The Midwinter Meeting in Boston was both productive and fun. The Orientation was well attended and the speakers provided useful information in an entertaining way. Carol Brey-Casiano, the ALA President, spoke about how she became active in the association and what she has gained from professional involvement. The NMRT Social was fantastic and I had a great time chatting with everyone, especially those who were attending their first ALA conference. The Resume Review Service continues to be very popular. The committee has done an excellent job recruiting reviewers from a variety of libraries. Job seekers were especially grateful for the wonderful service. If you did not have the opportunity to get your resume reviewed at the conference, it is possible to utilize the service year round via email.
I heard throughout the Midwinter Meeting that several divisions and roundtables are interested in recruiting new librarians and members of NMRT. You can express an interest in becoming involved by filling out a committee interest form or attending a committee meeting. It is very easy to become active. Opportunities are available to anyone interested in becoming professionally involved, but it is often necessary for you to take the first step.
The All Committee meeting was a strong indication that plans are well under way for the 2005 Annual conference in Chicago. NMRT will be offering conference mentoring, several programs, receptions, and the Resume Review service. The NMRT Hotel is the Homewood Suites, which has a complimentary breakfast buffet, high speed Internet access, and a pool.
The Membership Meeting and Program committee is continuing their series of monthly interviews. Each month they are interviewing librarians who are leaders in their field, institution, or the profession. It is interesting to discover how each person developed into a leader. The interviews are available on the NMRT web page.
Applications for the Student Chapter of the Year Award are due February 28, 2005. The winning student chapter receives a $1,000 stipend for travel to the 2005 Annual conference. This is a great opportunity to showcase the active student chapters and their contributions to ALA.
Recently NMRT has added an alumni category to the ALA membership form. Former members and those who have been members of ALA for more than 10 years can join NMRT again. The dues from alumni will be used to fund NMRT activities such as scholarships and the student reception.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at sallyg@creighton.edu.