Cataloging and metadata sessions at ALA Midwinter

We are just around the corner from ALA Midwinter, held this year in sunny Boston, and you may be trying to decide what sessions to attend. I've pulled out a few of the ones that are most interesting from a cataloging/metadata point of view. Here are some highlights:

Preconferences (may have an extra cost):

• Thing-athon: strings and things in RDA and linked data (Thursday, January 7, 10am-4pm)
  • "The Thing-athon is a hackathon for metadata created using RDA: Resource Description and Access and the RDA editor RIMMF, where catalogers, developers, and vendors get together to explore RDA and its application beyond the MARC environment. The Thing-athon is based on the Jane-athons that focus on Jane Austen and her works; these have been a great success and a lot of fun. So make sure to include our event in your conference plans. The Thing-athon will take place on at the Lamont Library on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge. Refreshments and a pizza lunch will be provided. "
• Re-envisioning “Technical Services” to Transform Libraries: Identifying Leadership and Talent Management Best Practices (Friday, Jan. 8, 8:30am-4pm)
  • "How can libraries enhance and reposition their “technical services” operations to drive ongoing library transformation? Scholarly communications, data curation, digital humanities, cooperative preservation, library publishing, collaborative collection management: all of these new functions require a talented staff with significant technical services expertise, regardless of their titles and reporting structure. This symposium explores how libraries can recruit and cultivate staff who can serve as both leaders and contributors and provide insight into talent management, including identifying and nurturing leaders; succession planning; promoting diversity; and connecting staff with the best training options throughout their careers. Generously Sponsored by OCLC."

Updates

• New Developments at the Digital Public Library of America (Sunday, Jan. 10, 1pm-2:30pm)
  • "The Digital Public Library of America brings together the digitized riches of America's libraries, archives, and museums and makes them discoverable and available to everyone, globally. In 2015, DPLA surpassed 10 million items from 1,600 collections, including libraries of all sizes. DPLA also recently launched a number of important new initiatives that complement and supplement its goal of providing widespread access to our shared culture through digital media and technology."

Forums

• RDA Forum (Saturday, Jan. 9, 10:30am-11:30am)
• Holdings Information Forum: Knowledge Base Strategies (Saturday, Jan. 9, 3pm-4pm)
• CaMMS Forum (Sunday, Jan. 10, 1pm-2:30pm)
• RDA Tech Forum (Monday, Jan. 11, 1pm-2:30pm)
• Continuing Resources Cataloging Forum (Monday, Jan. 11, 1pm-2:30pm)

There are many more interest group meetings that you may wish to attend as well! Learn more at the homepage here: http://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ALA-MidWinter/index.asp