Brainstorming session

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Minutes of Officers' Meetings and brainstorming sessions

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 5:30pm, GSLIS Lounge

1. Welcome new officers, Jessica Haglund (Co-Chair) and Melissa Laplante (Wiki Gardener).

2. Ideas for events (and Action Items):

• Globalization documentary series -- hold on Tuesday nights, 9pm, following the IDIV 501 Globalization and Diversity class, which Jessica is taking.

• Jessica - ask the students in that class if they are interested and would be able to attend.

• March 15th - Potluck at David's house -- Hannah will check with David

• March 19th, GSLIS Abroad: International Libraries discussion:

• Helen - book lounge, order Mediterranean Platter and beverages; invite Sharon Harveys to speak about Egypt/Alexandria Library
• Melissa - buy gift certificates to bookstore/coffeeshop for speakers;
• Hannah - invite Karen Vagt to speak about Berlin; ask EmClaire for info about UNC Chapel Hill program
• Melissa - posters?
• Someone-listserv announcements?

• April 2nd -- Nicaragua information session

• Helen - book room on 3rd floor
• Melissa -Contact PLG about Nicaragua night.
• Melissa -posters

• April 14th -- Meet-and-Greet GSLIS international students

Note -- make this a yearly event!

• Jessica - ask Iraqi students and South African fulbright scholar if they would join us
• Someone(?) - find out names/contact info about other international GSLIS students and contact them
• Helen - book lounge
• Melissa - posters?
• Someone- Announcements?

• May 17th -- End-of-Term night out (at restaurant, similar to last year's night at Addis Ababa Red Sea, where SIR contributed $5/person towards the bill, and each person paid for the remainder of whatever their share of the bill)

• August 10-14 -- IFLA conference in Quebec City. -- think about organizing a GSLIS group to go together and possibly share costs. Note that the website is [www.IFLA.org].

• Jessica - look into chartering a bus
• Hannah - investigate group hotel rates
• Someone - look into scholarship info
• Note -- Think about finding a guest speaker at the IFLA conference to speak at Simmons/SIR next fall.

3. Other:

• Helen - see if we can get a locker in which to keep SIR supplies (plates, napkins, etc.) for SIR events)
• Melissa and everyone - think about ways to jazz up the wiki: more info, more graphics

4. Note that we discussed ways to plan early for the fall semester, including meeting over the summer to keep up momentum.

Thursday, October 11, 2007, 6:00pm, GSLIS Lounge

Plans for events in November are as follows:

• Thurs. Nov. 1: Nicaragua interest meeting (for January trip) - David will send email.

• Nov 3: David's birthday, and SIR Potluck dinner at his home in Dorchester - sign up for dishes on wiki Update: postponed due to GSLIS East/West bowling tournament. To be rescheduled as end of semester event.
• Nov 7: Reminder of lecture on Iraqi libraries by Dr. Saad Eskander, Director of the Iraq National Library and Archives. -- try to get podcast, maybe have potluck and listen to (and discuss) highlights later (in December?)

• Nov 13: 5:30 General Meeting and movie ("Amandla" or "Black Gold") -- must book room and/or reserve dvd; liaise with PLG; talk to fulbright student about discussion re S. Africa after watching "Amandla."

• Nov 16: Reminder of lecture by Dr. Sarah Thomas, Simmons grad and first woman (and first American) to become director of Oxford University's Bodleian Library

• ??Nov 29?? Study Abroad discussion (guest speakers would be the students who attended UNC Chapel Hill's summer study abroad programs in London, Prague, and Slovenia)

Other ideas discussed:

... David will coordinate Nicaragua video project

... David also has ideas for 2 guest speakers:

Jane Kinney Myers, the director of the library in Africa (Lubuto Library Project)

Ann Carlso Weeks, a professor at the University of Maryland and (founder?) of the international children's library (Did I get that right?)

Wednesday, October 3, 2007, 5:30pm, 3rd Floor GSLIS Suite

• First officers meeting with new officers Hannah and Helen.

• Next Officers' Meeting on Thursday, October 11 at 6pm.

• Hannah needs to check with Cindy Fisher regarding meeting for treasurers of all LISSA orgs.

• David emphasized importance of record keeping.

• Quick brainstorm for ideas:

~ UNC Chapel Hill's summer Study Abroad programs in Prague, London, and Slovenia - invite those who participated to speak at SIR meeting

~ International Movie Night with speakers and discussion (liaise with PLG).

~ Liaise with PLG on visit the library of the non-profit org called "Facing History and Ourselves" in Brookline, MA, whose mission is to provide educational resources to teachers on the subject of mass violence and genocide. (Update: I spoke with the librarian there, who turns out to be a Simmons '06 grad, and they are planning a major library move later this year. She said she'd be happy to host a tour, but not until the spring. - Helen)

~ Need to get better publicity for events

~ Need to reduce GSLIS email overload