Letter from the President

May 2009

Dear InULA members,

Unbelievably, my year as president of InULA is just about finished. It has been a year with a very steep learning curve but with the assistance of a very fine executive board, wonderful committee chairs, and plenty of InULA veterans as members, we have made it!

If you were at the Annual Business meeting then you already heard this from me, but I think it is worth repeating: if I had to choose the major lesson I learned this year, it is that InULA is still relevant...and has much work ahead of it. For example, our major fundraiser, i.e., the book sale, is not bringing in the funds it once did, but that just might mean it is time to make some changes. And change keeps us fresh. The executive board has already been mulling over some ideas, but if you have any thoughts on how to bring the book sale income back up, please do not hesitate to contact the board.

But on the other hand, our membership numbers are up (84 members as of this writing), scholarship applications are plentiful, and our programs and social events well-attended. The message to me is that librarians (and future librarians) want and need InULA.

I guess as my final presidential action, I would just like to ask members to continue to recruit any colleagues who are not currently members. More members mean more talents which means a stronger organization. And to the InULA veterans, thank you for your continuing (and patient!) guidance to the newer members serving on the executive board or as committee chairs.

The summer is a slow time for InULA, but I believe the ever-busy Program and Social Committee still has a few events up its sleeve. And I know the incoming board is already thinking about next year, so be on the lookout for emails regarding membership and input on group funding requests, to name a few.

And finally, thank you so much for entrusting me to serve as the president of the IU Librarians Association. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, have learned much, and plan to continue to contribute and use what I have learned.

Happy summer,

Dina Kellams
InULA President
dmkellam@indiana.edu