The STARS Membership Committee met at ALA Annual as part of the STARS All Committee Meeting. The STARS welcome letter for new members has been sent to forty-three new members, and no responses have been received. The Committee decided changes were needed to the format and content of the letter. It was decided to shorten the letter, focusing on providing links to information posted on the STARS site. It was also decided to make the letter more personal by adding the names and contact information for all members of the Committee in the signature. The group also decided that a member of the Committee will send a follow-up email two weeks after the letter is sent, offering additional support and a personal contact in STARS.
The “5 Things a New Resource Sharing Librarian Should Know” were discussed and edited. The Committee is putting the final touches on content for what will soon be turned into a web page for new resource sharing librarians.
The Committee discussed initiating a mentoring program, matching a new STARS member with a mentor or “buddy.” The mentor would help the new member get involved in STARS, give them a contact person for questions, and provide a friendly face at STARS events come conference time.
Additional activities discussed were preliminary planning for a STARS Happy Hour for Anaheim in 2012, starting a recognition program for STARS members who make an extraordinary contribution, and a STARS “member of the month” initiative.
Nora Dethloff, Chair
ndethloff@uh.edu