LaSoMi Fall 2000 Meeting

Fall 2000 Meeting at Xavier University

On Friday October 6^th, the LaSoMi Chapter of SLA held a netLibrary presentation at Xavier University in New Orleans. There were over 50 registrants for the presentation, and close to 40 actual participants. The participants included a mix of members and nonmembers, so the presentation served as an introduction for some to the chapter, and to SLA.

NetLibrary representative Bryant Hinson was kind enough to lead the presentation after the representative for our area took ill. We learned a lot about netLibrary through his PowerPoint presentation, but unfortunately the Internet connection was not functioning properly in the room, so we didn’t get to see a demonstration of netLibrary in action. Xavier Library and LSU have both recently acquired netLibrary, so this presentation was especially helpful to participants from these schools. For the others, it served as an introduction to “the next big thing” in the electronic age.

Electronic books are another step further for libraries in the “electronic age.” It is the next big thing, and libraries should go with the tides, unless they want to be left behind. Understandably these new electronic inventions worry some librarians for the sake of their job security, (if there are no patrons, there are no need for librarians right?). While NetLibrary may worry some for various reasons, it also provides answers to some of the problems that have been plaguing libraries for years. Issues such as lack of space, destruction of property, and outreach to distant learners are no longer of concern. Only time will tell whether products like these will be the future of books, or just a current trend.

-Contributed by Kelly Blessinger, LaSoMi Chapter Secretary