This year we celebrated the Maryland Chapter’s 80th anniversary. On June 13, 1930, the Baltimore Chapter of the Special Libraries Association was created, and in 1998 the name of the Chapter was changed to the Maryland Chapter to encompass the broader regional area in which members work and live. We have gone from a small group of members staring the Chapter, to over 150 members!
Today, the original objectives of the Baltimore Chapter still hold true for our membership. We strive to “foster and develop a greater interest in libraries” and “arouse an increased interest in the use an extension of special library facilities.” We continue to “periodically assemble and discuss our mutual problems, and…broaden our knowledge…” We are a diverse network of talented professionals that continue to move our profession forward with our knowledge and capabilities.
We celebrated a great milestone in 2005 with our 75th anniversary gala at the Engineer’s Club in Baltimore. Since then, we have continued our successes. We hosted the SLA Annual Conference in 2006. We have organized several successful one-day conferences, including Technology Day in 2007, and Xtreme Reference this year in October. We’ve also strengthened our relationships with the local library schools. We continue to provide an array of networking and professional development opportunities each year. Because of our activities, the Maryland Chapter has been put on the map as an innovative, strong Chapter the provides value to its members and the profession.
The Chapter could not have accomplished so much without the support and volunteership of the members, and the support of our sponsors. Thanks goes to the past, current, and future Chapter Presidents, officers and volunteers. There is no doubt that our Chapter will continue to succeed for years to come, and perhaps we’ll see you in 2030 when we celebrate our 100th anniversary!
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