All:
Hope the summer months are giving everyone a chance to reflect on how their 2023 has progressed so far. With this message, I would like to take the time to reflect upon ways in which HSLI members can become more active in the organization, while also recognizing those efforts. As you all know, we are a small group, and active member engagement is vital for HSLI’s continued success.
One of the best opportunities to become more involved in HSLI is to run for officer. This year, the offices of Secretary and President-Elect are open. The Secretary will serve a two-year term (2023-25), and the President-Elect will serve one year in that office (2023-24), followed by two years as President (2024-26) and one year as Past President (2026-27). Any current HSLI member is eligible to run, and we welcome members with all levels of knowledge and experience in HSLI and librarianship more broadly. You probably saw the call for candidates from Nominations Committee Chair Betsy Sterner earlier this week, and you may also view the announcement in the Newsletter here.
We also seek volunteers for HSLI committees. The list of committees and their main responsibilities is available here, and you may check the Bylaws for more details. Please contact me, at eedwards@ilsos.gov or president@hsli.org, if you would be interested in volunteering. If you have any specific questions on a committee, I would encourage you to reach out to that committee’s current chair.
Even if you do not wish to serve in an HSLI leadership role at this time, I still encourage you to share your thoughts and insights on how you have benefitted from your membership in HSLI, by contributing to the “In Members’ Words” feature in the Newsletter. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to answer the questions for the feature so far. You may view those responses here. If you would like to participate yourself, please e-mail me your responses to the questions (500-word limit per response).
Additionally, we now have a “Member of the Quarter” recognition. Congratulations to Deborah Lauseng, the initial Member of the Quarter. Please read her profile here. Watch for details on the opportunity to become the next Member of the Quarter in the near future. Requirements include answering an HSLI-related trivia question correctly, with the winner selected at random from among the respondents.
Don’t wish to be in the spotlight yourself? Still consider nominating an HSLI colleague for the Starfish Thrower Award. View more information on the award, which recognizes an HSLI member who has gone “above and beyond” for the organization, here, and read about last year’s recipient, Laura Wimmer, here. The winner of this year’s award will receive the recognition during the HSLI Business meeting, which will take place virtually from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 26. Watch for a formal call for nominations. Self-nominations are also welcome. I will announce the winner of the President’s Award, which the current President selects to recognize someone who has made a significant and lasting contribution to HSLI, at the Business Meeting.
Thank you for all that you do to help HSLI thrive, and make certain to give yourself a pat on the back for your efforts.
Eric Edwards
2022-24 HSLI President