GENERAL NEWS: Happy Holidays

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The fall semester is over and I am sighing a huge breath of "wowsers!" I have enjoyed my first semester and look forward to spring and more fun in 2007. I'll be joining my family in Florida for some toes-in-the-sand time and working on some manuscripts as the editor of the ASIST Monograph Series published by Information Today.

Graduation yesterday was wonderful! More than half of our 60+ graduates joined us at the reception in Davis including some of our Virginia stars. It was such a pleasure to meet parents and spouses and siblings and friends and all the folks that it takes to support a graduate student. Congratulations to you all and remember us here at SLIS and CMCIS as you move forward in your careers.

Sometimes I worry that we forget the simple pleasures in our hectic world so please take some time to enjoy and share this holiday season. What better way than to read to someone? It is such a luxary to be read to and I still remember my 3rd grade teacher reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys to us in the afternoon. I couldn't wait to get back to school and find out what happened next. Reading makes a difference as do libraries * so here is the only activity for you until next year: write an essay about how libraries transform lives and win a thousand dollars for your friends' group!

The "Libraries Transform Essay Contest" has extended the deadline to January 2, 2007! FOLUSA is pleased to announce a new $1,000 award sponsored by the Lana and Michael Porter Foundation. This award will recognize an outstanding essay focused on how libraries transform communities. The Friends group or library designated in the entry information must be a FOLUSA members with a current membership valid through January 31, 2007. The $1,000 will be awarded to the Friends group or library designated on the winning entry.

Wishing you all the best of holidays!

sam