Rocki Strader, Ohio State

ALAO’s 36th Annual Conference was held on October 29, 2010, at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North. Although many institutions are still experiencing effects of the recent and continuing economic downturn, attendance was excellent. Keynote speaker, Stephen Abram, of Gale Cengage, kicked off a successful day of programs. Mr. Abrams’ slide presentation can be found on SlideShare.

Highlights in my President’s Report to the membership included:

1. The new website and online registration, hosted by Wild Apricot. This has been a long time coming and we are pleased to have it up and running. Among other things that will make our lives much easier for keeping memberships current, this set-up allows us to handle credit-card payments, which a number of you have asked for over the last several years. I would like to thank Rob Withers for his pushing on this during his term as President last year, and to Frank Bove and Brian Gray for making it happen this spring in time for us to use it to conduct registration for this conference.

2. Some of you may be aware of our situation with our fiscal agent, SWON Libraries (SouthWest Ohio and Neighboring Libraries). SWON is extensively reorganizing, which puts us in an uncomfortable situation for the second time in less than two years. We are currently on a month-to-month arrangement with SWON. As a result, we (the Executive Board) are examining the possibility of incorporating ALAO as a non-profit organization. As a chapter of ACRL, we are required to be affiliated with a non-profit, such as SWON, or to be a non-profit organization ourselves.

3. We are working on a new strategic plan for the next five years. The finalized version will be announced and posted after the November Executive Board meeting. I would like to thank Treasurer, Gaynelle Predmore, for her leadership on this endeavor, which aligns us more closely with ACRL’s current strategic plan.

4. Lindsay Midkiff Miller is stepping down as Communications Editor. I want to use this opportunity to thank her for her work over the last three years with the ALAO Newsletter and Blog. The Communications Review Committee has appointed Katie Gibson as the new Communications Editor.

This was the first conference for which online registration and payment were available. I hope it was easy and convenient for you. We plan to take further advantage of the new website platform to better communicate with ALAO’s membership, including membership renewals, and registering for Interest Group workshops that will take place in the spring.