The LONE STAR LIBRARIAN
	A quarterly publication of the Texas Chapter, Special Libraries Association ISSN 0739-4950

Archive CONTENTS Finding Your Future In Uncertain Times We're Not in Flatland Anymore, Toto UT Austin's GSLIS Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary Intern, Practicum, & Volunteer Survey Results Report What Special Libraries Offer Students Call for Nominations The Texas Chapter Needs YOU!!!: The President's Message Spring Meeting Will Celebrate Chapter's 50th Anniversary Member News and Notices Fall Meeting Minutes Government Relations Committee Report Texas Chapter - SLA Executive Board & Advisory Council 1998/99 Upcoming Events

Finding Your Future In Uncertain Times

By Richard N. Fletcher, Energy Futures Research Associates

The venue of the Fall SLA Texas chapter meeting, held October 16, could not have been more appropriate. Meeting to discuss the future of the profession, Texas Chapter members convened in Clear Lake City, southeast of Houston, home of NASA and the University of Houston-Clear Lake's Studies of the Future program.

The focus of the day's program was learning how to think about the future and then introducing some tools for doing just that. In the morning session, I sought to set the stage by talking about the context of change. In the afternoon session, Dr. Schultz and I introduced a futurist tool called scenario planning. Attendees then spent about an hour and a half in four teams reviewing four different scenarios for the information future. Dr. Schultz wrapped-up the day by discussing changing human mental structures, their analogs in the digital world, and the profound implications of the new paradigm in man-machine interfaces. She used the concepts to discuss how our scenarios expressed the uncertainties for libraries and information professionals.

Most of us acknowledge that there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty in the world today - change happens faster than we can grasp it and we must deal with its consequences, often not knowing what's really happened or is happening. Consequently, one of the tools in the futurist's toolkit is to take the long view when looking at the context of change. Though futurists don't make predictions, they do set forth alternative scenarios that could occur given trends, wildcards, or other strands of change that can be discerned in the current environment.

Using the title, 'The Context of Change,' I wanted to set the stage for the afternoon sessions. The slides from my PowerPoint presentation should be made available soon on the Texas Chapter Website at http://www.sla.org/chapter/ctx/. Seismic shifts are underway in business and society, much of which can be traced to the influence of information technology. Information technology costs continue to decline while computing power increases exponentially. The impact of 'network economics' is in turn revolutionizing traditional industry economics. The result is convergence of technology, industry consolidation, and value shifts in our workplaces and society.

The scenario workshop was designed to give a 'real' context for the potential changes that could occur for information professionals and special libraries. Four scenarios portrayed various alternative futures for special libraries ten years from now. The scenarios, titled 'Library of Congress Gets the Axe,' 'The Free Agent Future,' 'The Artificial Intelligence Future,' and 'The Knowledge Center Future,' and the teams' respective responses to them are available on the Texas Chapter Website at http://www.sla.org/chapter/ctx/. One of the most important aspects of using scenarios is imagining differences and the interplay of many factors. To do that, it's useful to use the 'STEEP' framework. STEEP stands for Societal, Technological, Environmental, Economic and Political. Since change is a product of the interaction of many factors, using the STEEP framework insures a more balanced approach to how change might occur. The four scenarios illustrated how the STEEP framework can be used.

We're Not in Flatland Anymore, Toto

Presented by Dr. Wendy Schultz, University of Houston-Clear Lake

Dr. Schultz closed the day with a provocative presentation titled 'We're Not in Flatland Anymore, Toto' and expanded upon the use of alternative futures as a means of understanding uncertainty. 'Foresight' requires six key activities:

• Identifying emerging change
• Critiquing the impacts of change
• Imagining alternative futures
• Envisioning preferred futures
• Implementing change and
• Monitoring ongoing change

A take-away of our scenario exercises, then, is to envision a preferred future for our profession and ourselves and implement the kinds of changes that might best lead us to that vision.

As Dr. Shultz pointed out, one of the unique aspects about librarianship today is that it is at the center of the digitization, 'computer as network' revolution. 'Content' is metamorphosing and new mental models are emerging that effectively subsume linear thinking. Two examples are hypertext and hypermedia, both of which offer a 'multi-dimensional' way of exploring for, retrieving and using information. What is the role of the informational professional or the special library in such an environment? How different will today's generation view information? Can we extrapolate the mind of tomorrow and its information needs to inform how we shape our profession?

We ended the day with many more questions than answers, but we also left a bit more prepared to anticipate and contend with the inevitable changes coming to special libraries.

Editor's Note:

Some interesting reading materials were mentioned with Richard Fletcher and Dr. Shultz' presentations. They included:

• FastCompany magazine at http://www.fastcompany.com/home.html
• Gilder Technology Report at http://www.gildertech.com
• The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, by Peter Senge
• Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World, by Peter Schwartz
• Creating Your Future: Personal Strategic Planning for Professionals, by George L. Morrisey
• Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, by Edwin Abbott

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The Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Texas at Austin celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a series of festivities on September 19, 1998 in Austin, Texas. Over 150 alumni, faculty, SLA Texas Chapter members, and friends of the GSLIS attended a half-day seminar on the UT Austin campus. The day began with a series of greetings from top University officials and other dignitaries, including GSLIS Interim Dean Glynn Harmon. The morning session concluded with a panel of retired GSLIS faculty members: Billie Grace Herring ('74), Eugene (Jack) Jackson, William V. Jackson, C. Glenn Sparks ('52), and Heartsill Young ('53). Moderated by current faculty member Donald G. Davis, Jr., the panel reflected on 50 years of history at the GSLIS, and shared many stories of former faculty and students

The afternoon session was comprised of a series of four panel discussions. Each panel was composed of distinguished alumni from around the US. Topics reflected the School's new goals and objectives. Speaking on the topic "Information Consumers" were Kate Boccheciamp ('86), VP for Information Technology, CIT Group, New York; Cesar Caballero ('74), associate university librarian, UT-El Paso; Nancy Eaton ('69), library director, Penn State University; and Linne Girouard ('86), library director, Methodist Hospital, Houston.

Discussing the topic "Information Content" were Virginia Newton (EOS '79), library director, Columbus Memorial Library, Organization of American States, Washington, DC; Jenni Parrish ('75), library director, UC Hastings College of Law, San Francisco; Ruben Rendon ('78), library director, Harlingen Public Library; and James Scheppke ('79), state librarian of Oregon, Salem.

The topic "Information Connections" was discussed by Edward Galloway ('95), archivist; H. John Heinz III Archives, Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA; C. Lee Jones ('65), president, Linda Hall Library, Kansas City; James Stewart ('72), director, Victoria Public Library; and S. Jane Ulrich ('75), director, S.W. Regional Library Service Systems, Durango, CO.

The topic "Cultural Context" was considered by Susan Benson ('75), executive director, The Trust for the Americas, Organization of American States, Washington DC; Phyllis Fisher ('92), director, New York City School Library System; Philip Metzger ('84), rare books curator and director, Lehigh University Press, Bethlehem, PA; and Julie Walker ('82), executive director, ALA/AASL & YALSA, Chicago.

Following the panel discussions, the GSLIS hosted an open house. The day concluded with a marvelous reception and dinner hosted by Governor and Mrs. ('73) George W. Bush at the Governor's Mansion. Over 180 people attended this event. Guests toured the mansion, and drinks and an elaborate buffet were served under a festive pavilion on the mansion lawn.µ µ µ

Twenty-seven responses to the Intern, Practicum, and Volunteer Survey, which ran in the September 1998 issue of this newsletter, were received and tabulated. Most respondents were employers with more than 4 years of experience or students with 2 years or less of experience. To obtain the widest range of responses, the survey was also posted to the SLA Texas Chapter web site and discussion list. Thanks to all those who completed the survey.

The majority of respondents agreed it is essential that students gain practical experience before graduation. Most students and employers preferred internships. The special library environment is seen as being very demanding, and work experience in a special library setting can help students decide whether they can handle the fast pace. Internships were preferred because they most closely match the "real world" experience, but each type of position was seen as having positive and negative aspects.

About half of the respondents gave the same priorities for intern, volunteer and practicum positions. Experience tops the list of priorities for both employers and students. Employers also looked for cooperation, reliability, interest, initiative, and intelligence. Students were concerned with making contacts and networking. The ranges for suggested wages varied widely among both employers and students, with students suggesting slightly higher wages overall. Suggested ranges for minimum and maximum hours also varied widely among both groups, with employers preferring more hours per week than students.

In general, employers want students who have taken their basic courses, and who already have some experience in a library or business setting. The concern is that students who have not completed all the basic courses cannot be active participants in the important activities and operations of the sponsoring library, their contributions will be minimal, and they will require considerable individual training, making them a burden rather than a partner for the employer. Students with no previous work experience in a library setting should consider volunteering to make them attractive as candidates for internships or practicums. Experience gained through internships and practicums is preferable due to increased accountability and more professional experience being assigned to people in those positions. µ µ µ

By Dell Johnson, SEMATECH, and Mel Boggins, GSLIS

Students at Texas's three graduate schools of library and information science have for many years been availing themselves of valuable opportunities for practical experience at special libraries and information centers around the state. These positions run the gamut from volunteer practicums to full time paid jobs, which offer to both students and their employers a variety of benefits. In some cases, the company for which they did the student job has hired students after graduation, and in other cases the experience on the job gave new graduates an extra edge when interviewing for their first professional jobs. Most employers agree that student librarians are a good investment for the companies, while most student workers will attest that they gained experiences, which were not duplicated in any way by the classroom portion of their library education. The mutual benefits from such employment arrangements are numerous and far-reaching.

Texas Instruments, Austin, employed several interns in the past, including Jennifer (Warhol) Brady, Sandra Henry, Mike McElwain and Bob Guz, while Jimothy Dyson co-oped at NASA.

IBM Austin has been hiring student interns for their Information Center since the mid-1980s and has given dozens of special librarians their first experience in a fast paced high-tech corporate library. First supervised by Anita (Lesser) Breland, and since 1986 by Ed Gillen, the IBM Austin Information Center typically has two or three library interns during a given semester, with students resigning upon graduation. These interns gain a great deal of experience in the daily practical functioning of a corporate library, including some clerical, paraprofessional and even professional-level experience. Meanwhile, the solo librarian gains extra help of a professional stature to help him serve his 5000 customers. IBM locations outside Austin drew former UT student interns Martha Munies, Bill Tobey, Becky Garcia, Irma Hunt, Dina Gunderson, and others. Interns for IBM in Austin have included former UT students Eve Bresler Panzer, Jim Hunt, Butch Satsky, Marilyn Redmond, Kate Boccheciamp, Claudia Chidester, Brett Tudor (now deceased), Leslie Campbell, John Spies, David McLellan, Barbara Kimball, Stephanie Smith, Dell Johnson, Abby Goodrum, Patricia Parkos, Nancy Andren, Liza Strub, Marla Grier, Kathryn Rolen, Lisa Casto, John Mullin, Paula (Knesel) Day, Helen Sherwood, Jesus Campos, Michelle Laws, Kimberly Caswall, Ron McRae,, Andrea Meyer, Jeff Custard, Laura Plummer, Jock McDonald, and Leah Starr and others.

The Austin semiconductor consortium SEMATECH has employed student interns and also sponsored several practicums in the library and in the records management section. Marilyn Redmond, manager of Strategic Information at SEMATECH, says that library interns are a crucial part of the staff. "They provide great service at the reference desk, being the first contact that most customers have with the Strategic Information's services. They help out with many professional-level duties, such as online and web searching and the evaluation and critique of reference resources." Former intern Jennifer Young says, "I was one of the interns for SEMATECH from June 1994 - June 1995. After graduation I went to work for the division of Texas Instruments in Dallas that is now known as Raytheon Systems Company. I have been running a two-person library at the Raytheon site in Lewisville since December 1996." Jennifer feels that her SEMATECH experience helped her land that professional job at a high tech company. Current intern Dawn Vogler, along with previous interns Susan Kirkpatrick, Kevin Rioux and Jeanie Leith have comprised the 1998 crew. Caitlin Kelley, Amber Schorzman and Henry Clark also contributed during 1997-98. In previous years Roxanne Bogucka, Josh Gorelick, Zoe (Dyle) May, and Marcus Kilman all participated, along with Joan Conger, Suzanne Boatright, Bev (Isaacs) Evans, Robert Wurtzlebacker, Kay Raeger, and Barbara Denton. Amy Packard began as a library intern and later was hired in records management prior to her graduation.

Phyllis Hulse, now at Raytheon Systems, started the intern program for library science students at Texas Instruments back in 1988 and sponsored the following students: Margaret Kolpak, Texas Woman's University - 1988 (now deceased); Beth Atkins (Dandy), Texas Woman's University - 1989 (now employed at Raytheon Systems, Dallas) and Dan van Triest, Univ. of Pittsburgh, 1990 and 1991. Phyllis says, "After the proverbial door was opened, several other divisions within TI began to sponsor "Summer Development Students." A major difference in TI's program was they were hired as full-time employees, paid a normal salary (quite high for a student), and had employee benefits. At summer's end, they went on leave of absence and if hired upon graduation, could count service time from their first day of employment as a student. As a student, I would have killed for a deal like that! This type of program is an excellent opportunity for all parties involved. The student gets to see if this is the environment for them, and the employer gets to test drive a possible employee."

Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp TGSLC has hired several GSLIS student interns during the last three years, including: Theresa Elder (1/95-8/95), Pamela Kiser (10/95-12/96), Stephanie Weldon (6/96-8/96), Cheryl Goldenstein (2/97-1/98). Jean Martin, now at Tivoli Systems, was the hiring manager for TGSLC during those years. "I've been very pleased with the quality of the interns we've hired and think GSLIS does a great job of training them, " she says.

Mary Wolcott, Professional Librarian at the UT Office of the VP for Development, hires student workers from the UT GSLIS. Former employee Lacy Wood (1996-November 1997) went on to a professional position at SEDL here in Austin, while the current worker is Tom Corsmeier. Mary explains, "Student workers (not actually library interns) for the Development Library have come from GSLIS for the past 4 years. These students have worked here on an hourly wage, and, as appropriate, they are welcome to use the Development Library resources for class projects. For example, an indexing project was done by one student using a bibliography that she and I had created on articles about major giving. I make sure that the students learn new skills such as learning about creating databases using Filemaker Pro, or simply learning how to maneuver around a Mac computer easily. Their school schedules, exams, and study times come first, in recognition of the reason they are here! These kinds of things are offered not only to help GSLIS students gain experience in a real special library, but also to offset the low pay - (though I lobby every semester for raises.)"

Erika Mittag, supervisor of the 3M Austin library, has hired interns and sponsored practicums for several years. Some of these include: Barbara Potts, Kathy Rhodes, Sarahjane Steinbeck, Julie Trumble, Rona Mertink, Joan Conger, Elisa Bass, Sharon Shaw, Susan Charles and Heidi (McConnell) Porth.

Additional student positions have been available at Sulzer (Amanda Rose, Melissa Just and Sharon Stanley), Nortel (Ann Griffith, Shawnna Dancer and Robert Moore) and Texas Instruments Austin (Sandra Henry and Mike McElwain).

Terry (Praznik) Boyer describes her internship in glowing terms. "I graduated from Texas Woman's University Library and Information Studies in December of 1989. Prior to graduation, in the summer session of 1989, I had the opportunity to do an (unpaid) internship at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. I interviewed the Senior Management of the Hospital and questioned them on their key information needs and set up a "Current Awareness" service for the Hospital Library. The Library staff planned to make copies of Index Medicus each month and route them to the individuals to help keep them current. It was a wonderful experience and helped me land a great job at Alcon Laboratories, Inc. in Fort Worth as an Information Scientist in their Research and Development division. Also, I belong to "HealthLine," a consortium of Hospital and Medical Librarians, and had a conversation with the new Librarian at JPS just recently (the Librarian that I did my internship under retired) and she informed me that they are STILL sending people "Current Awareness" results set up from my initial interviews! It was very rewarding news that I had made a difference! I had been a Clinical Microbiologist for thirteen years prior to my graduate degree in Library Science and the Hospital internship also helped me decide that I would prefer working in a Corporate Library and not necessarily a Hospital Library."

Practicums and internships give the participants a chance for practical experience as well as the opportunity to avoid possible career mistakes. Janice Findley realized her wish for a new direction as a result of her practicum in a corrections facility library. "The realities of working in a prison soon became apparent. I found myself becoming the kind of librarian I never wanted to be; the prisoners were not allowed to talk or communicate in any way while in the library, and it was up to me to enforce it. I became, for a few short weeks, the most stereotypical librarian I could imagine. This experience, along with other circumstances, showed me that this was not the place for me."

Pency Murphy, who graduated from the University of North Texas in 1985, benefited from her internship in the Dallas area. "For two years (1984 - 1985) I had the opportunity to work in Frito-Lay's R&D Library. My supervisors at Frito-Lay (Connie Kasle, Cynthia Sowards, and Pat Arnold) were outstanding mentors. As a matter of fact, Pat Arnold has been mentor to many students in the Dallas area. The internship at Frito-Lay provided me with valuable on-the-job training that assisted me in securing a position at Texas Instruments after library school graduation. The internship also helped me establish long-term relationships with vendors and other special librarians in Dallas and Fort Worth."

A note from the authors: Thanks to all the employers and former interns (some folks have been both!) who shared stories with us for this article. Our apologies for any errors which it may contain. No specific record keeping has been done by the Chapter or the Library schools on this topic to date, so we are relying on the memories and informal notes of many of the persons interviewed. We would greatly appreciate any corrections or additions that anyone may wish to make to this "history." Please send them to Dell Johnson at dell.johnson@sematech.org. Thanks. µ µ µ

The Nominations Committee is seeking candidates to run for SLA Texas Chapter offices. The positions up for election are:

President (1 year to serve out term—due to resignation)
First Vice-President/President Elect
Second Vice President Elect
Treasurer
Secretary
Director-at-Large

One of the best ways to get involved in one's profession is to work within a professional association. It allows you the opportunity to meet and work with your peers along with influencing the direction of the association and profession. Unlike SLA Headquarters, the SLA Texas Chapter depends on its members to run the organization. At the state level, we have direct input on the direction our association will take. I encourage anyone who has ever toyed with the idea of running for office to do so. It adds a dimension to one's professional life that cannot be acquired through a job alone.

If you are interested in running for an office or know someone that might be interested, please contact:

Peggy Shaw
Nominations Chair
Rice University
713/527-6062
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By Mike Zimmerman, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

This spring our Chapter will be filling six positions through the election process, as well as finding volunteers for four offices. I do not remember a time when quite so many positions have opened up at the same moment. The main reason for this has been the mobility of our profession and the national economy. In a good economy opportunities abound, and they have done so within the state of Texas.

To fill our gaps early next year Peggy Shaw, our Nominations Chair, is holding a call for nominations. The positions to be filled through our election process are: President, President-Elect, Second-President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Director At Large. We also need people for the following slots: Parliamentarian, Government Relations Chair, and International Relations Chair. Therefore, like the Marine Corp, we are looking for a "few good people" who will bring their unique talents to our Executive Board and Advisory Council.

In the recent past, we have experienced a small challenge in putting together a full slate of candidates. We realize everyone is busy; however, if you have not been on the Board or the Council in the past two years, please consider the above positions.

We all want our Chapter to be great. To be able to accomplish that task we need to continue having strong leadership. If you have a direction you would like to see the Texas Chapter travel, or an idea of what you would like to see the Chapter to accomplish, I can think of no better place to have your dreams realized then by becoming a part of our Board or Advisory Council. Now is the time and you are the person. Do not wait for Peggy Shaw to give you a call; call her today.

If you are not familiar with the responsibilities of each office and would like a particular job description either mailed or faxed to you, please call me and I will supply you with the information. As soon as we are able, we will have the position descriptions on our web site. If you simply cannot run for an office at this time, but you know someone who would be the type of strong leader our Chapter needs, let us know. As our friend Red Green would say, "I'm pulling for you. Remember, we're all in this together." µ µ µ

By Dell Johnson, SEMATECH

Tentative plans are underway for an anniversary celebration in addition to the usual business and educational components of the Spring Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for April 11 and 12, 1999 in Austin.

A Sunday evening reception honoring all Chapter past-presidents is planned at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (formerly the National Wildflower Research Center) from 6 to 8 PM on April 11. Wildflowers should be in full bloom, so plan to come early and look around the center's outdoor gardens, gift shop, and visitor center prior to the reception. The center is located southwest, just off Mopac South at 4801 La Crosse.

The Board and Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for the Wildflower Center's Library on Sunday afternoon from 3-5 PM, prior to the reception.

The Monday educational and business meetings are planned for the Holiday Inn South Hotel and Conference Center (I-35 at the Ben White/Woodward exit) and will include breaks and lunch. The hotel provides airport transportation for guests. A block of rooms will be reserved at $69 per night.

The planned educational program is a seminar on Intranets presented by Howard McQueen. Mr. McQueen, CEO of McQueen Consulting, is a noted Internet/Intranet consultant who has worked with SLA and the Texas Chapter in the past.

Registration materials and information on costs for the meeting and complete directions to the events will be forthcoming early in the New Year, but please set aside these dates and make plans to help your fellow special librarians celebrate our 50^th anniversary. µ µ µ

Member News and Notices

Susan Ardis, head of the University of Texas at Austin Engineering Library, was recently named Director of Science Libraries, a new position in the UT General Libraries.

Professor Julie Hallmark, faculty sponsor of the UT Austin SLA Student Chapter, hosted her traditional semester gathering, a potluck supper, on October 2 in her home. There were about 50 attendees, including students, professors, special librarians, and guests.

Olga Wise, Tandem Computers, taught a class to Solo Librarians in Berlin, Germany in October.

SLA is soliciting proposals for the 1999 Steven I. Goldspiel Research Grant. This grant is available annually for a research project in the area of special librarianship or information management. The amount of the 1999 grant will be approximately $20,000. Proposals should be postmarked by February 28, 1999 and the recipient will be announced in June 1999. Further details and application materials are available at www.sla.org/research/index.html, or via fax from SLA's toll-free fax-on-demand system at 1-888-411-2856 (items #1401-1406), or contact Ruth Arnold, SLA Director of Research, at 202/234-4700 ext. 615 or at Ruth@sla.org. µ µ µ

Minutes of the Board & Advisory Council Meeting,
Fall Meeting 1998

October 14, 1998; 6:00 PM
Ramada Inn Bay Area Hotel, Houston, TX

Board Members Present:

Mike Zimmerman, President; Dell Johnson, 2^nd Vice President/1^st Vice-President Interim; Ann Griffith, 2^nd Vice-President-Elect; Susan Elam, Secretary; Blaise Turney, Treasurer

Advisory Council Members Present:

Julie Patrick, Vendor Chair; Carolyn Ernst, Bylaws Chair; Denise Chochrek, Membership Chair; Peggy Shaw, Nominations Chair; Tracy Williams, Houston LPG; Sasha Gilbert, Houston Student Liaison

Other Texas SLA Members Present:
Susan Yancey

The meeting was called to order at 6:15 PM.

1. Minutes of prior meeting.

   Susan Elam presented to the board minutes from the July 10, 1998 board meeting. Denise Chochrek made a motion to approve the minutes. Carolyn Ernst seconded. Motion carried.

2. President's Report.

   Mike Zimmerman stated that Marcia Stoklosa, TX SLA 1^st Vice-President/President-Elect, has left Dallas for another position outside the state. Dell Johnson moves to the position vacated by Marcia. A discussion ensued of the 1^st VP's responsibilities to clarify for the attendees.

3. Second Vice-President's Report.

   Ann Griffith and Dell Johnson outlined concerns regarding future publication of the Texas Chapter SLA newsletter. There will be a hike in mailing costs from the postal service starting in January, 1999. Ideas generated included scaling back the publication, shortening its length, producing three issues rather than four, and less costly ways to mail the newsletter. Denise Chockrek recommended that we ask other state chapters as to how they handle newsletter publishing and costs.

4. Treasurer's Report.

   Blaise Turney stated that the Chapter has $4,800 in the bank. The Chapter will receive from the national association $4,000 for this year's Fall Meeting. A discussion ensued regarding ways to determine the "break even" point of future meetings planned. Blaise also stated that the end of the year report is due to HQ by 1/31/99. The 2^nd Vice-President has to turn in the total number of advertising pages. Denise Chockrek volunteered to provide samples of past budget proposal meetings.

5. Bylaws.

   The bylaws will take effect as soon as the membership has voted on them. In light of Marcia Stoklosa's move, Carolyn Ernst gave a summarized account of the order of succession within the state chapter. Carolyn made a list of revisions required. Ernestine Chipman will need to make the changes. Dell Johnson made corrections to the titles.

6. Fall Meeting Attendance.

   Pres. Mike Zimmerman expressed concern regarding the low number of members that had registered for this year's Fall Meeting and then lead a discussion on ways to assure that attendance would be high for future meetings. The global economy has played a factor in the professional librarian ranks in that the state's energy, high tech, defense, and telecom industries have suffered layoffs. Suggestions offered were: cut down the number of state chapter meetings from two to one (met with a resounding NO from all attendees); have program day on Friday with special events day being Thursday; include time during future meetings for SLA division members to gather during state meetings.

7. Spring Elections.

   There will be multiple Executive Board positions including that of the 1^st Vice-President and a Director-at-Large spot to be filled in the Spring election. Dell Johnson steps into the 1^st Vice-President/President-Elect role without an election.

8. Recruitment.

   The meeting attendees brainstormed on ways to recruit new Texas chapter members to serve as chapter officers or committee/council members. It was advised to begin encouraging participation at the student member level and discuss during Local Planning Group meetings.

9. Fiftieth Anniversary of Chapter.

   Creative ideas were discussed for inclusion during the Anniversary event. Inviting past presidents and members to the meeting was recommended. Local Planning Group chairs were encouraged to solicit ideas at local meetings. The meeting's planning is underway now and all ideas are welcomed!

10. Spring 1999 Meeting.

    Because of normally outstanding attendance, next Spring's meeting will be Austin. Ideas submitted for the meeting included practical advice on hiring and an overview of alternative career opportunities. Members were encouraged to generate more ideas and possible speakers at LPG meetings.

11. Texas Chapter Open House at National Conference in 1999.

    The reserved day and time will be the first Monday of the conference at 4:30 PM. Attendees are invited to show their Texas spirit! Ideas were generated for the open house included Texas accents on bandanas, stickers, and possible door prizes. Come prepared to Be Very Texan!

12. Southwest Regional Conference, Year 2000.

    This conference will take the place of the Spring 2000 meeting of the Texas Chapter. Supported by multiple state chapters in the Southwest and West, it will be in San Diego and titled "Ahead of the Curve." The Texas chapter has responsibility for programming.

Motion to adjourn was made by Ann Griffith. Tracy Williams seconded. Meeting was adjourned by Mike Zimmerman.

Respectfully submitted by
Susan Elam, Secretary
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Government Relations
Committee Report

By Erika Mittag, 3M

New GR person needed for Texas Chapter.

After many years as Government Relations Chair for the Texas Chapter, I have decided to relinquish this post and make way for some new blood to take over. I will continue in this position through the June 1999 publication of the LSL, but would like to hear from someone who would be interested in working with me over the next six months to insure a smooth transition. I'll be happy to forward a brief description of how I've been handling the position to anyone requesting it. Please contact me via e-mail at ecmittag@mmm.com or by phone at 512-984-3236.

Texas Legislative Day - February 23, 1999.

The Texas Library Association is again sponsoring a state legislative day to press library issues with our state elected representatives. I will be making visits to the legislators along with teams of librarians and library representatives on February 23rd. If you are interested in being part of the action, let me know. The Texas Chapter will continue our successful joint efforts (a la the Texas Book Festival) with the State Agency Librarians of Texas (SALT) and provide an information booth for the evening reception, which is attended by legislators and staffers. Issues this year include Expansion of TexShare Services, Direct Aid for Public Libraries, Public Library Membership in TexShare, Amending the Library Districts Law, Per Pupil Funding for School Library Materials, and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Budget Request. For more detailed information on these issues, please visit the TLA government affairs web site at http://www.txla.org/html/govt_aff.html

Wrap up of 105th Congress.

The ALA Washington Office Newsletter created an excellent summary of the library-related issues and their fate in their November 9th issue (http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon/alwn7139.html). Copyright issues received some action, although the controversial Database Protection bill was dropped. Internet issues included dropping the requirement for filtering software by recipients of e-rate grants, enactment of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and the Child Online Protection Act, as well as a 3 year moratorium on taxing internet transactions. A variety of library and reading program funding bills were included in the massive last day bill as well as funding for next generation internet research. Unfortunately, reform of Title 44, which would have enhanced access to government documents through the Federal Depository Library Program, did not pass despite valiant efforts on the part of supporters. Library postal rates will rise a modest 3.6% in January rather than the more than 25% increase originally proposed by the Postal Service.

Copyright and Distance Education.

The first round of comments regarding copyright issues surrounding distance education are due to the Register of Copyrights by December 10. This initial round seeks to identify potential key players and highlight the issues that need to be addressed in this arena. The copyright section of the omnibus bill passed on the last day of the regular session mandated a two year study be undertaken to determine impact and recommend additional legislation or regulation concerning copyright and distance education. Stay tuned for more.

Child Online Protection Act.

This act has not been implemented yet due to yet another temporary restraining order based in a suit by the ACLU and others. The basis of the suit is that the new law doesn't correct the deficiencies noted by the Supreme Court when it struck down the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Again, stay tuned as this progresses through the courts.

Public Domain asserted for Court Opinions.

On November 3, the 2nd US District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Hyperlaw, Inc., in its suit against West Publishing regarding copyright of court opinions. The step by step history of the case is available at http://www.hyperlaw.com/hlvwest.htm. This case is an example of the type of situation that could be covered if the Database Protection bill had been enacted, i.e. West Publishing could claim infringement of copyright by Hyperlaw for their CD-ROM publication of court opinions. Some members of Congress have said they will renew this legislation in the upcoming session.

Uniform Commercial Code Article 2B.

This section of the UCC (which is often adopted by states without modification) addresses the issue of licenses, particularly shrinkwrap licenses for software products. A number of advocacy groups, including ALA, AALL, ARL and SLA as well as consumer protection groups, are opposed to the current draft of the code which weighs the rights and protections heavily on the side of the publisher/producer and does little to protect the rights of consumers, particularly when the consumer is unable to read the terms of the license until the sale is already made. An open meeting was held in early November with comments on the August draft, however, attendees felt that many issues raised were not addressed or not addressed adequately by the committee. The official site of the committee transactions is: http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/ulc.htm#ucc2b.

That's all for now. There's never enough time or space to address all of the issues. Your thoughts, comments, suggestions are welcome as always. For further information, try the following web sites:

http://www.sla.org/govt/ for SLA Government Relations info

http://www.ala.org/washoff/ for ALA's Washington Office

http://www.dfc.org/ for the Digital Futures Coalition info

http://www.txla.org/html/govt_aff.html for Texas Library Association Government Affairs

http://www.acm.org/usacm/ for the Association for Computing US public policy committee - especially privacy and cryptography issues

http://www.epic.org/alert/ for Electronic Privacy Information Center alerts again focusing on privacy and cryptography issues.

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Texas Chapter - SLA Executive Board
& Advisory Council 1998/99 [As of December 98]

Executive Board President Michael Zimmerman Library Administrator Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas 2200 North Pearl Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 922-5219 - v (214) 922-5222 - fax mike.c.zimmerman@dal.frb.org 1st Vice Pres/Pres-Elect OPEN Interim 1st VP is Dell Johnson 2nd Vice President Dell Johnson Sr. Research Analyst SEMATECH 2706 Montopolis Austin, TX 78741 (512) 356-7626 - v (512) 356-7118 - fax dell.johnson@sematech.org 2nd Vice President-Elect Ann Griffith Sr. Information Specialist Nortel Networks 2201 Lakeside Blvd. MS 99203A51 Richardson, TX 75082 (972) 684-5688 - v (972) 684-3742 - fax anng@nortelnetworks.com Secretary Susan Elam Info. Prof. Support Grp Lexis-Nexis 500 N. Akard St. Suite 1950 Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 220-7352 - v (214) 220-7300 - fax susan.elam@lexis-nexis.com Treasurer Blaise Turney Deloitte & Touche 2200 Ross Ave. Suite 1600 Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 777-7045 - v (214) 777-7050 - fax bturney@dttus.com Past-President/Operations Margaret Carroll Librarian Microsoft Corp. 1212 Corporate Dr. Irving, TX 75038 (972) 756-7778 - v (972) 753-6113 - fax mcarroll@microsoft.com Advisory Council Ad Mgr./Vendor Liaison Julie Patrick Taylor & Co. 201 Main St. Suite 3300 Ft. Worth, TX 76012 (817) 338-2043 - v (817) 339-7194 - fax patrick@barbnet.com Affirmative Action Liaison Irene Cordova Bell Helicopter LOG OPS Library PLT1 DPT 82 PO Box 42 Ft. Worth, TX 76101-0482 (817) 280-6726 - v (817) 280-6473 - fax Bylaws Chair Carolyn Ernst Vice President - Consulting F1 Services 10290 Monroe, Suite 208 Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 353-0031 or (800) 838-2990 - v (214) 353-0663 - fax flsrvcs@ix.netcom.com

Archivist Mindy F. Klein Exxon Prod. Research Co. PO Box 2189 Houston, TX 77252-2189 (713) 966-6171 - v (713) 965-4157 - fax dmklein@hti.net Consultation Chair Karen Deakin Information Specialist 918 Kipling St. Houston, Texas 77006 (713) 520-1347 - v deakin@neosoft.com Employment Chair Ann Spoth Electronic Data Systems (EDS) 5400 Legacy Dr. MS-B5-1B-02 Plano, TX 75024 (972) 604-3898 - v (972) 604-7997 - fax ann.spoth@exsc01.exch.eds.com Government Relations Chair Erika Mittag Supervisor 3M Austin Info. Services 6801 River Place Blvd. Austin, TX 78726 (512) 984-3236 - v (512) 984-3237 - fax ecmittag@mmm.com International Relations Chair OPEN Local Planning Groups Austin Mary Wolcott Librarian UT Austin Dev. Office PO Box 7458 Austin, TX 78713-7458 (512) 475-9644 -v (512) 232-2310 - fax mwolcott@mail.utexas.edu Dallas/Ft. Worth Chris Dobson, Pres. F1 Services 10290 Monroe, Suite 208 Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 353-0031 or (800) 838-2990 - v (214) 353-0663 - fax f1srvcs@ix.netcom.com Houston Tracy Williams LEXIS-NEXIS 1100 Louisiana, Ste. 1212 Houston, TX 77002 713-856-6444 - v 713-646-1500 - fax tracy.williams@lexis-nexis.com San Antonio Mary Smith Forman Director of Library Services USAA Research 9800 Fredericksburg Road San Antonio, TX 78288-2801 210-498-1524 - v 210-498-4776 - fax mary.forman@usaa.com Membership Chair Denise Chochrek Mgr of Info Research Taylor & Co. 201 Main St. Suite 3300 Ft. Worth, TX 76102 (817) 338-2024 - v (817) 339-7194 - fax chochrek@barbnet.com

Networking Chair Marie Bloechle Webmaster 165 N. Woodland Trail Double Oak, TX 75077 (817) 491-3658 - v bloechle@mindspring.com Nominations Committee Chair Peggy Shaw Rice University Jones Graduate School PO Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251 (713) 527-6062 - v (713) 285-5251 - fax pshaw@rice.edu Others: OPEN Parliamentarian Margaret A. Aycock Librarian: Gulf Coast Environmental Library Lamar University PO Box 10671 Beaumont, TX 77710-0671 (409) 880-8897 - v aycock@library.lamar.edu Procedures Chair Ernestine Chipman Ernst & Young 2121 San Jacinto Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 969-8624 - v (214) 969 - 9702 - fax ernestine.chipman@ey.com Public Relations Chair Renee Daulong Information Resource Services, Inc. PO Box 200563 Austin, TX 78720-0563 (512) 320-8354 - v (512) 320-8841 - fax radulong@librarianoncall.com Strategic Planning Chair Paula Day Information Specialist McKinsey & Company 2200 Ross Ave. Suite 5200 Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 665-1212 - v (214) 665-1607 - fax paula_day@mckinsey.com Student Liaisons Denton JJ Whitaker Ericsson EUS Library 740 E Campbell MP-9 Richardson, TX 75081 (972) 583-0244 - v (972) 583-1871 - fax jj.whitaker@ericsson.com Austin Valerie (Val) Magno Librarian Motorola 3501 Ed Bluestein Blvd. Austin, TX 78721 (512) 933-6089 - v (512) 933-5993 - fax ra5871@email.sps.mot.com Houston Sasha Gilbert Information Specialist APQC 123 N. Post Oak Ln. 3rd Fl. Houston, TX 77024 (713)685-4659 - v (713)681-1182 - fax sgilbert@apqc.org

January 21-26, 1999 - SLA 1999 Winter Meeting and Winter Education Conference, San Francisco, CA see http://www.sla.org/professional/wintmeet.html for information

April 11-12, 1999 - SLA Texas Chapter Spring Meeting, check the Chapter Web site and discussion list for forthcoming information

April 20-23, 1999 - Texas Library Association Conference, Dallas, Texas, see http://www.txla.org for information

June 5-10, 1999 - SLA Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, see http://www.sla.org/conf/99conf/index.html for information

The Lone Star Librarian, a quarterly newsletter [ISSN 0739-4950], is the official publication of the Texas Chapter of the Special Libraries Association.

The contents or articles and editorials are not to be considered as being or representing the official position of the Texas Chapter. The Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for statements and opinions advanced by the contributors to the Association's publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official position of the SLA. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement of the product by the Chapter or the Association.

Address inquiries to: Texas Chapter, Special Libraries Association, c/o 5200 Meadowcreek Ste. 1134, Dallas, TX 75248-4024. Address manuscripts, comments, notices, etc. to the Publications Committee. Inquiries for advertising rates and advertising orders should be addressed to the Advertising Manager or Editor. Texas Chapter SLA members automatically receive subscriptions to the Lone Star Librarian. Portions of the Lone Start Librarian are on the web at URL http://www.sla.org/chapter/ctx.

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