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Greetings
from the ChairHello, everyone, and welcome to 2004 and another year of exciting division activities! Plans are already afoot to bring you an energizing and informative conference in Nashville this June. But first, I’d like to report that, as expected, our merger with the Geography and Map Division was approved by the SLA Board in October and is therefore official. Geography and Map is now the fourth and largest section of the Social Science Division. G&M’s four programs for the Annual Conference diversify our programming beautifully and should be of special interest to those of our members involved in demographics or urban planning. They include two sessions on Geographic Information Systems as well as one on the archiving of geographic data and a joint one with the Science and Technology Division on information resources.
Our sections continue to grow and as they become a year old we hope more division members will avail themselves of the opportunity to work with and through them to provide programming and networking experiences that are especially relevant to members with vital interests in those areas. If you have ideas or subjects you would like to see addressed please do not hesitate to contact that section’s chairperson or me. Our International Relations section is currently chaired by Karen Shaines, the Public Policy Section by Ailya Rose, the Nonprofit Sector by Elisabeth Green, and the Geography and Map Section by Vanette Schwartz. You can find their remarks elsewhere in this issue of the bulletin.
As you may already know, the October board meeting also formalized SLA’s new Vision, Mission, and Core Value Statements. (You can find them at http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/index.cfm. These are the basic principles of the organization and form the bedrock for the new governing documents that became effective on February 1, 2004. The governing documents supersede the division bylaws and are to be customized for each division according to its own needs.
The Leadership Summit in Albuquerque was an informative and lively affair. (See chair-elect Nancy Minter’s article.) The branding issue continues as SLA works on positioning itself as the leading international association for all information professionals. (Next time you visit the newly revamped web site, take a look at all the flags at the bottom of the first page---did you know you could access SLA information in twelve different languages?)
So now it’s time to look toward 2004 as a chance to build - individually, as a division, and as an association. Check our web site, think about joining a section if you haven’t already, and consider contributing ideas or volunteering time. You never know where it might lead. Also, I would like to extend hearty congratulations both to Lyle Minter for his recent selection as an SLA Fellow and to Kenlee Ray for receiving the SLA Membership Achievement Award. Both honors are very well deserved!
For those of us in this hemisphere, winter is still here, so think about bright weather, fine music, and stimulating professional sessions just four months from now in Nashville. Hope to see you there!
Beth Hansen, Chair
For
he's a jolly good fellow! Our own Lyle Minter was named Fellow of the Special
Libraries Association at the Leadership Summit in Albuquerque in January. This
honor was awarded him in recognition of his leadership in the field of special
librarianship and for his outstanding contributions and expected future service
to the Association.
Lyle, who served as our Social Science Division Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair from 2000-2003, has also been very active in the Association, where he's been a member since 1988. He began his leadership activities in 1992 when he became a member of the Teller Committee, becoming the Chair from 1994-1995. He moved on to the Finance Committee and the Nominating Committee, and currently serves on the Bylaws Committee.
He's a member of the Virginia Chapter, but is a mover and shaker in the Washington, DC, Chapter. There he served on the Nominating and Awards Committees and was Vice President and President.
It's hard to think how he has time for paid work, but he's the Head of the Government Publications and Periodicals Section of the Serials and Government Publications Division at the Library of Congress.
We're all very proud to work with Lyle -- he's always there to lend a hand or advice. We offer our heartiest congratulations at this well-deserved recognition.
This year's SLA Member Achievement Award was presented to Social Science Division member Kenlee Ray. The award acknowledges a member of SLA who raises the visibility and public awareness of, and appreciation for, the profession and/or the Association. Kenlee has certainly done that!
In spring of 2002 the DC Chapter established a community outreach project which aims to tap the resources and skills of its members to enrich and provide support for a library or media center serving a local school or neighborhood. Kenlee and other Outreach Committee members visited schools which had been nominated for the project, settling on John Philip Sousa Middle School in a predominantly low-income area of southeast Washington, DC. Sousa has 400 students in grades 6 through 8. Ninety-nine percent of the students are African American. The Sousa Library's collection had very old books, most with copyright dates ranging from 1967 to 1975. The library had one computer and one printer. It had Follett software which the school system purchased for all the libraries but it wasn't operational. Due to budgetary constraints, the school opted to have a part-time librarian.
Kenlee organized volunteers who weeded the collection and started to catalog it online, getting all the new books entered plus most of the fiction and bios. They raised funds for purchase of new materials to complement those donated by local SLA members. The bulk of the donations were from individuals, but some donations also came from member institutions. Since the Sousa library usually receives from zero to $500 from the local school budget each year, DC/SLA contributions and donations made a noticeable difference.
In addition to the well-deserved award, Kenlee certainly deserves our admiration. Congratulations!
I think that the Winter Conference, now called the Leadership Summit, had to change its name because of all the hot things that always go on! This year there were several hot and exciting things I just have to share.
1) Awards. This is the time when we all learn who has won and will be so honored at the Annual Conference. DSOC has much of which to be proud!
Donna Scheeder is the winner of the John Cotton Dana Award;
Kenlee Ray is the winner of the Member Achievement Award;Lyle Minter has been named a Fellow of SLA.
2) Keynote speaker. In my eight or so times of attending the winter meeting, I believe this is the first keynote speaker I've experienced, but the wait was more than worth it. The speaker was Ann Rhoades, PRES (Person Responsible for Extraordinary Service), PeopleInk. What a super, positive, upbeat woman! This was one of the best sessions I've ever attended at an SLA conference of any type. Formerly associated with SouthWest Airlines and JetBlue Airlines, she embraces two main themes: "find a way to yes" and "become a people-focused organization." I only wish she'd been on my flight home on Sunday night as we fled Albuquerque, via Dallas, to a snowy Dulles.
3) Communities of Practice. This is a new customization for chapter and division member input into the SLA virtual existence. Facilitators are sought for each COP, and more COPs can be set up as needed. You can see COPs at: http://cop.sla.org/COP/. SLA's Communities of Practice is an online member interaction tool designed with members' needs in mind: up-to-date industry news, links to helpful resources, and, most importantly, solutions and ideas from peers.
4) SLA Website. As you may have heard by now, SLA has updated its website (http://www.sla.org). It was previewed at the Albuquerque meeting, so check it out - it's cleaner, leaner, and easier to use.
5) The name thing.
No, we didn't again raise the issue of a name change. Rather, President-Elect
Ethel Salonen brought forth the idea of having the Board vote on a DBA resolution
that would allow the Association to "Do Business As" SLA and not identify
with the entire name "Special Libraries Association." The movement
did not propose using SLA as the DBA but the discussion indicated this would
be the preferred DBA name. After a lengthy and somewhat heated discussion in
Joint Division - Chapter Cabinet about the
suggestion, the Board did vote on Saturday to adopt this resolution. So, when
someone asks you what the heck SLA stands for, what should you say? I loved
Ethel's statement: "a global organization for innovative information professionals
and their strategic partners." This action does not change the name of
the association nor does it preclude any future action in this direction. As
name change proponents have said for a few years, the term "special library"
has no real meaning outside of North America. With SLA's efforts to recruit
members internationally, and with domestic efforts to broaden membership to
include info professionals not necessarily working in libraries, this may allow
us to keep our options open until we are ready to reconsider our naming and
branding preferences.
6)Candidate speeches.
It is always interesting and informative to hear what the candidates have to
say to us all. We have three DSOC members seeking Association office: Daille
Pettit is running for President-Elect, and Lyle Minter and Dee Mangoni are running
for Director. Bios are on the SLA website and in the January Information Outlook.
You can read the candidate speeches
at: http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/governance/bodsection/04bodcand.cfm.
Remember to return your ballots by March 8 to make your opinion count!
In between all these great training sessions and decision-making meetings, we had plenty of opportunities to network, to attend a fiesta on the Rio Grande held at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and to dine at some of Albuquerque's finest restaurants. Margaritas and bottled water were the beverages of choice most evenings and many of us managed to slip up to Santa Fe to sample other types of New Mexican culture before heading home to bring our new enthusiasm back to work.
-- Nancy Minter, Chair-Elect
Don't forget to support our members in the upcoming elections!
Daille
Pettit, runnng for President-Elect of SLA, served as our government relations
chair from 1995-1997. She's been very active in the Washington, DC, chapter
and in the Association. See a copy of her resume at http://www.sla.org/pdfs/petitresume.pdf
and her candidate's speech at http://www.sla.org/Documents/boarddocs/CandidateSpeechs/PettitSp.htm.
Dee
Magnoni, candidate for Director, is a member of the Boston Chapter. She's been
an active SLA member. Check out her resume at http://www.sla.org/pdfs/magnoniresume.pdf
and her candidate's speech at http://www.sla.org/Documents/boarddocs/CandidateSpeechs/MagnoniSp.htmLyle
Minter, candidate for Director, has been an active member of the Social Science
Division. He served as our Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair from 2000 to 2003.
He's also been involved with the Washington, DC, chapter and with the Association.
See his resume at http://www.sla.org/pdfs/minterresume.pdf
and his candidate's speech
at http://www.sla.org/Documents/boarddocs/CandidateSpeechs/MinterSp.htm
2004 marks the 90th anniversary
of the Public Affairs Information Service, a non-profit, New
York City-based publisher founded in 1914 by special librarians in the social
sciences. Since its inception, PAIS has been dedicated to providing better access
to the literature of public affairs—current issues and actions that affect
world communities, countries, people, and governments.
PAIS plans to mark this anniversary year in a variety of ways, most significantly
with the launch of a new retrospective database, the PAIS Archive, including
the complete content of the PAIS Annual Bulletin, 1915-1976. This new
database, together with the currently produced database PAIS International,
will make the entire 90-year publishing history of PAIS available electronically.
While PAIS's first Bulletin was published in 1914, the history of PAIS really
began as early as 1910, when, in the second issue of Special Libraries in February
1910, Honorary Editor Dr. John A. Lapp compiled a column of "Public Affairs
Notes and References."
Lapp (who later coined the Special Libraries Association slogan, Putting Knowledge
to Work®) was then Director of the Indiana Bureau of Legislative Information.
He and his fellow special librarians saw the need for a system for keeping themselves
informed “in regard to publications and movements of interest to them
in their work.”
Later that year, at the annual conference of the Special Libraries Association,
Lapp proposed publication of a public affairs index, and a committee was formed
to study the idea. The committee's report the next year, followed by a meeting
of interested librarians in June 1913, outlined the requirements for the proposed
service.
With the aid of a mimeograph machine and $25 annual contributions from 40 cooperating
libraries, Lapp's bureau had already begun compiling and distributing bibliographies
and digests contributed by libraries and compiled by his staff. Thanks to the
interest of publisher Halsey W. Wilson, the first weekly Bulletin of the
Public Affairs Information Service was printed and distributed by the H.W.
Wilson Company in October 1914.
For an annual subscription of $100, participating libraries received weekly Bulletins selectively listing recently published literature, arranged alphabetically by subject. The Bulletins were cumulated quarterly and in permanent annual volumes, which have become standard features of reference libraries worldwide. Materials indexed include monographs and book chapters, articles from the popular press and scholarly journals, grey literature, publications from organizations and associations, government documents, and English-language materials published in other countries.
The early volumes also
featured announcements of noteworthy events and movements, in addition to detailed
bibliographic information for published materials. The service set an early
standard of meticulous research, including heavy correspondence in order to
verify publication details. For the first several years, PAIS also served as
a clearinghouse through which libraries could order copies of much of the material
indexed, often for the cost of copying.
The PAIS editorial staff operated out of the H.W. Wilson offices (initially
at no charge) until 1919, when PAIS moved to the Economics Division of the New
York Public Library, beginning an important relationship that continues to this
day. PAIS’s presence at NYPL gave the editors full access to all public
affairs materials collected by the library, as they were received. Also in 1919,
PAIS's Articles of Agreement were drafted by Librarian of Congress Herbert Pullman
and other prominent librarians.
PAIS has always operated as a non-profit. Significantly, the original $100 annual
print subscription price was never raised until 1974—after 59 years of
continuous publication. In 1954, PAIS’s non-profit status was reaffirmed
when the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York Education
Department granted PAIS an Absolute Charter.
In 1972, PAIS expanded its coverage to non-English language materials with the
debut of the Foreign Language Index as a separate publication. This Index was
the first PAIS publication to be produced with the aid of computers, and PAIS's
first online database service was offered soon thereafter.
Ninety years after its creation, the Public Affairs Information Service strives
to maintain its traditions while keeping pace with change. Today, the PAIS staff
consists of nine editors, (all librarians, as is the executive director) and
two editorial assistants, aided by a systems manager and a small administrative
staff.
Operating out of leased space in the New York Public Library Annex on West 43rd
Street in Manhattan, PAIS editors continue to select materials from NYPL Research
Libraries, while obtaining 50% of materials indexed directly from publishers.
Monographs that PAIS receives from publishers are donated to NYPL.
In 2000, PAIS merged with
OCLC, with the shared goals of furthering access to the world's information
and reducing library costs. PAIS is also guided by its own Editorial Advisory
Committee, representing the interests of librarians working at various types
of libraries around the world.
Over the years, PAIS’s scope of coverage has remained consistent, now
defined by 24 “Broad Topics,” including Administration of justice,
Economic conditions and policy, Human Rights, International relations, and Social
conditions and policy, with more than 7,000 headings used for subject indexing.
The PAIS Subject Headings are revised continuously, and early headings such
as "Rags" and “Saloons, Municipal" have given way to topics
such as “Globalization,” "Wireless Internet" and “Hip
hop.”
The PAIS International Database currently includes more than 520,000 records. In addition to the print formats traditionally indexed, PAIS International now includes Internet sites and electronic documents. Database records now feature abstracts, and links to full text from other databases (a feature available through selected database vendors). A printed version of the index, PAIS International in Print, is published monthly with quarterly and annual cumulations.
The PAIS editors also regularly produce "Hot Topics," detailed resource guides on subjects of current interest, available on the PAIS website, http://www.pais.org. PAIS’s no-cost electronic newsletter, PAIS Direct, is issued quarterly.
In 2000, PAIS began to
investigate the feasibility of creating a retrospective file, to include the
material published in the PAIS Annual Bulletin from 1915-1976, which
has never been available in electronic form. In 2003, PAIS began the conversion
of the Bulletins, and will launch the resulting PAIS Archive database
in the anniversary year of 2004.
Thanks to the consistency of PAIS's editorial standards and policies over the
years, the retrospective database will be well integrated with the current PAIS
International database, featuring most of the same access points and search
indexes. Following the initial launch, PAIS plans to update each PAIS Archive
record with subject headings from PAIS's current controlled vocabulary, while
retaining the original subject headings for the historic context they provide.
In 1916, PAIS founder John Lapp defined "the basic purpose of the special library, namely to put knowledge to work." After ninety years, PAIS continues to assist special librarians and others in fulfilling this purpose.
Amy Ryan
Associate Editor, PAIS Archive, OCLC PAIS
PAISArchive@oclc.org
Sources:
Collison, Robert. "Public Affairs Information Service, 1915-1975."
IFLA Journal, 1.3 (1975): 198-209.
Evans, Orrena Louise.
Preface, Public Affairs Information Service, Annual Cumulated Bulletin,
Vol. 1 (1915).
Special Libraries Association. "Historical Highlights." http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/AssnProfile/History/highlights.cfm
[cited January, 2004].
As more and more publications -- from periodicals to working papers to serials - are being digitized or simply "born digital," discussion is increasingly focused on how to ensure long-term access to these non-print materials. Can beneficial and effective models for archiving be developed that balance the rights of publishers, the responsibilities of librarians, and the needs of scholars and other users? This session will look at some exciting and promising new efforts underway to meet this challenge.
Corporate Sponsor: EBSCO
Information Services
Speakers: Carol MacAdam & Eileen Fenton - JSTOR; Gary Coker – EBSCO
Information Services; Tracy Westen -- USC's Center for Governmental Studies;
Vicky Reich -- LOCKKS (Lots of copies keeps stuff safe), Stanford University
Moderator: Nancy Minter, Urban Institute
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Bask in Delta atmosphere; sample Nashville's Market Street Beer; savor hors d'oeuvres, cool down, chat up, meet the 2004 European Special Librarian of the Year (ESLY) Award recipient; welcome international attendees; join Social Science Division, European Chapter, and International Information Exchange Caucus (KIIE) members. In the Delta Jazz Lounge, Delta Island, Opryland. Generously sponsored by Factiva.
Sponsored by the Social Science Division, the European Chapter, and the International Information Exchange (KIIE) Caucus
Corporate Sponsor: Factiva
Speakers: Sue Henczel,
Convenor, International Information Exchange Caucus (KIIE) & INFASE Solutions;
Neil Infield, President,
European Chapter & Business Information Services, Hermes Pensions; Clare
Hart, CEO, Factiva
Moderator: Ann R. Sweeney, European Union – European Commission Delegation
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Learn from experts how to conduct business research on China, India and the U.K. Showcasing authoritative, accurate, timely, and mostly free information on the web, presenters will show you how to find reliable country statistics, news, company, and industry information with a few of their favorite fun sites added to the mix. Join us for the fourth program in this popular series from the Social Science Division.
Co-sponsored by the Business & Finance Division
Corporate Sponsor: Dialog
Speakers: Terese Terry,
Wharton Business School, Lippincott Library, University of Pennsylvania, covering
China; Jen Venable, Business Library, Vanderbilt University, covering India;
Sylvia James, Business
Consultant, Chair-elect, SLA Business & Finance Division, covering U.K.
Moderator: Karen
Shaines, Joint World Bank/IMF Library & International Relations Chair, Social
Science Division
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What is happening to our government information on the web? Why is formerly
free public information disappearing? What are the implications of the Patriot
Act for libraries? How are laws changing and affecting the privacy of personal
information? Panelists will discuss these important public vs. privacy information
issues affecting us all today.
Co-sponsored by the Legal Division (unconfirmed)
Corporate Sponsor: H.W. Wilson
Moderators: Holly Mirchel, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; Ailya Rose, Solimar Research
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Perhaps you started as the librarian and were asked to organize your company's records. Or maybe you began in archives and are now managing the library as well. If your responsibilities have or will expand beyond the library, come and hear three information managers talk about how they made the transition, how they delegate and structure their work teams, what to expect and pitfalls to avoid. KRET Annual Business Meeting and Reception follows.
Co-sponsored by Museum, Art, and Humanities Division, Retired Members Caucus, Washington, D.C. Chapter
Corporate Sponsor: Elsevier Science
Speakers: Pamela Tripp-Melby,
Division Chief, Information Services Division, International Monetary Fund,
Washington, D.C.; Kevin
P. Manion, Manager, Information Center, Consumers Union, New York, N.Y.; Susan
Fifer Canby, Vice President, Libraries and Information Services, National Geographic
Society, Washington D.C.
Moderator: Iris W. Anderson, Joint World Bank/IMF Library
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Wondering what exactly the social sciences are? Join us for our continuing exploration of the many branches of this field. After covering a wealth of resources for health policy, education policy, philanthropy, and criminal justice in New York, we are moving on to three timely, interesting, and important subjects: geography, demography, and immigration. Come and listen to social science experts share their knowledge of the best web resources.
Corporate Sponsor: Sage Publications
Speakers: Geography –
Kelly Blessinger, Reference Librarian & Specialist for Geography & Anthropology,
Louisiana State University;
Demography –
Zuali Malsawma, Population Reference Bureau, Washington D.C.; Immigration
- Elana Broch, Donald E. Stokes Library, Princeton University
Moderator: Liz Green, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
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Hear three experts discuss initiatives in international education. Learn about programs to improve public education worldwide, the best student exchange programs, promotion of students' rights to learning and access, support for better working conditions for teachers, and opportunities for teachers and others to teach and work in different countries.
Co-sponsor with Education Division (lead)
Corporate Sponsor: Thomson/ISI
Speakers: ;Carole Sund,
National Education Association & Co-chair Education Division; Ann R. Sweeney,
European Union, Delegation of the European Commission; Stephen Hunt, U.S. Department
of Education – unconfirmed
Moderator: Sheila McGarr, Co-chair Education Division & Chief, Library Division
U.S. Government Printing Office
Welcome to all G & M Section members:
The merger of Geography & Map Division with the Social Science Division became official when the SLA Board of Directors approved the merger at their fall meeting in October. Many thanks to the Social Science Division for the warm welcome. Within the new division we will continue our emphasis on cartographic materials, including organizing and presenting programs at conferences and contributing material to the Social Science Division Bulletin.
There are many opportunities
to participate in the ongoing work of the section and division. I encourage
members to become active in programming, fundraising and writing for the Bulletin.
Put your knowledge and talent to work as we launch into our new role within
the Social Science Division!
Vanette Schwartz,
Chair, Geography & Map Section. vmschwa@ilstu.edu
Hi, I'm Karen Shaines, Chair of the newly-established International Relations Section of the Social Science Division.
I look forward to seeing you in Nashville where I'll be moderating the session One Dot Shopping: Update of the Best International Business Websites. This year we're focusing on China, India and United Kingdom.
I'm a Research Librarian at the Joint World Bank International Monetary Fund Library. I invite you to join the International Relations Section which is open and free to any member of the division. Planning will soon begin for the Toronto conference in 2005 where we will want to have at least one session that is focused on international affairs. Submit your ideas to me at kshaines@imf.org.
Hello. I’m Liz Green and I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the Chair of the Nonprofit Section.
I’m a solo librarian at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation where my title is Research Librarian. (Although with “branding” in mind, I call myself “the light at the end of the hall”.) I’ve been working in foundations for the last four years. Previously, I worked as a documents and social sciences reference librarian at Stanford where I spent 20+ years.
One of the things that I’ve most enjoyed about being a “special” librarian has been the diversity of my colleagues--how different our professional situations are, and yet, how much we have in common. Professionally, I’ve found the level of networking, the exchange of ideas, and the mutual assistance invaluable. Personally, it’s just lovely to meet such a range of talented and interesting people.
I’d like to extend an invitation to all of you to drop me a line lgreen@hewlett.org with questions; ideas for conference programs or the newsletter; issues you’d like to have addressed by the Section or the Division; or even greetings. Or, perhaps, let’s meet up in Nashville where I’ll be moderating Spotlight: The Best Social Science Web Sites, Part Two: Focus on Geography, Demography, Immigration on Wednesday, June 9 at 1:15.
Ailya Rose of Ventura, California, is the Chair of the new Public Policy Section.
The section will focus on all levels of government, governmental process, and service to one's nation. Social and economic issues as they relate to public policy are the topics of this section. If you have interest in government, law, and the organizations involved in making social and economic policy, this is the section for you!
If you have ideas for conference programs, an article for the Bulletin, or if you have any questions, please contact Ailya at speciallibrarian@mindspring.com
The Washington Area Library Directory is a time-tested reference tool filled with information about the collections, staff, reference, access, and interlibrary loans policies of all types of libraries and information centers in the Greater Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. It is published through the joint efforts of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of Special Libraries Association, the Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, D.C., and the District of Columbia Library Association.
The Nation’s capital region is especially rich in libraries (and highly skilled librarians) found in its nonprofits, corporations, law firms, associations, embassies, academic institutions, public libraries, and, oh yes, government. That bounty creates a problem - How to find a good source among so many possibilities. The Washington Area Library Directory points the way.
So many notes crowded the margins of the second edition, which appeared in 1996, that frequent requests for a new edition were received by the sponsors. DC/SLA began thinking about an update in the summer of 2001 and began meeting with representatives of the other two cosponsoring organizations that fall.
Planning proceeded through the end of 2001 and early 2002 including selection of a contractor to handle data collection, processing, printing, and order fulfillment. During spring and summer of 2002, the four-member editorial committee redesigned the library listings to reflect the changed information environment since the second edition. The contractor fit our information needs into its Internet-based questionnaire system. Mailing lists were compiled from the organizations’ membership and previous directories.
In fall 2002, mailings went out to libraries and information centers inviting them to submit information about their facilities and policies. Library respondents were provided with passwords and logon instructions to enter new or updated information via the Internet - no more data transcription! Several follow up mailings encouraged libraries to submit their information. Beginning with the new year, 2003, and continuing into summer, the four members of the editorial committee began reviewing each entry for uniform format and minimum information requirements. Volunteers were recruited to assure that the listings were as comprehensive as possible for nearby public library systems, academic libraries, foreign embassies, and some large government agencies, all with complex networks of information facilities. They searched websites, phoned, and even made personal visits to complete the task. Later in the summer, the editors reviewed layout designs, corrected page proofs supplied by the contractor, and prepared introductory matter. Over more than two years, there were dozens of lunch hour meetings, dozens more phone calls, and countless email consultations.
The Washington Area Library Directory 3rd Edition finally rolled off the presses in early October 2003 with nearly 1,000 libraries and information centers described in 250 pages.
The Directory is a testament to the cooperation of our three organizations and the dedication of our member volunteers. Those volunteers are named in the opening pages and we hope we haven’t omitted anyone by oversight. The editorial committee was comprised of Eileen Deegan and Amy Pass, representing the Washington, D.C. Chapter of SLA, Judith Weiss, representing the Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, D.C., and Michael Kolakowski, who is also a member of DC/SLA, but was officially representing the District of Columbia Library Association where he is serving as Membership Secretary. Eileen and Mike are also members of Social Science Division.
Washington Area Library
Directory 3rd Edition is for sale for $129 plus shipping and handling and may
be ordered from Media Publishing Services, Inc., Telford, Pennsylvania. Phone:
215-799-1905; Fax: 215-799-1976; or online at http://www.arealibraries.com.
A portion of the proceeds from sales goes to the sponsoring organizations.
-- Michael Kolakowski
==========================
Bernan Press has just published the first edition of The United States Government Internet Manual, edited by Social Science Division member Peggy Garvin of Garvin Information Consulting. The Manual describes federal executive, congressional, and judicial branch Web sites essential for reference and research. Over 2,000 Web resources are organized by subject and indexed by agency, name, and topic. The book also features Cabinet agency organization charts similar to those found in The United States Government Manual, supplemented with Web addresses. There is an introductory section entitled "What to Watch for in 2004" describing issues affecting government agency Web resources on a site-by-site basis. For more information, see the Bernan Press site at: http://www.bernanpress.com/titlepage.aspx?TitleID=36355
The Nonprofit Phenomenon:
Internet Resources for Nonprofit Organizations, by Hazel Cameron
Librarian, College of Business and Economics; Wilson Libraries, Western Washington
University
http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/feb04/cameron.shtml
Hyperlinked study
on non-profits, providing background information on this large sector of our
society. The study details the extent of the non-profit sector, its growth,
its activities, its treatment by the IRS, etc. And it includes links to high-quality
sites, such as e-directories such as Guidestar and America's Charities, portals
to non-profits, and links to other studies. This guide will help provide some
background information on nonprofits, focusing especially on charities.
====================
Topix.Net
http://www.topix.net/
Looking for news?
This database searches the content from 3,100 sources and organizes it into
over 150,000 topics. Over 30,000 of these topics allow you to browse news by
geographical location. The material is also searchable.Its overall topics include
business, national and international, health, and more. The Local tab takes
you to countless cities in the US for their local news.
=======================
A Free ISBN Database
http://isbndb.com/
This database
is still in development, already has over 401,000 entries. You can browse by
title, author, categories, or publisher. Once you identify your book, clicking
on the title will provide information such as what libraries have the title,
physical information on the book, and categories under which it is listed. You
can also sign up to receive updates on the database as it grows.
=======================
Two sites for finding grants:
GRANTS: RESOURCES: A Selection
of Sources on the Internet for Listings of Grant Information and Sources: Webliographies
of Grant Information, by David P. Dillard
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NetGold/message/798
This is an extensive webliography of sources of information on grants.
And:
GRANTS.GOV, a :
http://www.grants.gov
This is a comprehensive, one-stop-shopping place for government grants from
HHS in collaboration with USDA, Commerce, Education, Homeland Security, HUD,
DOJ, DOL, DOT, and the National Science Foundation. It allows full-text searches
of the grant summaries, or searching by agency, grant number, or type of funding.
It also provides access to on-line applications.
====================
The New Dictionary of
Cultural Literacy
http://www.bartleby.com/59/
Bartleby.com has
added "The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy," featuring over 6,900
entries, to its Web site. You
can search through the dictionary by category (from The Bible to Technology)
or search by keyword. A search for "mercury" found eight results,
ranging from mythology to chemistry to solar systems to the Mercury Program.
Each result contains a brief explanation of the name or reference, with some
crosslinking.
========================
Ethnic Medicine Informaiton
from EthnoMed, Harborview
Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle
http://www.ethnomed.org
From the Web site:
"The EthnoMed site contains information about cultural beliefs, medical
issues and other related issues pertinent to the health care of recent immigrants
to Seattle or the US, many of whom are refugees fleeing war-torn parts of the
world." There are cultural profiles including information on the country
of origin, the language, relationships, religious beliefs, and diet. Patient
educational materials are available in English and native languages. For example,
under Cambodia, there are links to information on cancer written in Khymer.
======================
OneLook Announces Reverse
Dictionary Service
http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml
This site lets you
plug in a concept (a phrase, a question, or just a word) and gives you back
a list of possible words, sorted by relevance. The relevance is linked to the
words' accompanying definitions. A search for "information professional"
returned 100 results, including such terms as "interrogation," "liver
function tests," and "manipulative therapy," but the number one
suggestion was "librarian." Also included were "knowledgeable"
and "intellectual worker." Not bad.
=====================
University of North Carolina's
ibiblio
http://www.ibiblio.org/
The University of
North Carolina has retrieved audios, videos, documents, and other items of interest
from obscure places and made them available for free from the ibiblio site.
For a review of the site, go to http://go.hotwired.com/news/roadtrip/0,2640,61200,00.html/wn_ascii
======================
Statistical Resources on
the Web
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html
Another source to
check for the latest statistics. This one is from the University of Michigan
Documents Center. It has subject access, or searching capabilities (using the
Google search engine). It provides a gateway to US government statistics as
well as those from foreign governments and private organizations.
==================
HomeTownLocator Gazetteer
http://gazetteer.hometownlocator.com/index.cfm
This site provides
Census information and maps for the US, but the amount of data and the detail
is astounding. Clicking on "Browse Physical Features and Cultural Features"
allows you to find (by state and county) location information and maps of a
variety of places. You can find the longitude and latitude and maps (aerial,
topographical, regional, and local) of all the cemetaries in Autauga County,
AL, or a street map to the post office in Weston County, WY. Quick Facts available
on each state include Census 2000 (and later) data. This is only the tip of
the iceberg of information on this site.
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
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.
Publications
Are you making what your
worth?
The 2003 edition of the Annual Salary Survey can give you the answer. Copies
are currently available, so be sure to place your order today. http://www.sla.org/content/resources/research/salarysurveys/salsur03/index.cfm
The 2003 edition of the Annual Salary Survey can give you the answer. Copies
are currently available, so be sure to place your order today.
Valuating Information Intangibles (http://www.sla.org/sla/stores/1/product1.asp?SID=1&Product_ID=82)
is now only available in PDF format. Orders for the title can be placed via
telephone or online (http://www.sla.org/sla/stores/1/index.asp)
through the SLA Marketplace . The marketplace also showcases a variety of merchandise
offered by SLA.
Visit SLA's Public Policy Central http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/advocacy/index.cfm for the latest reports and responses to the changes made through the USA Patriot Act that affect us all. Since its passage on October 26, 2001, many libraries have seen an increase in law enforcement inquiries. Authorities have sought access to patron records, including electronic mail and other electronic communications. The USA Patriot Act was designed to broaden the surveillance capabilities of law enforcement following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Act contains new provisions governing criminal and foreign intelligence investigations and, in so doing, affects state and local privacy laws.
SLA is hard at work in
planning for our 2004 professional development calendar! Here's your chance
to get a sneak peek at the exciting learning opportunities planned for 2004.
http://www.sla.org/content/learn/learnmore/index.cfm
If you were unable to attend past seminars you can still gain information on
the topic through the V-Pak series. The series is available on a variety of
virtual seminars from 2003 to present. (http://www.sla.org/content/learn/learnmore/distance/virtsem2003/index.cfm)
Note: the V-Pak series is not ordered through SLA headquarters. For further
information contact Shelva Suggs at shelva@sla.org shelva@sla.org
SLA's Knowledge Exchange maintains over 40 Information Portals at http://www.sla.org/content/resources/infoportals/ on topics from Content Management to Vendor Products: Reports and Reviews. Visit the information portal area for our newest additions on Blogging http://www.sla.org/content/resources/infoportals/blog.cfm and Mentoring http://www.sla.org/content/jobs/careerportal/mentor.cfm
This is SLA's online directory of SLA member consultants. A search on this database is free and is available to members and nonmembers interested in locating a consultant who may assist, on a normal commercial basis, with such areas as library management, technical services, and subject specialty. It is a great resource for keeping your outsourcing within the SLA family or for promoting your own services.