President's Corner: Leadership Abounds in DC Submitted by Susan Fournier, Susan.Fournier@icba.org
As I sit at my home computer writing this (very much behind schedule), Spring has sprung. The sun is shining brightly beyond the scaffolding that covers the front of my house. We are in the midst of major repairs and renovations to our more than100 year-old Capitol Hill row house. Needless to say, life is busy for me and getting this column together for this issue has been long in coming. But, the advantage of writing this last minute means that I can write about the programs that are scheduled this month, and our planners have been busy. Of course, April brings National Library Week, the Joint Spring Workshop, and International Special Librarians Day. April is always a busy month for our Chapter and this year is no different. We are always promoting our libraries and services, but National Library week offers a particular opportunity to highlight our value to our organizations. I regularly read LLRX.com, a terrific and informative web-zine published by Chapter member and News Group chair, Sabrina Pacifici. Though, legal-oriented, there is always something for the nonlaw librarian as well. Every year, I try to come up with something to highlight the Independent Community Bankers of America Information Center during NLW, but since it follows so closely behind ICBA’s national convention, I often have difficulty coming up with ideas that can be implemented. In an LLRX column, Terri Wilson describes a number of simple and interesting promotional ideas that anyone can implement, even on tight budgets. If you haven’t yet planned your NLW promotions, you can read about her ideas in A Cup of Creativi-tea. Although I mentioned this in last month’s column, it does bear repeating. Another annual event, unique to the Washington area library community is the Joint Spring Workshop on April 12. The program looks to be a real winner, Envisioning the Future: What Will your Library be Like in 5, 10, or 20 Years? The International Relations Committee is also presenting their annual program this month, featuring Chapter member and SLA award winner, Jane Kinney Meyers of the Lubuto Library Project on April 19. Diane Schnurrpush and Kristina Lively have arranged a program for April 25, Giving Libraries a Second Life in a Virtual World. Second Life is an online world that libraries can tap into to extend their reach. To read about Second Life, check out the Wikipedia entry at Second Life. For more on its application to our profession, attend
April 2007 Volume 68 No. 3 http://www.sla.org/Chapter/cdc
Inside this issue: President’s Corner ………1 Chapter Awardees ………3 International Librarian’s Day .…………..... 4 Book Group ………….…4 Beating Meeting Madness! .…….………5 Book Group ……………..6 Students/Young Professionals ……..6 Senator Brooke to speak …6 Joint Spring Workshop ....9 Registration for International Librarian’s Day ……… 10 Read about the new products and services from: • • • • • •
getAbstract! InfoCurrent Library Associates Trak Legal EOS International Ebscohost
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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 May issue is April 25. The issue is distributed approximately one week 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 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: Temporary Listserv Manager Helen Yang Electronic Resources and Services Librarian ASIS International 1625 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314-2818 703-518-1448 hyang@asisonline.org
President’s Corner [cont’d from page 1]
this upcoming Chapter program. In addition, the Student & Young Professionals are hosting a walking tour of Silver Spring on April 7 and the book club will be discussing Made to Stick on April 23. Don’t forget that there are also two Click U Live sessions this month. These webinars are easy and convenient professional development opportunities that the Chapter offers to members at no cost. Were you to sign up for these on your own, it would cost you $99 each. It’s just one more benefit of your Chapter membership. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank LexisNexis who will be sponsoring a number of these sessions this spring. There are lots of learning experiences and networking opportunities this month; take advantage of your membership and support your Chapter at the same time. SLA launched two new professional development opportunities in March. Association chapter and division leaders are participating in a series of webinars that offer them a chance to learn more about their roles and responsibilities, as well as how SLA supports leaders and members. Diane Schnurrpush and I recently participated in the Chapter Presidents’ session and other Chapter leaders will be participating in relevant sessions. During this session, Linda Broussard of SLA, announced a new member benefit under the auspices of Click University. Course of the Month offers SLA members the opportunity to take part in a self-paced learning experience at no charge. From March 15 through April 14, the course, Making Decisions, Weighing Risk, is available to SLA members. For more information click here. Lastly, we have just about two months left to our membership challenge with the New York Chapter. See Shirley Loo’s column in last month’s issue of Chapter Notes. At our March Board meeting, Kristina Lively, DC/SLA Director and Membership Chair, noted that our membership stands at 1,093, just 6 members behind the New York Chapter. I challenge each of you persuade a colleague to join in the next few weeks. With everyone’s efforts we can meet and beat this challenge. If you know someone who is not a member, but has attended any of our programs, please encourage them to join, not just SLA, but to specifically select the Washington DC Chapter. We need everyone’s efforts to meet this challenge to be the largest SLA Chapter.
Send address changes for Chapter Notes to: Chapter Notes Editor ATTN: Address/Name Changes 617 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville MD 21228
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 2
Kudos to DC/SLA Chapter Awards Recipients!
the tip of the iceberg and the chapter is fortunate to have many willing volunteers. Let’s look forward to more outstanding volunteers each year.
Contributed by Shirley Loo, sloo@crs.loc.gov
After months of work and the assistance of several members of the chapter, recipients of DC/SLA Chapter Awards are now listed on the web. These new lists join the list of chapter members receiving SLA awards. Go to Chapter Awardees (scroll down) to see who the chapter has honored with the Board of Directors Award and the Member of the Year Award. Mary Feldman was the first to receive the Board of Directors Award in 1989.This award is given to an individual or a group in recognition of a special achievement or contribution to the field of special librarianship. The recipient need not be a member of the Chapter. With group awards for the 50th Anniversary Gala Committee, the Internet Committee, the International Projects Committee, the Military Librarians Steering Group, etc., 58 names are listed. Estelle Alexander (1997, 1998), Mandy Baldridge (1998, 2000, 2003), Jane Edwards (1990, 1991), Mary Feldman (1989, 1999), Peggy Garvin (1992, 1993), and Sharon Lenius (1998, 2000, 2004) have received the award multiple times. William B. Neff was the first to receive the Member of the Year Award in 1990. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Chapter, public service activities, assistance in professional development, promotion of special librarianship, or publication of a professional paper. 23 names are listed. Kristina Lively has the distinction of being the only member to receive the award twice (2002 and 2006). Kudos to Mandy Baldridge, Mary Feldman, Kristina Lively, William B. Neff (deceased), Greta Ober-Beauchesne, and David Shumaker who have received the Board of Directors Award and the Member of the Year Award. The 66 awards recipients have contributed to the development of the chapter as have those who served with distinction before the awards were established. In addition, numerous volunteers have been a credit to the chapter. The list of awardees is DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 3
Retired but restless? For a DC/SLA member -- a potential part-time post as manager of a one-person strategic-information center. Needed: people skills and confidence in searching online, use of email, paper, and telephone. Helpful: familiarity with military and corporate worlds. To apply, email a recent condensed (l00 words max) vita to DC/SLA member at: fast.track@sla.org
Save this Date! The 2007 Joint Spring Workshop will take place on April 12, 2007, from 9-4 p.m. at the Library of Congress Mumford Room in the Madison Building Topic: "Envisioning the Future: What will your library be like in 5, 10 or 20 Years?" Sponsored by: LLSDC, DCLA, DC/SLA and FLICC. Registration form on page 9 -- K. Martin, Chair, 202496-7752, kmartin@mckennalong.com
DC/SLA Chapter Book Group Meeting The next meeting of the DC/SLA Book Club will be on Monday, April 23 from 6:30-8:30 pm. We will discuss "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. We will meet at Aladdin's Eatery at 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203. (Directions from Ballston Metro Stop: when you come out of the metro, cross Stuart Street and North Fairfax and look for 4245. It is in the Nature Conservancy Building). Contact Mary Bowen at bowenjm@verizon.net if you plan to attend or if you have any questions.
International Special Librarians Day International Special Librarians Day (ISLD), Thursday April 19th 6‐9PM Catholic University Grassroots International Librarianship ‐ hear how some grassroots libraries are helping development abroad with their hands on approach. International Relations Committee (IRC) is seeking additional members to join the planning committee. You neednʹt be working in the international sector, but have an interest in international librarianship and development issues. Activities of the IRC include a program for International Special Librarians Day, the Twinning Project (matching up SLA Chapters/Divisions to sponsor a member abroad), donating journals to overseas library schools, and hosting a Dine‐Around with international cuisine. We donʹt meet that often and conduct most of our work by e‐mail, so itʹs not too time‐consuming. See page 10 for registration information. Details will be posted on the discussion list. For more information, please contact Eileen Rourke infoeer@yahoo.com 202‐364‐5949 DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 4
Mark your calendars for the next DC/SLA Board Meeting Wednesday, April 11, 2007 6:00 – 7:30 pm 1615 L Street, NW Suite 900 Washington, DC 20036
Beating Meeting Madness: Tips from Donna Scheeder Submitted by Diane Schnurrpusch, dschnurr@dtic.mil
Meeting formats constantly evolve as technologies change and bringing people together from distant locations is more desired. The physical, face-toface meeting is still the norm. Yet, it is more frequently replaced with email, chat, and various forms of teleconference. Meetings held in virtual 3D environments (as you will learn at our April “Second Life” program) offer a new venue. Despite these changing formats, some facts about meetings do not change. Meetings still fill most people with dread, mainly because so many carry on too long and fail to produce the desired outcomes. On March 1, 2007, the DC SLA Chapter heard some wisdom from an expert at running meetings. Donna Scheeder, former President of both SLA and DC/SLA, led an inspiring, informational meeting where attendees not only picked up some useful techniques, but also had a chance to put those skills to work in some mini-meetings at the end of the session. After participating in Donna’s seminar twice, at the SLA Leadership Summit in January and at this recent event, I want to share some of what I took to heart from her presentations. Many people do not realize or often forget there are three phases to any meeting: 1) Pre-meeting preparation, 2) Actual meeting, and 3) Follow-up. Pre-meeting preparation includes such activities as deciding the purpose of the meeting, settling on where it should be held, deciding the roles of the participants and what they must know and prepare, and choosing who should actually lead the meeting. A good leader makes sure the right people are there and have the information they need. A good attendee reads materials and completes assignments to contribute to discussion and aid decision-making. A good leader also knows when it is best to bow out and let someone else lead the meeting. During the actual meeting, the leader sets the tone with a certain level of formality. That level depends on the desired outcome of the meeting, the group dynamics, any divisiveness of agenda items, and bylaws requirements. A good leader makes sure participants understand the type of meeting they are in – whether it is an informational meeting or an DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 5
action meeting. Information meetings are about learning, idea generation, information gathering, or information dissemination. Action meetings are for goal setting and strategic planning, decisionmaking, problem solving, and task accomplishment. While each of these types of meetings has certain planning requirements, those for action meetings are of special interest. In Donna’s tips for action meetings, she discussed the importance of getting key stakeholders involved and of doing your politics before the meeting, especially if decisions are to be made. Her “meeting leader checklist” included starting on time, using an agenda, following meeting ground rules, asking participants to introduce themselves, putting items in context, keeping order, listening more than you talk, and making sure everyone is heard from. Donna offered some helpful advice from her “Meeting Toolbox.” One tactic is called the “parking lot.” This is a technique for setting related, but secondary, issues aside to keep the group focused on the agenda. The leader can offer to add these new issues to the agenda of a subsequent meeting. Another useful tip is to use a timed agenda. This moves the meeting along when there are a number of decisions to be made. As we learned in our 10-minute mini-meetings, a lot can be accomplished when there is a time limit. A good leader ends the meeting with more than a rap of the gavel. He recaps decisions made, outlines assignments, and sets the date and time for the next meeting. Above all, it is perfectly acceptable to end the meeting early; most participants will love you for it. The final meeting phase, follow-up, is crucial and relates to the preparation for the next meeting. Follow-up includes getting feedback on both style and content; keeping and distributing a list of action items; and revisiting action items at that next meeting. To learn even more, here are several resources Donna shared: Basic Guide to Conducting Effective Meetings, by Carter McNamara http://www.managementhelp.org/misc/mtgmgmnt.h tm EffectiveMeetings.com – http://www.effectivemeetings.com/meetingbasics
Deanna Marcum to Address Changes in Library Education Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Library Services at the Library of Congress, will address the changing nature of library science education at the Catholic University of America (CUA) School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) Alumni Board's Seventeenth Annual Elizabeth W. Stone Lecture. Dr. Marcum served as Dean of the CUA SLIS from 1989-1992. What: "Culture Shock: The Changing Nature of Library Science Education" When: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 Time: 7 p.m. Where: Catholic University, Pryzbyla Center, Great Rooms A &C (near Brookland/CUA metro stop) Sponsor: CUA SLIS Alumni Board Reception will follow. To RSVP or for further information, contact: 202-319-5593 or colemana@cua.edu
Students/Young Professionals Group: Successful February Happy Hour and April events planned! The Students/Young Professionals Group had a very successful first happy hour of the year on February 20, 2007 at Kelly’s Irish Times near Union Station. The happy hour attracted about 27 people, including library school students, who enjoyed good food and drink. This was the first event of 2007 with the new committee members. We hope to have just as successful happy hours in the months ahead! We also have two exciting events planned for April: Are you interested in local history? Do you enjoy walking tours? If so, please join the Student/Young Professionals Group on a walking tour of Silver Spring's original “Main Street,” Georgia Avenue, on Saturday, April 7 from 10 AM to noon. The tour is sponsored by the Silver Spring Historical Society (SSHS), and is led by its President Jerry McCoy. Jerry is also a librarian, and will be providing a brief talk after the tour in the historic B&O Railroad DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 6
station about how his SSHS work fits into his work at the Washingtoniana Division and at the Peabody Room. This is the first historic walking tour scheduled for the year by the SSHS, whose tours are $5 per person. Please celebrate Special Librarian’s Day with the Students/Young Professionals Group at a happy hour on April 17 at Kramerbooks and Afterword Café at 1517 Connecticut Avenue, NW in Dupont Circle, beginning at 6 pm. You can buy a drink, buy a book, and socialize all at the same venue! We hope to see you there!
Senator Brooke (MA) to Speak During National Library Week The U.S. Senate Library welcomes Senator Edward Brooke as guest speaker for its annual “Off the Bookshelf” program during National Library Week. Senator Brooke, a Massachusetts senator from 1967-1979, is the author of Bridging the Divide: My Life, published in 2007 by Rutgers University Press. The program will take place Friday, April 20, 2007, from 12 noon – 1:00 p.m. in Room 385 of the Russell Senate Office Building, 1st and Constitution Ave., NE (metro: Union Station). Members of the public are welcomed. For more information, contact Chris Cochran, 202-224-7106.
Emerging Markets: Topic of Development Information Working Group Meeting WHAT: SID/DIW April Meeting WHEN: Wednesday, April 11, 2007, Noon - 2:00 WHERE: International Resources Group, Suite 700, Conference Room, 1211 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC PRESENTATION: Intel's World Ahead Program: Linking Work in Accessibility, Connectivity, Education, by Jeffery Galinovsky, Emerging Markets Platform Group, Intel Corporation. The Development Information Working Group invites you to a discussion with Jeffery Galinovsky, who as a member of Intel's Emerging Markets Platform Group is involved with Intel's
collaborations with the UN Global Alliance for ICT for Development (GAID). Mr. Galinovsky will discuss the World Ahead, an Intel program that will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years to speed access to uncompromised technology and education for people in developing communities. The program's goal is not only to extend affordable PC access but to develop the right PCs tailored to local needs, drive connectivity, cultivate sustainable local capabilities, and provide the education needed to make a difference in people's lives. The World Ahead Program extends Intel’s existing initiatives for developing regions by driving progress in three areas: • Accessibility: Creating opportunities for widespread ownership and use of PCs through affordability, access and content, including the development of fully featured, affordable PCs tailored to regional needs. • Connectivity: Expanding wireless broadband Internet access by cultivating the required ecosystems and encouraging deployment, including the broad promotion of WiMAX trials and deployments. • Education: Preparing students for success in the global economy through education programs and resources, including professional development for teachers worldwide. Classmate, the low-cost computer prototyped by Intel, will be available for a demo after the presentation. For reservations: Sign-up at http://www.sidw.org/event/2007/intels-worldahead-program-linking-work-in-accessibilityconnectivity-and-education#signups or email sid@aed.org Feel free to bring your lunch. Closest Metro stop is on the Red Line, Dupont Circle South Exit.
The location and subject next month's meeting are still pending. For more information, contact Jeannette Smith at Jsmith4@worldbank.org. What: Taxonomy Tuesday When: Tuesday, April 17, 12-2pm Where: TBA Subject: TBA RSVP: Jeannette Smith, Jsmith4@worldbank.org
Taxonomy Tuesday Discussion Group Member’s Corner Taxonomy Tuesday is a community of practice that discusses taxonomies, thesauri and related information issues, often looking at practical issues that group members are dealing with in their workplaces. (Questions and suggestions are welcome.)
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 7
Sabrina Pacifici is profiled in ABA Law Practice Magazine, December 2006, LLRX.com (pdf)
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 8
2007 JOINT SPRING WORKSHOP OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
Envisioning the Future: What will your library be like in 5, 10 or 20 Years? Thursday, April 12, 2007 8:30 to 4:00 p.m. Mumford Room, Library of Congress Keynote Speaker: Andy Hines Executive Director of the Association of Professional Futurists How do you envision the future of your library? Attend this all-day program that will give you practical steps to plan and prepare for library changes. Speakers will discuss the future of libraries and will talk about specific trends in technology, personnel, physical space and library content. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Registration & Breakfast. Please arrive at 8:30, when LC opens, for enough time to go through security, find the Mumford Room and get registered. Program begins promptly at 9 a.m. Place: Mumford Room, 6th Floor, Madison Building, Library of Congress (near the Capital South Metro) Cost: $60.00 members, $25.00 students and retirees, and $85.00 non-members (includes continental breakfast and lunch). Tax ID number is 52-1121282 Registration: • To use PayPal, go to www.dcla.org. • To pay by check, make check payable to LLSDC and mail with registration to: Carla Evans, Proskauer Rose LLP, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 South, Washington, DC 20004 For more information email cevans@proskauer.com or call 202-416-5823 No purchase orders or training request forms. Registration form and check must be received by April 4, 2007.
SPONSORS: Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, DC (LLSDC); District of Columbia Library Association (DCLA); DC Special Libraries Association (DC-SLA); Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC)
Registration: Joint Spring Workshop, April 12, 2007 Name:___________________________________________________Phone___________________________________ Organization: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Member Affiliations: DCLA ___ DC-SLA ____ LLSDC ___ FLICC ___ If you will need a receipt. check here: ____ Cost: ____ Member, $60.00 _____ Student, $25.00 ____ Non-member, $85.00 The JSW complies with ADA. We can accommodate your needs provided you contact us by April 2, 2007.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 9
CUA
International Special Librarians Day (ISLD) 2007
GRASSROOTS SPECIAL LIBRARIANSHIP: THE LUBUTO LIBRARY PROJECT
Co-sponsored by DCSLA International Relations Committee (IRC) and Catholic University of American (CUA), School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) WHEN:
Thursday, April 19, 2007, 6:00pm-8:00pm (Reception: 6:00-7:00; Speaker: 7:00-8:00)
WHERE: Catholic University of America, School of Library and Information Science, Information Commons, 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20064 www.cua.edu (refer to web site for map and directions) (Metro: Red Line - Brookland Station); Parking available
Speaker:
JANE KINNEY MEYERS, President and Founder, Lubuto Library Project
SLA FACTIVA AWARD WINNER -2007 and DCSLA Chapter Directors Award 2006
Program: Special librarianship is defined in various ways. Although it is more commonly associated with business and government, special libraries serving “specialized” populations are global. The Lubuto Library Project (www.lubuto.org) is an international nonprofit giving education and hope to Africa’s street kids – aids orphans. Join DCSLA and Catholic University (CUA) SLIS to hear and see:
Lubuto Library Project update on libraries and non-formal education and literacy programs
Video used for fundraising to educate high school students in US and Canada on aids awareness
How Ms. Meyers has used her special librarian skills for an international grassroots project
How SLA Core Competencies apply to international librarianship
COST AND REGISTRATION: Members (SLA) - $5.00; Non-Members - $10.00. Free to all students; free to all the Catholic University community. RSVP by Monday, April 16, 2007 to Victor Monti victor@monti.org Payment can be either by PayPal or check. Make checks payable to DC/SLA and send, along with the registration form, to Victor Monti, 127 South Fairfax St. Apt 146, Alexandria, VA 22304. When paying by check, please also send an e-mail registration to ensure a space.
DC/SLA Chapter Notes | April 2007 | pg 10
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