Standing Committees, Task Forces, & Special Interest Groups

Standing Committees

VALE Committees consist of a chair or two (2) co-chairs, VALE Program Manager, and a maximum of seven (7) members. A member of the VALE EC serves as the chair or one of the co-chairs. Committee members are selected from the VALE membership’s institutional sectors. Committees meet periodically (at least 4 times) during the academic year (either virtually or in person). Committees provide report updates at each VALE EC meeting.

Outreach Committee

Charge:

• Oversights of two subcommittees:
• Conference Planning – oversees, produces, and evaluates all aspects of the New Jersey Academic Libraries (NJAL) conference
• Website Portal – oversees and assesses all aspects of the website
• Partners with the Planning and Assessment (P&A) Committee and library-affiliated organizations to plan and develop programs, including target one-day summits, conferences, workshops, webinars, etc.
• Advises on priorities and strategies for developing and managing outreach programs and associated services.
• Submits annual budget requests to support outreach programs.
• Coordinates content development and associated strategies with other VALE committees.

Planning & Assessment Committee

Charge:

• Identifies opportunities and spearheads evaluation of VALE services and programs, including distribution of at least two (2) surveys per academic year.
• Partners with the Outreach Committee and library-affiliated organizations to plan, develop, and assess regular programs throughout the academic year, including target one-day summits, conferences, workshops, etc.
• Advises on priorities and strategies for developing and managing planning and assessment programs and associated services.
• Submit annual budget requests to support planning and assessment agendas.
• Coordinates content development and associated strategies with other VALE committees.

Purchasing & Licensing Committee

Charge:

• In consultation with the VALE Program Manager,
• Oversees and assesses group purchasing activities.
• Identifies, evaluates, and recommends acquisitions of electronic resources, digital media, productivity software, etc.
• Negotiates deals with vendors and reviews licensing agreements.
• Advises on priorities and strategies for developing and managing purchasing and licensing activities.
• Submit annual budget requests to support purchasing and licensing agendas.
• Coordinates content development and associated strategies with other VALE committees.

Task Forces

Task forces (TFs) are time-limited groups formed to support existing committees and work on special projects and strategic VALE initiatives.

Professional Development Task Force

Chairs: Consuella Askew (consuella.askew@rutgers.edu), Danianne Mizzy (mizzyd@montclair.edu)

Members: Evelyn Frangakis (evelyn.frangakis@ptsem.edu)

Charge:

• Explores and identifies professional development needs for middle managers of VALE academic libraries.
• Identifies opportunities to partner with library affiliates or organizations, such as LibraryLinkNJ, to develop a professional development program for the middle management tier of academic libraries.

Deliverable: Submit a written report listing potential offerings on professional development training for middle management, including a recommendation on whether VALE should consider forming a standing professional development committee.

Timeline: Fiscal year 2024 through completion of deliverables.

Strategic Planning Task Force

Chairs: Marilyn Ochoa (mochoa@middlesex.edu), Isabel Gray (igray@camdencc.edu)

Charge:

• Identifies and recommends a consultant and timeline for a strategic planning retreat in early FY 2025.
• Plans logistics for the retreat in coordination with the consultant to reach the VALE members council and potentially member institutions’ staff.
• Works with a consultant as appropriate and reports on the consultant’s strategic planning report and documents to the executive committee and member’s council.

Deliverable: Strategic planning retreat and a three to five-year VALE strategic plan.

Timeline: Fiscal year 2024 through strategic planning completion. Written report listing the consultant and timeline in Winter 2024. Host retreat with consultants in Summer 2024. Finalize strategic planning report and documents by Spring 2025.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Special Interest Groups are informal groups that wish to meet around a common interest under the VALE umbrella.

• OER Special Interest Group
• Convener: Rob Hilliker (hilliker@rowan.edu)
• Join the OER listserv here.
  
• Small Liberal Arts Colleges Special Interest Group
• Convener: Susan Van Alstyne (susan.vanalstyne@centenaryuniversity.edu)
• The goal of the SLAC SIG is to learn from each other on how to best advocate for the library, and to discuss how to leverage resources given the unique constraints. Sharing evidence-based practices that are relevant to academic librarians in similar institutions.
• Join the SLAC listserv here.

Contact Us if you are interested in convening a special interest group.