The DC Library Association Executive Board is committed to supporting the movement for Black lives. As librarians and information professionals, we must work intentionally and without cessation to combat the forces of systemic racism in our lives and in our institutions. We acknowledge the legacy of genocide and racism in the founding of the United States and are committed to combating and repairing it’s effects on our communities and in our workplaces. We, the DCLA executive board, affirm that Black Lives Matter. We stand in active opposition against white supremacy, police brutality, and state violence. In the interest of keeping our communities safe and supporting them, we have compiled a list of national and local resources.

Thank you to everyone that came out for this year's MLK Day of Service!!! Not only were we able to help a D.C. school library in need, but we were also able to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s memory in a special way while listening to his speeches and having fun working together. DCLA friends and members ROCK!!!

See more pics of this event on our Facebook page!

Keep up with DCLA activities and events! The latest issue of Capital Librarian is now available! You can also view it in our archives.

Dear DCLA Members,

As 2016 comes to a close, DCLA will be off and running at the start of the new year. We are offering members three different program options in January, each with its own very different appeal. First up is our “Copyright Workshop” on Wednesday, January 11, presented by John H. Ashley, the Visual Arts Chief at the U.S. Copyright Office. With a law degree from Harvard University Law School, Mr. Ashley is an expert on intellectual and tangible property laws. He is an exceptional speaker that will keep you on your toes during this engaging interactive session you won’t want to miss – register today!

Next on the schedule is our 3^rd annual MLK Day of Service, Monday, January 16. This service project was originally initiated by our Past President, Christina Bailey, in response to ALA President Courtney Young’s advocacy challenge. The project aims to serve as a tribute to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to community service.DCLA will be calling on all member librarians, information professionals, and library supporters to volunteer between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at a specific D.C. Public School library.  Two school libraries have been identified and the final determination will be made after January 4, 2017.  Be sure and look for updates on our website or social media outlets and register when available.

On January 24, our newly established “Librarians & Friends Book Club” will discuss their third book, Swing Time by Sadie Smith. If you are interested in attending, meet the group in the upstairs meeting space at the Starbucks on Capitol Hill located at 237 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (Washington, DC 20003) at 6:30 p.m. Capitol South is the closest Metro station. Also remember that this is a public group which is open to everyone – so, feel free to invite others to attend. If you have any questions about this club, contact DCLA Vice President, Candice Townsend via email at ctow@loc.gov or by phone at (202) 230-8204.

In addition to the programs mentioned above, our Systems Director, Qaddafi Sabree, and our Career and Leadership Development Director, Kimberly Knight, are hard at work implementing a new public Jobs Forum. This new service will offer free access to job seekers, whether they are members or not, and a free trial posting period for employer institutions.  Look for more details down the road.

There are great things in store for DCLA in 2017 – make sure you are a part of it!!!

Best regards,

Yvonne Dooley
DCLA President

Dear DCLA Members,

We are off to a great start this year and have even more exciting programming down the road.  As I mentioned during our annual Awards Reception back in May, my focus will be on providing opportunities for members to connect.  Last month, we had a wonderful turnout at our Annual Fall Membership Reception at Smith Public Trust with over sixty members in attendance – thanks to everyone for coming out!  Folks were very happy with the open venue, just a short walk from the Brookland-CUA Metro station, where they could easily mix and mingle while enjoying sumptuous appetizers and drinks.  If you happened to miss the event, don’t worry – we plan to hold other get-togethers there as well, so keep an eye out for event updates.

On September 29, we celebrated Banned Books Week with a Read Out program at the Library of Congress, presented in collaboration with the Library of Congress Center for the Book, Young Readers Center and Freedom to Read Foundation.  I opened the program by talking a little bit about the history of banned books then participants read from some of their favorites, including the picture book I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, Ellison’s Invisible Man and Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath.  Pamela Jackson, the new Director for Center for the Book, closed out the program.

On Wednesday, October 19, please come out for our free program “Copyright:  Don’t Panic.”  We had a little trouble in the beginning securing a venue, so we apologize for the short notice.  However, with some quick maneuvering by our Vice President, Candice Townsend, and ALA Chapter Councilor, Emily Wagner, we now have the spacious and convenient Hannan Hall (Room 10) at Catholic University of America.  Our speaker is an expert from the Copyright Office and you definitely won’t want to miss this.  You will have an opportunity to make a direct connection with the U.S. Copyright Office and have all of your burning questions about copyright answered.  Hannan Hall can hold up to 175 people and is conveniently located between the McMahon parking lot and the Pryzbyla University Center.  Let’s pack the house and get you hooked up with the Copyright Office!  Again, the event is FREE – register today at http://www.dcla.org/event-2355373.

On Tuesday, October 25, be sure and come out for the 3^rd Annual Battle of the Librarians!  The event will be held at Hill Country BBQ located at 410 7th St NW (Chinatown or Archives Metro – Red/Green/Yellow).  Show off your trivia knowledge and have fun with colleagues as you partake in some of the best BBQ in the D.C. area.  Let’s give LLSDC (Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, D.C.) & DC/SLA (D.C. Chapter of Special Libraries Association) a run for their money and show them that DCLA is a force to be reckoned with.  This event is also FREE!  Food and beverages are available for purchase.  Register today!

Wednesday, November 2, we have a panel discussion lined up to provide “Tips and Tricks for New Managers” at the MLK Memorial Library Dream Lab.  If you are new to management or supervision, or are hoping to be promoted, this is the program for you!  You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have related to this topic and get answers from library managers in public, school and government settings.  Light refreshments will be offered prior to the session, along with a chance to network with colleagues before hearing top advice tips from our panelists.  If you have any questions regarding this program or would like to provide input, you can reach out our Career & Leadership Director, Kimberly Knight at dcladirector2@gmail.com.

We are still in the process of finalizing other exciting opportunities, including a special tour of the National Archives and Records Administration in December!  Be sure and stay connected by checking our website at www.dcla.org for upcoming events and joining DCLA’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

I hope to see you at one or more of these amazing events!

Best regards,

Yvonne Dooley
DCLA President

Dear Colleagues, The District of Columbia Library Association is looking for volunteers to serve a two- or three-year term on the Board, which leads our Association in providing programming, networking, scholarships, and advocacy for libraries.  Help us remain a growing thriving library organization serving the DC metro community by considering running for a position on the Board or encouraging those you think may be interested!  If you would like to self-nominate or nominate someone else for an open position (we will confirm his/her willingness to stand for election), please contact Christina Bailey, dclapastpresident@gmail.com. The four open positions and an overview of their duties are as follows: President-Elect/Vice President The President-Elect/Vice President acts as the Program Chair for the Association and coordinates all events, programs, receptions, and lectures throughout the first year of their term. In the second year, this person convenes and Chairs the Board of Directors and provides leadership for the Association. In the third year, this person takes on special projects and sits on the nominating committee. The President-Elect/Vice President can draw on Interest Group Chairs and other members of the association to host and support the programming provided. Treasurer The Treasurer is responsible for the financial affairs of the Association. The Treasurer is also responsible for informing interest groups and committees about financial procedures. In particular, the Treasurer. 1. Receives all monies paid to the Association and makes all disbursements required for authorized bills; 2. Keeps accurate, up-to-date accounts of receipts and disbursements and reports to the Executive Board on a monthly basis; 3. Prepares an annual budget for Executive Board approval; 4.  Establishes procedures for receipts and disbursements involving interest groups and committees; maintains and distributes DCLA forms for reimbursement; 5. Maintains checking, savings, and investment accounts on behalf of the Association; prudently shifts money between accounts; advises Board when circumstances warrant consideration of shift of accounts to another institution; 6.  Prepares an annual report of DCLA financial affairs for the Executive Board; 7.  Collects mail from the DCLA mailbox and is responsible for payment of annual fee box rental; 9. Maintains files on IRS tax-exempt status, D.C. Corporations Commission and other official filing, and charter/incorporation papers   Membership Director The Membership Director is responsible for maintaining the membership records and listserv for the  Association.  In particular, the Membership Director: Maintains the members-only DCLA listserv; notifies Secretary of new members each month before publication of Capital Librarian newsletter;  Provides membership statistics through monthly reports to DCLA board using information gathered from the DCLA Membership CMS Provides information to DCLA Board such as whether a specific individual is a member; Assists in resolving problems involving individual memberships; Serves as liaison with ALA for DCLA/ALA Joint Membership Program; Recruits DCLA members to serve on Membership Committee; Works with DCLA board and Membership Committee to plan annual Fall Member Receptio and social gatherings like trivia and happy hours throughout the year. Systems Director The Systems Director is responsible for providing and maintaining updates to the DCLA website and electronic communications. In particular, the Systems Director:  1. Maintains the back end of the website and membership management CMS 2. Maintains the listservs 3. Develops tutorials and training on tech systems used for Board members 4. Researches and advises on the best systems to facilitate Association and Board business ALA Council Representative The ALA Council Representative is responsible for representing the Association and its Executive Board within the American Library Association. The Chapter Representative is a voting member of the ALA Council and as such must exercise a considerable degree of independence, initiative, and judgment in voting and representing DCLA on the ALA Council. In particular, the Chapter Representative: 1. Attends the twice yearly conferences of the American Library Association and specifically attends the ALA Council sessions; 2. Represents and/or presents positions and wishes of the D. C. Library Association on ALA Council matters and issues; 3. Reports back to the Executive Board and the membership the decisions made by the ALA Council and its areas of concern; 4. Reports regularly to the ALA Chapter Council Office the issues, programs, and activities taking place in the Association; 5. Promotes both ALA activities and services in the Washington area. To learn more about these positions, browse http://www.dcla.org/DCLABoard.  Regards, 2016 DCLA Nominating Committee Christina Miracle Bailey, Chair

By Paul J. Kelly, Digital Archivist, Catholic University of America Library

I was the recipient of the 2015 Ann Heidbreder Eastman Grant, and used the funds to attend ALA’s Midwinter Meeting from January 8 to January 12 in Boston, MA. What follows is a summary of my experiences at the conference.

Report: ALA Midwinter Meeting – Boston, MA, January 2016