Hello everyone! The ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans was a great time to get together for informative programs, exciting events, to meet new people, and to catch up with old friends. RUSA continued its excellent record of high quality programs with four preconferences, sponsored by BRASS, MARS, RSS, and History, and through many other section programs on topics such as readers’ advisory, virtual reference, assessment, and marketing. Highlights of the conference included the CODES annual Literary Tastes Breakfast and the annual RUSA Awards program where we were able to recognize outstanding members of RUSA.
Please join me in congratulating our newly elected officers of RUSA: Mary Popp, Vice-President/President-Elect; Patrick Wall and Doris Ann Sweet, Directors-At-Large; and Carolyn Larson, RUSA Secretary. Mary will be working to solicit volunteers for many RUSA level committees in the coming year so please consider volunteering. Congratulations also to all of our newly elected section officers! (A complete list is on the RUSA Blog).
During the coming year, RUSA will be developing its new three-year strategic plan with the broad goals of increasing membership; better meeting user needs and interests; facilitating member participation; and making the best use of RUSA committee and board meeting time. A taskforce has been set up with representation from each section to develop recommendations for how RUSA can structure itself to meet these needs, and we will solicit input from membership throughout the coming year. RUSA is also working on software and procedures to enable more virtual participation in programs, webinars and meetings. Please contact me with your ideas and suggestions on ways that we can continue to improve RUSA.
I would like to thank RUSA’s outgoing President, Barry Trott, for his leadership and for his guidance as I prepared to step into this role. I’d also like to thank the other members of the RUSA Executive Committee, Susan Beck, Kathleen Kern, and Theresa Mudrock, for all of the help and support. I’m looking forward to working with our outstanding Board in the coming year and would like to offer my thanks to RUSA members who offer their expertise through leadership and service in the many RUSA and section level committees. Finally, I’d like to give a special thanks to Susan Hornung, Executive Director, who continually keeps me on track and who makes sure that RUSA is running smoothly and efficiently. I also want to thank both Liz Markel, Marketing Specialist, and Andrea Hill, Web Services Manager, for all of their support. RUSA is able to function thanks to the hard work of these three people.
After serving in RUSA for nearly twenty years, I am continually impressed with our members’ passion for reference and user services and for the camaraderie and friendship that I see throughout the division. I am humbled and proud to have this chance to serve as President. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you in Dallas in 2012!
Gary White
RUSA President