VLA NMRT Forum: Supporting the Next Generation of Virginia’s Library Leaders

Editors of the recent Library Trends double issue devoted to workforce issues in library and information science describe librarianship as “an aging and diversifying workforce.” 1 It seems that, regardless of the current economic crisis, the recruitment of quality, diverse professionals and their subsequent success within the profession remains critical for the future of librarianship within the state of Virginia. Nationally, the library community has responded to this need to recruit and retain new information professionals by focusing on the importance of networking, professional associations, and mentoring relationships. Although we have a thriving state-level library association and many passionate library and information professionals in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we have not had a designated space and support system for new library professionals since 2004, when the Virginia Library Association (VLA) New Members Forum dissolved. 2 In light of current workforce issues and emerging labor trends, the need for a state-level new members group within the Virginia Library Association becomes clear. This essay will briefly review the many benefits of a state-level New Members Round Table (NMRT) and the efforts leading to the recent, official formation of the VLA NMRT Forum, a group established specifically for Virginia librarians or library school students with ten or fewer years of professional experience.