The Conference for Entrepreneurial Librarians: “Social Entrepreneurship in Action” August 30, 2012

Since it’s a social and sustainable based theme this time, I wanted to promote this CFP for this wonderful and unique conference!  Check out the line up of speakers and consider presenting! 

 

Call for Proposals

As David Bornstein and Susan Davis succinctly define, “Social entrepreneurship is a process by which citizens build or transform institutions to advance solutions to social problems, such as poverty, illiteracy, environmental destruction, human rights abuses and corruption, in order to make life better for many.”*  At the third “Conference for Entrepreneurial Librarians,” sponsored by the libraries at Wake Forest University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, we will explore the paths by which librarians have engaged in social entrepreneurship to promote social change in their communities and beyond.
This conference will provide a forum to:

• Share and celebrate the social entrepreneurial accomplishments of librarians and information professionals
• Inspire each other to innovate and promote change
• Create a community to promote entrepreneurial practices

We seek presentations from librarians and information professionals about projects that have transformed library services or have provided solutions to social problems. The successful presentation could include:

• An innovative approach that used social entrepreneurship to fill an unmet need or promoted change
• A description of how a solution was designed and implemented
• A discussion of lessons learned and what could have been done differently
• A description of the keys to a successful project
• A tone that inspires social entrepreneurship, no matter how small the project

The conference will feature keynote addresses from noted professionals in our field:

 

• Mandy Henk, Librarian at The People’s Librarian, Occupy Wall Street, as well as the Coordinator of Access Services at DePauw University.
• Brian Mathews, Associate Dean for Learning and Outreach at Virginia Tech’s University Libraries.  Creator of the popular blog, “The Ubiquitous Librarian,” Mathews recently wrote “Think Like a Startup: A White Paper to Inspire Library Entrepreneurialism.”
• Michael Porter, President of Library Renewal, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding equitable ways for library users to access electronic content.

 
Conference dates and location:

May 16 & 17, 2013 on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro

www.uncg.edu

For more information please see the conference web page or http://cloud.lib.wfu.edu/blog/entrelib/
Formats:

Presentations may be made in one of two formats:

• One-hour break-out sessions with 45 minutes for presenting and 15 minutes for Q&A.  These may be panels or single presenters.  Proposals should include an abstract of no more than 250 words.
• Five minute “lightning rounds” with time for Q&A after all have presented.  Only a microphone will be provided so be prepared without visual aids!  Proposals should include a description of 25-50 words.

Submission Deadline:

Proposals will be accepted until November 1, 2012.  Please click here for the submission form or

http://bit.ly/P5D8Kg
For more information about submissions, contact:

Ellen Makaravage makaraef@wfu.edu

Kimberly Lutz kdlutz2@uncg.edu

 

*in Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know, New York: Oxford UP, 2010.

AASHE conference: ways to be green at events! October 12, 2010

I am thrilled to be attending and presenting at a (non library!) conference – AASHE, the association of sustainability in higher education. It’s very important that librarians get out and mingle with non librarians to hear what’s happening beyond our own world as well as show other just how diverse, important and relevant libraries are in so many sectors of our world today. My presentation was on a virtual sustainability conference I helped my university run last year – since virtual is greener than traveling (ironically I had to travel to present here on the subject). But I’m thrilled to learn about all the wonderful and inspiring campus initiatives for a more sustainable world: from small to large ideas, from administration to students driven projects, from small to huge universities. there are even a few librarians here and involved!. And the number of students attending – and presenting – is incredible which gives us all hope for future sustainable endeavors -  and gives them the chance to network, gain skills and respect.

As most of us do travel and attend conferences, I wanted to post about this conference’s green practices that I wish I could see more of at library events:

First of all, the Denver Convention Center is a very green place to host a conference. There are compost cans everywhere next to the trash and recycling bins. Our box lunches, including the little containers, the utensils and the box itself are all compostable. The food is healthier, (much of it local & fair trade) than usually get at events and there are way more vegetarian/vegan meals than non (majority of attendees are veggie folks). There are NO water bottles – everyone has their own reusable bottle and there are filling stations everywhere. Everyone has their own coffee mugs too. The few cups available are compostable. They parter with contractors who work hard at keeping room temps, energy output and lights set in most sustainable way as well as more sustainable measures from supply chain to offsite material usage.

AASHE presenters offer NO handouts… yup people here take their own notes (on paper or computer) and I never heard one complaint about no handouts. Everything will be online to access so attendees can choose to print later if they wish. Attendees can purchase carbon offsets if they want. There are great public transportation options here but also arranged are ride share and zimride. Hotel choices were those with more sustainable practices. Dine-arounds are at local green option places. Even the signage was done to be reused next time.

My only complaint is the lack of virtual options. I love in person networking too but maybe every other year in person,  and host a much greener virtual option in between years  to better role model what they are promoting!

(hmm, maybe ALA could do their midwinter conference as virtual to be green and save money and allow for more participation by all!)

Call for Speakers: online green library conference September 2, 2010

Call for Speakers for “Going Green @ Your Library 2: Working Green, Teaching Green” Amigos’ second Going Green @ Your Library online conference will be Wednesday, November 3, 2010. We are looking for librarians interested in sharing their ideas, experiences and excitement about green practices at their library. Our keynote speaker will be Monika Antonelli, co-editor of the forthcoming Greening Libraries (Library Juice Press, 2011) and Reference/Instruction Librarian at Minnesota State University Mankato. In addition to the keynote session, we hope to have two simultaneous tracks running throughout the day:

• Working Green This track will focus on the green practices implemented in libraries. Some of the areas of interest include:
  • Green library buildings/renovations
  • Green IT
  • Green practices in the library (e.g. Green ILL, Green Cataloging)
• Teaching Green This second track focuses on ways your library shows the way to be green to others in your community. Topics might include:
  • Green programming at the library
  • How your library facilitates research on environmental topics
  • Green by example: how your library leads others in implementing green practices Other topics are welcome!

Each session will be 45 minutes in length. If you’re i nterested in presenting, but have never done it online, don’t worry — we will teach you what you need to know! We welcome submissions from librarians in academic, public, school, and special libraries. To submit your presentation idea(s), go to http://greenlibs2.amigos.org/ and complete the submission form. Proposals will be accepted until September 30.

If you have questions, please contact us at mailto:greenlibs@amigos.org.

Posted on Web4lib (web4lib@webjunction.org)by:
Christine Peterson
Continuing Education Librarian
Amigos Library Services, Inc.
800-843-8482 x2891
http://www.amigos.org
peterson@amigos.org

Greening IT in Higher Ed FREE Webinar August 26, 2009

What: Green IT: Saving Money, Saving the Environment Webinar

When: Sept 10, 2-3pm ET

Presenters: Tim Goral, Moderator; Speakers to be announced

Costs: FREE! (due to sponsorship by Alcatel-Lucent)

Summary:

Technology drives higher education, but unfortunately it’s also a tremendous drain on the environment. It doesn’t have to be that way. Innovative programs from Alcatel Lucent and Bell Labs are at the forefront of eco-sustainability efforts, finding ways to save money while saving the environment. Learn about equipment buy-back and “e-cycling” programs that put technology in user hands and keep harmful toxins out of the landfill. Hear about a data center cooling system that recycles waste heat for electricity-and produced a return on investment in just three months. Join a panel of experts to hear about these and other success stories, and get eco-friendly ideas that can be applied to any institution.

Details: found on the  University Business Web Seminar series web page

REGISTER

See also their archives of past seminars.

Free Webinar: Going Green – What does it really mean? July 21, 2009

From District Administration and University Business Leadership Series Web Seminars: Going Green: What does it really mean?

FOR: K12 and higher-ed administrators
DATE: Thursday, August 6, 2009 from  2-3 pm ET
SUMMARY: “Going Green” — It’s all about preserving resources, setting the proper example for students and, of course, saving money. Today, “going green” permeates education, from decisions about construction materials and furniture to computers and cleansers. In this web seminar we’ll take a close look at sustainability, including trends, costs, hype and promise. Who will benefit: K12 administrators and college/university managers involved with sustainability, construction, buildings and grounds management, purchasing and technology.

• Do green initiatives have to suffer in times of budget cuts?
• How can the federal stimulus package support green initiatives?
• How should you incorporate sustainability in renovations?
• What are the latest trends in LEED-certification?
• How should schools be rated on sustainability?

SPEAKERS:

• Rachel Gutter, Senior Manager for the Schools Sector, U.S. Green Building Council
• Mark Orlowski, Founder & Executive Director, Sustainable Endowments Institute
• A roundup of green products from Products Editor Kurt Dyrli.

More info and to register.

Book Jackets into Gift Bags May 19, 2009

Last Friday at The Green Paraprofessional Conference at East Carolina University Libraries, Suzanne Metcalf presented on her project of recycling book jackets into amazing gift bags. She got the idea several years ago working at Georgia Southern University when she noticed that the decorative book covers removed from the hardback books before being  placed on the shelves. After she saw a student at the circulation desk sporting a bag made of foil Capri Sun juice pouches,  she got the idea. She graciously offers a how-to turn book jackets into gift bags (PDF).  Here is an article by Her Magazine with more information and with a photos of Suzanne and some of the awesome bags!

ACRL Podcast: Robin Chase Interview April 28, 2009

If you didn’t get to the ACRL 14th National Conference in Seattle in March to hear speaker Robin Chase, co-founder of ZipCar and current CEO of GoLoco, check out this 20 minute interview podcast she gave to  ACRL 2009 Green Committee member Kate Zoellner and C&RL News editor-in-chief David Free, following her talk.

Upcoming Green Online Events (college) April 21, 2009

April 23, 2-3:30 (ET) Webinar on the Role of Community Colleges in Preparing a Greener Workforce - Topics covered: What are the most innovative models for summer youth workforce programs? What is the unique role of community colleges as summer youth employment partners? Where are funds available?

April 30, 1-2pm (ET) Webinar on Building our Nation’s Green Collar Workforce -  [COST] Topics covered: how an institution can establish itself as a leader of the “green movement” within its community, state and region; what to consider when developing financially sound “road maps” to address energy management and conservation needs – regardless of your institution’s status as a signatory of the President’s Climate Commitment; when and where to focus “green collar” workforce training programs – considering four key elements in a curricular framework.

May 5, 1-2pm (MT) Webinar: Organizational Leadership and Climate Change – participants will learn how universities and colleges can create buy-in for their climate neutral goals and generate community involvement and support and discuss strategies for inspiring active engagement in a campus’ climate neutral journey.

June 24 10:30am – 6pm(ET) Green School & University Virtual Conference and Expo [FREE] Topics covered: Green Design & Planning, Green Buildings,Green Cleaning/Operation.

From AASHE Newsletter

Greening of Information Technology Podcast Available July 23, 2008

For those academic librarians, if you missed this keynote address from the EDUCAUSE 2008 Enterprise Conference at the end of May, you can listen to the podcast by EDUCAUSE President and CEO, Diana Oblinger.  The slides are also available to follow along while listening to the 55minute podcast. Abstract: The environment is the largest enterprise system of all, and one that is impacted by information technology. As “green” initiatives and sustainability become a greater part of our consciousness, “green computing” will receive increasing focus in higher education. This presentation will explore sustainability, energy use, and “reduce, reuse, and recycle” programs.

A Past Presentation: “Greening Your Library” January 3, 2008

I presented this topic at the CAL (Colorado Association of Libraries) Conference 2 years ago. Though it’s a few years old, I hope you find some good ides from this “Greening Your Library” presentation (it’s a PDF file if you need to download the free reader)