Gold & Silver Gazette, December 1999

Gold & Silver Gazette
December 1999, Volume 25, Number 3

President's Message

Cary O’Keeffe

As I was paying for gasoline on a crisp November evening, I began chatting with the station attendant about New Year’s eve. He told me that he was going to greet the year 2000 on San Francisco’s Market Street, which would be closed to accommodate the celebratory crowds. Since that kind of partying is beyond the pale for me, I told him that my celebration would be much quieter. Quiet to the tune of a book in front of the fireplace!

So, to continue the thankfully short tradition of beating the millennium to death, I submit that this time of year serves as a time of reflection. Resolutions or not, the New Year can serve as a stopping point that offers us an opportunity to examine our lives, our goals and our accomplishments. It can give us a chance to count our abundant blessings, and to think about what we’re giving back to our communities.

One community that we take for granted is our Special Libraries Association. When I first graduated from library school ten years ago, entry-level library jobs were scarce in Sacramento. In order to meet other librarians and to keep my spirits up, I made a vow that I’d visit every library in the area. I’m fortunate that I didn’t get terribly far before I found a professional position, but doing so in the interim kept my focus on a positive goal, and gave me insight into a variety of local libraries. My richest and most fruitful experiences, however, came from joining SLA’s Sierra Nevada Chapter, and getting to know its members. With one exception, every job I found after library school was a direct result of those associations. Although my solo efforts to explore the library world were inspiring, it was my involvement in a unified community where I reaped the greatest rewards.

As I look back over my years with the Chapter, I see the faces of so many people who have made it the strong and vibrant community it is today. There are those I rarely see any more, but whom I know I could count on for collegial support with just a phone call. There are those who are working hard for our Chapter now, uncomplainingly shouldering more than their fair share of the work. As I gaze into the fire this New Year’s eve, I’ll raise my glass to all of them. As you enter the New Year, seriously consider contributing your talents to our Chapter. Your imprint on our community will last far longer than your efforts. I wish you all a healthy, happy New Year, and look forward to seeing you soon.