DC/SLA Chapter Notes - August 2006

August 2006 Volume 66 No. 11

President’s Corner: First Among SLA Chapters!

http://www.sla.org/Chapter/cdc Inside this issue:

Submitted by Shirley Loo, sloo@crs.loc.gov

President’s Corner …. ……………1 Coolidge High School Literacy Awards…………………………… 4

The DC Chapter is first among all SLA chapters . Our chapter had the highest number of members of all 59 chapters in June 2006. According to several Chapter Past Presidents, this is the first time we have achieved this distinction. We've surpassed the goal I announced at the 2005 Planning Breakfast of increasing our membership by 5%– we have now experienced a net increase of 9%!

We are also fully engaged in one of SLA President Rebecca Vargha's priorities for her term: membership growth and retention. As she stated in her column in the July 2006 Information Outlook: "We will focus our energies on increasing membership to make SLA stronger, more vital, and an even greater source of professional support and networking than it is today." She has set a goal of a net growth of 1,000 members by 2009, SLA's centennial year. She asks for help from members in realizing this vision for the association.

I had help in realizing my membership goal for the DC Chapter. Thanks to all of the members who encouraged colleagues to join SLA, to those who supported the many activities of DC/SLA, and to Membership Chair Kristina Lively. Kristina contacted many unaffiliated chapter members in our area and encouraged them to join the chapter.

The programs we've had over several years planned by Chapter Vice Presidents, the Military Librarians Group, the Government Information Division, and others have been low cost, interesting and outstanding. Our Hospitality Chairs such as Lorraine Bell and Barbara Folensbee-Moore have provided cordial and gracious venues. Our newsletter editors such as Barbara Ferry and Cynthia Holt have provided us with interesting articles in an attractive format. Two term Treasurer Erin Clougherty has eased our financial life with prompt reports and reimbursement and with use of PayPal for payment.

You can do your part to keep us number one by continuing to volunteer at programs, being willing to run for an office, voting in elections, suggesting speakers for chapter programs, etc.

Speaking of being number one, Vice President/President-elect Susan Fournier attended the most meetings and programs so far this year (38) while I was second with 29. The first member after that was Eileen Rourke with 21 events. Eileen wore two hats this year as co-chair of the International Relations Committee and co-chair of Professional Enhancement Day. Just behind her was Treasurer Erin Clougherty and then Eileen Deegan, Book Club Chair. Thirty-seven members went to seven or more chapter activities and 93 went to more than three activities. Over one-third of our chapter membership attended at least one function from July 1, 2005 to June 13, 2006 according to metrics kept by Shelia Jackson.

[Cont’d on page 2]

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

Young Professionals Happy Hour is September 13 ………………….. 6 Aug. Board meeting agenda ……. 8 Did you vote? ………………..

9

Look for pictures for the Volunteer Appreciation Reception on May 4th at the U.S. Botanical Gardens!

Read about the new products and services from: • • • • • • •

Dialog InfoCurrent OCLC Capcon Library Associates Trak Legal EOS International Factiva

Check us out on the Web http://www.sla.org/Chapter/cdc/

Next Newsletter Deadline For September issue Is August 28 Email lea.wade@gmail.com

Hold the date!

Sept. 18

Join Mary Ellen Bates on a discussion of Web 2.0 See page 9!

1

Congratulations to Our SLA President’s Club Members Thirteen DC Chapter members recruited new members during the 2005 membership campaign. They are: Susan Fifer Canby, Ann Cashin, Austin Doherty, Michael Gruenberg, Nancy Handy, Wendy Hill, Karen King, Shirley Loo, Priscilla Lujan, Candace Parker, David Shumaker, Lynne Tobin and Alphonse Vinh. This was 12% of the 108 members who recruited a new member during Oct. 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2005 and higher than the 9% our chapter represents of the entire SLA membership.

The 2006 membership campaign starts Oct. 1, 2006 and runs through Dec. 31, 2006. Will you recruit a new member and become a 2006 President's Club member?

Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by the contributors to SLA’s publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official views of SLA. Acceptance of advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product by SLA. Subscriptions: Chapter Notes is free to DC/SLA members.

Subscriptions to non-members are available at $10 per year.

Advertising: Advertising rates effective September 1997 are: $95—1/4 page; $175—1/2 page; $290— full page. For information regarding advertisements, contact the DC/SLA Chapter Notes Business Manager: Julia Leggett.

Email: jleggett@crs.loc.gov EDITOR’S NOTE: Deadlines for Chapter Notes are the third Monday of the month for the following month’s issue.

Deadline for the September issue is August 28. The issue is distributed approximately two weeks after the deadline.

The preferred submission format is a Word document sent via email. You should receive an email acknowledgement of your submission. Materials for Chapter Notes should be sent to the Editor:

President’s Corner [cont’d from page 1] The Board at the meeting on March 21 approved a proposal to add an Assistant Treasurer/Treasurer-Elect position to provide for a smooth transition to the Treasurer's position. The Assistant Treasurer /Treasurer-Elect would automatically become Treasurer after one year of service. The Treasurer's position would become a two-year position.

The combined period of three years of service is the same as the three years currently served by a Treasurer. Another proposal is the change in title of Corresponding Secretary to Communications Secretary to more accurately reflect what the incumbent is now doing. You have received a request to express your approval of the two proposals via email or by letter. Please respond soon since the deadline is August 9. Thanks to Suzanne Pilsk, Erin Clougherty, Kristina Lively, Jenny Wood, and others for their work on the proposals. Thanks to Ellie Briscoe for setting up Survey Monkey so quickly to obtain your vote. We first used Survey Monkey last year in voting for chapter officers through Ellie's initiative and we found that we saved time and money. We'll be using Survey Monkey for voting in the fall for chapter officers who will be in place January 1, 2007. Nominating Committee Chair Susan Fifer Canby and her committee have a full slate for the fall elections.

Hope that you are enjoying your summer and that you will be ready with vim and vigor for the fall programs. See you at the September 18 Mary Ellen Bates program or at another chapter event.

Lea Wade Phone: 410-300-3309 Email: lea.wade@gmail.com DC/SLA Web Master—Krista Mantsch Phone:202-457-8450 Fax: 202-429-5731 Email: kmantsch@ngs.org

DC/SLA Co-Web Master: Allegra Moothart; 202-955-2141; amoothart@usnews.com.

Send address changes for Chapter Notes to: Lea Wade 617 Edmondson Ave Baltimore, MD 21228

2

May 4th Volunteer Reception: President Shirley Loo, Treasurer Erin Clougherty, Immediate Past President Sheryl Rosenthal

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

3

Community Outreach: Record Number of Coolidge Students Reach Literacy Program Goal Submitted by Kenlee Ray, KenleeR@aol.com Sixty Coolidge readers met the "Everybody Reads at Coolidge" goal of reading and verifying 12 books. They, along with members of the Teen Book Club and poetry slam participants, were honored at a reception in the Coolidge High School Library on May 25, 2006. 16 parents/grandparents and 12 literacy volunteers and representatives of the community were on hand to cheer the students along.

Council Member Adrian Fenty, a long-time supporter of the reading program, addressed the group and presented each reader with a crisp new two dollar bill, or as he calls it, his "Small Steps to Success" award, and a letter of commendation. In addition Victor Reinozo, the DC School Board representative for District 3, sent each reader a letter of commendation from the Board of Education. Barbara Graham, one of the Coolidge English faculty, wrote a poem for the occasion, titled "You Dared to Read." DC/SLA presented Border's gift certificates to the four students who read the most books. Alysha Pulley, read and verified the highest number of books -- a total of 80.

This year marked an increase in the awareness of the literacy program by the students themselves. There was an increase of 30% in the number of students who met the goal. In addition there were another 47 students who were only one or two books short of the goal or at least read and verified two books per marking period. More teachers provided incentives such as extra credit to participate in the program.

Lynn Kauffman, Coolidge's librarian, remarked that when she reviewed the students' reading logs, she was so pleased to see that most of the titles listed were those purchased with DC/SLA contributions. It was heartwarming to see what a difference an influx of interesting new titles makes to any library's circulation.

As reported in the May 15th Washington Post editorial "Why DC Can't Read" and Richard Huffine's May 25th letter to the editor, "Linking D.C. Libraries And Public Schools," the position of the Coolidge librarian has been cut to parttime. Sadly, she will no longer be able to continue with the teen literacy program and the book club. (left) D.C. Council Member Adrian Fenty and Victor Reinozo of the DC School Board speak at the Reading Awards Ceremonies Coolidge High School.

4

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

5

Young Professionals Happy Hour is September 13 Submitted by Sage Hulsebus, shulsebus@freedomforum.org The DC/SLA Young Professionals are on currently on hiatus.

However, with almost 40 young professionals attending our happy hour at the SLA Annual Conference in Baltimore, we certainly went out with a bang!

While the east and west coasts seemed to have had the most representatives there were librarians and students from all over.

We enjoyed drinks and, of course, talked shop at the Capitol City Brewing Company on the harbor.

We are looking forward to our first happy hour after the hiatus on September 13th at Aroma in Cleveland Park. But what we are really excited about is the panel we are hosting in October for young professionals and featuring young professionals. Panelists will be innovative young professionals talking about their careers and the future of special librarianship. We hope this will be well attended by anyone who considers themselves a young professional.

(Above) Shirley Loo, Sue O'Neill Johnson, Sheryl Rosenthal (Below) Nancy Minter, Sheryl Rosenthal, Lyle Minter at the Volunteer Appreciation Reception.

6

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

7

DC/SLA Board Meeting Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 6:00 pm Library of Congress Madison Building LM 215 First and Independence Ave. SE Washington, DC Call to Order Adoption of the Agenda Approval of Minutes of last meeting 1. Officer Reports a. President’s Report -- Shirley Loo b. First Vice President’s Report – Susan Fournier c. Second Vice President's Report - Suzanne Pilsk d. Treasurer's Report - Erin Clougherty d. Director's Reports–Gail Kouril (sponsorships) Kristina Lively (membership) e. Immediate Past President's Report – Sheryl Rosenthal 2. Committee Reports Scholarships - Mike Kolakowski Elections - Shirley Loo for Ellie Briscoe Hospitality - Lorraine Bell Nominating - Susan Fifer Canby Chapter Cabinet - Anne Caputo 3. New business.

SLA Student members Adjourn Next meeting: Sept. 19, 2006 at 6 p.m.

If you would like to attend a Board meeting, contact President Shirley Loo (sloo@crs.loc.gov) for directions.

(Left) Military Librarians Group Chair Diane Schnurrpusch and Sharon Lenius of the Military Librarians Group at the Volunteer Appreciation Reception on May 4. (Below) Shirley Loo, Eileen Rourke, co-chair of the International Relations Committee and co-chair Professional Enhancement Day, Sheryl Rosenthal.

(Above Left) Coolidge High School Librarian Lynn Kauffman thanks DC/SLA at the Volunteer Appreciation Reception with Community Outreach Chair Kenlee Ray next to her and Past President Mary Feldman seated.

8

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

Mary Ellen Bates Web. 2.0 Program September 18 – Still Time to Sign Up! What: Web 2.0 and What it Means for Libraries When: September 18 (Monday) 6-6:30pm - Reception 6:30-8pm - Presentation and Q&A Where: Morgan Lewis & Brockius, LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20004 (One block from Metro Center) Price: $12 members; $20 non-members; $6 Students, retirees, unemployed Electronic payments may be made via PayPal. If payment is submitted via PayPal, please remember to also RSVP to Lorraine Belle at lorraine.bell@factiva.com.

Checks should be made payable to DC/SLA and mailed to: Lorraine Bell Factiva, Suite 300 1600 K Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Payment must be received by Wednesday, Sept. 13. Seats are limited. Register early!

Check out the DC/SLA events calendar at: http://units.sla.org/chapter/cdc/events_files/Sept1806.html

Update on Voting!

The Chapter is in the middle of deciding whether to add a new office, Treasurer-Elect, and to rename the office of Corresponding Secretary to Communications Secretary.

Full details are on the Chapter Web site at http://units.sla.org/chapter/cdc/Vote0706.html Ballots have been mailed to Chapter members who do not list email addresses with the Association. All members who do have email addresses in their SLA records were sent a message encouraging them to vote online; it was also posted to the Chapter discussion list. At press time, 142 members had voted electronically, and there had not yet been time for the paper ballots to be returned. No, we're not going to tell you how the vote is going... but get your vote in by August 9.

DC/SLA Chapter Notes | August 2006

9