All:
Since the HSLI Business Meeting took place on September 26, another “HSLI year” has now come to a close, along with my first year as President. This is a period of transition, so it is time to look back, but also a chance to look forward to 2023-24.
First of all, I would like to thank Cynthia Reynolds, who just concluded a year as Past President, for her leadership during some challenging times for HSLI and the broader profession. Thanks to her initiative and creativity, HSLI has managed to weather the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, pivoting to a virtual format for the Annual Conference several times, and the organization has also regained its tax-exempt status, solidifying its long-term financial stability. Cynthia’s stewardship of HSLI during her term as President has made my job significantly easier.
While we are saying goodbye to Cynthia Reynolds as an HSLI officer, please join me in welcoming Elizabeth “Betsy” Sterner as President-Elect. It was my pleasure to serve as Betsy’s mentor back at the 2019 Annual Conference, and since that time, she has taken advantages of opportunities to increase her HSLI involvement, including chairing the Nominations and Elections Committee. I have no doubt that she will provide HSLI with strong leadership and a clear vision for the future once she takes over as President next fall.
For those of you who could attend the 2023 Annual Conference in Warrenville, I hope you had a positive experience, whether it was through learning something you can apply to your work or by making new professional connections. To those of you who could not attend but wish you had been able to do so, the Conference Planning Committee will review what worked well and what we could have done differently. We will strive to make next year’s meeting, regardless of the format, as accessible and meaningful as possible.
In addition to the Conference Planning Committee, the Helen Knoll Jira Scholarship Committee is reviewing its work over the past year and how it can enhance the entire application and review process for next year’s Award. Thank you to Chair Holly Hudson for leading the Committee, which had been inactive for several years, due to the uncertainty over HSLI’s tax-exempt status.
And, thank you, again, to all of you for making HSLI a successful organization. We are a relatively small group, but the hard work and creativity of our members help us offer opportunities to health sciences and medical librarians, along with the broader Illinois and regional library communities, that might not otherwise be readily available. I have truly enjoyed my time serving as your President so far, and I look forward to Year 2.
Eric Edwards
2022-24 HSLI President