FACRL News & Announcements

We are pleased to announce that the opening speaker for the FACRL 2022 Annual Conference (virtual) will be Dr. John Burgess, from the University of Alabama School of Information! 

Dr. Burgess’ research focuses on moral reasoning and sustainability ethics for library and information science professionals. He teaches courses in areas of information ethics, academic librarianship and information literacy and is active in several information ethics and policy related special interest groups. His keynote address will focus on moral reasoning skills in the prevention of vocational awe and burnout in academic libraries. Don't miss this important and highly relevant talk by registering for the conference today!

We are excited to announce that registration for the FACRL 2022 Annual Conference (virtual) is now OPEN!  This year's conference will be focused on Information Ethics & Access.  Information access is one of the cornerstone values of the library profession. How do libraries facilitate equitable and ethical access to different types of information? How can we as library staff help overcome internal and external barriers to information access? This year's program encourages librarians and library staff to explore, share, and discuss different aspects of information access and ethics. This year's conference will include: an opening keynote address by Dr. John T. F. Burgess, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama’s School of Library and Information Studies live presentations  an interactive poster session  and more! FACRL 2022 Annual Conference Details  Conference Date: Friday, October 21st, 2022, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Online via ZOOM - attend and participate from wherever you are! Conference Website: https://facrl.wildapricot.org/Annual-Conference Registration Information:   FACRL Members: $0 (Free registration) Out-of-State OR Non-FACRL Members: $15 (conference only) Non-FACRL Members: $30 (includes a 1-year FACRL membership) Presenters: $0 (free registration with code - to be provided)

Register Now

Apply now for one of the student scholarships to attend the 2022 FACRL Annual Conference, “Information Ethics & Access.”  The conference will take place virtually on Friday, October 21, 2022. Two scholarship winners will receive an educational grant and complimentary registration to the conference. 

Application deadline:  August 31, 2022.  Winners will be notified on or before Wednesday, September 14th, 2022.

Don't Delay! Apply Today!  

Questions? Please contact Ava Brillat, FACRL Scholarship Chair at abrillat@miami.edu

Florida Association of College & Research Libraries (FACRL) condemns the threats of racial violence and the terror they are intended to inspire at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). Our state’s four HBCUs - Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University, Florida A&M University, and Florida Memorial University - serve and employ thousands of Floridians. We commit our solidarity to the HBCU community of scholars and educators, and stand in opposition to acts of terror that threaten the physical and psychological safety and lives of our fellow Florida higher education community. FACRL’s membership reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of our state and we grow in our representation as we stand with and support our HBCU institutions.

FACRL would like to acknowledge and honor the indigenous communities upon which Florida and its colleges, universities, and institutions now sit. We recognize that our state has been built on the homelands and resources of the Calusa, Cuchiyaga, Miccosukee, Muscogee, Seminole, Taino, Tequesta, Timucua, and Tocobaga peoples. Thus, we acknowledge the heritage of these tribes as we honor the resilience of the nations indigenous to the state of Florida.   

We recognize the history of genocide and forced removal of indigenous people from their territory, and the painful legacy these acts have left upon our community and among the indigenous peoples still connected to this state. We honor and respect their continued relationship to the land, and we call upon our community to reflect upon the past and learn how to be better stewards of the soil and water upon which our state rests. Acknowledging our indigenous and native neighbors is only a small part of what we can do to honor them. We must amplify their voices in our collections, programs, and activities at work and in our lives. Indigenous and native peoples and communities do not only exist in the history of Florida; they exist in the present and will exist in the future of Florida as well. In this acknowledgment, we honor the memory and history of Florida’s indigenous communities as defenders and stewards of the land upon which we all now live, work, and play. 

For more information on Florida’s indigenous communities, please visit the following sites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calusa (Calusa)
http://www.keyshistory.org/histindians.html (Cuchiyayga)
https://www.miccosukee.com/history (Miccosukee)
http://www.mnoffl.com/ (Muscogee)
https://www.semtribe.com/stof (Seminole)
https://www.uctp.org/ (Taino)
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/Timucua/ (Timucua)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequesta (Tequesta)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocobaga (Tocobaga)

FACRL stands with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and other organizations that condemn violence and racism aimed at Black people and communities of color.

FACRL’s Board of Directors denounces the deaths of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, among them George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others who were targeted because of their race. The Board asks members of the Florida library community to recognize, acknowledge, and work in solidarity to eradicate systemic racism. Ignoring the threats of racism serves not only as a barrier to equality for citizens and residents of our country but ensures that the violence associated with racism remains unchecked and continues to spread within our borders and beyond.

In addition to fighting racism, FACRL is committed to enhancing the diversity of its leadership by creating a more inclusive Board of Directors. To that end, the FACRL Board of Directors  pledges to make diverse representation and inclusivity a priority, and will actively seek out Black members and people of color to run for leadership roles for upcoming elections and to fill chair positions.

The fight against racism is important. We must do better; and starting now FACRL commits to be engaged and vocal in the fight.

Building Data Services Workshop Series: An Interactive Conversation

April 15, 2021, Thursday, 1:00 pm -  2:00 pm

Cameron Riopelle, University of Miami

Registration: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-riopelle 

Please join us for the next webinar hosted by FLA and FACRL! Register at: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-klein March 11, 2021, Thursday, 11:00 am -  12:00 pm Jesse Klein, Florida State University Title: Introduction to Date Visualization Using Tableau Public Description: Tableau is a popular and marketable data visualization tool that faculty and students request training for regularly. In this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn introductory data visualization principles and how they are used to describe, analyze, and communicate data. Using Tableau Public, a free version of the tool, this workshop proceeds with a tour of the Tableau interface, connecting to an example data set, creating a few visualizations, and then pulling those visualizations together to make a dashboard. In closing, attendees will learn where to find resources for subsequent practice and learning.  Sign up today!

The first webinar in the new FLA/FACRL Webinar Series is coming up on Thursday, February 18 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm.

Title: Correlation does not equal Causality: Data Literacy for Everyone
Speaker: Nick Ruhs, Florida State University
Registration: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-ruhs

Description: With the vast amount of statistics and infographics now available at the touch of a finger or click of a mouse, it is often difficult to determine which ones offer an accurate representation of a topic. This interactive workshop will provide an overview of data literacy and reproducibility concepts, and will outline various strategies for determining the integrity and authenticity of data that one might come across in a research article, on social media, or in the news. The overall aim of this session is to give attendees the knowledge needed to determine the purpose for which statistical and pictorial data is being used and whether conclusions using the data are sound. 

Click here to see the entire FLA/FACRL Webinar Series schedule

Please join us for the the webinar series hosted by FLA and FACRL!

Each episode in the series is related to data services in academic libraries.

FACRL members can use the discount code FREE4FACRL for a discount on the entire series!  Please do not share the code with non-FACRL members.

Click here for the FLA/FACRL Webinar Series Flyer

February 18 --

Correlation Does Not Equal Causality: Data Literacy for Everyone
February 18, 2021, Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Nick Ruhs, Florida State University
Registration Link: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-ruhs 

March 11 --

Introduction to Data Visualization Using Tableau Public
March 11, 2021, Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Jesse Klein, Florida State University
Registration Link: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-klein

April 15 --

Building Data Services Workshop Series: An Interactive Conversation
April 15, 2021, Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Cameron Riopelle, University of Miami
Registration Link: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-riopelle 

August 19 --

Data Visualization for the Collective: Developing a Dashboard for Florida Academic Library Assessment
August 19, 2021, Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Tammera Race, New College of Florida
Registration Link: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-race

September 16 --

Developing Data Management Support at UF
September 16, 2021, Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Plato Smith, University of Florida
Registration Link: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-smith

For more information and episode descriptions, visit the webinar series page at: https://fla.memberclicks.net/fla-facrl-webinar-series