RMRT (Retired Members Round Table)

last person joined: 4 days ago 

The Retired Members Round Table (RMRT) shall exist to develop programs of particular interest to retired persons from all types of libraries and all forms of library services, including formal opportunities for continued involvement and learning; a variety of leadership training and opportunities for mentoring; lifelong professional involvement and networking; and active engagement in the American Library Association and the profession of librarianship.

Visit the Retired Members Round Table (RMRT) on the ALA website.

  • 1.  RMRT Survey results

    Posted Oct 02, 2014 10:46 AM

    Hi all:  I'd like to share the results from our member survey conducted earlier this year.  I want to thank Ad Hoc Committee members--Delores Meglio, Twyla McConnell and Linda Fein for putting together the survey.


    The RMRT Board is interested in your thoughts on the survey and ideas for the future.


    Looking forward to hearing from you all.


    Ma'lis Wendt


    President


     


                                 RMRT Member Survey Results


    June 24, 2014


                                                 20 responses


     


     


     


    1)      How would you want to participate in the success of RMRT?



    • Honestly, right now I just don't have the time. I think it's great that other people are doing so much, but I can't right now.

    • Currently serve on the Membership Committee. Willing to serve on other committees.

    • Participation on committees. Writing articles/pieces for use by RMRT, ALA, other professional journals on the "relevance" of retired library employees of all ilks.

      • I would like to participate in committees (in person or virtually), but also would be interested in serving as a member or a reviewer. I have more than 40 years of ALA experience.

      • What a lovely question! I don't know yet. Ill health is currently taking all my energy.

      • Programs, retirement info, social opportunities,

      • Provide options

      • Meetings programs camaredie

      • observer

      • Committee work, developing bylaws, acting as liaison to other groups...

      • By sustaining my membership; attending meetings and where possible, programs, trips and other things that are offered. And spreading the good words about RMRT. You can be retired and have a very productive time helping RMRT and ALA.

      • Support programs and social events.

      • Participation in governance and /or activities. ???

      • Hopefully just as a member and not an officer any more!

      • as an active member

      • virtually  

      • Uncertain




     


     


    2)      What do you expect (or want) RMRT to do for you as a retiree or pre-retired library staff member?



    • Since I'm not doing anything, it doesn't seem fair to have expectations.

    • I am intrigued by the opportunities for group travel.

    • I would hope that RMRT would help me find a meaningful place in the library world when I can no longer play a significant role in the library from which I retired and, frankly, don't care for the technological rather than people focus of many public libraries. Where do I fit?

    • I am a new retiree, but I won't always be. I would like RMRT to provide a "home" where I could still be useful and have the opportunity to meet and interact with new people who share my retiree status. I also would like to see "emeritus" members of ALA find a way to participate more actively in the planning activities of the Association. We have much to offer and grazing pastures does not sound interesting. Perhaps we might help with oral histories or research as well.

    • Meet at ALA. Meet virtually online from time to time. Sponsor trips. Keep up the blog.

    • Counseling,provide opportunities, benefits, social interactions, continuing education informal

    • Provide information of interest

    • Be a presence at ala

    • I liked the checklist being developed. Possible travel outside the US is appealing.

    • Retirement planning information, volunteer opportunities, social opportunities, travel opportunities

    • Keep on doing what it is doing: offering programs, trips, possibly special rates on things. I am not an AARP member (but probably will join when I retire so I would see what we could adapt and use from them.

    • Keep me connected to the profession and provide info And activities s relevant to retirees

    • Keep me up to date on issues affecting retired library workers. We may have retired from our jobs, but not the profession!

    • I'm looking forward to a cruise with Jennifer

    • keep me in the loop professionally and of trends


     


     


    3)               Are your interests primarily directed to:


     


     


    Personal Development                                                                         72.22%                  13  responses


     


    Seminars and Workshops to keep up with the profession     72.22%                  13  responses


     


    Travel--trips with fellow librarians                                                    72.22%                  13  responses


     


            Comments:  



    • Giving back to ALA and to the profession.


     



    • Organized volunteer opportunities


     



    • Financial


     



    • touch base with other retirees


     


     


    4)             What programs, activities, and/or services would you like to see RMRT support and/or sponsor?



    • Want to see the group travel get off the ground.

    • I would like RMRT to be the RSVP of the library world, being a conduit for networking with other retirees, acting as a clearinghouse for libraries who want knowledgeable support, offering programs that summarize new trends in library service, so that the participant can decide what to pursue in more depth.

    • I like the ideas of offering our input to the Association, providing mentorship where appropriate, and being active. In the old days, the Junior Members Round Table started the index that morphed into Library Literature. Perhaps there is a research niche for us. At the same time, I would like to participate in fun activities and discussions. ALA Connect offers this possibility and several divisions, notably ALCTS.

    • No ideas here.

    • PT job info. Webinars t keep up with latet developments in profession.

    • Like the ones you have been doing

    • A project to encourage donation of funds to African libraries and librarians rather than spending lots of money to transport books and materials. Encourage local publishing industries to flourish as well as African authors and illustrators.

    • Volunteer opportunities that take advantage of our professional training and experience

    • Tripis; personal development and ways to advocate for libraries.a nd ways to advocate for libraries.

    • I wonder if we could make mentoring easier? I started to be a mentor for YALSA and I swear I needed a police check

    • travel, programs at ALA and Mid-winter, author talks

    • Trip to Taos


     


    5)            Are you interested in consulting and/or part-time employment and would you like RMRT to provide an avenue for job leads, tips, etc.?



    • That sounds like a great idea, although I don't think I would avail myself.

    • No.

    • I can't say that I'd want a paid position, but I would like to volunteer in some more meaningful way than labeling envelopes for mailing, as important as that might be for programs and fundraising. If RMRT is providing an avenue for employment it can easily tack on a volunteer component. The RSVP in my area is not active in connecting libraries and potential professional support.

    • Yes, I am interested in consulting or helping in some part-time way. An avenue for job leads would be lovely.

    • I am not, but I think it is a good idea.

    • Yes

    • Yes

    • Good idea

    • foreign exchanges

    • Yes

    • Yes or connect with existing ALA consulting groups. I think there is a LLAMA discussion group

    • I don't know yet but it would be good to know that there was an avenue in RMRT. I trust its members and charter organizers.

    • I'm not interested, but RMRT should provide information on job leads. One workshop we might consider making available is the nuts and bolts of consulting - how to determine fees, tax problems, special equipment needed, working from home vs. working on-site.

    • nope

    • Thanks, voice over/talent work only


     


    6)       Which workshops, seminars, etc. are you interested in for upgrading your technical skills for personal and/or professional use



    • My local community college provides a lot of workshops that help me keep up with my technical skills.

    • I think that many of the divisions provide such seminars, but we might want to work with them to adapt these to us. I would like to see us partner with LITA for things like blogging as well as web design. Could RMRT do a technical buddy system project, perhaps with newer librarians?

    • All

    • Social mediA

    • See previous response.

    • How to add technology and where to learn what I might need.

    • social media

    • no


     


     


    7)      RMRT is represented in ALA with other small round tables by a Councilor. What concerns do you recommend RMRT forward to that Councilor?



    • Having continued to read AMERICAN LIBRARIES and the weekly e-newletter, having been sent surveys in the past, I note that everything is addressed, worded and geared to the still-practicing librarian. I would like our Councilor to advocate for ALA to recognize RMRT as a significant outreach group to keep present members involved after they retired to maintain membership in the Organization and not just see RMRT as a bunch of old librarians.

    • I think we have the same concerns as other groups in ALA. ALA needs to be more accessible for all types of members. When ALA is streamlined (and I am sure it will be), retired members should also be considered. We are a growing population in ALA and it would be bad for ALA to lose us; we have lots to share.

    • Don't know

    • Move awY from the. Nonproductive social issues (endless) debates and address pertinent library issues

    • Small RT Councilors will need to represent the issues facing the individual RTs. The concerns RMRT members have may be different from those of other small units. I think the most pressing for RMRT is to work with the Membership Office to enable Continuing Members to renew RT (and division) memberships online.

    • Cost effective ways to attend in person ALA Conferences; ways to advocate for libraries and for seniors; the human element in a technology driven workplace and world.

    • nothing occurs to me

    • That we are an experienced voice with much to offer. Don't forget about us as an important ALA component just because we no longer report to a job daily.