What is the EOP up to now?

Since the conference in Newport, I've been working on goals for the Educational Outreach Program. The Education Committee meeting and the EOP instructor meeting helped in the process of gathering ideas and information for these goals. I could really use everyone's opinions on these goals before presenting them to the MLA board. Are there other goals you would like to work on? We have already made some progress on the goals listed below (progress indicated in brackets). Please send comments!

1) Increase membership in Education Committee. New members to provide support for EOP and be the point persons for the following activities:

-Write and submit proposals for EOP workshop(s) for inclusion in the program of national library conferences. Requires monitoring dates of conferences and deadlines for proposals

-Be the liaison to Publicity and Outreach Officer (new MLA position to be held by Renee McBride) – communicate and collaborate on EOP efforts, act on ideas brought forth by Renee

- Lead task force to investigate and develop Distance Education initiative for the EOP

-Contact library organizations, consortia, library schools, public libraries, state library associations and push out information about the EOP. Publicize the EOP to outside organizations. With instructors and chapter chairs, write proposals for the inclusion of EOP workshops in state library association conferences.

-Provide content for the Education Committee’s WIKI , both internal information for the Ed. Comm. and external information for the EOP (workshop descriptions, learning outcomes, procedures on how to request a workshop, etc.). Post EOP materials to MLA website including handouts used for EOP workshops, collaborate with MLA website editor

-EOP information gatherer. Collect evaluation forms from EOP workshops, compile data, maintain a list of all workshops taught in the EOP, gather bios of EOP instructors, maintain a list/contact information for all instructors in the EOP. Collect data from EOP instructors after a workshop is taught. Gather ideas from instructors on improvements to the program. Monitor and gather information on how chapters are using the program.

-Assessment coordinator of the EOP. Assess the program, suggest ways to improve program, assist in the process of maintaining a consistent curriculum

-Create and submit proposals for instructor training and demonstration workshops at national MLA meetings. Assure that new EOP instructors attend and observe workshop and fill out evaluation forms. Collect ideas from instructors on possible training topics. Secure speakers for sessions. Monitor deadlines for proposals. Request and secure equipment to videotape workshops at national MLA meetings.

[3 new members have confirmed that they will serve on the Education Committee and be the point person for above activities]

2) Get WIKI up and running (both for internal use among program participants and external marketing use to publicize workshops)

[In the works, time line being established by Jon Haupt and Amy Dankowski]

3) Publish an EOP brochure that details the workshops in the program and how to request a workshop. Distribute to MLA members, library schools, library organizations and library consortia.

[Budget request submitted to Finance Committee of MLA]

4) Work with instructors and chapter chairs to push workshops out to state library associations by writing program proposals for their annual conferences

[Atlantic Chapter and SEMLA chapter have been particularly successful at this. 4 workshop proposals have been submitted to state library associations program committees. New Education Committee member will lead this effort]

5) Provide continuing education for instructors on the topic of “presentation skills” at MLA's annual meeting in Chicago.

[Program proposal send to MLA program committee. Alicia Hansen (Loyola) has agreed to give the presentation if program accepted]

6) Create a task force to pursue options for distance education

[Task force appointed]

7) Submit MLA annual conference program proposal for one EOP workshop to demonstrate workshop to MLA members and for training/observation purposes for new and current instructors. Begin routinely videotaping workshops

[Program proposal for a music sound recordings cataloging workshop submitted to MLA annual conference program chair. Mary Huismann will present the workshop if accepted by MLA program committee.]

8) Submit budget to MLA board for costs associated with instructor travel to state library associations (typically no honorarium) and costs for publishing publicity brochure

[Budget request submitted to Finance Committee of MLA]

9) Create a bank of workshop descriptions and teaching materials used by instructors that can be shared on the WIKI

[Some information gathered, waiting for WIKI to go live]

10) Submit a EOP workshop proposal for a national library meeting

[Deadlines for program proposals being monitored, information gathered on procedures for submitting proposals]