Volunteer
The ACRL New England Chapter is an all-volunteer organization, powered by passionate librarians and library workers. There are many ways to get involved, and we would be delighted to have you join our team! Nominate yourself or someone else for an available position; see below for current opportunities and shared experiences from current board members.
The Chapter will fund the Vice President's and President's required ALA and ACRL national memberships each year.
Once elected, Chapter officers will begin service on June 3, 2024 (with the exception of the treasurer-elect, who will assume office on July 1, 2024).
April 22, 2024: We are no longer accepting nominations.
Current Opportunities
- Vice President/President-Elect (three-year term)
- Secretary (two-year term)
- Treasurer-Elect/Treasurer (three-year term)
- State Rep for Maine (two-year term)
- State Rep for Rhode Island (two-year term)
- State Rep for Vermont (two-year term)
Statements from Board Members
Vice President/President-Elect
Susanna Cowan, Vice President/President-Elect
This is my second former role on the Board: back during the surreal lockdown period of the pandemic, I served as Secretary. Those were weird times, but ACRL-NEC was always a positive experience, and I was struck then with how much of a community ACRL-NEC was. I’ve been involved with several professional organizations, and I’m always surprised when I hear feedback that the governing group of an org is seen as a closed circle that’s clique-ish and exclusive. What I’ve found – and this is definitely true of ACRL New England, is that organizations like this one are usually eager to involve members at all levels and in all ways. The “work” of an organization is very much the collective actions of the people who come together to create vision and map the steps to realizing that vision. Being involved is a matter, most often, of simply raising one’s hand in some affirmative way (clicking “Yes!,” responding to an email call for involvement). As President-Elect I have the privilege of caretaking one of the chapter’s most significant community-building activities: the annual conference. Every step of the way I’ve been reminded how much this organization means to people, how much members want the organization to succeed, how valuable we find each other as colleagues, and how important the annual gathering in person or online is to our sense of ourselves as library professionals in this region. Please join us this group of good folks making good things happen.
Secretary
Kelsey Diemand, Secretary
Serving as ACRL-NEC Secretary has been a professional joy. In the past, I've often viewed committee work and collaborative opportunities within professional organizations as intimidating or stressful. This has not at all been my experience in my two years with the ACRL New England board and chapter. While the Secretary is the designated note and minute-taker, this role is also a key member of decision making for ACRL-NEC. This role is also a great way to practice active learning and participation skills. This role has been a wonderful way to learn more about the goals and roles of librarians across New England institutions. I've also made some invaluable professional connections and have identified colleagues to research and collaborate with outside of Chapter activities. I highly recommend this role to anyone interested in dipping their toes into professional leadership and to anyone seeking to be involved in our regional, professional community. Due to some personal commitments, I cannot run for the board this cycle, but I am happy to chat with anyone who is interested.
Treasurer
Kristina Edwards, Treasurer
As the current treasurer for ACRL NEC, I get the opportunity to exercise my financial skills and work with librarians that truly understand the challenges and issues that are important to me as an academic librarian. ACRL NEC provides a unique opportunity for academic librarians to work with other academic librarians here in New England. As treasurer, my focus has largely been on the financial aspects of the association but as with everything related to money, it has provided me a road to learn more about the history and interworking of ACRL NEC to truly appreciate what it does for academic librarians. During the hardest parts of the pandemic, library associations have had to make hard financial decisions and drastically change the way that they serve their members. As a member of the executive board, I have had opportunities to help refine and collaborate with other librarians to discuss changes in how members prefer programming (in person vs. online), challenges to providing professional development programs, and how best to transform our existing scholarship program to truly meet the needs of members. If you are interested in adding your voice, meeting new people, and giving back to the library profession, there is no easier way than to join the ACRL NEC board!
Maine State Representative
Cory Budden, Maine State Representative
Being a state representative for ACRL NEC has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with other librarians in New England and within my own state. I enjoy sharing the exciting initiatives of our chapter with my Maine colleagues and in turn I learn more about their own projects and successes.
The ACRL NEC offers many professional development opportunities including our annual conference, topical webinars, meetings, and smaller events. Chapter leadership provides the opportunity to get involved in developing this meaningful and impactful chapter-level programming.
I deeply appreciate the opportunity to connect with the librarians of New England through ACRL NEC leadership!