As I write this column I have just returned from the SLA conference in Baltimore. It was a successful meeting with excellent educational sessions and strong keynote speakers in Gwen Ifill and Walt Mossberg. The conference planners tried a new format this year and opened the conference on Sunday evening rather than Monday morning. Personally I liked this change and I hope that SLA will continue it next year in Denver. Tuesday’s business meeting saw the installation of the new president, Rebecca Vargha. I have met Rebecca on several occasions and believe that she will be a strong leader for the association. Our own Stephen Abram was installed as president-elect and will assume the presidency of SLA in 2008.
While I belong to a few divisions within SLA, I like to choose the programmes that I attend at conference without regard for the sponsoring division. I’ve found that this is a great way to “cross-pollinate” and see the information profession from another perspective. There were lots of opportunities for networking, both in the Exhibit Hall and in the division suites. The vendors were especially generous this year and I want to thank them for providing everything from food to the signature tote bags, to sponsorship of the educational sessions.
When I became president of the Toronto chapter last December, I said that my three goals for my term were to develop strong programmes, promote SLA to student groups and new members, and to strengthen the relationship with the chapter’s four subgroups. Since it’s the mid point in my presidency I want to give you a brief update.
During the past six months the Executive Board, Advisory Board and the Volunteer Pool have worked to create programmes for the membership. We organized sessions on emerging technologies, electronic journals and records classification as well as a joint social with CASLIS and an evening with SLA’s CEO Janice Lachance. We will be continuing these strong programmes in the fall with sessions that will cover public speaking and research skills for the health care industry. We will likely hold a summer social as well. The Executive Board welcomes your suggestions for future programmes. Please contact any member of the board with your ideas.
In the early spring I was able to meet with a group of FIS students to discuss SLA and the benefits of membership in a professional organization. We are fortunate to have an active student group at the University of Toronto. In July, I will be visiting the Special Libraries class at the University of Western Ontario, and hope to revisit FIS in the fall. Special libraries are a mystery to many students and I hope to stimulate their interest by my visits.
Our chapter is fortunate to have strong subgroups that provide programming to members with special interests. These subgroups are the Toronto Solos, New Information Professionals, Toronto West and Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph. Recently the Executive Board created a policy that gives the subgroups official status within the chapter as well as access to funding. I acknowledge and thank Gillian Clinton, Paul Cheeseman, Claire Lysnes, Carolyne Sidey, Linda Pauloski and Sandra Keyes, chairs of the subgroups, for their hard work this year. Please remember that all members of the chapter are welcome to attend the subgroup programmes.
I wish everyone a happy summer and look forward to meeting with you at the chapter’s upcoming events.
Martha Foote
