STUDENT ASSOCIATION MINUTES - SEPTEMBER 2004

Pratt School of Information and Library Science Student Association "SILSSA"

Meeting Minutes

September 14, 2004

Submitted by Michelle Dollinger, Treasurer

SILSSA Officers in Attendance:

President, Aimee MacLagger

Vice President, Terra McLeod

Treasurer, Michelle Dollinger

Aimee began the meeting at 5:30 p.m. and welcomed the students and introduced the officers in attendance. She introduced the new dean, Dr. Tula Giannini, and announced the new SILSSA website created by Michelle Dollinger, SILSSA Treasurer and Webmaster. Students are urged to visit the site for announcements of upcoming events and information on the SILS program.

Aimee announced the Goddard 18th Annual New York Book Fair and made a call for volunteers to sort books before the event. The sale will take place November 20-21.

She updated the group on Banned Books Week (Sept. 25-Oct. 2) and explained there had been an attempt at planning a event with Brooklyn Public Library, but we weren’t able to complete the group’s original plans for a read-out. Contract issues and a lack of volunteers caused the group to make other arrangements. She advised the attendees to look for fliers for a small event on campus.

Aimee encouraged everyone to join the American Library Association (ALA) as student members. She said there is a very good discounted rate and it would help support SILSSA as it is an ALA-member group. There are forms in the hallway on the sixth floor as well as on the ALA website.

Terra discussed the need for volunteers to lead various committees to plan trips, speakers and tours. She’s seeking interested people to help plan a trip to the ALA Midwinter Conference in Boston and to help plan the spring break trip to Rome, Italy. She also said she’s trying to plan a panel of speakers and would welcome ideas.

Terra announced a speaker event for October 7 at 6 p.m. Librarian, Laura Walth will speak to students about her experiences since graduating Pratt.

The Library of Congress trip will take place Friday, October 8. Terra is organizing the trip for Pratt SILS students and faculty and the cost will be $35. Students and faculty can add their names to a sign-up sheet in the SILS faculty office. They must leave a check for $35 made out to Pratt Institute. Terra has arranged for a private tour and two speakers to address library topics. A bus will pick up everyone at Pratt Manhattan.

Terra has arranged a tour of the NYPL Humanities and Social Science Research stacks. There will be two tours Sept. 28 and Nov. 2. The tour will include access to areas not normally open to the public. There is no cost to participate in the tours.

Michelle announced she will soon accept registration for a tour to Find/SVP, a business library and consulting company located in New York City. Student will get to tour the largest private business library collection and meet with Find/SVP employees including someone from Human Resources.

The first issue of Keyword was a success, but volunteers are sought for the next edition coming out this Winter. Students are invited to write on any work or class experiences relevant to library science.

Finally, Dean Giannini discussed the exciting PULSE program which offers students new educational and work experience opportunities melded together in a forward-looking and exciting program developed by Brooklyn Public Library in collaboration with Pratt-SILS. The website is at http://pratt.edu/~pulse/.

Aimee closed the meeting and invited all in attendance to enjoy the sandwiches the SILS office ordered for the meeting.

Members in Attendance:

1.         Roseann Hara Polashek

2.         Rachel Lynn Conrad

3.         Stephanie Rasmussen

4.         Diane Chernin

5.         Natasha Berger

6.         Susan Kendrick

7.         Terra McLeod

8.         Aimee C. MacLagger

9.         Routgauzer Inna

10.         Jennifer Poggiali

11.         Siobhan Ryan

12.         Lisa M. Ferrara

13.         Angeline Beljoir

14.         Dawn Archer

15.         Kira Appel

16.         Liorah Golomb

17.         Jillian Cuellar

18.         Bill Johnson

19.         Lorraine Klein

20.         Karyn Hinkle

21.         Gary Snaffer

22.         Heather Davis

23.         Sandra Pace

24.         Julita Braxton

25.         Jocelyn Castillo

26.         Corrina Moss

27.         Lia Friedman

28.         Gabriel Farrell

29.         Mary Cox

30.         Kevin DeVorsey

31.         Michelle Dollinger