ConnectMidwest

The most exciting part of the annual Midwest Chapter business meeting is, of course, the announcement our annual award winners by Sheryl Stevens, chair of the Awards and Scholarships Committee.

The 2009 Jean Williams Sayre Innovation Award was awarded to our conference city's own Prior Health Sciences Library Center for Knowledge Management for their development of an Internet-based continuing medical education portal. The $500 award was accepted on behalf of the team by Pam Bradigan, the library's director. Congratulations!

The biggest suspense is reserved for the announcement of the Distinguished Librarian of the Year Award. Last year's winner Logan Ludwig dramatically introduced this year's winner. About halfway through his reading of the exerpts from the nomination letters, I realized who the winner was and started watching her reaction. And what a joy it was to see her totally surprised to hear her name announced for this, the chapter's highest honor! Congratulations to Mary Markland, 2009 Distinguished Librarian of the Year!

After receiving her well-deserved award, Mary, in her role as chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee, reviewed the results of this year's election of officers:

President-Elect: Clare Leibfarth
Treasurer: Sue London
Chapter Council Representative: Bette Sydelko
Recording Secretary: Charniel McDaniels
Chapter Council Alternate Representative: Pam Rees
Potential Candidate for Membership on the MLA Nominating Committee: Melinda Orebaugh

The new Executive Board members took office at the end of the business meeting with the "transfer of the gavel" from Deborah Lauseng to incoming president Elaine Skopelja. Your intrepid blog editor is looking forward to serving the members of the Midwest Chapter for the next three years as part of the fantastic Executive Board team!