Greetings
from the ChairTo my great surprise, it’s April already, and the Nashville Conference is just two months away. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since the New York conference (and my occasional attempts to make eye contact with Hugh Jackman from my balcony seat at the 2003 Tony Awards!)
It’s been a very busy, challenging and eventful year, as our merger with Geography and Map was finalized in October and our other three sections, Public Policy, Nonprofit Sector, and International Relations, all continued to expand. Each section now has more than fifty members, and we hope to see them grow and become more dynamic in the year ahead. Our session programming for Nashville is varied and reflective of the diverse interests that make up our division. And as usual we have our open house with the Education and Museums, Arts, and Humanities divisions on Sunday evening. This is a wonderful way to meet division members you might not see otherwise and to network and form alliances with new colleagues. Wonderful ideas can come from casual meetings over wine or chocolate!
I am very grateful for the opportunity afforded me by the division to participate in its governance during the past year. It has been a marvelous learning experience as well as a chance to appreciate all the hard work that goes on at every level. There are many wonderful people in our division, and it begins with our own board members, both executive and advisory. Thank you all for your assistance this year; everyone contributed in so many ways. The phrase “behind the scenes” originated because it isn’t always easy to see from the outside all the work that is involved in making an undertaking a successful one. However, it takes time and effort to chair a section, monitor a discussion list, organize archives, or sit on a committee. Most especially, Heidi Yacker and Greta Ober devoted large chunks of their time to making our web site and bulletin so outstanding; Iris Anderson worked tirelessly on planning our conference programs; and Hetty Barthel expanded our coffers with conference fund-raising. To say a simple thank-you to executive board members Ann Sweeney, Nancy Minter, and Heidi Yacker seems very inadequate for all the help and advice they’ve provided.
Truly, the rewards for getting involved in division activities are many. I urge everyone to consider volunteering on a section or division level, even if it’s simply sharing ideas. Our section leaders want to know your thoughts and professional concerns: nonprofit librarians have unique interests from both ends of the philanthropic spectrum; government and national institute librarians work daily with different aspects of public policy; geographic and map librarianship is a specialty with its own set of expected competencies to meet the needs of scientific and demographic research; and the demands on librarians working with international affairs grow with each day as the world becomes more global. DSOC has a lot to offer, but member involvement is the key to its success. Our discussion list, which is so ably managed by Linda Richer, is there to promote information sharing. Even if it’s a question regarding a narrow section interest, fire away; you never know who else is out there to contribute to and/or profit from the discussion.
Once again, thank you all for your
good will this year, sometimes expressed in e-mails that were very much appreciated.
I hope to see as many of you as possible in Nashville in a couple of months.
And one special note to Nancy Minter, our incoming chair: The first thing I’m
packing is the gavel!
Beth
Hansen, Chair
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Social
Science Division Executive Board Nominations
May 2004
The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the following nomination for Chair-Elect/Chair, 2004-2006:
Linda
S. Richer
Librarian
W. E. Upjohn Institute Library
300 South Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4686
(269) 343 5541 Fax: (269) 343-3308
E-mail: richer@upjohninstitut.org
As Chair-Elect and Chair, Linda no doubt will handle her duties as efficiently and effortlessly as she has the Social Science Division’s discussion list since 2002. Though only a Division member since 2000, Linda has already served as an Annual Conference speaker and DSOC Finance Committee member.
Linda is also a member of the Labor Issues Caucus, the Conference of Industrial Relations Librarians, and the American Library Association.
Prior to assuming her position at the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in 1998, Linda worked in academic libraries for 16 years: Oberlin College, Cleveland Institute of Music, Pennsylvania State University, and Goshen College.
Linda holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Goshen College, a Master of Arts Degree in Music History from San Francisco State University, and her MLS from the University of Michigan.
Linda’s enthusiastic commitment to the Social Science Division at this dynamic juncture is stellar.
Respectfully submitted,
2004
Nominating Committee:
Ann R. Sweeney
Hetty Barthel
Lyle Minter
Joe Hovish
BACK
TO TOP
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After five years, the time has come to tell our division bylaws an official goodbye. Having served us well ever since their last revision in 1999, they now bite the dust for good. The new chapter and division governing documents, revised and approved by the SLA Board of Directors at January’s Leadership Summit, became effective in February 2004. These brief documents, which can be customized as needed for each chapter and division, are intended to coordinate and streamline unit governance, and will operate in conjunction with SLA’s new recommended practices document. This latter document will also be customized according to each division’s unique unit procedures.
We all remember high school essays beginning with “compare and contrast,” and that’s as good a description as any for the task that lies ahead. Our old bylaws and our existing procedures manual will be studied closely, and their operating requirements will be revised or incorporated within the framework of the new documents. A committee of four has been appointed to oversee this project: past chairs Hetty Barthel and Ann Sweeney, incoming chair Nancy Minter, and current chair Beth Hansen. Every aspect of our past operating procedures will be studied carefully in order to ensure that all division requirements for a smooth operation remain intact and meet the new SLA directives.
After this project has been completed, the new governing document will be sent to SLA for association approval and subsequently placed on our division web site. We hope to have the final result of these labors posted sometime during the summer months. In the meantime, the pencils are out and --- let the scribbling begin!
By late Sunday afternoon on June 6th, hopefully, you have checked into your hotel room, unpacked and relaxed a bit. It’s time to get out and socialize, I mean network!
First stop is business,
of course. Join us at the Social Science Division’s first Board Meeting
in Nashville. We will convene in Room Jackson C, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
All division members who would like to become more involved in activities and
planning are invited to attend. Past year's activities and upcoming conference
events will be reviewed. Dutch-treat dinner at a local restaurant will follow
the meeting, most likely....
Second stop is taking the Opryland shuttle bus or other transport to the Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville for the All Sciences Reception! This is a ticketed event, so please register in advance. For a mere $15. you receive entry, two drinks, music and dance lessons from 8:30 to 11:30 pm! Join your SLA colleagues from the following divisions: Science & Technology; Biomedical & Life Sciences; Engineering; Food Agriculture & Nutrition; Social Science; Transportation and the Kentucky Chapter. Wow!
However, pull yourself
away early to get to:
Third stop is for dessert. Yes, ice cream and cookies will be served at the
DSOC’s joint Open House with Museum Arts and Humanities Division and the
Education Division in Room Canal C from 9:00 to 11:00 pm. Time to cool off,
unwind and relax!
Bonus for following this program: You have only 17, out of 25, Divisions left with which to network during the conference!
Iris
Anderson,
DSOC Program Planner
A special program awaits
you on Tuesday, June 8th from 3:45 – 5:00 pm, Room Canal B. Hear three
highly experienced information managers talk about their career responsibilities
in The Three Pillars: Managing Your Library, Archives, and Records. Susan Fifer-Canby,
Vice President at National Geographic, will speak about how she merged three
divisions into one. In the process, her group supports the editorial and business
staff and partners of the National Geographic Society with a staff of 26 librarians,
archivists, records managers, and indexers. They also support the Intranet/Portal
Team at National Geographic. Pamela Tripp-Melby, Chief of the Information Services
Division at the International Monetary Fund, manages the Joint World Bank-International
Monetary Fund Library as well as the IMF Archives and internal IMF Records Management.
Library staff are actively supporting the IMF and World Bank Intranet/Portal
teams. In her talk, she will explore strategic reasons for merging external
and internal information within an organization and how this benefits end-users.
Kevin Manion is Associate Director of the Strategic Planning and Information
Services Department at Consumers Union in New York. They are publishers of the
acclaimed Consumer Reports Magazine. Kevin’s responsibilities include
research coordination and oversight, administering the corporate records program
and overseeing the archives at Consumers Union. His staff has over 20 members
including a three member management team that supports all the research needs
of the organization.
After the Three Pillars program, the Retired Members Caucus (KRET) of SLA will
hold a short meeting and reception to which all guests are invited. Join us
for a memorable afternoon!
Iris Anderson, Program Planner and Moderator for this session.
For a complete listing of our programs, go to http://www.sla.org/division/dsoc/Conference%20Archive/2004programs.html
And if you'd like to re-read the minutes of the last business meeting as you prepare to attend this year's business meeting on Monday, June 7 at 7:30, go to http://www.sla.org/division/dsoc/Minutes/minutes030609.htm
Learn About Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) at SLA in Nashville through Geography and Map Section
Programs!
On Sunday, June 6th, the
G & M section will offer a continuing education course on GIS taught by
Angela Lee from ESRI
(Environmental Systems Research Institute) along with two G & M members,
Anita Oser and Jim Gillispie. No previous
knowledge of GIS software is necessary to take the course. It is designed to
provide basic GIS concepts, but also give
participants the opportunity to gain hands-on experience using the ArcView software
to make maps. If you're wondering
what GIS is all about, this course is for you. In addition, on Wednesday, June
9 from 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM, the G & M Section
is offering a panel presentation/discussion on how to begin GIS services in
a special library. The three panel members,
Anita Oser, Jim Gillispie and Linda Zellmer, all have direct experience with
starting GIS services in libraries. Come and
learn about the hardware and software needed for GIS as well as staff training
and working with users. If you've ever thought about
including GIS in your library, this program will help you understand how to
go about it and the pitfalls to avoid.
The G & M Government
Mapping Update on Tuesday, June 8 from 9:00 - 10:15 AM, features information
on Tennessee
state and city offices that deal with geographic information in many formats.
Dr. Peter Lemiszki from the Geology Division of the
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will speak on "The
Tennessee Division of Geology: Past & Future."
Kim H. McDonough from the city of Nashville Metropolitan Planning Department
will speak on how Nashville uses GIS in city
government functions.
The Mary Murphy Contributed Papers Session on Monday, June 7 from 2:00 - 3:15
PM will offer presentations by Linda Zellmer,
Head of the Geology Library at Indiana University, and by David McQuillan, Head
of the Map Library at the University of
South Carolina. Linda will speak on Homeland Security and Spatial Data, and
David will speak on Geography and Map activities
at the IFLA meeting in Berlin. On Wednesday afternoon, June 9 from 1:15 - 2:30
PM, Kelly Blessinger from Louisiana State
University will speak as a part of the Division program on Best Social Science
Web Sites. Kelly will cover best geography web
sites, along with speakers on demography and immigration web sites.
The Geography and Map section will also have a business meeting on Monday afternoon,
June 7 from 3:45 - 5:00 PM.
The agenda will include discussion of the G & M archives, as well as programming
for the Toronto conference. Along with
continuing education courses and programs, take time to have some fun and meet
friends and colleagues. Join in the
All Sciences Reception (ticketed event) on Sunday evening at the Wildhorse Saloon,
the joint open house Sunday evening
from 9:00 - 11:00 pm and International Reception on Monday, June 7 from 5:00
- 7:00 PM.
Nashville promises to be an educational, fun and exciting conference! See you
there!
Vanette Schwartz,
Chair, Geography & Map Section. vmschwa@ilstu.edu
The International Relations Section of the Social Science Division is in its first year as a section, and membership is now at 56. Prior to this year it existed as the International Relations/Peace and Conflict Management Roundtable. The focus of both the section and the roundtable has been on international affairs, foreign relations, economic development, and peace and conflict management.
The International Relations Section always sponsors at least one program at the Annual Meeting. Nashville will mark the fourth year in a very popular series, “One-Dot Shopping: Best International Business Websites.” The presentations are on doing business in the countries of choice, based on sources of country statistics, news, company, industry, and “fun” Web sites. This year’s speakers are Sylvia James, Terese Terry , and Jen Venable who will cover the United Kingdom, China, and India, respectively. The program will take place on Tuesday, June 8, at 9:00 A.M.
International Relations Section members are also encouraged to attend the International Reception, which is sponsored by Factiva and organized by three SLA groups: Social Science Division, the European Chapter, and the International Information Exchange Caucus. The moderator will be Ann Sweeney, past Chair of the Social Science Division. The Monday evening reception is open to all SLA attendees.
Historically, the International Relations Roundtable (now Section) has covered not only international business but also a range of other international topics. International programs sponsored by the Social Science Division have included the European Union Trans-European Network Program (1999), International Conflict Resolutions (2000), and Social Science Research from an International Perspective (2002). As we consider ideas for next year’s program in Toronto we need to decide whether to continue the “One-Dot Shopping” series and/or cover other topics that are of interest to the section.
Come to the Annual Meetings – and to our section programs – with ideas and suggestions for next year!
Karen Shaines, Chair, International Relations Section, kshaines@imf.org
Hello again. The rush is on to prepare for Nashville. I hope that I’ll get to meet many of you there. Looking over the program, there are lots of good sessions, including the Nonprofit Section’s very own Spotlight: The Best Social Sciences Websites, Part Two (Geography, Demography, Immigration), Wednesday, June 9th: 1:15-2:30 pm, in Canal A.
Kelly Blessinger from Louisiana State University will cover geography; Zuali Malsawma from the Population Reference Bureau will handle demography, and Elana Broch of Princeton University will guide us through immigration. I’ll be moderating and learning. My thanks go to Sage Publications for their sponsorship.
Another Nonprofit Section member (and Chair-elect of DSOC), Nancy Minter, will also be moderating a session, Let Us Save What Remains: Archiving as Though the Future Matters, Monday, June 7th: 2:00-4:00 pm, in the Governor’s Ballroom D.
Looking forward on the program front, we are already looking for ideas next year’s conference. Let me know if there are any programs you would like to see whether they are Best Social Science Website, Part Three related or other topics.
Program ideas or not, come to the Spotlight session or look me up at the one of the other Social Science Division gatherings. I’ll be at most of them.
Speaking of “look me up”, did you know that you can search and get a list of the Nonprofit Section’s members through the SLA Membership Directory http://www.sla.org/ecomm_phase1/member_search/WhosWhosearch.asp ?
Just use the drop down list under “Unit Membership”. Scroll way down past the Chapter and Division listings to the Section entries, and there we are. Leave the rest of the form blank; click on Search, and you’ll get a list of your Nonprofit Section colleagues. We’re currently 58 members and counting. (Hint: when you renew, remember to highlight the sections you wish to join.) The list of section members provides a way of getting in touch with your colleagues or simply finding out who they are.
As always, if you have
any ideas, questions, concerns, or comments about the Nonprofit Section, please
let me know,
Liz Green, Chair, Non-Profit
Section. lgreen@hewlett.org
Greetings all. There has been little activity for this new section this year but I am going to attempt to change that this coming year. As you may know, SLA has created “Communities of Practice” for like minded librarians and information professionals to share information and ideas. I have requested a COP be set up for our Section and once it has been approved I will try and market the group to SLA members regardless of Division affiliation. You can check for it here http://cop.sla.org/COP/. It does require your SLA log in and password so is limited to SLA members. Through this COP there will be areas for News, Links, Community Resources & Best Practices and Community Discussions. I am hoping that this community will develop into a sharing resource for everyone involved in this topic of interest.
Please take a moment to subscribe for this COP and please let me know your thoughts on what else the Section can be doing for you.
Ailya Rose, Chair, Pulbic Policy Section. speciallibrarian@mindspring.com
U.S.
Blue Pages
http://www.usbluepages.gov/gsabluepages/default.aspx
You can search the federal government's U.S. Blue Pages for directories of offices within federal departments and agencies. You can also search for phone numbers of individual federal employees. Searching capabilities include:
========================================================================================
Federal Register
Alerting Service
You can receive daily email copies of the table of contents of the Federal Register. Sign up for this alerting service and keep up to date on the new regulations.
http://listserv.access.gpo.gov/
(Click on the FEDREGTOC-L link).
SLA MOVES TO ALEXANDRIA (VA)
Washington, D.C., April 22, 2004— The Special Libraries Association (SLA) will relocate its international headquarters to Alexandria, Virginia, from Washington, DC. The move is projected to occur over the weekend of May 8-9.
The new 15,000 square-foot, state of the art facility features:
“The move to Alexandria represents a milestone in the Association’s long and proud history,” noted SLA Executive Director Janice R. Lachance. “Our new headquarters will serve as a tremendous resource to our staff, board of directors, members and the Association community at large. I'm pleased that SLA and other associations have recognized Alexandria as prime location for businesses.”
The SLA Web site will be offline during the move.
Questions or concerns should be directed to SLA staff by telephone to 1-202-234-4700.
The new SLA Headquarters is located at:
331 South Patrick Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Since 1985, SLA has been headquartered in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC. Prior to 1985, the Association was located in New York City.
==========================================================
SLA 2004 Annual
Conference
The 95th Annual Conference will be held in the music city of, Nashville. Visit the Nashville site (http://www.sla.org/nashville2004) for information on hotel and travel, copies of Nashville logos and much more.
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Career
Development Series
The Influential Networker:
Networking to Get Things Done
May 5, 2004
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Donna
Scheeder is currently the Deputy Assistant Director for Information
Research, Congressional Research Service, U.S. Library of Congress. In that
capacity Donna provides leadership for the provision of a wide range of information
services to the U.S. Congress.
This seminar will
explore the creation of a network assessment. Discover how to grow and maintain
your networks and develop cross-network networking. Learn how to identify decision-making
processes that will achieve success. Explore the creation a power map of your
organization, and discuss how to build alliances avoid behaviors that undermines
trust and weakens your ability to influence others.
Critical learning questions:
1. How do I build
and grow my networks?
2. How do I maximize the use of my contacts?
3. What is influence and how do I get and keep it?
4. What strategies do I use to exercise influence in a decision-making process?
Complete Description & Pricing Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virtual
Learning Series
Web Design & Usability:
Tips, Techniques & Best Practices
May 19, 2004
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET
Darlene
Fichter,
Data Library Coordinator,
University of Saskatchewan
Building a value-driven library Web site is a mission-critical success factor for information professionals today. How do you know that your library site works and is easy to use? This seminar provides usability tests and techniques qualifying "user-focused" design. Explore real life examples of library navigation systems testing, virtual reference services assessment, and subject portal analysis. You’ll get take-home tips, exercises, examples and guidelines for carrying out your own testing and making your site better for users.
Complete Description & Pricing Information
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SLA
Vision, Mission, and Values
The SLA
Board of Directors recently adopted new Vision, Mission, and Values
statements. The statements are based on the values that shape and inspire
SLA's operations and clearly articulate its purpose and desired state of the
organization and are at the hub of the its strategic branding initiatives. "The
vision and mission statements bring a new perspective and focus to the way the
Association will be operated in the future," remarked SLA Executive Director
Janice R. Lachance. "Having these securely in place, we have taken a bold
step forward, positioning ourselves as a leading organization of global information
professionals who are interested in advancing their careers."
To view the Vision, Mission and Core Values, please click here: http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/index.cfm