January 30, 2025

Member News

Navigating to the Amigos Job Bank on the Redesigned Website
With the launch of the redesigned Amigos website, some familiar links have been relocated to improve functionality and accessibility. There are multiple ways to access the popular Amigos Job Bank, which allows anyone to search open positions, and allows current members to submit their openings for free. A quick-reference guide helps visitors navigate and use the Job Bank.

Board News

Amigos Library Services Invites Nominations for Board of Directors
The Amigos Nominating Committee is accepting nominations from individuals interested in serving on the Amigos Board of Directors. The 2025 election ballot, to be sent to members in April, will include candidates for four positions on the board – three board of directors positions for representatives from member institutions and one board of directors position for an independent representative.

Each position serves three years on the board (terms expiring June 2028). Voting is scheduled for Monday April 14 to Friday April 25, 2025. Results of the election will be announced during the May 14, 2025, annual Amigos Member Business Meeting. 

Self-nominations may be submitted through February 14th. View article for information.

Continuing Education News

Electronic Resource Management: Micro-Credentialing & Capstone Project Registration Now Open
Whether you are new to electronic resources management (ERM) or want to learn how to handle electronic resources efficiently and effectively, this upcoming 3-course certificate program will introduce you to the fundamentals of ERM. Learn how to acquire, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot access to electronic resources – and develop strategies to assess and preserve these resources for your library.

Amigos Online Learning - Discounted for Members

Review the Continuing Education Schedule for the latest additions and updates:

• Improving Accessibility Through Document Remediation
  

• Electronic Resource Management 1: Acquisition and Implementation
  

• Electronic Resource Management 2: Maintenance and Troubleshooting
  

• Electronic Resource Management 3: Assessment and Preservation
  

• Electronic Resource Management: Micro-Credentialing & Capstone Project
  

• Documenting Your Library's Work
  

• Cataloging & Classification Basics
  

• Library Management: Motivating & Retaining Employees

Extended Deadline - Amigos Opens Survey of Libraries' Needs and Priorities for Hosted Technology Solutions

Amigos has recently undertaken a survey to better understand libraries' current and future needs and priorities for hosted technology solutions.

Libraries are invited to complete the survey before February 7. The survey takes less than 10 minutes and can be completed without submitting identifiable information. You are invited to complete the survey yourself or to forward the link to another member of your library if that is more appropriate. We request that only one response is submitted per institution.

Hosted solutions include software applications, infrastructure components, or functions that organizations access from external service providers. These solutions can prove more affordable and sustainable for libraries than pursuing them individually, allowing libraries to achieve their technology priorities at scale and through shared infrastructure.

A version of this survey has previously been shared with academic libraries in Arizona and Arkansas. If your library already completed a version of this survey, you do not need to respond to this survey.

Announcing the Amigos April conference "Collections Reflect Communities"

For the library to be a living organism it must constantly evolve – adding new materials and resources, pivoting to meet new needs, and changing with its community. In the areas of collections and technical services, that move to be a living organism requires responsible flexibility as we consider new formats and organize and make collections discoverable. Collections, classification and cataloging, weeding, and storage practices all represent the heart of each individual library to their communities.

"Collections Reflect Communities" (April 10, 2025), will explore the ways that libraries represent their communities through collections and technical services practices.

Amigos welcomes proposals for 45-minute individual or panel sessions. Sessions are presented online with technical support and moderation assistance from Amigos staff. Submit your proposal by February 19, 2025.

Lessa Pelayo-Lozada to Keynote "The People-Powered Library" Online Conference
Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, Acting Director for the Glendale Public Library in Southern California and the 2022-23 President of the American Library Association, will present the opening keynote for Amigos' online conference, "The People-Powered Library" (February 12, 2025).

Register today and join us to explore the ways that libraries nurture and grow their staff and teams.