Dear CALL Colleagues –

While the calendar year may have just started, we are already well past the halfway point of the current CALL year. As we navigate another Chicago winter and play the “how many different types of adverse weather alerts can my phone give me?” game, CALL’s work continues.

Before we look at CALL’s present activities, it’s that time to think about our future. The 2019-20 CALL Board Election will start on February 15 and end on March 15. Kudos to Todd Ito and the members of the Nominations and Elections Committee for assembling a fantastic slate of candidates! You can view each candidate’s biography and personal statement, and be on the lookout for the announcement that voting is open.

Don’t forget that in addition to the Board election, CALL will be concurrently running a Bylaws election from February 15 through March 15. If approved, the proposed Bylaws amendments would (1) align the CALL membership categories with AALL’s membership categories by eliminating the “associate” member category (allowing those members to become full voting and office-holding members of CALL); and (2) eliminate the requirement that retired members have been active CALL members for at least 10 consecutive years. The Bylaws election will be available on the CALL Elections page of the website, so please remember to cast your vote!

Switching back to current CALL business, our committees have been very active over the winter months. Some highlights and news since the last issue of the Bulletin:

• Continuing Education presented a session on legal analytics in Decembe; the Committee has also planned a discussion on active learning techniques in February and a program on Blockchain in March. Look for details on these upcoming programs on the CALL website and CALL listserv.
• Community Service has scheduled a volunteer opportunity at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on Saturday, March 9. You can read more about this event and sign up to participate.
• Mentorship and Leadership Development hosted a new member mentorship event on January 24 and has another event scheduled at AALL Headquarters at the end of February. Remember that if you are a newer CALL member looking for a mentor, there is a more experienced CALL member interested in becoming a mentor.  Whether you are new or experienced, if you are seeking out educational or publishing opportunities, check out the Mentorship and Leadership Development page on the CALL website.
• As you peruse the educational opportunities on the MLDC Web page, remember that CALL offers grants. If you’re interested in attending upcoming events such as CALIcon19, the AALL Innovation Bootcamp, SLA, or AALL’s Annual Meeting or “Day on the Hill”, take a moment to fill out a grant application – you might get CALL to pay your way!
• In case you hadn’t heard, Meetings Committee co-chair Tami Carson recently left Chicago for a new job in polar vortex-free Southern California. I want to thank Tami for all of her contributions in helping to lead the Committee over the last year and a half (and especially in helping me execute my duties as Vice President last year). I also want to take a moment to announce that Carrie Port has agreed to serve as Committee co-chair for the rest of the CALL year. Thanks, Carrie!

Of course, our members all benefit from the ongoing work of every CALL committee, including the Bulletin, Public Relations (remember that among their duties is keeping our Web site and listserv up and running), and Placement & Recruitment. Thanks again to all of our committee chairs and volunteers!

Here’s to a strong finish to the 2018-19 CALL year and a quick finish to the 2018-19 winter.

Best,

Joe Mitzenmacher