Reference & Instruction Services

Join the RISci Mailing List!

ArLARISD - the official mailing list of this community of interest. To get more information and to sign up go to http://mail.arlib.org/mailman/listinfo/arlarisd_arlib.org.

Mission & Responsibilities

To provide a forum for issues related to reference and instruction across various types of libraries in Arkansas.

Jessica Kirk, Chair
Coordinator for Statewide Sharing and Engagement
Arkansas State Library
900 West Capitol Ave., Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72201
j.kirk_arla@pm.me

Who Should Join?

If you find yourself in a library type setting, answering questions, and/or teaching people, WE ARE YOUR COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.  

RISci Lunch & Learn (all sessions held virtually)

Teach. Explain. Connect. Lunch and Learns are all about sharing and connecting. Typically held one Friday a month over a lunch hour, these programs provide a place to discuss relevant topics in reference and instruction for our community. Do you have something you want to share with your fellow community members? A new tool, a method, an issue you don’t see being addressed in our community. Please get in touch and let’s talk about creating a Lunch and Learn on the topic. See below for past topics. We encourage teaming up with other community of interests also. 

2023

Visit the ArLA Event Calendar to see this year’s Lunch & Learn events.

Hit Ctrl + F and search “RISCI.”

2022

• Teaching with Tech (Co-hosted with CULAR)
• Proactive Reference: When Users Don't Know What They Need to Know
• You Are Not Alone. Getting MELLW with RISci (Co-hosted with MELLW)
• Workshop Warm Up: Energize the Audience for Increased Engagement
• Living with a Mental Illness as a Library Worker
• 3D Printing & Makerspaces
• Misinformation
• UX @ Your Library
• Continuing Education with the Arkansas State Library

2021

• Virtual Cookie Exchange & Vision Boarding
• The U.S. Census Bureau @ Your Library
• Creating Inclusion
• Game On! Using Games & Gaming in Instruction
• Weeding - The Prickly, Sticky and Stinky
• Professional Development & Training Share-A-Thon
• When is enough ENOUGH?
• What’s on your reference & instruction mind?

Reference Exchange Day 

The Reference Exchange Day is an annual half-day learning event to explore a topic(s) in more depth than our standard Lunch & Learns.  

2023 - Information coming soon.

2022 - Neurodiversity & Neurodivergence in the Library

2021 - Do the right thing: Serve your patrons without abandoning your principles

Previous Division Chairs

2022 - Shawna Thorup
2021 - Shawna Thorup
2020 - Allie Stevens
2019 - Allie Stevens
2018 - Rachel Whittingham
2017 - Jessica Riedmueller
2016 – Pamela Meridith
2015 – Pamela Meridith
2014 – Pamela Meridith
2013 – Michael Strickland
2012 – Michael Strickland
2011 – Amber Wilson
2010 – Amber Wilson
2009 – Kathy Davis
2008 – Ronald S. Russ
2007 – Jennifer Davis
2006 – Dominique Hallett
2005 – Laura Downing
2004 – Jan Dixon
2003 – Don Batson
2002 – Don Batson
2001 – Necia Parker-Gibson
2000 – Necia Parker-Gibson
1999 – Renee LeBeau-Ford