President’s Corner: Board Recognizes Student Achievement Submitted by Shirley Loo, sloo@crs.loc.gov
At the August Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved two additional student scholarships this year in view of the extraordinary number of applicants, the quality of the applicant pool, and the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee headed by Michael Kolakowski. The Board action reflects the strong commitment of this chapter to students. Scholarship Committee members Anne Caputo, Sage Hulsebus, and Michael Kolakowski are commended for their conscientious work handling a high number of applications in a timely manner and for being in attendance at the Board meeting for the discussion of scholarships. Another action regarding students was a decision to send a letter this fall to Rebecca Vargha, SLA President, concerning student membership. Current SLA policy for student membership requires two courses a semester. For some on the Board who worked full-time and went to library school part-time, registering for two courses every semester was not feasible. We are suggesting that this policy be reviewed with the possibility of accepting student members who are committed to becoming information professionals but find that one course a semester is all that they can handle with full-time work, the cost of tuition, and family responsibilities. Opening up student membership will bring in more student members who may continue as SLA members after graduation. Several newly appointed members of the Board were introduced at the August 15 meeting: Marina Kusinko, metrics master, Meg McGinn, printed calendar, and Lea Wade, newsletter editor. Others, such as Sabrina Pacifici, newly appointed News Group Chair, may be present at the September Board meeting. We welcome our new members. They join elected and appointed Board members who are serving 18 months rather than 12 months during this transition period for the association. Our fall elections for Board positions beginning January 2007 will occur in October. With the experienced Nominations Committee headed by Susan Fifer Canby, we have two candidates for each position. Ballots will be cast via Survey Monkey for those with email access. Those who don't will receive paper ballots from Elections Committee Chair Ellie Briscoe.
September 2006 Volume 67 No. 1 http://www.sla.org/Chapter/cdc
Inside this issue: President’s Corner ………1 Student Scholarships ……3 SLA News …………….. 4 Nomination Slate ……….9 Libraries for Africa’s Street Children ……………. …14 Member News ……….. 15 Report on Don King’s SLA presentation…………… 16
Read about the new products and services from: • • • • •
InfoCurrent Library Associates Trak Legal EOS International Factiva
Check us out on the Web http://www.sla.org/Chapter/cdc/
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 nonmembers 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 Deadline for the October issue is September 25. 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: Chapter Notes Editor: Lea Wade Department of Homeland Security Headquarters Library 9th & D St., SW Washington, DC Phone: 202-447-5077 Email: lea.wade@gmail.com DC/SLA Web Master: Krista Mantsch National Geographic Society Libraries and Information Services 1145 17th St., NW Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-457-8450 Email: kmantsch@ngs.org DC/SLA Listerv Manager: Gulnar Nagashybayeva Government Documents Librarian NOAA Central Library SSMC-3, 2nd fl., E/OC4 1315 East-West Hwy. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-713-2607, ext. 143 gulnar.nagashybayeva@noaa.gov
President’s Corner [cont’d from page 1]
Last year, Ellie reported that a much higher percentage of the membership voted when she initiated the use of Survey Monkey for elections. The DC Chapter also saved on postage and tabulation was faster. We invite your participation in the fall elections. The DC Chapter overwhelmingly approved earlier Board action concerning the addition of a new Assistant Treasurer/Treasurer-elect position to the Board. The new position will allow for a smoother transition to the Treasurer's position. We'll be electing the first to serve in this position in October. The person elected will work with Treasurer Erin Clougherty for a year beginning January 2007 and then will automatically succeed Erin in January 2008. The title change of the Corresponding Secretary to Communications Secretary was also approved. I'm looking forward to hearing Mary Ellen Bates at our September 18 program on Web 2.0. She can be counted on to deliver a presentation that informs without overwhelming you. In addition, I'm anticipating an interesting evening with Susan Stamberg of National Public Radio at the Annual Banquet and Business Meeting on December 5 at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town. She is the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program. She is the recipient of numerous broadcasting awards including induction into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Radio Hall of Fame. Mark your calendar now for this December program. Have you heard of the Freedom Walks? The America Supports You Freedom Walks will reflect on the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and will honor veterans. The second annual Freedom Walk in Washington, D.C. takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10. The walk will start at the Washington Monument and proceed to the Pentagon ending near the crash site and the site of the future Pentagon Memorial. If you are interested in walking with DC Chapter members, contact me by Friday, Sept. 8. I'll be walking. For more information about the walk and to register for the walk, go to http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/freedomwalk Registration for the walk closes Sept. 9. More of you have heard of the National Book Festival. The sixth annual festival will be held on the National Mall on Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to http://www.loc.gov/bookfest. I'll be in the History and Biography Tent during my volunteer shift that day. I hope to see many of you enjoying this wonderful festival organized by the Library of Congress.
Send address changes for Chapter Notes to: Chapter Notes Editor ATTN: Address/Name Changes 617 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville MD 21228
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 2
Exceptional Number of Applications Leads to Increased Scholarship Awards Submitted by Michael Kolakowski, mkolakowski@crs.loc.gov
In special recognition of our scholarship applicants’ talents and abilities and in view of the unusually high number of applications, the Washington, D.C. Chapter Board of Directors voted at its August meeting to enlarge the chapter’s 2006 scholarship program by presenting a total of four scholarships this year. The Board took this special action to encourage and thank our students for their studies and with the hope that our support will encourage other talented people to undertake a Master of Library Science degree. Forty-two applications for the DC/SLA scholarships were received by the August 1 deadline, many more than in prior years. Almost equally divided between our two area programs, 20 student applicants are attending the University of Maryland and 22 are enrolled at Catholic University of America. This year’s candidates are intelligent, able, creative, diverse, and skilled persons. These energetic men and women are sure to become valued members of our profession. The Board of Directors of the Washington, D.C. Chapter and the Scholarship Committee are pleased to announce the recipients of the DC/SLA Chapter Scholarships for 2006. Tiffany L. Smith is awarded the Catherine A. Jones Memorial Scholarship. Ms. Smith is a student at Catholic University of America. She has special library experience in a military technical
library and a theological seminary library where she is currently employed. Recognized by her fellow students, in May she was elected president of Catholic University’s SLA student chapter. Erin Clements Rushing is awarded the InfoCurrent Scholarship. Ms. Rushing is also an SLA member and a student at the University of Maryland. Ms. Rushing has special interest in rare books which she can develop through her work at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and her plans for future training. Gillian W. Inskeep is awarded a Washington, D.C. Chapter Merit Scholarship. Ms. Inskeep is a student at Catholic University of America. Her areas of interest are law librarianship, research and information management. However, she hopes to focus on service in a public law library setting so that legal information is accessible to the public. Tony Ross is also awarded a Washington, D.C. Chapter Merit Scholarship. Mr. Ross is a student at the University of Maryland. Mr. Ross has experience in publishing, marketing, and website design as well as a background in
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 3
international relations. He’ll expand his knowledge with an assistantship in the University’s Digital Collections division this fall. The scholarship recipients are also invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting and Banquet on December 5 as guests of the D.C. Chapter. Mark that Tuesday on your calendar now to attend the banquet so that you can meet and congratulate these four special individuals. While only four of the candidates could be honored with scholarships this year, many other students impressed the judges with their unique backgrounds and desire to use their training for the benefit of others. It was a difficult task to select the scholarship recipients from among such a strong group. We salute the talent and hard work of all these individuals. All the applicants have our best wishes for successful completion of their studies and a fulfilling career. Lastly, great thanks are owed to the donors whose generosity makes these scholarships possible. InfoCurrent is the grantor of each year’s InfoCurrent Scholarship. Their continuing support is very much appreciated. The Catherine A. Jones Memorial Scholarship and this year’s special Merit Scholarships are awarded from chapter funds. Thank you all. The Scholarship Committee was comprised of Anne Caputo, Sage Hulsebus, and Michael Kolakowski, Chair.
Librarians and Friends Book Club Submitted by Barbara Folensbee-Moore
The next Librarians and Friends book club meeting in September will be on Wednesday, Sept. 27. The topic is Washington, DC. Any book that takes place in Washington, DC is suitable - fiction or nonfiction. A few titles suggested by our topic chooser are: Drama City by George Pelecanos, The Pearl Diver by Sujata Massey, The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler, Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore, Breaking Her Fall by Stephen Goodwin and Murder at Union Station by Margaret Truman. The meetings are always the last Wednesday of the month so the rest of the year they will be: Sept. 27 Oct 25 Nov 29 Dec 27 (this one may change) Wednesdays at 6pm at Infocurrent, 815 Conn.Ave., NW, Suite 350. We are reading on a topic/subject instead of just specific books. So, if you are interested in some new books to read as Fall approaches, come join us! Barbara Folensbee-Moore Director of Library Services Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP bfolensbee-moore@morganlewis.com
National Book Festival September 30, 2006 on the National Mall 10:00am – 5:00pm
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 4
SLA Board News: Leadership Summit Submitted by Anne Caputo, Anne.Caputo@Factiva.com
When I assumed the role of Chapter Cabinet Chair on the SLA Board, and even before as the ChairElect, I began to get a deeper glimpse into the wide and diverse community that makes up SLA. Our chapter, with its large membership and multitude of activities represents one chapter model, but clearly not the only one. Other chapters exist in wide geographic settings; imagine the Texas Chapter and the need to move the location of the annual meeting to a separate section of that great state in order to be convenient to at least some members. Some chapters meet as seldom as four times a year and some struggle to create programming and attract members. With all these issues in mind, a task force on chapter modeling spent the last year surveying SLA members and condensing the issues and recommendations into a report delivered to the board and membership in June. We will be working with their recommendations during the remaining months of this year and will have some discussion items to present to the Chapter Cabinet on January 26th when they meet in Reno, NV at the Leadership Summit. And speaking of the Leadership Summit, think about attending that two-day event when it comes around on January 25-26, 2007 in Reno. It is mandatory for the president and president-elect of each chapter, but also available for any SLA member who wants to improve their leadership skills. The keynote speaker this year will be Chip Heath, who co-authored a brand new Random House book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die with his brother, Dan Heath, a Stanford professor. His keynote will be followed by a book signing and some sessions on communication skills for leaders in all settings. More information about the Leadership Summit will be available on the SLA website in September. Stay tuned, I’ll be reporting on other Chapter Cabinet and SLA Board events over the course of the next year. It’s fun to have a view of the governance structure of our association and how it works.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 5
"Web 2.0 and What It Means for Libraries"
Checks should be made payable to "DC/SLA" and mailed to:
Submitted by Jennifer Wood, WoodJ@executiveboard.com
The DC/SLA Chapter begins its fall events with a very special program featuring Mary Ellen Bates of Bates Information Services. We invite you to attend Mary Ellen's presentation on "Web 2.0 and What It Means for Libraries". The phrase "Web 2.0" has probably set the record for going from cutting-edge concept to an entry in Buzzword Bingo. The implications of the collaborative web, along with the dramatically changed expectations of our patrons and clients, mean that we need to reevaluate how we provide information services within our organizations. Mary Ellen will give her perspective on the impact of Web 2.0 on library services and how we will re-define our jobs to take advantage of the best of Web 2.0. Mary Ellen Bates is the owner of Bates Information Services, providing business research to business professionals and special librarians, and consulting and training services for the information industry. She is the author of six books and innumerable articles, and is a frequent international speaker. She is active in SLA and the Association of Independent Information Professionals. She lives near Boulder, Colorado with her two dogs. Topic: Web 2.0 and What It Means for Libraries When: Monday, September 18, 2006 Time: 6:00 - 6:30 pm (Reception) 6:30 - 8:00 pm (Presentation/Q&A) Location: Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20004 (One block from the Metro Center metro stop) Price: $12.00 - Chapter Members $20.00 - Non-Chapter Members $6.00 - Students/Retired/Unemployed
Lorraine Bell Factiva, Suite 300 1600 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Payment must be received by Wednesday, September 13th. Seats are limited. Register early to ensure your space for this event.
Save the Date: October 23 Government Info Program Submitted by Peggy Garvin, peggy@garvinconsulting.com
The SLA Government Information Division (DGI) is planning a local program for the evening of Monday, October 23, in cooperation with ALA’s Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT) group. The program will give attendees a chance to learn about both groups, and it will feature a speaker on a topic related to government information access and policy. The speaker has not yet been confirmed, so look for news updates on the DC Chapter email list and in the October issue of Chapter Notes. The session will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, in conjunction with the annual Fall Depository Library Conference. (For more information on the FDLP Conference, see: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/events/fall _conference.html.) We do not have many more details at this time, but please contact DGI Chair Richard Huffine, richardhuffine@yahoo.com, if you have any questions.
Save the Date: December 5th Annual Chapter Meeting & Banquet Event: Annual Chapter Meeting & Banquet Date: Tuesday, December 5th Location: Hilton Alexandria, Old Town, VA
Electronic payments may be made via PayPal. PayPal links are at the bottom of the event page: http://units.sla.org/chapter/cdc/events_files/Sept1806.ht ml. If payment is submitted via PayPal, please remember that you must also RSVP to Lorraine Bell at lorraine.bell@factiva.com. DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 6
Special Guest Speaker: Susan Stamberg, Special Correspondent for National Public Radio
Save the Date: October 17th DC/SLA Young Professionals Panel
“Searching” for a Spicy Discussion? Check out the DC/SLA Book Club’s October Event
What: DC/SLA Young Professionals Panel – The Future of Special Librarianship This panel features innovative young professionals speaking about their careers and where their degrees are taking them.
Submitted by Eileen Deegan
Who should attend: Students and anyone who considers themselves a young professional When: Tuesday, October 17, 6 – 7:30pm 6-6:30pm – Reception 6:30-7:30pm – Panel Location: National Public Radio, 635 Massachusetts Ave., NW (Gallery Place/Chinatown or Mt. Vernon Square metro stops) Sponsored by: DC/SLA Young Professionals and LexisNexis RSVP is required: Space is limited. Please RSVP to Tina Plottel at plottel@gwu.edu
During the thick of this fall’s sports and election season, the DC/SLA Book Club will tackle a similarly hyper-competitive arena – the Internet search industry. Join the Club on Monday, October 16, 6:30 – 8:30, at El Tamarindo, to discuss John Battelle’s The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture. According to Library Journal, Battelle’s history of Google’s development, “skillfully examines ethical and political issues of search…. The implications of search as a cultural marker and what its future might hold make this a thought-provoking work with relevance beyond business and technology.” Apropos to our own local community, DC/SLA members will be interested to know that Battelle’s book also acknowledges the work of one of our Chapter’s prominent colleagues. El Tamarindo, located at 1785 Florida Avenue NW, in Adams Morgan, is approximately a ten-minute walk from either of the following two Metro stations: - Dupont Circle Metro on the Red Line (Take the Q Street exit, walk up 18th Street). - U Street/Cardozo Metro on the Green Line (Take the 13th Street & U Street exit, walk on U Street almost to 18th Street). A Washington Post review of El Tamarindo can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wpdyn?node=cityguide/profile&id=792174. Any DC/SLA member is welcome to attend the Club’s discussion / dinner. Please RSVP to Eileen Deegan at deeganeg@state.gov or 202-453-8073. To learn more about the DC/SLA Book Club visit: http://www.sla.org/chapter/cdc/bookclub.html.
Save the Date: September 13 SID/DIW Meeting on GIS Technology WHAT: SID/DIW September Meeting WHEN: Wednesday, September 13, Noon - 2:00 WHERE: Conference Room, Winrock International, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 1200, Arlington, VA 22209 DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 7
PRESENTATION: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)- overview and applications, by Silvia Petrova and Sean Grimland, GIS Analysts, Environment Group, Ecosystem Services Unit, Winrock International Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is built on the belief that geography matter in every business and every discipline. GIS is a computer-based tool that links geographic information (where things are) with descriptive information (what the things are), and integrates five essential components: software, hardware, data, methods and people, to help making better decisions. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations, schools and hospitals are taking advantages from GIS to make differences in our world. Silvia Petrova and Sean Grimland will discuss GIS technology, and GIS applications in the field of international development and natural resources management. Applications of GIS for managing forest ecosystems and estimating carbon stocks will be presented. They will demonstrate the innovative technology using 3D aerial digital images for estimating carbon stocks and monitoring illegal logging. Winrock will provide 3D glasses to view the 3-dementional tropical rainforest in Brazil. Directions to Winrock International: From the Rosslyn Metro Station in Arlington (Orange & Blue line): As you exit the station, turn right, walk a half block on Moore Street to Wilson Blvd. Turn left on Wilson Blvd (downhill), cross Lynn Street and continue to the next street, Kent Street. Turn left on Kent Street and walk half a block. Winrock is located in the building at the extreme left of a complex of three buildings which you enter via a courtyard on the right hand side of Kent Street (large letters above the courtyard entrance read “Rosslyn Plaza”). 1621, is on the left once you enter the courtyard. Take elevator to 12th floor. Parking is available under the building complex; you enter on Arlington Ridge Road off of Wilson Blvd. which is the next street over from Kent St, just east of Kent Street (downhill from Kent Street). Our address is 1621 N. Kent Street in Rosslyn, Suite 1200.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 8
DCSLA Nominating Slate, 2007 Respectfully submitted by Susan Fifer Canby (Chair), Eileen Abels, Marilyn Bromley, Anne Caputo, Sheryl Rosenthal.
VP President-President Elect (3 Years) • Kimberly Ferguson US Senate Library, SR B-15 Current Position: Kimberly Ferguson is Head of Information Services, U.S. Senate Library (since 1998). She is an adjunct professor for the School of Library and Information Science, The Catholic University of America (since 2005). Previously she was a Reference Librarian, Senate Library, since 1994. She is a volunteer for Friends of Tylor School (FOTS), an inner city DC tutoring program, which has included tutoring, grant writing, and board treasurer roles. She has provided tours of the Senate Library for the SLA/DC Chapter. Statement of Interest : I feel that librarians are the necessary ambassadors to an increasingly complex universe of information, and that supporting DC-SLA’s mission is essential to supporting local librarians in that endeavor. • Diane Schnurrpusch Defense Technical Information Center Current Position: Program Analyst, Marketing and Registration Division, Defense Technical Information Center; Adjunct faculty, Catholic University of America – Co-teach “Institute on Federal Library Resources.” Prior positions: Reference Librarian, Defense Technical Information Center; Librarian, Technical Library, Defense Technical Information Center; Cataloger/Indexer, Defense Technical Information Center; Archivist, NASA Headquarters Library; Lexicographer, Chadwyk-Healey. Present and past activities in the Chapter and Association: DC/SLA, Military Librarians’ Group, Chair, 2001-2003 and 2005-2006; Military Librarians’ Division, Secretary, 2002-2004; DC/SLA Board of Directors’ Award for Military Librarians’ Group Steering Committee, 2004 President, IOTA Chapter (DC), Beta Phi Mu Statement of Interest: It is an honor to be nominated as a candidate for VP/President-Elect of DC SLA. I feel strongly that I have profited personally and professionally from membership in this association and welcome the opportunity to serve. If elected, I will commit myself to • • •
Continue offering a variety of educational programs and social activities that meet the needs of a diverse membership. Increase membership and at the same time increase the percentage of participation. Explore and encourage dialogue about activities and ways of thinking and doing that will demonstrate information centers as critical functions in their organizations.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 9
2nd VP (1 Year) • Bell, Lorraine Factiva, Mktg Current Position: Lorraine Bell is the Sr. Marketing Coordinator for Factiva’s Knowledge & Learning Programs. Her current role at Factiva involves assisting the Director of Factiva’s Knowledge and Learning Programs Group with strategic planning, marketing, and information professional development activities. She manages Factiva’s Library and Information Science Program (LIS) promoting the use of Factiva to students within North America. Lorraine is the Factiva liaison for the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP) where her role is to further expand Factiva's support of the association. She is also responsible for conducting advanced Factiva.com product training. Before joining Factiva, Lorraine was the Classroom Instruction Program Administrator at the Dialog Corporation where she was responsible for providing customer service support to Dialog's academic customers. She was also responsible for supporting Dialog's Library School Program, as well as conducting Dialog Classmate training sessions to secondary schools. Lorraine is a member of the DC and Maryland Chapters of SLA, as well as the Business and Finance Division. For the past two years, she has served as the Hospitality Chair for the DC/SLA Chapter. She enjoys this role immensely and has benefited from gaining a network of new friends and attending the many professional programs that the Chapter offers. Helping to ensure that the Chapter programs are a success and enjoyed by all is particularly rewarding. Statement of Interest: I would like to further my participation in the chapter by becoming the 2nd Vice President. I am familiar with chapter governance and procedures and feel that my many years of administrative experience, maintaining records documents and ensuring that they are kept up to date are excellent requirements for the office of 2nd Vice President. • Kouril, Gail RAND, Library Current Position: RAND Corporation Washington Library, Library Manager 1996-present. Previous Work Experience: The Advisory Board Company, Washington DC, Director, Information Resource Center, 19951996; US Congress Office of Technology Assessment, Washington DC, Manager of Information Services, 1991-1995, Assistant Manager of Information Services, 1983-1991; American Petroleum Institute, Washington DC, Information Specialist, 1980-1983. Previous DC/SLA Offices held: Director, 2004-2006, Corresponding Secretary 1997-1999, Hospitality Chair 2000, Consultation Chair 1995, 2001. Statement of Interest: As my term as Director comes to a close, I would like to continue to work for the continuity of the DC Chapter, to serve as the Chapter’s ambassador and cheerleader, to help maintain its smooth operations, and assist with all that it takes to make our Chapter SLA’s most dynamic chapter.
Assistant Treasurer/Treasurer Elect (3 Years) • Gulnar Nagashybayeva NOAA Central Library Current Position: Government Documents Librarian, NOAA Central Library. Previously worked as a Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Substance Abuse Research, University of Maryland; Intern, National Geographic Map Library; Intern, American Beverage Association. Other positions: Administrative Assistant, DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 10
U.S. Peace Corps/Kazakhstan and USAID/Central Asia Region; English instructor, Kazakh State University of World Languages. DC SLA member since 2005; SLA Maryland Chapter member since 2003; Treasurer for the UMD Student Chapter of SLA, 2004-2005; Member of Beta Phi Mu, IOTA Chapter (DC). Statement of Interest: I was both surprised and pleased to be nominated as a candidate for Treasurer of DC SLA. As a member I have enjoyed attending various seminars, presentations, and social events that have been greatly beneficial to me as a young professional. I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute to an organization that provides such valuable services to its members. If elected I will commit myself to making sure that the financial activities of the chapter run smoothly. • Martha Reifschneider Silver Spring, MD Current Position: After nearly 20 years in the IT field, I was bored and it was time for a change. A little introspection suggested library and information science as a wonderful field. Three months shy of my 50th birthday I enrolled in the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies, and I received my MLS degree in December, 2005. My studies concentrated on information access and reference for academic and special libraries, particularly in the science and technology areas. I have lived in Silver Spring for 14 years. Statement of Interest: Why me? I have budgeting experience, as a department manager for a non-profit, and as a project manager for IT projects. I have engineering experience and I was the volunteer treasurer/accountant for a 6th-grade parents' group with a budget of $32,000. I am detail-oriented and I understand the importance of timely completion of transactions and of complete and accurate record-keeping.
Director (2 Years) • Sharon Lenius National Guard Bureau Current Position: Currently, serving as Manager of Information Resource Center, for the National Guard Bureau’s Joint Staff/Chief Information Officer. Served as Reference Librarian for the Program Management Office, Reserve Component Automation System (PMO-RCAS) through the system life-cycle. Other professional library experience includes work with Fairfax County Public Library, VA; Burlington County Public Library System, NJ, Headquarters Library Walk-In Reference Services, and Library Branch Manager, Medford, NJ; Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, various positions; Department of the Army Libraries, Germany. Served as Graduate and Undergraduate Programs Coordinator for Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA. From 1983-86, appointed as Volunteer Consultant and Trainer for 10-community area in central Germany which served over 150,000 US citizens living abroad. Other experience includes:; SLA Member since 1990; Chair, Military Librarians Group 1994-1996, DC/SLA; Chair, Professional Development, 1997, DC/SLA; Member, DC Chapter, Virginia Chapter, Military Librarians Division, Information Technology, Library Management, Business & Finance; SLA 1998 Winter Meeting, Corporate Sponsorship Resources; SLA Global 2000 Fellowship Committee, 1999-2000; Secretary, Army Library Steering Committee, 1997-1999; Voting Member, Army Library Steering Committee, 1999-2005; SLA - Chair, Military Librarians Division (MLD), 2001-2002;MLD Resources Committee Co-Chair, Resources 2003-2006; SLA - MLD Secretary, 2004-2006; Army Library Training Institute, Lead Planner, 2004 – 2007; Sustaining Member, DCLA; Director, DCLA 2004-2006. Statement of Interest: Having successfully worked with an SLA Division for the past 6 years to partner with a variety of vendors has given me insight into the community of library vendors. Partnerships between SLA DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 11
Units and vendors help both groups. It would be good for DC/SLA to widen their partner horizons by getting vendors with new technology, with innovative idea and methods and learning about improvements from familiar vendors. Not everyone can attend conferences and demonstrations. Having a vendor present during one of our programs gives individuals an opportunity to make contact for further discussion. DC/SLA has been very fortunate in obtaining vendor support; I would like to see this process continue and grow. Membership: Sometimes I see members at various events talking with their friends and colleagues while someone who is new to the group sits by themselves. We need to encourage our members to be more welcoming and make an effort to meet new people who are present at programs and events. Word-of-mouth is the best method for bringing in new members. A friendly, informed community of members can help increase DC/SLA membership. We need to be responsive to our student members……one day they will be full members with us. • Richard Huffine FirstGov Technologies Group, GSA Current Position: Richard Huffine has been working for the U.S. Federal Government since 1996, starting under contract as an Internet Librarian for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and progressing to his current position as the Web Analytics Manager for the Firstgov.gov portal for the U.S. General Services Administration. In addition to his tenure managing information access projects, he was the National Program Manager for the U.S. EPA's National Library Network from 2000-2005. Statement of Interest: Richard is interested in becoming a Director of the DC Chapter of the Special Libraries Association as he steps down as the founding chair of the SLA Government Information Division. Richard hopes to get involved in DC/SLA's community projects as well as supporting the many networking opportunities that come from being an active member of the local Chapter.
Recording Secretary (2 Years) • Anna McGowan U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Current Position: Chief, Technical Information Center Section, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. Present and past activities in the Chapter and Association: SLA Member: 1982 – present; Washington. D.C. Chapter - Awards Committee, 2004-2005; Director, 2000 – 2002; Consultation Co-Chair, 1999 – 2000; Recording Secretary, 1993 – 1994; Biological Sciences Division Chair-Elect, Chair, Past Chair 1989 – 1991; Annual Conference Planning Committee Chair 1994-1996. Statement of Interest: As the appointed Recording Secretary this year, I have found working with the Board to be professionally educational for me while providing an opportunity for me to make a contribution to the work of the D.C. Chapter. It is invigorating to work with so many creative and enthusiastic young members of the Chapter since they are leading the Chapter and the profession in new ways; recording the ideas as they develop and grow helps to keep the Chapter's work visible and accessible to all. • Jennifer Wood Corporate Executive Board Current position: Senior Manager, Information Resource Center at the Corporate Executive Board, Washington, DC (2002 - present). Prior positions: Library Assistant, InfoCurrent, Washington, DC (Summer DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 12
2001 – Winter 2002); Manager of Administration, TriState Environmental Management Services, Bensalem, PA (1992 – 2001) Present and past activities in the Chapter and Association: Corresponding Secretary, DC/SLA (Fall 2005 – present); Acting Corresponding Secretary, DC/SLA (Spring 2005); Web Calendar, DC/SLA (Summer 2004 – present); Member, DC/SLA (since 2001); Webmaster, University of Maryland Student Chapter (Fall 2001 – Spring 2002) Statement of Interest: I am fortunate to belong to a vibrant, stimulating professional community and am privileged to have served the current term as Corresponding Secretary. Our chapter has a well deserved reputation for outstanding programs that include opportunities for professional development and networking, and I want to serve as Recording Secretary to help facilitate continued excellence in this area.
Communications Secretary: (1 Year) • Kimberly Allen Congressional Research Service Current Position: Is an information systems specialist with the Congressional Research Service/ Knowledge Services Group. Prior to assuming her job at CRS, she was the director of the Knowledge Center at the American Society of Association Executives and The Center for Association Leadership. Since coming to the Washington area, she has held positions in the Supreme Court Library, Georgetown Law Library, the National Association of Home Builders, MCI/WorldCom, and the American Institute of Architecture. Her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in library automation and information management are from the University of Michigan. In addition to her library career, Kimberly is a nationally certified and licensed massage therapist. She is a member of the Maryland Emergency Response Team which can be deployed to disaster sites to provide seated massage for rescue workers. She lives in Takoma Park, shares her home with four spoiled cats, and absolutely *loves* baseball. Go Nats! Statement of Interest: DC/SLA provides an excellent opportunity for information professionals to network in one of the most vibrant information communities in the country … perhaps the world! I enjoy communicating with people and making them aware of events I know they would find interesting and professionally enriching. I believe that this office would enable me to give back to my profession in a capacity at which I consider myself very effective. • Laura Simpkins American Diabetes Association Current Position: Laura Simpkins joined the American Diabetes Association in September of 2003. In her current position she provides biographical and financial data on current and potential donors to assist Gift Officers in the fund-raising cycle. She has worked in special libraries and information centers since 1993 working in the editorial and graphics libraries at the Los Angeles Times and at the Benjamin B. Greenfield Library of the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, IL. Prior to that she was a small business owner. Laura received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her MLS degree from the University of KY. She lives with her 3 daughters in Alexandria, VA. Statement of Interest: DC/SLA provides excellent educational and networking opportunities and I would like to contribute to the efforts of one of the best chapters around.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 13
LIBRARIES FOR AFRICA’S STREET CHILDREN Submitted by Ann Sweeney, ann.sweeney@ec.europa.eu
Special Librarian Jane Kinney Meyers sees it clearly: a network of small, openaccess libraries across subSaharan Africa providing basic education and literacy skills to as many of the 43 million orphaned and street children as possible. And so, her Lubuto Library Project (www.lubuto.org) was incorporated as a non-profit in January 2005. The first Lubuto Library is slated for completion in November 2006 in Lusaka, Zambia, with 2 more to follow shortly. Living and working in Zambia and Malawi for some 7 years, Jane witnessed the dire circumstances of these kids first-hand. In Zambia, she became increasingly involved with services to street children offered by the Fountain of Hope, a drop-in shelter in Lusaka. She established a reading program, served on the Board, raised funds, and created a library for the children—among her many contributions to the center. But that was not enough. Most of the 40+ million African orphans are collateral victims of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and at least 11 million of them have had both parents die of AIDS. In 10 sub-Saharan African countries, more than 1 in 5 14-year-olds are parentless. According to US government and UN estimates, this number will continue to grow due to the high proportion of adults there already living with HIV/AIDS and the difficulties in expanding access to life-prolonging antiretroviral treatment. While international relief and development agencies and national governments strive diligently to meet the basic needs of food, medical care, and clothing, DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 14
most of these children cannot attend school and face a lifetime of poverty and despair engendered by a lack of education.
Architect’s Model of a Lubuto Library in the Style of C Traditional Zambian Homesteads: Entry (center), Activities Building (right), Library Reading Room (left) A former World Bank and US AID librarian, Meyers aims to build and staff libraries complete with excellent book collections carefully compiled utilizing the professional expertise and volunteerism of librarians, writers, booksellers, and US schoolchildren. Lubuto Libraries will afford a safe gathering place and an opportunity for an informal education for orphans, street children, and other vulnerable children. The libraries will hold events with traditional storytellers—giving the children the opportunity to transcribe and help preserve a vanishing oral culture, as well as create their own books. Beyond this, while participating in the Lubuto effort, American students will learn of the plight of their African peers who deal with HIV/AIDS on a personal, daily basis. To this latter end, Lubuto produced a film, Kids Just Like You, which is narrated by Julian Bond and made its debut in May 2006. The Lubuto Project plans to ship the first collection of 5,000 donated books to fill the shelves of its Lusaka library before the end of the year. As of end-July, appeals had raised 3/4 of the funds required for construction, with a need for some $15,000 remaining. Every penny donated to the project goes for this purpose, and the project is appealing to you, as people who understand the value of books and reading, to find a way to reach
out now to the children in Zambia who need books to nurture their imaginations and hope. Please visit the Lubuto Library Project website to contribute. “Lubuto," in the language of the Bemba people of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, means "enlightenment, knowledge, and light."
Member’s Corner SABRINA PACIFICI has been appointed chair of the News Group for the D.C. Chapter. She is now with the Washington Bureau of the New York Times after working for over two decades as a law library director, legal technologist, website and intranet manager, as well as an enterprise blogger and a legal researcher director. Sabrina was named one of Library Journal's LJ's Movers & Shakers 2006. You may know Sabrina as the founder, solo editor, and publisher of LLRX.com (www.llrx.com) the premier free, independent, Web journal dedicated to providing legal, library, IT/IS, marketing and administrative professionals with the most up-to-date information on a wide range of Internet research and technology-related issues, applications, resources and tools. Her beSpacific blog on legal technology and research related news resources was the recipient of the 2006 AALL/West Thomson Excellence in Marketing Award for Best Use of Technology. DAVID SHUMAKER retired from MITRE Corporation as the Manager of Information Services on August 11. He is now full-time at Catholic University of America School of Library and Information Science as Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Information Commons. He will be teaching two courses this fall and will have some additional responsibilities. David had spent the fall semester at CUA on sabbatical from MITRE and he had served as an adjunct professor at SLIS in the past. David served as President of the DC Chapter from 2000-2001. LEA WADE is the newly appointed editor for Chapter Notes. She is currently working at the Department of Homeland Security Headquarters Library with Kathy Eighmey, coordinating services and subscriptions for DHS component offices. DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 15
Two members of the DCIRC (International Relations Committee) are truly global librarians and travelers! ANITA JOHNSON will spend September in Rwanda with a church group. She will be helping a Rwandan library set up software and an electronic catalog, as well as repairing books, which is an important task in Africa. We look forward to hearing about her trip! GISELLE FOSS and her husband spent 6 months traveling through Central and South America, where Giselle also visited some libraries. Demonstrating her expertise as a librarian of the 21st Century, Giselle communicated with friends and colleagues all during the trip by setting up a travel blog! She says, “The blog address from my Latin America trip is http://blogs.bootsnall.com/ dankdc. We did visit some libraries along the way: Public Library, La Antigua, Guatemala; Public Library, Copan Ruinas, Honduras; Biblioteca Nacional, Santiago, Chile (picture on blog); Centro de Documentation (News Library) at El Mercurio, the preeminent newspaper in Chile (picture on blog); Monasterio de San Francisco, Lima, Peru (picture on blog); Biblioteca Nacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Biblioteca, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas, Buenos Aires*. At the last library, marked with *, I met one of the participants in the SLA Twinning Project, Mr. Ricardo Rodriguez Pereyra, who gave me a tour. It was wonderful to meet him in person after only having had email contact in the past.” Their next venture will be a two-year stint in Accra, Ghana, where Giselle's husband will be working at the American Embassy. Giselle leaves the DC area in September. We wish them well and especially are grateful to Giselle for all the great work she did on the Twinning Project for the DCSLA IRC Committee. Perhaps we can develop a new relationship with her as she pursues international librarianship abroad!
THE ANSWER TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE’S CENTRAL QUESTION: What Do They Want? Submitted by Ann Sweeney, ann.sweeney@ec.europa.eu
Before a standing-room-only crowd at the 2006 Annual SLA Convention in Baltimore, Dr. Donald King (Visiting Scholar & Research Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill & University of Pittsburgh) divined the entrails of the librarian’s frog: he summarized the results of some 40 years of research into what precisely more than 30,000 various types of researchers seek from libraries and librarians. Dr. King and his research partner, Dr. Carol Tenopir, and other colleagues have tracked social scientists, attorneys, pure scientists, engineers, and more both in the US and elsewhere in the world. The results of their investigations make for fascinating reading and may assist you in bolstering support for your own operation. Dr. King fielded probing questions and captivated his audience with his data during this vital session. Social Science Division members are most grateful to the DC Chapter of SLA, Dialog, and EOS International for their financial sponsorship of this program. To see the full presentation made by Dr. King, please go to: http://units.sla.org/division/dsoc/Conference%20Ar chive/DWKing.ppt
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | September 2006 | pg 16
Mark your calendars for the next DC/SLA Board Meeting Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 6:00 pm Library of Congress Madison Building LM 215 First and Independence Ave. SE Washington, DC