SLA Kentucky Chapter

More SLA Conference Coverage

I couldn't agree with Stacy more that this was indeed "another great conference". Among the highlights were the Opening Session & Awards Ceremony where two of our colleagues were honored, and the Kentucky Chapter dinner at Bobby Van's Grill. In case you haven't already heard, Stacey Greenwell is a 2009 Fellow and Abby Heath-Thorne was recognized as a Rising Star within the organization. You can read more about my conference experience on my faculty blog. I've also posted a few pictures on my Flickr account.

Another Great Conference!

IT does B&F
Originally uploaded by Jill_Ann

The title of this image is "IT does B&F" (the Business and Finance Division Open House) but I think it could also be "Kentucky does B&F." I truly enjoyed seeing everyone at conference and wish I could have spent more time networking (and on the dance floor!) this year. Thank you all for your help and support--this was another great conference!

Over 800 photos have been tagged on flickr, so check out some of the excitement from SLA 2009.

Everything You Need to Know about SLA 2009

Whether you are attending the Centennial Conference in DC next week or just wanting to follow along at home, Daniel Lee has compiled all the ways to find SLA 2009 information online.

Fast Company Recommends SLA Conference

Fast Company's recommended list of events for June includes the SLA Annual Conference.  As it is our Centennial Celebration, it really is a must-attend this year.  My favorite part of the Fast Company blurb:

Web-savvy librarians who know how to party? That really is special.

I think a few of those librarians might be in our chapter.  All the more reason to be proud to be Kentucky!

Google and "semantic web technology"

There's news from Google today about its roll-out of new search options.  The BBC News describes the update as "so-called semantic web technology."  After a basic Google search, notice the new choice "Show options..." just below the Google logo. 

Click on it, and you'll see a list of options on the left-hand side of the search results.

Nothing earth-shattering, although I'm oddly obsessed with the "Wonder Wheel" ...

May Social Meeting

The Kentucky Chapter will be having its annual May Social Meeting on Friday, May 15, 2009.

 

Schedule of Events

 

3:30 p.m. - private tour and wine tasting at Equus Run in Midway, KY

Included is a tour of the facilities with an Equus Run staff member, wine tasting including six wines, etched logo glass to keep, and fruit and cheese to enjoy during the tasting.

 

5:30/6:00 p.m. - Dinner at the home of Abby Thorne in Georgetown, KY (directions will be provided later)

 

Event Details

 

You are welcome to bring guests (spouses, significant others, potential members, etc.) and may attend the tasting or the dinner or both.

 

We ask that you register for the events you wish to attend no later than noon, Friday, May 8,  in order for us to have an accurate headcount for both events.  Please register here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NqKyJopJ_2ftLKyS3UQWCI7g_3d_3d

 

The chapter will be providing hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, buns, etc. We ask that you contribute your beverage of choice and an appetizer, side, or dessert. 

 

Cost (per person)

 

Wine Tasting - $10 ($11 with credit card)

 

Dinner - $5 ($6 with credit card)

 

Both - $15 ($16 with credit card)

 

You may send payment by mail (check) to Alex Grigg, Treasurer. Make checks payable to: SLA - KY Chapter.

Mail them to:

 

Alex Grigg

Lexmark Library
740 W. New Circle Rd.
Lexington, KY 40550

 

 

Payment may also be made by credit card using Paypal:

Registration Fees

Wine Tasting & Dinner $16.00 Wine Tasting Only $11.00 Dinner Only $6.00

Have questions or need more information?

 

Please contact Abby Thorne at abby.thorne@gmail.com or 859-539-5810.

Historical Map of SLA Conferences

Did you think the Leadership Summit in Louisville in 2008 was the first SLA Conference in Kentucky?  Well, think again.  Louisville also had a Winter meeting in 1982 and an Annual Conference way back in 1917.

How did I come across these tidbits of conference information?  Why on this handy-dandy interactive Google Map that some intelligent, resourceful, handsome, young man put together.  Now if I only knew who that man was so I could thank him.

In any case, every annual and winter meeting that SLA has had since its inception is available for your browsing pleasure.  Find out just how many meetings have occurred in D.C. and New York, or what backwoods location they chose for a meeting in 1910.  The answers to those particular questions are a whole lot and Mackinac Island in the UP.  Take a look for yourself and see what other conference oddities you can find.

Future of Information Professionals

In the last several days I have been exposed to what some fellow librarians are defining as the future of libraries.  The Darien Principles, are, in my opinion, a series of rehashed obviousness. The Taiga 4 Provocative Statements inspired a mixed reaction when I read them.  "In five years"...seems a short time frame to do away with large physical collections when 15 years ago "society  would be paperless in 5 years."  The Taiga 4 may be inspirational but I don't think it is a model and I haven't made up my mind about the inspiration.

In contrast, the SLA Alignment Project has caused me to reflect upon the future in a thoughtful manner.  When I reflect upon the future it is not in light of libraries, it is in light of information and the professionals who collect, organize, analyze & synthesize that information.  Those two elements are and have always been essential to the education process and the business cycle.

Rutger's Board of Governors has embraced the positive future of information by moving beyond libraries to rename the "library" school effective July 1.  At that time the term Library will be dropped and the school will be known as the School of Communication and Information.  Now,before all of you start getting out your voodoo dolls to cause me great pain, I still consider myself a librarian.  Rutgers has moved beyond the feel good to the get down to business principle of information and information professionals. I do applaud that move.

SLA hasn't directed its members to what future actions need to be taken in light of the Alignment Project.  They have provided us with the information to analyze and draw our own conclusions. Rutgers' renaming of the Library School may be the tipping point.    I suspect that other library schools will follow Rutger's lead and SLA will at least vote on a name change.

SLA deals with information professionals in an international environment that encompasses numerous specialties.  Specialties just sounds better than special.  So will a name change be the ultimate conclusion of action for the alignment project?  Maybe, the members will speak and make the determination.  Special has always been hard to swallow.  Information Professional equals Librarian; the two are interchangeable.  Professionals who collect, organize, analyze and synthesize information are as easily described by either term.  Aligning the professionalism of the terms used to describe professionals in our field with a term that describes our unique skills based on subject knowledge or work environment begs for consideration.

What I think can be counted on for the future of librarians and information professionals is that we must be assertive, professional and tied to organizational success by our ability to handle information.  So librarians need to move beyond the "we should be held in high regard because we provide a citizen service" philosophy.   We should provide our clients/customers/patrons quality information services in whatever guise the request is presented.  Our future is our past and the next customer.  We are only as good as the work we do for the customer who asks for our professional assistance.

Who's Leading SLA? We Are!

It occurred to me over the last few days that the Kentucky Chapter of SLA has taken an extraordinary number of leadership positions within the national SLA organization, particularly considering our chapter has less than 70 members.  I thought I would take a few minutes to write up a post recognizing our leaders and promoting our involvement to those who might not be aware.

We have one Past Chair with James Manasco in the Information Technology Division.  We have two current Chairs with Valerie Perry in the Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Division and Stacey Greenwell in the newly formed Academic Division.  We also have one Chair-Elect with Constance Ard in the Legal Division.  Out of 26 divisions we have Chairs, Past Chairs and Chair-Elects in four of them.  That's current leadership roles in just over 15% of the divisions.  Not too shabby, folks.

That is all without mentioning that Stacey Greenwell has been nominated for the Division Cabinet Chair-Elect position and that Gloria Zamora, who is not geographically located in Kentucky but is still a Kentucky Chapter member, is the current President of SLA.

I'd like to congratulate all of our leaders and thank them for their willingness to step forward and do the work that keeps SLA running.  Keep up the good work everybody!

Librarian Networking Happy Hour

If you are a librarian in the Lexington area or thinking of being a librarian, join the gang for this informal networking opportunity. 

If you have a facebook account sign up here - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=72949530659

If you don't have a facebook account, come anyway!  All are welcome.

Where: Pazzo's Pizza Pub - http://www.pazzospizzapub.com/index2.html
When: 5 p.m., Friday, March 13