The Special Libraries Association's conference at Indianapolis this year will be a very special occasion for the Social Science Division. We will be marking the 75th anniversary of the Division with the presence of Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer prize winning author, historian and commentator, at events on Tuesday, June 9th. Our Division is the second oldest one within SLA. At Indianapolis, the Division will also offer substantive programs organized by the Division's Roundtable Chairs, and special programs that explore particular topics such as aging, imaging, and the future of research. The Division is co-sponsoring several programs with other Divisions and, with the International Relations Committee and the European Chapter, has organized a program focusing on barriers and opportunities for global cooperation and the annual International Visitors Reception. Every day of the conference, our members will have the opportunity to network and interact in a social setting. A walking tour and visits to nearby attractions complete the Division's bounty of programs.

The Division will hold its 1997-98 Board Meeting on the afternoon of Sunday, June 7th, to review past year activities and upcoming conference programs. Later that day, three Division members will discuss their professional experience and their membership in the Social Science Division. They are: Joseph Hovish of the American Legion, Rhonda McGinnis from Wayne State University, and Wei Chang of the Soros Foundation.

Also on Sunday, we will begin the Division's 75th anniversary celebration with balloons and a birthday cake at an Open House from 9:00 pm to midnight. Join us to toast for another 75 years of valuable social science activities and programming, and do not miss Tuesday programs organized by Terry Dean and Mike Kolakowski to commemorate the Division's anniversary. The activities include a keynote address and a luncheon (ticketed event #565) featuring Doris Kearns Goodwin. Later that day, Ms. Goodwin will talk about her baseball experiences which she also describes in her most recent book, "Wait Till Next Year."

On Monday morning, meet colleagues and hear from Division Chair Vicki Dawson about the many Division's activities during the conference at our Business Meeting and Breakfast. It is a ticketed event (#425), and as with all ticketed events, you will need to pre-register using the conference registration form.

Beth Hansen, Chair of the Independent Sector Roundtable, has organized a program entitled "Philanthropy on the Web -- The Nonprofit's Link to the Future," to discuss relevant web sites and resources, including the Foundation Center's site and links, and the Philanthropic Studies Index accessible via the Internet. The International Relations Roundtable, headed by Jerry Hogan, will focus on the Carter Library and the Carter Center, where Jerry worked prior to joining the Central Washington University. Sara Mosca of the Municipal Reference Librarians Roundtable will moderate a forum on the kind of information that cities, towns and counties are providing via the Internet, and on services that review web sites. Maryann Belanger, Chair of the Health and Human Services Roundtable, invites all interested members to meet and share ideas. The Peace and International Conflict Management Roundtable chaired by Iris Anderson will present videos about the new common currency for Europe, inviting the audience to ask questions and discuss issues related to the Euro, its implementation and implications with special guest, John Richardson, Deputy Head of the U.S. Delegation of the European Commission.

Hetty Barthel, Judith Fortson and Maryann Belanger have organized the Division's programs on special topics. "The Next Generation of Research: Will Researchers Need Us?" features a panel of three active social science researchers who will prognosticate on the role of libraries and librarians in their particular fields. "Managing a Digital Imaging Project: An Administrative Perspective" will provide an overview of the many elements that are part of a successful digital imaging project. For a discussion of policies and programs on aging, do not miss Monday's program, "Issues and Resources on Aging."

For a change of pace, join the Urban Affairs, Architecture and Planning Roundtable's walking tour through Indianapolis' Circle Center Mall and Artsgarden -- another Division ticketed activity (#575) organized by Chair Hetty Barthel. Also, sign up to visit the Children's Museum and nearby Columbus -- both visits organized by the Museums, Arts and Humanities Division and co-sponsored by us.

Burt Albert, author of "Fat Free Meetings," will highlight techniques that should help us streamline meetings and increase our productivity. This session has been organized by the Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division and is co-sponsored by our Division. Our Division is also co-sponsoring practical programs planned by the Library Management Division on the subject of proposal writing, redesigning library services, and conducting evaluations, and the "Librarians and Unions" program of the Education Division.

Tuesday's Dutch Treat Dinner organized by Olivia Pickett, and two other Open Houses co-sponsored with the Advertising and Marketing, Education, and Museums, Arts and Humanities Divisions, on Monday and Tuesday, are occasions to interact with members of our and other Divisions. Also, the International Visitors Reception on Monday afternoon will allow members to network and to celebrate the presentation of the European Special Librarian of the Year Award to the winner, Lise-Lotte Lindskog of CelsiusTech Electronics AB.

Many SLA divisions are co-sponsoring the "Global Cooperation Among Information Professionals: Barriers and Benefits" program, a joint effort of our Division, SLA's International Relations Committee and the European Chapter. Seven panelists will initiate discussion on collaboration in a more competitive global world and the lessons learned from innovative services and partnerships.

Members interested in Division plans for the next year should attend the 1998-99 Board Meeting on June 10th. Chair-Elect Susan Berg will outline priorities and engage members in discussion of the year's activities.

Finally, visit the conference exhibits and thank our sponsoring vendors for supporting the great variety of programs that the Division is offering this year. They are listed in alphabetical order: Corporate Book Resources, EBSCO Subscription Services, Faxon Company, Inc., Gale Research, Inc., Greenwood Publishing Group, Institute for Scientific Information, Keesing's Worldwide, LLC, Lexis-Nexis, Sage Publications, Sociological Abstracts, and Yankee Book Peddler. For the 75th anniversary celebration, the Division also extends its thanks to the Education, Information Technology, Military Librarians, Museums, Arts and Humanities, and Transportation Divisions and the San Francisco Bay Region and Washington, D.C. Chapters for their financial support.

Prepared by Margarita S. Studemeister
Social Science Division Conference Planner