LIBRARY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION (LITA)
Annual Report, 1999-2000
Michael Gorman, President
Technology is neither good nor bad: nor is it neutral. Melvin Krantzberg
LITA, a division of the American Library Association, is an international division of nearly 5000 members. Although LITA focuses on current and future technologies related to library and information technology, it is also concerned with the impact of technology on people, their potential, and the wider uses of technology.
VISION
LITA envisions a world in which all information technology is available to everyone.
MISSION
LITA ...
Educates through: programs for every level of skill; continuing education; publications; LITA's Web presence
Serves through: developing and disseminating best practice guidelines; mentoring
Reaches out to: a broad membership; new professionals, systems librarians, library administrators; standardizing bodies, library educators: vendors.
HIGHLIGHTS
This was a year in which LITA built on the extensive changes made in 1998-99 (these included the formulation of the "strategic initiatives" statement; a new logo; the inauguration of the annual National Forums; the Top Technology Trends process, a new structure for LITA publications; and, new membership brochures) and implemented the strategic initiatives as the basis for all its activities. Below are the highlights of a year characterized by growth and development.
TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
For the second year a group of LITA leaders who are acknowledged for their reputations and expertise in our field met to hammer out a list of the top technology trends that librarians should be watching. The Top Technology Trends discussion is now a regular feature of ALA Annual and Midwinter conferences. (See www.lita.org/committe/toptech/mainpage.htm)
With its new Top Technology Trends Committee and panel of experts, LITA reaffirms its position as the country's preeminent association for professionals working with information technologies. This year's panel included Karen Coyle, Walt Crawford, Pat Earnest, Pat Ensor, Elizabeth Lane Lawley, Clifford Lynch, Dan Marmion, Roy Tennant, Carol Tenopir, Joan Frye Williams, Tom Wilson, and Milton Wolf. Not only will the trends identified by these experts guide programming for upcoming National Forums, they will also influence our publications program and other LITA initiatives.
The Tool kit for the expert Web searcher is a major spin-off of the Top Trends process. The Tool kit www.lita.org/committe/toptech/toolkit.htm, developed and maintained by Pat Ensor, lists and organizes Web sites useful to the expert searcher.
LITA NATIONAL FORUM
The first LITA National Forum occurred in Oakland, California (November 16-17, 1998). The second National Forum was held in Raleigh, NC (November 5-7, 1999). The Raleigh Forum was a great success in terms of attendance (the Forum was sold out with 260 registrants and a number of late would-be registrants had to be turned away); in quality and quantity of the presentations; and in the positive evaluations of, and feedback from, the attendees. The Raleigh Forum comprised a pre-conference on metadata, 3 plenary sessions, and 18 concurrent sessions.
The third National Forum (November 2-5, 2000) is confidently expected to continue the upward trajectory of its predecessors. It will be held in Portland, Oregon, and registration is expected to be 350 (a 35% increase). There will be two pre-conferences, 3 plenary sessions, and 30 concurrent sessions.
The LITA Board has selected Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the site of the fourth National Forum, (October 11-14,2001). Present planning is for 500 attendees.
ALA TASK FORCE ON PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The ALA Council, assembled at the Annual Conference in New Orleans in 1999, asked LITA to take the lead in examining the impact of new technologies on patron privacy and the confidentiality of electronic records. The Task Force on Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Environment that resulted from this resolution is chaired by LITA member Flo Wilson, staffed by LITA staff, and contains representatives of a broad range of ALA interests (including five LITA members). The Task Force is submitting a report on this important and timely issue to the ALA Council at the Annual Conference in Chicago in July 2000.
MENTORING PROGRAM
In accordance with the policy contained in LITA's new strategic initiatives, the Board asked the Leadership Development Committee to look into the question of mentoring and present recommendations to the Board. Their recommendations, contained in Proposal for a LITA mentoring program, were presented to, and adopted by, the Board at the Midwinter 2000 meeting. The program calls for three types of mentoring: conference mentoring; a revised intern program; and, creation of a LITA experts' bureau. A mentoring survey will be created, disseminated, and analyzed by the LDC by the Midwinter 2001 meeting and a mentoring implementation plan will be presented to the Board at the Annual 2001 meeting. In addition the LDC is working with the ALA New Members' Round Table on these matters.
PUBLICATIONS
Getting the most out of web-based surveys / by David Ward was published as LITA guide number 6. The guides explains how surveys help to evaluate user services, rate different library programs, facilitate needs assessments, aid faculty research, and more, and shows the best methods of conducting them on the Web.
As usual, four issues of Information technology & libraries (ITAL) were published. In addition, there was an ITAL reader survey in the spring of 2000.
LITA WEB SITE
ALA is now the host site of the LITA Web page. The Web site has been completely redesigned in line with the new strategic initiatives. The Board approved a change in the Web committee to broaden input and to begin to enrich LITA's Web presence. The position of LITA Web manager has been advertised and the position will be filled at the 2000 Annual Conference.
WEB-BASED EDUCATION
The Board created a Web-based education committee (chaired by Russell Bailey). The committee has made an initial report, listing all the US LIS programs that offer online education in library and information technology. The committee will work with the LITA Education committee to continue its review of Web-based educational opportunities and to make recommendations on future directions for LITA in this area.
LITA COMMITTEE REVIEW
The Board appointed a task force to review all LITA committees and to make recommendations on future changes, consolidations, revision of charges, etc., at the 2000 Annual Conference.
PROGRAMMING
Annual Conference 2000:
The LITA President's Program will feature David Schenk (author, inter alia, of Datasmog and The End of Patience) speaking on the human impact of technology. There will be a LITA pre-conference on digital libraries and digital imaging as well as 20 other programs during the Conference itself.
Regional Institutes
Mark Hinnebusch presented The nuts & bolts of Z39.50 (through license to the Rochester Regional Library Council) in Rochester, NY (September 24, 1999). It was repeated (with co-sponsorship by the California State Library through InfoPeople) in San Francisco (February 22, 2000) and Ontario, CA (February 23, 2000).
Peter Murray presented Proxy Web Servers and Authentication (through license to Nylink, with co-sponsorship by METRO) in New York City (May 12, 2000).
The Board has approved a new institute on Database-driven web sites to be offered in August 2000 for the first time.
NEWSCHOLARSHIP
The Board has approved the LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award to be given for the first time at the 2001 Annual Conference. The recipient(s) will receive $1,000 and his/her/their paper will be published in ITAL. The award is co-sponsored by LITA and Endeavor information Systems.
LITA AWARDS
Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award (ACRL/ALCTS/LAMA/LITA)
2000 winner: Kenneth Frazier
LITA/OCLC Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology
2000 winner: Gary Marchionini
LITA/Gaylord Award for Achievement in Library and Information Technology
2000 winner: William Gray Potter
LITA/Library Hi Tech Award F'or Outstanding Communication for Continuing Education in Library and
Information Science
2000 winner: Mark Hinnebusch
LITA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 1999-2000
Michael Gorman, President
Sara Randall, Vice-President/President-elect
Barbra B. Higginbotham, Past President
Tamara Miller, Councilor
Pat Ensor
Susan Harrison
Joan L. Kuklinski
Susan Jacobson
George S. Machovec
Karen J. Starr
Lawrence A. Woods
Mary Ann E. Van Cura, Bylaws and Organization (Ex Officio)
Jacqueline Mundell, LITA Executive Director (Ex Officio)
LITA STAFF
Jacqueline Mundell, Executive Director
Rebecca Felkner, Program Officer
Tel Aviv Barbee, Administrative Secretary
Valerie Edmonds, Secretary
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to acknowledge the work of my immediate predecessors as President of LITA, Linda Miller (1997-1998) and Barbra Higginbotham (1998-1999), for their work on the initiatives and reconsiderations upon which I have been able to build and which, I truly believe, have had a transformational effect. I also would like to thank my colleagues on the LITA Board and Jacque Mundell and her staff.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Gorman
June 26, 2000
Library & Information Technology Association
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