Dear Chicago Association of Law Libraries Members,
At the Chapter Presidents’ Training during the American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting and Conference in Boston this past July, our chapter stood out among chapters for our strategic plan. Not only was our plan well-thought and clearly articulated, the mere fact that we had a strategic plan was an achievement in itself.
Special thanks to our 2020-21 Strategic Plan Committee for all of the hard work that you put into crafting our plan. It lights the way forward as we embark on the 2023-24 year, and progress toward our centennial in 2046 in order to place CALL in the best possible position, technologically and with respect to our structure.Continue reading President’s Letter→
But term limits exist for a reason, so with that in mind, and with tears on my keyboard, I type to you one last time as CALL President.
I am so proud of our accomplishments as an organization in the past year. While I am unable to recount all of the moments that defined my year as President, the standout event for me was our 75th Anniversary event at the Columbia Yacht Club last June. Not only was it a beautiful day filled with great food and conversation–it was also our first opportunity to gather together in person since before the COVID pandemic. I can not think of a better setting to toast to one another and to the organization that brought us all together.Continue reading President’s Message→
As the days condense and we move ever-closer to “Dibs Season” here in Chicago, I look back on the beginning of this year’s CALL calendar fondly. In this, CALL’s 75th year, we have continued to stay connected as a community in spite of challenges, and have maintained our mission of advocacy, education, and engagement. Continue reading President’s Letter→
As a kid, all I ever wanted to be was CALL President.
“Mom, Dad–I need the new edition of The Bluebook.”
“No, I most certainly cannot come out to play. I have to practice Shepardizing. Lose this address.”
“You know what, Grandma–you keep this birthday money. It won’t do me any good to get used to having it.”
Then you grow up, see your dreams realized, and find out that it’s never how you thought it would be. Case in point, here are a few things they don’t teach you in CALL President School:Continue reading President’s Letter→
As my term as CALL president comes to an end and I reflect on the past year I find myself wondering how it went by so quickly, but also how we were able to accomplish so much in only 12 months. I have no answer to how we can slow down time, but I do know that our accomplishments are entirely possible because of the strength of our members. I was deeply disappointed that Covid finally caught up with me and prevented me from attending the May Business Meeting. I regret not being able to personally thank the Board members, committee chairs, and committee members who made this year such a success. Continue reading President’s Letter→
Happy New Year! Or perhaps Happy Lunar New Year is more appropriate as we are already into the 2nd month of 2022 but we are just now welcoming the Year of the Tiger. In the zodiac tradition, the tiger symbolizes bravery and courage, and my new year wish for you is that this year brings you the strength and resilience needed to thrive during these challenging times. Continue reading President’s Letter→
As I sit down to write this, I see snowflakes in the forecast for the upcoming week, which means that the brief but glorious period of fall in Chicago is quickly transitioning into the colder, darker days of winter. Fortunately, it also means that the holidays are approaching and for many people such as me, this will bring celebratory gatherings with family and friends after a year of scaled back or cancelled festivities. Aside from the pure joy of sharing hugs and pumpkin pie, I appreciate the seasonal opportunity to pause and reflect on all that I am thankful for, including being part of this community. Continue reading President’s Letter→
We are at that time of the year where we feel pulled in two directions. Trying to squeeze every last bit of relaxation we can into the final weeks of summer while also sprinting into fall, preparing for new students and new associates. The tension between those tasks feels even more precarious this year as we factor in our “return to work” plans. Are we going back to the office? How often? What will it look like? One thing we have gotten very good at over the past year is not only making plans, but also making contingency plans and maybe contingencies to those plans too. The What Ifs loom large over all of our heads, which can be a source of stress, but I am choosing to look at this time as a source of opportunity. Continue reading President’s Letter→
As we gathered around the Thanksgiving table this year, whatever that “virtual table” may have looked like this year. I am sure we all thought about what we are thankful for even through this challenging year. Maybe it was food on the table, a warm home or virtual family time. I am thankful that CALL continues to be resilient in the times of change. Who would have guessed last year that we would issue a Bulletin around best pandemic practices? This issue also features our new member profile and member news section. Happy reading! Continue reading President’s Message→
Newsletter of the Chicago Association of Law Libraries
