2012 ACRL Spring Virtual Institute

The following post was submitted by Charlotte Myers.  Charlotte is a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library & Information Science, and is a part-time Reference Librarian at Duquesne University with a background in business research.

ACRL has announced that this year’s Spring Virtual Institute will place a strong focus on the twin themes of collaboration and community involvement. The institute, Extending Reach, Proving Value: Collaborations Strengthen Communities aims to facilitate greater outreach to all library users by organizing all types of librarians around the collective cause of reaching out to their diverse constituencies. Harvard Law School’s Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources, John G. Palfrey Jr., will open the institute with a discussion on the Digital Public Library of America, a prime example of collaboration among stakeholders and libraries.

This year’s Spring Virtual Institute aligns well with PaLA’s PA Forward initiative, which, as many members are already aware, is a marketing and advocacy initiative that stresses the vital role that the library plays in working with Pennsylvanians to establish five essential information literacies. For those interested in furthering this message and enhancing their own community outreach, the Virtual Institute will surely be of interest.

The institute will be held April 18th & 19th. More information on registration and programs, including the webcast schedule and program descriptions, can be found on the ACRL website.