The Special Libraries Association's 1999 annual conference was held in beautiful Minneapolis, MN. About 5,000 of us packed into hotels and bed-and-breakfasts around the city. We took advantage of lots of learning experiences, went on tours, and renewed acquaintances.
The keynote address was delivered by Larry Prusak of the IBM Consulting Group. He told us that "information" is not a valuable commodity -- knowledge (or "what a knower knows") is the valuable commodity. It is important to know who knows what, and where the knower is located. Developing connections so we can contact people knowledgeable in a field should be our goals.
The Social Science Division sponsored many events, ranging from educational classes and in-depth seminars to fun-filled tours of the city. Here are some descriptions of our programs.
TENT -- The European Union and Transport: Two Perspectives. In a session cosponsored with the Transportation Division, Anders C. Jessen -- Head of the Transport, Energy, and Environment Section of the European union's European Commission Delegation to the U.S. -- addressed a group of about 40 concerning the EU's Trans-European Networks--Transport (TENT) program. In a PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Jessen outlined the legal basis and objectives of the program and highlighted the progress made thus far. Sirpa Haapamaki, Librarian for the Finnish National Road Administration, then discussed the "Effects of TENT from the Perspective of a European Union Member State." Both talks were well-received, and a lively Q&A period ensued. --Ann Sweeney
Census 2000. Before a group of about 50, Peter Bounpane of the Census Bureau discussed the process of counting and describing the over 260 million people living in the US in the year 2000. He described what elements will be the same as the 1990 census, and improvements and innovations in the 2000 version. Two major differences will involve race and sampling. First, interracial individuals will be able to more precisely describe themselves by checking more than one box on the race question. Although this will make tabulating racial statistics more difficult, it will result in a more accurate national snapshot. Second, although the Supreme Court ruled that no sampling could be used for compiling the data used in reapportioning congressional districts, the Census Bureau will use sampling as a quality control for the rest of the data. Census hopes to have most data available by the summer of 2001.
The Independent Sector Roundtable hosted a program, sponsored by EBSCO, entitled Money for Librarians: The Mysteries of Private Funding. The purpose of the program was to acquaint the audience with the knowledge they would need to successfully request library funding from private sources such as foundations. Before a group of about 45 people, Barbara Denemark Long from the Chicago Community Trust spoke first about the various types of private foundations and explained the general concepts under which they operate. Gayle S. Barr from the Donors Forum of Chicago then described how to determine the best procedure for applying for a grant, which included an explanation of how foundations work internally and the best methods for approaching them. She also stressed the importance of utilizing various print and online resources, such as the Grantsmanship Center, and the Foundation Center which publishes the Foundation Directory and many other grant-related products. There was a variety of handout material, including lists of Foundation Center libraries, as well as other resources and publications. Audience Response was very positive, with several people commenting favorably on the practical information they learned. -- Beth Hansen
Museum Architecture. Architect Joan Sorrano addressed a large group, describing developments in museum architecture. Today's museum has evolved from a gallery-focused building to a community-oriented structure with restaurants, shops, lecture rooms, etc. With slide and movie presentations, she described her work in developing the Women of the West Museum in Boulder, CO -- its connection to the environment, its celebration of diversity, its intriguing lunar design. She also discussed the use of computers in museum design that allows architects to "look into" a virtual building. It was an informative and well-received talk.
On the fun/networking side...
Members attend SLA's annual conference not only to learn the
latest technology and to brush up on their managerial skills, but also for
the value of informal networking with their colleagues. The Meet the
Social Science Division program is an opportunity for attendees to
learn more about the Social Science colleagues. One of its most appealing
features is the fact that it attracts many first-time conference-goers who
are eager to learn more about the division. Veteran Social Science Division
members are often pleased to learn something about their fellow members that
they did not know. This year's program was very popular, attracting a crowd
of over 40.
Terry Dean, director of the Institute of Government Studies
at the University of California at Berkeley and a former Division Chair, described
the unique special library where she works. Her collection focuses on economic,
political, and social issues at a local as well as nation level. Here clientele
is specialized, just like her collection, and her staff is small, just like
many special libraries. What makes her situation a little different is its
affiliation with the University, which helps with centralization of some operations.
As one of the most active members in the Division, Terry commented on how
much her work with SLA and Social Science Division contributes to her sense
of fulfillment in her profession. Having held many positions, including Division
Chair, fundraising coordinator, and co-chair of the Division's 75th anniversary
program, Terry spoke on the many opportunities to serve that are available
in the Division.
Cy Behroozi is a reference librarian at the National League
of Cities in Washington, DC. Cy spoke about his specialized collection and
users, and about the adjustments he had to make when he first came to work
at NLC. Apparently, the vast majority of reference questions that he receives
are by telephone, which was something he had not encountered previously. Cy
is a relatively new member of the Division, but he has already become active.
This year, he organized the Skyways Walking Tour of Minneapolis program and
he is interested in repeating that type of program for Philadelphia next year.
He encouraged new members to get involved in the Division.
Beth Hansen is a librarian at the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis.
She spoke about previous careers in media before she became a librarian and
described working for a philanthropic foundation. Beth, like Terry and Cy,
also has a clientele with special needs (giving away money is not that simple!).
Beth spoke out to the more shy members of the audience, indicating that she
found volunteering for positions in the Division to be very rewarding. She
serves as chair for the Independent Sector Roundtable in the Division.
After the narratives, the speakers entertained several questions from the
audience. Corporate Book Resources and SIRS, Inc., generously contributed
as sponsors for the program. Meet the Social Science Division Program is a
tremendous opportunity to learn a little more about a division whose members
and the libraries they represent are very diverse. -- Susan Berg
Those who wanted a break from attending sessions in windowless rooms or trudging through an exhibit hall washed in fluorescent light took to the sky with the Skyways Walking Tour. Leg by Rick Johnson, the Director of Special Projects for the City of Minneapolis, the tour began in one of the Convention Center's sunny, glass-enclosed lounges overlooking the downtown. There, Rick gave an overview of the city's famous network of pedestrian bridges, or Skyways, explaining how it evolved and how it is maintained. He then led the group of 35 through the maze of glass tubes that connect downtown buildings, stopping along the way to talk about the various designs of individual skyways, and to highlight interesting sites like the city's very first skyway. Feedback from tour participants was all positive, with one commenting that it was a great way to learn about and see the city, and walk off a big lunch at the same time! -- Cy Berhoozi
Some 300 guests from around the globe nibbled confections and sipped Earl Grey at the International Reception and Tea hosted by members of the Social Science Division, the European Chapter, and the International Relations Committee to welcome SLA attendees from other than the US and Canada. The reception spread among the three levels of the sunlit atrium lobby of Orchestra Hall, adjacent to the Convention Center and headquarters hotels. OUtgoing SLA President Suzi Hayes warmly welcomed the assemblage. Next, Lexis-Nexis Vice President for Sales Keith Hawk expressed his company's pleasure at being sole sponsor of the event. Sylvia James, speaking on behalf of the European Chapter, described the European Special Librarian of the Year Award. The Gale Group Vice President George Plosker, representing the award's corporate sponsor, then presented the 1999 prize to Kevin Miles. Chief Inspector Miles, an officer with the UK's Surrey Police since 1978, realized in 1993 the urgent necessity of organizing the force's information. He pursued a Master of Science degree in Information Science, systematized police data, and became the first officer promoted for non-police work. -- Ann Sweeney
The last Social Science Division event of the conference, Three Libraries and a Minnesota Town, ws cosponsored by the Legal Division. OUr busload of 25 drove to St. Paul where we visited -- you guessed it -- three libraries. The first was the Minnesota Legislative Library. Head Librarian Marilyn Cathcart told us about her library's operations. They serve as an information resource for the Minnesota State Legislature, and as the lead agency for collecting, cataloging, and distributing state documents. The nine librarians are assigned as liaisons to the legislators for whom they provide non-partisan, confidential research. They also created and manage a Web site for the state legislature. Next we proceeded to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT) Library where Head Librarian Jerry Baldwin arranged for us to have a tour of the library. We learned that the five librarians provide in-depth research for requesters within the DOT. There is little in-person business, however, and the library holds outreach tours and brown-bag lunches to inform DOT staff of their services. OUr final stop was the Minnesota Law Library. Following an introductory speech by Head Librarian Marvin Anderson, we had an in-depth tour of the library's extensive collections, including an impressive historical collection. The library serves as a resource to the public as well as to the state's court system. After this learning experience, we were ready for some R&R. We piled back on the bus and headed for Stillwater, MN, a small town on the banks of the St. Croix River. Stillwater had its heyday before the turn of the century, and has maintained its Victorian small-town atmosphere. We went off in our own little groups and explored the many restaurants, stores, and antique shops for treasures. It was a great opportunity to learn about other library operations, to network, and of course to shop! -- Heidi Yacker