2008 SYNERGY PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to the 30 men and women selected to participate in Synergy: The Illinois Library Leadership Initiative 2008. This year's participants will be:

Shirley Bennett, Columbia College Chicago Library
Julie Blackwell, Carol Stream Public Library
Karen Bounds, Centralia High School
Brian Chase, Normal Public Library
Christina Conklin, Moline Public Library
Julie Dahl, University of St. Francis
Jane Easterly, Galesburg Public Library
Veyshon Edmond, Chicago Public Library
Cheryl Goza-Smith, Illinois State Library
Angela Green, Alliance Library System
Karen Hansen, Morton Grove Public Library
Maggie Hommel, Park Ridge Public Library
Heather Jagman, DePaul University
Patrice Johnson, Chicago Public Library
Paul Keith, Chicago Public Library
Richard Kong, Skokie Public Library
Annette Mills, Triad High School
Lisa Morrison-Korajczyk, Steger/South Chicago Heights Public Library
Douglas Orlyk, Bensenville Community Public Library District
Amy Peterson, Schaumburg Township District Library
Kathy Ruck, Melzer Elementary School
Kuntala (Tuki) Sathaye, Itasca Community Library
Laurie Sauer, Knox College Library
Carol Schrey, Franklin Grove Public Library
Cason Snow, Founders Memorial Library
Diane Srebro, Orland Park Public Library
Lynne Thomas, Founders Memorial Library 402A
Dianna Wiggins, Global Consumer & Business Insights Information Center
Alissa Williams, Pekin Public Library
Harriett Zipfel, Belleville Public Library

Terrific Topics at Dominican University

Dominican University GSLIS is offering a terrific series of lectures on the theme of Emerging Library Leaders for the 21st Century. From January through April, topics include grant writing, advocacy, leadership skills, and more. And the speaker line up is terrific: John Berry (LJ Editor), Kathryn Deiss (ACRL/ALA), Emily Sheketoff (ALA Washington Office), and more!

Additionally, two major annual lectures are also on offer this Spring. The 2008 Follett Lecture on the importance of libraries in the life of young children is coming up on February 6; the current Follett Chair (and lecturer on the 6th) is Steve Herb, former president of ALSC. On April 16, Rosalind Picard, MIT Media Lab, will present the 2008 Lazerow Lecture on technology and emotional intelligence.

Check out the GSLIS News & Events page for more information.

Synergists nominated for positions on ILA board

The nominating committee of the Illinois Library Association (ILA) has named eight candidates for the four directors-at-large positions on the Board of Directors; five of the eight candidates are Synergy alums:

Betsy Adamowski, Itasca Community Library (2005)
Diana Brawley-Sussman, Southern Illinois Talking Book Center-(2002)
Terry Cottrell, University of St. Francis Library (2006)
Amy Falasz-Peterson, Fondulac District Library (2002)
Ted Schwitzner, Illinois State University (2003)

Be sure to congratulate your fellow Synergists on being selected to run for office. And, ILA Members, be sure to vote between April 1 - 30, 2008.

For more information, see page 26 of the February 2008 issue of The ILA Reporter (which also has a cover story by Synergy mentor, Jane Chamberlain of the Bloomington Public Library!)