Happy New Year! I enter each new year looking forward to the submissions I receive and also what information I will gain from attending the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting. Although I am an experienced and long-term library professional, there is always something new to learn and information to acquire. Networking with colleagues, both those new to the profession and those who are experienced, is wonderfully productive and draws on our collective perspectives. Attending professional conferences and reading journal papers are two ways to contribute to our profession. There are other ways to be involved, too, such as writing a book review, serving on a committee, giving a presentation (including webinars), teaching courses and/or providing training, or writing a research paper. Geography is no longer an issue, and many groups conduct their work virtually, eliminating some barriers that might have formerly hampered participation.
If you are not aware, starting in 2022, there will be only the ALA Annual Conference. The last Midwinter Meeting will be in 2021. We are moving into a new era of ALA. The organization will move out of their long-time headquarters, and discussions of a merger between LLAMA, LITA, and ALCTS are well underway. A series of town halls about the proposed new division Core were held October through December 2019. Additional details can be found on the Core website: https://core.ala.org/. It will be interesting and exciting to see what lies ahead.
Thinking about the future is sometimes unsettling, yet can also be positive. It is an opportunity to improve and expand on what programs, services, and opportunities are extended to members. The last big change to ALCTS was in 1989 when the division’s name changed from the Resources and Technical Services Division (RTSD) to the current name. ALCTS was the result of several ALA units merging. (A history of ALCTS, courtesy of my colleague Miriam Palm, is available at http://www.ala.org/alcts/about/misshist/history if you want more information.)
Change is inevitable, even when something seems to be operating effectively. Drivers include need, economic factors, and sustainability. Other changes that had an impact on our profession include the switch from catalog cards to networks to produce bibliographic records, the growing reliance on electronic resources over print, the increase in user-driven or evidence-based acquisitions, and the transition from AACR2 to RDA. This is not to imply that change must be simply accepted. Participating in discussions and contributing can impact the outcome and have desirable results. However, that is not possible if one does not engage or provide input. Keep that in mind as discussions about Core proceed.
My editorials always conclude with a preview of the issue’s content, which is provided below. I hope you enjoy this issue.