either. SLA is the only global organization for special librarians and information professionals and their strategic partners, with 10,000 members in 75 countries. For more than 100 years, SLA has brought together corporate, academic, and government information professionals to learn, advocate, and network.
Specialized Organizations
- Ex Libris Users of North America (ELUNA) ELUNA is the international user community for Ex Libris customers in the Americas. ELUNA is the voice and advocate for institutions of all sizes and types of libraries, including academic, public, government and corporate entities, as well as library consortia. ELUNA members enjoy educational and networking benefits through listservs, webinars, regional meetings and the annual conference. Members also participate in collaborative testing, training, focus groups and many other customer-driven initiatives, all geared towards improving the products.
- Federation of Kentucky Academic Libraries (FoKAL) Through FoKAL, Kentucky's academic libraries cooperate to enrich higher education in the Commonwealth by pursuing collaborative solutions to common challenges, including expanded resources, shared expertise and united advocacy.
- Kentucky Library Association (KLA) Kentucky Library Association (KLA) provides leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance and ensure access to information for all. KLA is a chapter of the American Library Association.
- Medical Library Association The Medical Library Association (MLA) is a global, nonprofit educational organization, with a membership of more than 400 institutions and 3,000 professionals in the health information field. Since 1898, MLA has fostered excellence in the professional practice and leadership of health sciences library and information professionals to enhance health care, education, and research throughout the world. MLA educates health information professionals, supports health information research, promotes access to the world’s health sciences information, and works to ensure that the best health information is available to all.
- Music Library Association The Music Library Association is the professional association for music libraries and librarianship in the United States. Founded in 1931, it has an international membership of librarians, musicians, scholars, educators, and members of the book and music trades. Complementing the Association’s national and international activities are ten regional chapters.
- National Information Standards Organization (NISO) NISO, the National Information Standards Organization, is a non-profit association accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). We identify, develop, maintain, and publish technical standards and recommended practices to manage information in today's continually changing digital environment. NISO standards apply to both traditional and new technologies and to information across its whole lifecycle, from creation through documentation, use, repurposing, storage, metadata, and preservation.
- North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) NASIG is an independent, non-profit organization working to advance and transform the management of information resources. Our ultimate goal is to facilitate and improve the distribution, acquisition, and long-term accessibility of information resources in all formats and business models.
- Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians The Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians (OVGTSL) was founded in 1924 and draws its members primarily from the states of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The purpose of the organization is to provide an opportunity to gather together for the interchange of ideas and discussion of issues in library and archive technical services; to form a united group with the aim to keep in touch with movements in the field of technical services; and to cooperate with and offer suggestions to the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) of the American Library Association and/or the appropriate sections of this Division.
- Kentucky Council on Archives (KCA) The Kentucky Council on Archives is an association of archivists, historians, librarians, records managers, and individuals interested in the advancement of archives.
- Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) MAC is one of the nation's largest regional professional associations for archivists. Founded in 1972, MAC now has more than 800 individual members. MAC's institutional members include a variety of corporate, government, religious, and university archives, as well as historical societies and other manuscripts repositories and special collections.
- Society of American Archivists (SAA) The Society of American Archivists is North America's oldest and largest national professional association dedicated to the needs and interests of archives and archivists. SAA represents more than 6,200 professional archivists employed by governments, universities, businesses, libraries, and historical organizations nationally.
- Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) is a nonprofit international association dedicated to the preservation and use of moving image media. AMIA supports public and professional education and fosters cooperation and communication among the individuals and organizations concerned with the acquisition, preservation, description, exhibition, and use of moving image materials.
- International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) The International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) is a professional association concerned with the care, access and long-term preservation of the world’s sound and moving image heritage. Through its active worldwide membership and training initiatives, IASA supports and advocates the development of best professional standards and practice amongst organisations and individuals which share these purposes
- International Council on Archives (ICA) The aim of the ICA is to promote the management and use of records and archives, and the preservation of the archival heritage of humanity around the world, through the sharing of experiences, research and ideas on professional archival and records management matters, and on the management and organisation of archival institutions.
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions brings together experts in every aspect of the profession. Library and information workers from around the world set the international agenda and explore issues and developments of interest to the global library field.
- Special Libraries Association (SLA) Information recognizes no boundaries. Information professionals cannot afford to, either. SLA is the only global organization for special librarians and information professionals and their strategic partners, with 10,000 members in 75 countries. For more than 100 years, SLA has brought together corporate, academic, and government information professionals to learn, advocate, and network.
- Ex Libris Users of North America (ELUNA) ELUNA is the international user community for Ex Libris customers in the Americas. ELUNA is the voice and advocate for institutions of all sizes and types of libraries, including academic, public, government and corporate entities, as well as library consortia. ELUNA members enjoy educational and networking benefits through listservs, webinars, regional meetings and the annual conference. Members also participate in collaborative testing, training, focus groups and many other customer-driven initiatives, all geared towards improving the products.
- Digital Library Federation (DLF) Our member institutions make the work of the DLF possible, supporting community efforts in a variety of research and prototyping, information sharing, staff development, networking, and catalytic initiatives. However, individuals are invited to participate in DLF working groups and events regardless of institutional status. DLF serves all who are invested in the success of libraries, museums, and archives in the digital age.
- Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) We are a membership organisation, managed by a small team of full time staff and overseen by a Board of Directors appointed from our Full Members. Our primary function is to deliver on behalf of our members. We were established in 2002 as a collaboration between a number of agencies operating in the UK and Ireland. Although our program and our membership has changed a lot since 2002, we remain true to the founding principles of community oversight described in our Articles of Association and Memorandum of Incorporation. The majority of our income is still derived from the annual subscriptions which members pay: and our workplan is scrutinised and approved by our members annually.
- Association for Recorded Sound Collections Founded in 1966, the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and study of sound recordings—in all genres of music and speech, in all formats, and from all periods. ARSC is unique in bringing together private individuals and institutional professionals. Archivists, librarians, and curators representing many of the world’s leading audiovisual repositories participate in ARSC alongside record collectors, record dealers, researchers, historians, discographers, musicians, engineers, producers, reviewers, and broadcasters.
- Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) is the oldest scholarly society in North America dedicated to the study of books and manuscripts as physical objects. It was organized in 1904 and incorporated in 1927 with the principal objectives of promoting bibliographical research and issuing bibliographical publications. These objectives have been and continue to be accomplished through a broad array of activities, including meetings, lectures, and fellowship programs, as well as the publishing of books and the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America (PBSA), North America’s leading bibliographical journal. The Society is open to all those interested in bibliographical problems and projects, and its membership includes bibliographers, librarians, professors, students, booksellers, and collectors worldwide.
- Oral History Association (OHA) Since 1966, the Oral History Association has served as the principal membership organization for people committed to the value of oral history. OHA engages with policy makers, educators, and others to help foster best practices and encourage support for oral history and oral historians. With an international membership, OHA serves a broad and diverse audience including teachers, students, community historians, archivists, librarians, and filmmakers.
Library Committees and Working Groups
Library Committees and Working Groups are an excellent way to contribute service to the Libraries. Some are informal groups such as the Subject Headings Interest Group and the Digital Humanities Cohort. The Dean of Libraries or the Faculty Council will call for volunteers to serve on various committees or working groups, among them,
Assessment Committee
Circulation Committee
Collections Advisory Committee
Digital Scholarship Center Task Force
Disaster Preparedness Committee
Equality, Diversity, & Inclusivity Committee
Education & Instruction Committee
Integrated Library Systems Committee
Professional Development Committee
Research Data Services Committee
Promotion and Tenure Committee
Web Advisory Committee
Sabbaticals
Sabbatical leaves for library faculty serve the purpose of promoting professional development by providing opportunities for research, reflection, and professional exploration. Sabbaticals are an important component of career enhancement.
Regulations regarding Sabbatical Leave are delineated in University of Kentucky Governing Regulations Part X, which states:
"Faculty members who have full-time tenured appointments in the regular, special title, extension, or librarian series with the rank of assistant professor (or librarian III) or higher, are eligible for sabbatical leaves after six (6) years of continuous service in the rank of instructor (or librarian III) or higher at the University, or for sabbatical leaves under a different option after three (3) years of continuous service. All such sabbatical leaves shall be approved by the President or the President's designee."