April 07, 2025

In This Issue:

• WRLC Launches New Strategic Plan (FY2026 - 2029)
• 2025 WRLC Annual Meeting: Call for Presentations
• WRLC Co-Sponsors ASERL Conference on the Future of Special Collections
• Join the WRLC Outreach Interest Group
• Stay Connected: Join the New WRLC Events Listserv!
• WRLC Job Listings

After a year of reflection, prioritization, and partner input, WRLC will launch a new strategic plan in July 2026. Over the course of the past year, the Library Directors Council developed a set of strategic roles, goals, and initiatives that outlined the WRLC's areas of greatest impact, and identified the ways in which the consortium could increase its effectiveness in those areas. The plan also includes an updated mission and vision statement. This is a first-of-its-kind, multi-year plan for the consortium. We are now in the process of redesigning the committee structure and will invite nominations later this spring. We are excited to share the plan and rollout with all of our WRLC Community. Full details will be presented at the WRLC Annual Meeting. Be sure to join us!

The WRLC Annual Meeting will take place virtually from May 20th-22nd, 2025, hosted via Zoom.

We are currently assembling the agenda, filled with your presentations, interactive discussions, and a keynote presentation. Each session is designed to encourage active participation and facilitate dialogue among attendees.

Be a Presenter with a new format!

If you are interested in presenting at this year’s Annual Meeting, please fill out the form below to submit your proposal. Based on the feedback we received from attendees at last year’s event, we are excited to announce a new format. This year, we will feature 20-minute presentations with 5 minutes for questions. We believe this shorter format will encourage greater participation, promote discussion, and allow us to showcase a wider array of topics and perspectives. We look forward to your contributions and are eager to see what you’ll bring to this year’s event.

We look forward to seeing you in May!

Proposals are due by Friday, April 25th.

May 28-30, 2025

This event is an interactive unconference designed for special collections librarians, archivists, digital curators, and cultural heritage professionals to explore the evolving role of special collections in today’s libraries and institutions.

Dates: May 28-30, 2025
Location: George Mason University

This unconference offers a unique opportunity to engage in collaborative problem-solving, networking, and participant-driven discussions on key topics such as:

• Grant funding strategies

• Donor relations and outreach

• Increasing accessibility and relevance for patrons

Unlike traditional conferences, this event will prioritize interactive sessions over formal presentations. Attendees will guide the conversation through breakout discussions, sharing experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions.

Are you interested in issues related to outreach and marketing? If so, please consider joining the WRLC Outreach Interest Group (OIG).

The mission of the WRLC OIG is to provide a community for interested members of the WRLC to advance outreach and marketing initiatives and best practices on our individual campuses and within the WRLC Consortium. OIG will provide a forum for members to learn

from each other, share their expertise and best practices, and collaborate on outreach initiatives including but not limited to consortial level initiatives along with shared and individual programming, communications, and projects. The interest group will

have a listserv that members can use to share announcements, ask questions, or seek partners for collaboration. The interest group will also develop a local repository of Creative Commons licensed marketing material for use among member libraries.  

The interest group meets every 2-3 months and has a shared Google Drive and email group to share materials.

We are seeking interested members from all WRLC partner libraries. If you are interested in joining, please contact Meghan Kowalski, Outreach and Reference Librarian, University of the District of Columbia, at meghan.kowalski@udc.edu.

We’re excited to announce a new communication tool designed specifically for our library community: the WRLC Events Google Group listserv. This platform is your go-to source for sharing and receiving timely updates on events relevant to our consortium.

Why Join?

While our monthly newsletter keeps you informed, events and opportunities can pop up at any time. The WRLC Events listserv ensures you are always in the loop. Whether it’s a hands-on workshop, an insightful webinar, or a collaborative networking event, you’ll be the first to know.

How It Works:

• Timely Updates: Receive email notifications about events as they are announced.

• Community Engagement: Easily share your own events and insights with fellow library staff across the consortium.

• Easy to Join: Simply visit https://groups.google.com/a/wrlc.org/g/events/about and sign up: it’s quick and straightforward! If your organization is not on the Google Workspace platform, email Joel Shields at shields@wrlc.org to request to be added.

Your Participation Matters

Your active involvement directly impacts our community. By joining and contributing to the listserv, you help create the opportunity to share your expertise, ask questions, and learn about new initiatives from colleagues across the consortium.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect and collaborate. Join the WRLC Events listserv today and be a part of our engaged, dynamic library community.

• Collections Strategist – The George Washington University

• Research Services Librarian for Business and Data – The George Washington University

• Data Services Librarian – The George Washington University

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