Peach State Update is published four times a year, February, April, August, and October. Please send information to:

Lorrie Burroughs, Editor
Arthur Andersen LLP
Atlanta Information Center
133 Peachtree St., NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
PHONE: 404.221.8094
FAX: 404.223.7155
EMAIL: toto2@mindspring.com

Inquiries regarding ADVERTISEMENTS should be sent to Kathryn Hulshof, The Atlanta Journal/Constitution - News Research Services, 72 Marietta St., NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (Phone: 404.526.5420/FAX 404.526.5840

Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by the contributors to the Association's publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official position of the Special Libraries Association. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product by SLA.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Pg. 3..................President's Letter

Pg. 4-5...............News and Notes

Pg. 6..................CAU Student Chapter News

Pg. 7 .................National News of Interest

Pg. 8-10............Officers and Chair Members

Pg. 11-End........Sponsors: InMagic, Majors Scientific Books, Dow Jones, Library Specialists, Corporate Information Resources, Inc., Lexis-Nexis

NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE:

APRIL 5, 1997

February, 1997

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

by Jeanne LaRocco

Happy 1997 to All! Hope you enjoyed the holidays and are ready to tackle a new year. Over the past year, many of us were learning how to make due with less and work smarter. Guaranteed, 1997 will bring many new opportunities and challenges for Special Librarians and Chapter members.

The SLA Special Committee on Competencies for Special Librarians presented a report to the Board of Directors at the 1996 Annual Conference that outlines two types of competencies for the 21st Century. This document lists the professional and personal competencies which play a key role in the development of special librarians as information providers. "Professional competencies" relate to the special librarian's knowledge in the areas of information resources, technology, management, and research, and the ability to use these areas of knowledge as a basis for providing library and information services. "Personal competencies" represent a set of skills, attitudes, and values that enable librarians to work efficiently, be good communicators, focus on continuing learning, throughout their careers, demonstrate the value-added nature of the contributions, and survive in the new world of work.

I encourage each of you to read this paper and follow some of the practical examples discussed by the Committee. The complete document, entitled "Competencies for Special Librarians of the 21st Century," can be found in the professional development section of SLA's homepage at:

http://www.sla.org

The Executive Board and Committee Chairs have been working diligently to meet your needs by: providing tools for professional development, communication vehicles, and networking opportunities. In this issue of the PeachState Update, you will find reports of current committee activities and projects. Future plans include a Southeastern Regional Conference in 1998, the creation of a Chapter listserver for discussion and announcements, a joint project to adopt-a-library in the country of Montserrat, the 2001 Winter Education Conference in Savannah, assisting in a Student Chapter project with the Boys and Girls Club, and continuing programs of use to information professionals.

Please remember that your questions, feedback, and comments are essential to the Board and Committee activities. Finally, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all our extremely hard-working and dedicated volunteers. Thanks to Delicia Hill, who served as Co-Chair of the Affirmative Action Committee for the past year. A hearty welcome to Debbie Broocker, who has agreed to take on the Co-Chair's position, Rod Bustos, who now has the official title of Chapter Webmaster, and is responsible for the Chapter Web Page and is working with SLA on a Chapter listserver. Also, thanks to Deanna Morrow Hall who has volunteered to serve as Production Editor of the Chapter's newsletter.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM CHAPTER MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES

A Message from Your Editor

This issue is a fairly light one due to the holidays and a number of changes that are taking place in our organization. Our quarterly "Membership Profile" is absent from this issue, but Julie Schein will bring us a new member spotlight in the April issue. Please try to attend the March meeting of the Georgia Health Sciences Library Association, to be held in Augusta March 12-14 and a local Video-Conference at Georgia State University. The nominating committee has been chosen to select next year's Officers, and the annual Business Meeting will be held in May. Please make plans to attend this important meeting. Your participation in our Georgia Chapter is indispensable in making our programs strong and our Chapter an active part of your professional growth.

.____________________________________

PROGRAM NEWS

The November meeting of the GA/SLA was held November 4 at the Atlanta Regional Commission. Special thanks to all who participated and who graciously hosted the program.

The December Holiday Party was held on December 11 at the Agatha Mystery Theater. The event was heavily attended and included a sit down, five-course dinner and an production of "Murder on the Holiday Express." Special thanks to all who participated to make this a unique experience.

The February meeting was held on February 12 at the Southern Polytechnic State University. "GALILEO: A Glimpse into the Future," provided speakers such as Dr. Joyce Mills, Director of the Polytechnic library, and Mr. David Evans, Associate Director of the Kennesaw State University Library. According to Program Chair, Roger Glenn, there were over 20 attendees. Special thanks to Holly Buchanan who helped make this program successful.

Plan to attend the March meeting of the Georgia Health Sciences Library Association's Annual Meeting in Augusta. The meeting "Par Excellence: Thriving vs. Surviving" will be held March 12-14. All GA/SLA Chapter members should have already received their program announcements and reservation forms.

The April program to celebrate "International Special Librarian's Day" will be hosted by the Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies' Student Chapter of the Special Libraries Association. Further dates and events for this program will be announced in the next issue of the newsletter.

EMPLOYMENT NEWS

from Karalyn Kavanaugh

SLAJOB is now operated by the SLA national office. This service will be incorporated into the existing SLA employment program which includes a phone bank and an on-line job search service on the association's web page. Please note that SLAJOB will no longer function as a listserv.

Job openings will be posted on the phone bank and/or the SLA web page. Employment seekers may call the phone bank at 202/234-4700 ext. 1 or access the job search service on the web page:

http://www.sla.org/professional.

The phone bank is available to anyone seeking a position, but the on-line job search service is available to SLA members only. To post a job opening or to find out the password to access the on-line positions, please contact the Professional Development Department at 202/234-4700 ext. 627 or e-mail to gianna@sla.org. The fee to post a job listing is $50.00. Comments or further questions can be directed to valerie@sla.org or sla@sla.org

SLAJOB was started by SLA student members at Indiana University School of Library and Information Science in October, 1992. We hope that this service has been a benefit to the special libraries community.

Sincerely,

Roger Beckman

CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES UPDATE

SpeciaLine

Specialine has gone on-line. In addition to maintaining the telephone jobline, job advertisements will be posted on the SLA web page. This service is being sponsored by Dun & Bradstreet. Members can search for available positions by geographic region, salary range, and eventually will be able to search by different fields of interest. The password for SLA members to use this service was posted in the November Specialist. Members can also find out the password by calling the Professional Development Department where a staff member will check their member status.

Information Outlook

Information Outlook, the new monthly magazine, will feature an employment section with advertised job openings.

The Employment Clearinghouse

Plans are underway for the 1997 Employment Clearinghouse for job-seekers and employers. The Employment Clearinghouse will be open during the 1997 Annual Conference in Seattle, WA from Sunday, June 8 to Wednesday, June 11. Information and application forms will be provided to members in the Preliminary Conference Program to be mailed next March.

Job Search Mini-Workshops

New at the Annual Conference in Seattle will be a series of mini-workshops on the job search process The mini-workshops will be available to conference attendees at no extra charge and will cover topics such as networking skills, resume writing, interviewing skills and how to negotiate. These programs will be held in close proximity of the Employment Clearinghouse.

The Career Advisory Service

The Professional Development Department is looking for volunteers to serve as counselors for the Career Advisory Service. We provide this service to members each year at the Annual Conference. It gives recent graduates or those exploring career changes a chance to discuss their career goals.

Contact valerie@sla.org to volunteer.

NEWS AND NOTES ....

The 1997/98 Nominating Committee are:

Bea Burns-Purdue of Dow Jones, Karalyn Kavanaugh of EBSCO, and Rahn Huber of Amoco.

Please contact Roger Glenn or Jeanne LaRocco for a list of available offices and Chairs and send your nominations to the Nominating Committee. New Officers will be announced at the April Business Meeting.

Rod Bustos of Mercer Library has been named as the GA/SLA Chapter's WebMaster. Rod is currently setting up a Chapter listserver through SLA Headquarters. This will be available as an information and discussion list for all members. Further details on how to subscribe will be published in the PeachState Update.

The GA/SLA Board Listserv, which is available for Board and Chair members, is now being used as more than a discussion list. Members can now use this medium for electronic voting on issues that arise throughout the year.

The PeachState Update welcomes Deanna Morrow Hall as Production Editor. Rod Bustos will serve as the WebMaster Editor, to assure that the newsletter and the GA/SLA Web site offer timely news of interest to members. Lorrie Burroughs has been named Managing Editor, and Julie Schein remains as Member Profile Editor. Anyone interested in contributing as a specialty editor should contact Lorrie Burroughs.

The 1997 Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies announced this year's essay contest, which will award the winning student with a trip to the annual SLA convention, to be held in Seattle in June. All students interested in participating should contact Dr. Ishmail Abdullahi. EBSCO has graciously contributed a $500.00 stipend to the winner to match the GA/SLA's $500.00 award. Because of EBSCO's involvement, the scholarship will be named “GA/SLA - EBSCO Student Scholarship. Special thanks to Karalyn Kavanaugh and Roger Glenn for the special efforts. In honor of EBSCO's

contributions, the company will be formally awarded through a free advertisement or interview in the PeachState Update in lieu of sponsoring a meeting this year.

MORE NEWS AND NOTES....

The Executive Board agreed to support the Clark Atlanta University's Student Chapter in their project to create a library for the Boys and Girls Club in the West End (see related story in this issue) by donating $350.00 towards library supplies. Veleda Cofield, the CAU Student Chapter President is the contact person for this project.

The Public Relations Group, chaired by Pam Urban, is currently working on a book drive for an “adopt-a-library program in the country of Montserrat. Please contact Pam if you wish to volunteer in this special project.

Other works in progress include the 2001 Winter Education Conference in Savannah, and plans to assist in the development of a Southeastern Regional Special Libraries Association Conference. More news on these projects will be published as information becomes available.

STUDENT CHAPTER DONATES A CHILDREN'S LIBRARY AS A COMMUNITY PROJECT

by Veleda S. Cofield

The student chapter of SLA and ALA at Clark Atlanta University are working on a community project. We are in the process of donating a children's library to the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of West End. The idea was proposed to adopt the West End Club by one of our SLA student members, Gina Martin, who serves as Co-Chair of the Project with Stephen Fullwood. We began the project last November with a book drive. Our mission and goal is to develop a non-circulating library and information center within the Boys and Girls Club in order to build a partnership with Clark Atlanta University's School of Library Science and Information Studies. The overall purpose of the project is to establish a functioning library collection for the Club and to empower it's members to facilitate their own library.

In an effort to develop the collection, we sent out press releases to local newspapers and radio stations, wrote letters to book stores, and used many of our personal resources. Thus far, we have collected approximately 2000 books. Therefore, the collection offers a little bit to all the children ranging in grades K-12. Even though we are continuously adding to the collection, we have begun the process of organizing and cataloging the books. As Coordinator of the cataloging process, I have devised a work plan.

The work plan is serving as a guide for the volunteers to use in cataloging the books, assigning call numbers, using the Dewey Decimal Classification System, and assigning subject headings from the Sears List of Subject Headings. The collection will also consist of a shelflist/book catalog, as well as a “backup card catalog file.” The entire process is expected to be completed by early April.

Last semester, both organizations sponsored a Raffle and Bake Sale as fund raising activities which have assisted in financing for this community project. However, our greatest financial donations of $350.00 came for SLA Georgia Chapter, and we greatly appreciate it. As a result of this donation, we are now able to purchase most of the supplies necessary for creating a functional library collection. We also received a generous donation of shelving for the library from Rosalind Lett, of Crawford Long Hospital, to whom we are also grateful.

Currently, we have received interest from the local TV station Channel 11, WXIA News to be featured on "Positively Georgia," a community information piece aired during the evening news. We are very excited about this community project and are learning a great deal in the process. This activity has enabled us to gain valuable experience in creating a library collection as well as learning the value of team work and the challenges of raising money. In addition, we are also beginning to experience the challenges of administrative duties such as scheduling, among many other things. Nevertheless, we are very, very proud of what we are doing, and invite and welcome any assistance offered from any interested individuals.

Upon completing the process of cataloging the books, we are planning a formal presentation of the library to the Club during National Library Week (week of April 13) and are also planning to sign the children up for library cards with the local library branch. Again, many thanks to the Georgia Chapter for your support in our community project.

Note: Valeda is currently the President of CAU's Student Chapter of SLA.

NATIONAL NEWS OF INTEREST

The following is a calendar of the SLA Headquarters professional development offerings scheduled for 1997. This calendar is subject to change, so for the most complete information, check out the newly designed web page at:

http://www.sla.org.

For more information on any of the following programs, please contact Gianna M. Renzulli, Manager, Professional Development at 202-234-4700, ext. 649.

"The Future for Librarians: Positioning Yourself for Success"

March 20, 1997 2:00-3:30 EST

A Distance Learning Videoconference sponsored by SLA, MLA, AALL, and Lexis-Nexis.

In the next five years, what will libraries and information services look like? How will professionals be functioning in these new libraries and information services? And how can today's' librarians maximize their influence in the 21st century? This videoconference will explore these issues and discuss how special librarians are uniquely qualified to lead their organizations through the information revolution. Leading experts from each association will explain how you can make it happen!

Middle Management Institute

"Human Resources"

April 3-4, Chicago, IL

Dealing with people effectively can be the most challenging facet of managerial work. From the initial selection process through training and performance appraisal, building and maintaining a productive staff can be a difficult task. During this unit, participants will begin to master a variety of human resource skills that will be critical to their success.

"The Seven Keys to Highly Effective Web Sites" and "Creating Your Own Home Page: HyperText Markup Language Essentials."

April 7, 1997 - May 11, 1997

The Special Libraries Association introduces two new on-line distance learning courses. Now information professionals can benefit from convenient, multi-dimensional continuing education programs in their own home or office.

"Information Professionals at the Crossroads: Change as Opportunity"

SLA Annual Conference

June 7-12, Seattle, WA

The 1997 Annual Conference will feature 35 courses covering a wide range of topics from technical workshops and subject specialty courses offered by various divisions to the more general management courses and personal growth programs offered by SLA headquarters.

"Marketing and Public Relations"

June 7-8, Seattle, WA

During the 1970's and 80's, marketing and public relations emerged as key management skills essential to the success of the information center. In the 1990's, these skills will continue to play an important role as you strive to maximize usage, mainstream the information center into the organization, and gain management support.

"Management Skills"

June 7-8, Seattle, WA

Every manager's toolbox includes a group of key management skills that provide a foundation for success. During this unit, participants will concentrate on enhancing these skills and learning results-oriented approaches to achieving professional goals.

"Analytical Tools"

September 25-26, Washington, DC

Given the unrelenting rate of change and uncertainty in every sector of the economy, middle managers in libraries and information centers must be able to respond proactively to downsizing, reengineering, corporate restructuring, outsourcing, and the ever-present bottom line. In this unit, participants will learn to use financial information for strategic management and decision-making.

State-of-the-Art Institute

November, Washington, DC

The Institute, held each fall, provides a unique forum for the exchange of ideas on issues of ideas of concern to the information community

GEORGIA CHAPTER OF SLA OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS 1996-97

President
Jeanne LaRocco
ATSDR Information Center, MS E57
4 Executive Park Drive
Suite 2300
Atlanta, GA 30329
404-639-6357
FAX: 404-639-6359
email: jyl9@atsdhs2.em.cdc.gov

President-Elect/Program Chair
Roger Glenn
Disclosure, Inc.
2475 Lenox Road,NE
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-238-0542
FAX: 404-238-0543
email: roger.glenn@discolsure.com

Treasurer
Irene McMorland
1926 North Decatur Road
Atlanta, GA 30307-1125
404-315-6428
email: ireneMcM@aol.com

Secretary
Jennie Lazarus
Pulp Chemicals Association
15 Technology Park/South
Suite 250
Norcross, GA 30092
770-446-7237
FAX: 770-446-1487
email: Jlazarus@tappi.org

Past-President
Rosalind Lett
Crawford Long Hospital of Emory
University-Medical Library
550 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
404-686-1290
FAX: 404-686-4974
email: rosalind_lett@email.eushc.org

Director
Charles Shellabarger
GDS Associates, Inc.
1850 Parkway Place
Suite 720
Marietta, GA 30067
770-425-8100
FAX: 770-426-0303
email: charles@ix.netcom.com
charless@gdsassoc.com

Director
Deb Robinson
McKinsey & Company
Library
133 Peachtree St. NE
Suite 2300
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-335-3351
FAX: 404-524-4416

COMMITTEE CHAIRS