Each year at end of the NMRT Midwinter All-Committee meeting, candidates running for NMRT offices tell us why they're running, and what they hope to accomplish if elected. If you missed that candidate introductions in beautiful (but frigid!) Boston this year, don't dispair -- you're in good company: With ever-tighter scheduling at the Mid-winter meetings, many of those in committee meetings had to run before the candidate comments began, and many of the candidates -- no doubt basking in the hot sun somewhere tropical -- also couldn't join us.

To help you get to know the candidates, Footnotes has compiled statements from each of them outlining their past NMRT experiences, qualifications, and future goals.

Here is the list of the 2005 NMRT candidates:

Vice President/President Elect
Tanzi Merritt
Amanda Roberts

Councilor
Tiffani R. Conner
Courtney L. Young

Director
Nanette Wargo Donohue
Erin L. Ellis
Michelle S. Millet

Secretary
Jenny Emanuel
Jeannette Ho
Cassandra Osterloh

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Tanzi Merritt - Vice President/President Elect Candidate

I am honored to have been asked to run for Vice-President/President Elect of the New Members Round Table, and to be among such a remarkable slate of candidates. My NMRT membership over the past five years has been invaluable to my career and professional development, and I am excited about the prospect of leading this great group of exceptional people.

Other ALA divisions and round tables focus on specific types of librarianship or on specific issues that affect the way we do our work. NMRT is different. NMRT has two main purposes that are very different from other divisions and round tables. These are, one, allow new members of ALA to network no matter what types of libraries they work in or their professional and research interests, and two, act as a training ground for ALA membership by providing opportunities to work on and lead national committees and introducing members to how ALA works. NMRT plays an important role in helping new librarians prepare for eventual leadership in the larger organization, and many leaders of ALA got their start in the New Members Round Table.

These two purposes, to me, are the NMRT's most important tasks, and if I am elected to the position of Vice-President/President Elect my terms in office will be focused on improving the ways that we carry out these two very important purposes. A major goal around which my presidential program will be built will be increased involvement of NMRT members in both NMRT committees and other ALA committees. Because we are to be the leaders of the profession, and the professional organizations, in the not too distant future, it's essential that we continue to prepare those who are new to the profession to become great leaders.

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Amanda Roberts - Vice President/President Elect Candidate

Why I chose to run for office:
I would like to run for President of ALA New Members Round Table because as Editor of Footnotes, I see many New Members Round Table members (like me) who are excited about writing and getting published. I would like to see ALA New Members Round Table take a more formal and proactive role in supporting these writers. Using the resources ALA NMRT has already established -- Footnotes, NMRTWriter, New Writer's Support Ad Hoc, Scholarship Research Ad Hoc, and other committees -- I will lead, if elected NMRT President, an initiative to create a scholarly/trade print publication of the New Members Round Table.

Qualifications/Experience:
- In addition to working as an Instruction Librarian at Florida Atlantic University (http://www.fau.edu/library/), I work as a Writing Consultant in my university's University Center For Excellence in Writing (http://www.fau.edu/UCEW/). In that role, I tutor students in all phases of the critical thinking & research and writing processes.

- I have served on the Footnotes Committee for 3 years. In 03-04, I was its Assistant Editor and I am its current Editor (http://www.ala.org/ala/nmrt/footnotes/index.htm).

- I served on the New Writer's Support Ad Hoc Committee in 03-04. My role on the committee was Discussion Moderator for the NMRTWriter (http://www.ala.org/ala/nmrt/comm/nmrtwriter.htm).

- I have been a member of NMRT since 1999. In 03-04, I served as Co-chair of the NMRT Booth Committee.

- I have worked as a librarian since September of 2001.

- My undergraduate degree is a BA in English With a Concentration in Writing from Loyola University, New Orleans. I have an Master of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University.

My past and current leadership roles include the following:
- Southeast Florida Library Information Network Information Literacy Dicussion Group Leader (04-05)

- Leader of the Florida Library Association New Members Round Table Interest Group (04), which I established and is now hosting programs at the FLA Annual Conference

Publications:
Roberts, Amanda. "Combating Ageism: Lessons Learned by "Baby" Librarians." LIScareer.com [Reprinted with permission from NMRT Footnotes, Vol. 33, No. 2, Nov 2003]. Accessed November 30, 2004, from LIScareer.com Web site: http://www.liscareer.com/roberts_ageism.htm<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Roberts, Amanda. "Replacing Classrooms and Carrels with Keystrokes: Distance Education of Library and Information Science Professionals." The Librarian's Career Guidebook, ed. Priscilla Shontz. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press (2004).

Roberts, Amanda. "That Dreaded Librarian Stereotype: What You Think." NMRT Footnotes. 33(4):6.

Roberts, Amanda. "Tips & Tricks: Keepin' It Local: The Beginning of the Florida NMRT." NMRT Footnotes. 33(4):10.

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Tiffani Conner - Councilor Candidate

Hello NMRTers! My name is Tiffani Conner and I am running for the position of NMRT Councilor. I've been a member of NMRT since I was first an MSIS student at the University of Tennessee and have been involved with many aspects of the roundtable. I've been on Leadership Development, Diversity, Shirley Olofson, and now SASCO committees, and I'm currently serving as the NMRT Liaison to the Committee on Legislation.

This midwinter was my first introduction to the Committee on Legislation (COL) and I believe I have found my niche. NMRT has provided me with many opportunities to find and develop my interests within ALA, including the committee work mentioned above, as well as having been awarded the 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant last year, and now serving as a Liaison to an ALA Committee.

In planning my midwinter schedule, I decided to attend the COL meetings as well as the Legislative Assembly meetings (a good portion of which were joint meetings) in order to really get a feel for what goes on, legislatively speaking, within ALA. From the first meeting, where I honestly didn't know what to expect, I found that I was enthralled with the topics they were discussing. All of those emails I get from various ALA lists calling for urgent attention or action finally meant something to me and I met the people who keep us all informed of what goes on on The Hill. Briefly, COL, like many committees, sends Resolutions to Council and Council debates and decides on the resolutions. Sitting in on the COL meetings and then going to Council meetings and hearing and watching these debates was an amazing experience. Again, the issues I was told about in library school and the issues people talk about on the listservs finally were coming together and I recognized the importance of Council, Resolutions, and communicating with constituents. In short, this midwinter, and more specifically my appointment as Liaison to COL, opened my eyes to many important issues in the library profession.

As NMRT Councilor I will work to bring the issues and resolutions to the NMRT membership and provide the background information that will inspire you as librarians as much as I've been inspired. Additionally, I will actively represent the views of the NMRT membership on Council resolutions and issues. Librarianship is an exciting profession, and to me it's one that offers a lot of opportunity to get into the trenches of social responsibility, privacy, freedom of information, and professionalism issues. NMRT has given me many opportunities that I would not have experienced on other roundtables and it would be my honour to serve NMRT on ALA Council. If elected as NMRT Councilor, I will make certain that NMRT members get the whole story on issues of importance to ALA and to librarianship--not just the headlines, but the various perspectives as well. I am thrilled to have been nominated for this position and ask for your vote in March.

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Courtney L. Young - Councilor Candidate
Reference Librarian, Beaver Campus Library
Penn State University
Member of NMRT since 2002

I have served on the Diversity committee (2002-2003) and the Liaisons Coordination and Support Ad Hoc committee (2002-2003). I have chaired the Diversity committee (2003-2004) and am currently chair of the Student Chapter of the Year Award committee (2004-2005). I am also the liaison to the ALA Recruitment and Retention committee (2004-2005). I participated in the resume review service at Midwinter 2005. I am also a member of the Women's Studies and the African American Studies Librarianship sections of ACRL. My work with NMRT has been incredibly rewarding. NMRT allows its membership to set and reach achievable goals. On each committee I've been a part of, we've done good work. By this I mean there has been an immediate positive impact on the membership. I don't know how many other round tables or sections in ALA whose membership can say that with the same confidence.

The opportunity to run for Councilor is not a small one. I believe that my consideration for this position says a lot about the work I've done as an NMRT member, and the potential I have to serve and represent NMRT on council. I am hard working and thorough. I ask questions. I've developed a passion for NMRT that I am proud to share with others. I am also aware of the level of commitment this position comes with, and I welcome the opportunity to grow into the position during the 3 year appointment. Serving would also provide me an opportunity to better understand the structure of ALA as an organization, and hopefully through that understanding I can help others to better understand it as well. Council would provide opportunities for me to make connections with others in the organization, and this fits well into NMRT's mission of building bridges. Communication of course will be key as councilor, and I'll work to not only inform the board and membership of important discussion topics, but also bring your voices to council on issues.

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Nanette Wargo Donohue - Director Candidate
Technical Services Manager
Champaign (IL) Public Library

Since I joined NMRT as a library school student in 2001, I have participated on the Nominating, Archives, and Membership Promotion and Relations committees; chaired the Publicity and Student Reception committees; and co-chaired the Student and Student Chapter Outreach committee. I regularly volunteer to assist with NMRT activities at conferences, and have volunteered at both the NMRT Resume Review Service and at the NMRT Booth at Annual.

I truly believe that NMRT has a lot to offer to early-career librarians, and I offer myself as proof of this belief. As a recipient of the 2004 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant, I was able to attend the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, which would have been impossible without outside funding. My committee experience has helped me get a foot in the door in other ALA divisions, and I currently serve as the intern to the ALCTS Cataloging and Classification Section Cataloging of Children's Materials Committee. I was also appointed to an intern position on the ALA Awards Committee. I believe that my involvement in NMRT helped me get my "dream job" by providing me with the professional-level leadership experience that I needed to land a job in management.

If elected, I will continue the excellent work that previous directors have done to encourage communication and collaboration between NMRT committees and between NMRT and other divisions and roundtables of ALA. I will actively promote the benefits of membership in NMRT to library school students, early-career librarians, and new ALA members. I will seek partnerships with other divisions and roundtables that will further the goals of NMRT. Best of all, I will get all the personal enjoyment that comes with giving back to an organization that has given so much to me, both personally and professionally, over the last several years.

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Erin Ellis - Director Candidate

I am running for an NMRT Director position because I am eager to nurture NMRT committee chairs in their leadership development, and I believe that encouraging future leaders of NMRT is the best way to see our roundtable succeed! I am interested in sharing my enthusiasm for NMRT involvement and expanding my own leadership experience, as well. NMRT provides new librarians with excellent opportunities to explore a variety of roles within the roundtable. It is my hope to take advantage of these opportunities and be in a position to advocate and support other NMRT'ers to do the same. In a director position, I will be well-placed to assist my fellow NMRT'ers to succeed as committee chairs, guiding them in their committee's success and in providing a positive leadership experience. I bring a range of qualifications to this position: I am detail-oriented, while managing a variety of tasks and roles; highly organized with realistic goals; and dedicated to getting things done in a timely and successful manner. I am a reliable communicator - you can always count on me to get back to you promptly and with the right information (or with the appropriate contact for the information!). I am also diligent in giving credit where credit is due. If elected to a director position, I will ensure that committees are given the opportunity to grow and develop with ample support and guidance. Your NMRT experience will prepare you comprehensively for future NMRT leadership roles, as well as future roles within other ALA units.

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Michelle S. Millet - Director Candidate

As a student in library school, I began participating in ALA and NMRT, wanting to be collegial before I even had my first professional library position. Now, after having served as a member of the SASCO Committee, the Ad-Hoc Committee for Self-Study and Resource Allocation, and chairing both the Publicity and Nominating Committees, I am confident that I have gained the skills appropriate to be an effective director on the NMRT board.

The director positions in NMRT rotate and I have the background and experience that can relate to any of the positions that the President sees fit. I am detail-oriented, yet laid back enough to work with the variety of personalities that will be chairing committees. I have had the pleasure of working under fabulous leaders and have learned effective ways of working with others from them. As a committee chair, I understand the need to stay in touch and communicate and ensure that everyone knows the common goals we are working towards. At the same time, I empathize with my fellow new librarians who often feel overworked and understand that people work at tasks as different paces. My experience and knowledge will help with such an important position.

In my current position, as Information Literacy Coordinator at Trinity University I have spearheaded and implemented a brand new information literacy program, and have also attended the Institute for Information Literacy's Immersion program on the program manager track. These professional experiences have given me the benefit of enormous leadership skills that will help me in the position of director. If elected, I hope to support the President's initiatives and work on getting more people involved in NMRT at every level. I think by working to tap people's strengths, we can strengthen our organization in kind. Ideally, the directors work to keep things going smoothly and provide support to both chairs and officers effortlessly. While I will admit it will take much effort, I plan on putting forth one-hundred percent and keeping everyone on task and comfortable with the committee's workflow and goals.

I do hope that you will take the time to follow the candidate forum online and vote for me when given the chance. I know that I will be an asset to NMRT in the future as a director, and look forward to working with the new board and all members of NMRT interested in getting involved.

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Jenny Emanuel - Secretary Candidate

Hello! My name is Jenny Emanuel, and I am currently the electronic services librarian at Central Missouri State University. I am eager to represent the New Member's Round Table as your secretary. I feel that my skills and interests will aid me in this role. My main personal reason in wanting this position is to become more aware of ALA and NMRT, especially because I feel one cannot truly be part of a community until they play an active role in it. Secondly, I feel my interests encompass those of many other new librarians, in that in my job I play a role in traditional reference as well as emerging technologies and pathways into a more "modern" sense of librarianship. I also have public and special (health sciences) library experience, so I recognize challenges within them all.

I am a recent (May 2004) library school graduate, and I am well aware of curricular issues in library education and difficulties in finding jobs. While in library school, I was an outspoken advocate for changes in the curriculum. Also in library school, I served as secretary of the entire graduate school's student federation, which gave me valuable experience to fill this position within the NMRT. With that position, I performed basic secretarial duties within a large organization, as well as working with the bureaucracy of the university to make contacts and get things done. I'm sure there will be similar bureaucratic obstacles in ALA as well, since it is such a large organization. I feel all of the above interests and experiences will aid me in representing new librarians, and I would feel honored to be able to play an active role in NMRT.

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Jeanette Ho - Secretary Candidate

I am honored to be nominated as candidate for NMRT Secretary. If elected, I will work with the NMRT President and Executive Board to facilitate communication within NMRT.

NMRT provides new librarians with numerous opportunities to learn about the profession, including how a library association is run. In order to get the most out of one's NMRT experience, it is important to be informed about the work of all of its committees and Executive Board, and to have a larger perspective and sense of "ownership" regarding the workings of this organization. If elected, I will be in a position to help the NMRT president, Board members, and the general membership stay informed by 1) keeping accurate records of the Executive Board meetings and correspondence and making them available to the Board and general membership in a timely manner; 2) working with the Archives and Handbook Committees to maintain access to them for future use; and 3) providing support for the NMRT-L listserv.

I have been a member of NMRT since graduating from library school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign five years ago. I have served on various committees both inside and outside NMRT and know firsthand the importance of keeping track of important decisions made at the higher level and how they affect the work of the various committees of an organization. Committees within NMRT I have served on include: the President's Program Committee (which organized a panel program called "Places Your MLS Can Take You: Alternative Careers for Librarians), the Self-Study and Resource Allocation Committee (which created the "Ladders to Leadership" web site), the New Writers Support Ad Hoc Task Force, and the 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant Committee, as both a member (2001-2002) and as the current chair. In addition, I belong to ALCTS, where I now serve on the CMDS Quantitative Measures Committee, and the newly formed CRG Continuing Education Committee, which will examine ways to identify and deliver continuing education programs to members of ALCTS and its local and regional affiliates. I also belong to the Online Audiovisual Catalogers (OLAC), where I have served on the Cataloging Policy Committee Summary/Abstract in Cataloging Records Task Force (which created an online primer on writing summary notes for catalog records) and have recently applied and was selected for a two-year position on its Cataloging Policy Committee. I have also published articles in several peer-reviewed library journals, including Library Resources & Technical Services and the Journal of Academic Librarianship. I am dedicated to NMRT's goal of preparing librarians for active involvement in the profession, and if elected, will do my best to help the Executive Board and general members stay informed about the workings and proceedings of our organization.