News from June, 2008

June 2008 Highlights:  Here are some ideas being reported in your online Chapter newsletters - some of these ideas could be highlighted in the Chapter Idea Bank (http://wiki.sla.org/display/CIBWiki/Home+Page). Featured here will be the coolest things being reported, with the hopes that Chapter leaders will integrate them into their own programming. Note also that the Centennial Celebration Wiki suggests even more chapter ideas! Mostly chapters publishing 2-4 times a year are looking to take advantage of Web 2.0 to increase communication and collaboration with their members, to add more photos, and even more media.  If you're not highlighted, be sure your chapter's newsletter is added to the Chapter Idea Bank. -Libby Trudell, Susan Fifer Canby
               

Cincinnati Queen City Gazette features member and library profiles and reported on activities that included a tour of Knowledge Works and a chapter education workshop, "Raising the Bar: Using New Technologies that Work." Cincinnati Chapter President Ted Baldwin reported: that the Chapter now has its own Facebook group and that membership is growing.
 Eastern Canada Chapter well illustrated bulletin described many ECC members and Montreal students participating in a conference, KM Journey: how to use KM held in French in the morning and in English in the afternoon. The Chapter joined two other associations to raise $12,000 for CODE, Canada's international literacy agency for children.  It reported on the SLA Student Group at Dalhousie University who organized two library tours - to the Immigration Museum and the Nova Scotia Legislative Library. It also held a fundraiser with eco-friendly mugs with proceeds to going to Librarians Without Borders. Listed new members in the newsletter. 
Georgia Peach State Update
Promotes the Click U Free Program of the Month. Programs included ones  on the "Impact of 2.0 on Libraries," "Training End Users Remotely," "Information Consulting: measuring impact - justification for information services."
 Illinois Chapter The Informant reported activities of its Book club, new graduate courses at the University of Illinois, and how SLA Illinois Cares  with a "Reach Out and Read with Book Worm Angels" program providing volunteer opportunities for literacy support to hospitals as well suggests websites for other volunteer activities.
 Minnesota's Chapter President Jill Strand announced the launch of a board wiki to spur communications. The Chapter does a bi-annual survey of memberships - and found out that 77% of membership wants more professional development programs and wanted to learn about free tools. It featured short profiles on newest members. It described the student chapter which planned a tour of the Walker Art Center, had Happy Hours and discussed High Speed Minnesota.  The chapter set up a mentee program and was already doing "23 on a Stick."  It recognizes an information team with an "Innovation in Action" award for implement programs to enhance their own organizations or the chapter. In Seattle it held a Needle-Network swap  - with donations going to the Dorothy Day House for women needing transitional housing.
NY Chapter News led off with President, Stephen Kochoff, musings on who and what inspires him. NY initiated a mentoring program plus published a Webliography on Mentoring programs.
Pacific Northwest Chapter Confluence provided an interesting visual way to navigate SLA membership benefits.

Pittsburgh Chapter reported that it already has 22 members on Facebook, where they use a handy feature to identify "related" groups members have joined.  In addition, they held a very popular program on "Gaming in Special Libraries" to show how gaming teaches problem solving skills and members spent the evening afterwards at the controls.  

Rio Grand Chapter Bulletin published an SLA Membership PERKS ALERT.
St Louis, The Slate writes articles of a couple paragraphs and then links to "More" to keep their blog-like news crisp looking with many photos.  There was a particularly interesting article on one librarian's transition from being a lawyer. It also has a column on "What are your reading?" The new board was introduced using photos.
San Andreas Chapter featured SLA Chapter Cabinet Chair Libby Trudell and San Andreas President-Elect Leslie Fisher giving a tour of the SLA website on March 17th, with a brief overview of the San Andreas Chapter blog by Bulletin Editor Steven Kaye, all underwritten by Thomson Scientific with a webinar.
SLA Europe News illustrated president Penny Leach offering a check and commendation to new graduate Betty Rabar for the masters thesis judged to be best about Special libraries and then interviewed her for the newsletter on why she chose special libraries.  An interesting program was the "Winter Warmer Quiz", where contestents listened to and identified songs and artists, located geographical sources, and even had a history round.  The Christmas party was captured in a lively picture collage.  
Southern California Chapter's outstanding "Living Linked - a social networking conference was recognized by the IT division in Seattle.