Since its founding in 1943, SLA's Transportation Division has been actively involved with transportation issues and research. Its activities have involved publishing, presenting innovative and timely programs and lobbying for better access to transportation literature.
More than 200 librarians from universities, corporations, national, state, regional, provincial, and local government organizations make up the Transportation Division. The Division is international in scope and interests. We promote the exchange of knowledge and information among individuals and organizations interested in the development, control and use of information resources in transportation both in general or in one of its many subdivisions; these include air, highway, rail, urban and water transport, and multimodal transportation.
As part of its annual programming, the Divison hosts a meeting of the Government Transportation Research Information Committee (GTRIC).
Members contribute to the Sources of Information in Transportation series. The 5th edition (2001) was edited by Susan C. Dresley, of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Library. A 6th edition, edited by Roger Garren, is currently in progress. Some of those volumes can be found linked to this Wiki to enable real time updates.
Members use the Transportation Research Thesaurus (TRT) in indexing, tagging, and describing transportation information and research. The thesaurus covers all modes and aspects of transportation. The TRT's purpose is to provide a common and consistent language between producers and users of transportation information.
The Division is administered by recommended practices (bylaws) and a governing document.
Division members regular post information items via its SLA hosted listserv [tranlib@lists.sla.org]. New members are encouraged to sign up by sending the message SUBSCRIBE TRANLIB [yourfirstname yourlastname] to [lyris@sla.lyris.net].
A quarterly newsletter, Kaleidoscope, details member library news and accomplishments.
Close working relationships with the National Transportation Library, University transportation libraries, University Transportation Centers, the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Knowledge Networks, the Pooled Fund for Library Connectivity and international partners function to strengthen the backbone of transportation knowledge repositories worldwide.
The Division will celebrate its 65th anniversary at the 2008 SLA annual meeting in Seattle, WA.
Past Chairs include:
- 2008/09 - Rita Evans, University of California, Berkeley
- 2007/08 - Connie Field, Portland Cement Association
- 2006/07 - Matthew Barrett, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- 2005/06 - Bob Sweet, University of Michigan, Transportation Research Institute
- 2004/05 - Betty Lou Hicks, Hanson Professional Services, Inc.
- 2003/04 - Shaun Moran, Transport Canada
- 2002/03 - Roberto Sarmiento, Northwestern University
- 2001/02 - Mary Ellen Tucker, University of North Carolina
- 2000/01 - Laura L. Whayne, University of Kentucky
- 1999/00 - Mary Silva, Arizona Department of Transportation
- 1998/99 - Barbara Post, National Research Council
- 1997/98 - Sandy Tucker, Texas Transportation Institute
- 1996/97 - Nelda Bravo, U.S. Federal Highway Administration
- 1995/96 - Susan Dresley, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
- 1994/95 - Diane Smith, Alberta Transportation & Utilities
- 1993/94 - Renée McHenry, Northwestern University
- 1992/93 - Jeanne Thomas, Michigan Dept. of Transportation
- 1991/92 - Daniel Krummes, University of California Berkeley
- 1990/91 - Joyce Koeneman, Association of American Railroads
- 1989/90 - Gilda Martinello, Canadian National Railways
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