NMRT Board Member Planning Report

 

1. Office Name: Vice President

 

2. Office Term (Date: Ex. 2005-2006): 2005-2006

 

3. How do you plan to help committees address the four NMRT goals? (If it does not apply, put N/A.)

 

1.      to structure formal opportunities for involvement and/or training for professional association committee experiences on the national, state, and local levels;

 

The committee structure of NMRT is set up to provide this training. Our liaison program attempts to link NMRT members with ALA divisions, roundtables, etc. It has been suggested that NMRT investigate more ‘apprenticeship' opportunities in the larger ALA community, so I will be investigating those ideas.

 

2.      to provide a wide variety of programs to assist, encourage, and educate people who are new to the profession;

 

The 2007 President's Program will provide educational/training opportunities for NMRT members, and currently we are planning that program.

 

3.      to offer a variety of leadership training and opportunities to help those approaching the end of their NMRT eligibility to make the transition to future positions in the Association and the profession; and

 

This year, I am not directly overseeing any NMRT initiatives of this nature.

 

4.      to develop and implement ongoing programs for library school students that encourage professional involvement and networking.

 

This year, I am not directly overseeing any NMRT initiatives of this nature.

 

4. How do you plan to create a positive committee experience? What type of support do you plan to provide to chairs and committee members, and how often do you plan to provide such support?

 

To provide a positive committee experience for members, I will foster communication and feedback to individuals and groups within NMRT, and promote an atmosphere of respect and clearly defined roles. Currently, I am overseeing the VP Planning Committee, and I check in regularly with the chair when necessary. I am relying on the competent leadership ability of that committee chair to get the necessary work done. My role is to provide the ‘big picture' and to be always available to that chair to answer questions, explain the projects I would like the committee to work on, and anything else that the chair thinks the committee needs. How the work gets done will be decided by the chair and the committee. This will be my leadership style for my presidential year as well.

 

5. What future directions do you see your office or NMRT needing to take this year or the following year? What kind of strategies do you envision for addressing projects that affect committees outside of your supervision?

 

I see an interest in NMRT members for New Members Round Table to provide publishing opportunities. NMRT has the resources to provide these opportunities, and I will focus on creating these opportunities. These opportunities will expand further than Footnotes.  

 

It is likely that during my Presidential year (2006-2007), NMRT and NMRTers will be involved in disaster relief or support efforts to mitigate the effects of Hurricane Katrina. I will be continually looking for opportunities for NMRT involvement. To start, I have suggested to the Footnotes editor that we focus part of the November issue on NMRT members' or ALA members' experiences of that disaster.

 

In order to address projects of committees outside my supervision, I will remain in contact with the NMRT President and the NMRT Directors, who are aware of projects that NMRTers are interested in.

 

6. Date of report: Sept. 15, 2005

 

7. Submitted by:  Amanda Roberts, palmanda1@yahoo.com