Annual Reports

ACRL/New England Chapter
Information Technology Interest Group
Annual Report
1998-1999

The proposal for an Information Technology Interest Group was brought before the ACRL/NEC Board on November 6, 1998, by Julie Linden, Research Library Resident at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Board unanimously endorsed the proposal. The purpose of ITIG is to promote quality programs and facilitate information sharing on the issues of implementation, support, training, and use of information technology in libraries.

ITIG's first planning meeting was held on February 5, 1999, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Officers were chosen, each for a one-year term (the first group of officers will serve until June 2000): Chair, Julie Linden; Vice-Chair, Colleen Anderson (Bryant College, Smithfield, RI); Secretary, Charity Hope (University of Massachusetts Amherst).

ITIG's first program will be a joint effort with the Continuing Education Committee. "Electronic Reserves: Experiences from the Pioneers" will be held on May 26, 1999, at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. One week before the program, it was sold out (with 168 registrants). A copy of the program agenda is available on the ITIG web site.

The next planning meeting was held on May 10, 1999, at Bryant College, Smithfield, RI. Suggestions for a fall program were discussed; the top three ideas were e-mailed to the ITIG membership for consideration. The program planning subcommittee (Colleen Anderson, Julie Linden, and Olga Verbeek) will meet in June to decide on a program topic and begin planning.

In addition to offering two large programs a year, ITIG is planning to facilitate smaller discussion groups. These informal programs would bring together colleagues in the same geographic area to discuss new and emerging technologies in libraries. Betsy Hoagg and Olga Verbeek serve on the discussion groups subcommittee.

ITIG also plans to compile a resource directory of technology experts, a list of ACRL/NEC members who volunteer to consult informally with other members on selected technology issues. Charity Hope is leading this project, beginning with a survey of members' needs.

Charity Hope developed the ITIG web pages (currently located at http://www.conncol.edu/acrlnec.org/sigs/itig/} A webmaster, responsible for ongoing maintenance and creation of ITIG web pages, will be appointed shortly.

Flyers promoting the group were available at the ACRL/NEC fall and spring conferences and an announcement about ITIG's formation was posted to relevant discussion lists. Currently there are 83 members of ITIG.

Submitted by Julie Linden, Chair
May 24, 1999
Reformatted by Heidi N. Abbey; August 16, 1999