LaSoMi Spring 2001 Meeting

LaSoMi 2001 Spring Meeting: Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

[Photographs]

Minutes for LaSoMi Spring 2001 Business Meeting

Meeting Locale: Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

Date: Saturday, May 19th, 10:00 am

After a presentation from Dr. Tom Walker from the University of Southern Mississippi, a tour of the Library and Museum of Art and a boxed lunch, the Spring LaSoMi Business Meeting was held.

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Gerald Patout reported that Donna Braquet has recently moved to Atlanta to work for Georgia Tech. Cindy Ammons will take her place as the Webmaster, and Donna will continue on for the time being as the newsletter editor. John Anderson (Past President) displayed a framed certificate that he made for Donna for her outstanding job as the Newsletter Editor and Webmaster. A round of applause was given for Donna.

It was reported that three advertisers were enlisted this year for the newsletter to help offset costs. Gerald reported that the treasury is currently fine, but help from advertisers is always welcomed. A survey was passed out concerning the newsletter, regarding opinions to making the newsletter available online instead of in print.

Gerald reported that he is going to the SLA annual conference in San Antonio in June, and he will work to create a strategic plan for the LaSoMi Chapter for fall. Gerald was also selected to attend the SOLINET Leadership Institute Collaborative in Atlanta. He was the only special librarian selected out of the Southeast.

Gerald gave Dr. Tom Walker a gift for speaking to us on knowledge management and also gave a gift to Donna and Sandy from the Laurel Museum of Art for hosting the event.

The new LaSoMi Chapter Officers for the 2001-2002 term were announced, and they are as follows:

President: Stephen Pomes

President-Elect: Bill Strickland

Secretary: Kelly Blessinger

Treasurer: Jason Wiese

Chapter Archivist: Amy Baptist

Public Relations Chairperson: Bill Armstrong

Webmaster: Cindy Ammons

John Anderson gave a framed certificate to Gerald Patout for his exceptional job as the LaSoMi Chapter President from 2000-2001. Beth Paskoff nominated Dennis Haack for the outstanding student award for his involvement as the SLA Student Chapter President.

Gerald summed up the year by describing the success of the fall meeting at Xavier where more participants attended than any LaSoMi chapter meeting prior. He also told the group how much he enjoyed interviewing potential candidates for the LaSoMi scholarship funds.

The meeting was concluded, and a tour of the Laurel Historic District was given.

- Respectfully submitted, Kelly Blessinger, Chapter Secretary

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

Laurel, MS

The LaSoMi chapter is proud to announce its annual 2001 Spring meeting event at The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel, Mississippi. There will be a tour of the museum and library with a special guest speaker, Dr. Tom Walker, Associate Professor and Director, School of Library and Information Science, University of Southern Mississippi.

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art was established in 1923 as a memorial to Lauren Eastman Rogers following his unexpected death at the age of 23. The Eastman Memorial Foundation created by Lauren's family wanted to capture the spirit of this young life by establishing a mission to "promote the public welfare by founding, endowing and having maintained a public library, museum, art gallery and educational institution, within the state."

The impressive Georgian Revival facility was designed by architect Rathbone de Buys of New Orleans and contains over 20,000 square feet of museum space. The original collections of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art are focused in five main areas which includes: 19^th and 20^th century European Art, 19^th century to the present American Art, Native American Baskets, Japanese Woodblock Prints, and English Georgian Silver.

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Library collection contains more than 10,000 volumes with emphasis in art history and reference. The core of the reference collection compliments the museum art as well as promoting the study of Mississippi art and culture.

The education component of the museum is recognized through its various programs involving the local Mississippi school system. Exhibit tours, art programs teaching basic visual art, Heritage Arts Festival and a series of art lectures are provided through this facility to foster education.

Anyone interested is encouraged to attend the LaSoMi annual meeting to explore this beautiful facility and to learn more about the local SLA organization and its involvement.

(Information provided from, http://www.lrma.org)