Molly White
mwhite@mail.utexas.edu

One of the great things about being chair is the responsibility (or excuse) to touch base with so many members of our community. There is always positive feedback about PAM and PAMnet and what a great organization we have. I've heard this from many past chairs and frankly thought it was hyperbole, but it's really true. People really do say great things about our group.

Meanwhile, the SLA planning machinery moves on, and the Philadelphia conference is taking shape. PAM roundtable planners will be asking for your input, so please send them your suggestions and burning issues. The roundtables are unique opportunities to air and discuss the things that shape our professional lives. The all-conference keynote will be Terry Gross of NPR conducting a live interview before the audience. The PAM Division will have a program on the history of women in science, and will be participating in an all-science reception at the Seaport Museum. More details later, but we hope many of you are planning to come to Philadelphia.

Thanks to the efforts of the Professional Development Committee, led by Michael Leach, the PAM Division will be sponsoring its first-ever Continuing Education course. The course is Licensing Electronic Journals, taught by Trisha Davis of Ohio State University, who is an experienced presenter on the topic. The course will be offered on Thursday, June 15, 2000, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., so plan on signing up when the time comes to do so if this appeals to you. The PAM CE course has been in the wings for some time, and we are excited to see the planning effort come to fruition. The course is open to any SLA member.

Sarah Stevens-Rayburn has activated the liaisons' task force, and we are pleased that several publishers have requested official PAM liaisons as a result. By the time this Bulletin is published, there will be a total of three new PAM liaison relationships. I think this is wonderful progress towards our goal of strengthening communications and relations with publishers and services in our subject areas.

Please watch for SLA elections materials which will be mailed to you in the new year. Longtime PAM member David Stern is a candidate for an elected position - Director - on the SLA Board of Directors. We are proud to have a member nominated, and I'm sure David's candidacy will raise our level of awareness and involvement in the voting process.

As time marches on, rolling towards that great divide - the crossover into the next decade/ century/ millennium - I hope your Y2K troubles are few, and that your transition to the new year is painless and smooth.