The award will be given to a practicing or retired librarian, or a small group of librarians working in collaboration, to recognize distinguished achievement for the creative use of information technology. The award may be made in recognition of distinguished leadership, notable development of applications of technology, superior accomplishment in research or education, or original contribution to literature in the field.

Organized institutions or parts of organized institutions as such are ineligible for the award. Currently serving officers and elected officials of LITA, members of the LITA/Gaylord Award Committee, and Gaylord employees and their immediate family members are ineligible.

Nominations may be made by any member of the American Library Association, including members of the Award Committee. Please send nominations by April 15, 2000, to Dr. Mary Ann Tricarico, LITA/Gaylord Award Committee Chair, Emmanuel College Library, 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.

The award will be presented at the LITA President's Program during the Annual Conference of the American Library Association in New Orleans.

• Joan Aliprand
• Tom Dowling
• Jennie McKee
• Scott Muir
• Colby Riggs
• Mary Ann Van Cura

In a world marked by rapid change and complex politics, librarians need a dynamic organization to ensure their place at the table in building the national information infrastructure will continue to grow and develop. As ALA's flagship division in the area of library and information technology, LITA is that organization. It plays a role in such arenas as national standards and policy development. LITA teaches and informs the library community about technology, both current and emerging, through continuing education and publications. Above all, LITA develops leaders in the information arena.

In an environment of rapid growth and change, LITA continues to evolve to meet those challenges. The strategic issues identified by LITA membership as reflected on its website provide the Association with the tools to continue building a dynamic organization. At the same time it is imperative that the Association take stock of its strengths, address its weaknesses, and assess its opportunities.

LITA's elected officers and board members have a responsibility to ensure that its members are served by an organization which meets their needs by providing a clearly understood organizational structure, open communication, and opportunities for participation by its membership. As a LITA member and as a candidate for Vice-President/President-Elect, I support LITA's role as a leader in developing the information infrastructure in this country and as a well-developed organization that meets the needs of its membership.

STATEMENT: What an honor to be asked to run for Vice-President/President-Elect of LITA! This is truly a dynamic organization, poised to serve the membership and the profession in our areas of interest and expertise. If elected, I hope to make additional contributions to this organization which has been an important part of my continuing professional development over the years.

One of our biggest challenges is to continue to define and promote our role within the larger umbrella organization of ALA. With all aspects of librarianship affected by developing technologies, LITA will want to continue to attract those in libraries, information technology, and the vendor community who can provide the leadership in understanding, communicating, and evaluating new technologies for our applications and environment. The process is circular-we must build a dynamic, challenging organization with opportunities for service and professional growth in order to attract and energize a membership that will continue to pursue these services. Our new strategic directions, the exciting National Forum and other programming, the publications, and the one-on-one interaction with others-all will help LITA grow as a dynamic professional association. And it is the underlying financial health of the organization, through its various revenue-production activities and opportunities, that will allow the organization to pursue its continued growth for the benefit of all the members.

My experience in LITA, through interest group and committee membership and through service on the LITA Board has prepared me well for the challenge of leading LITA through this term of office. My administrative and systems experience in libraries adds to my ability to serve actively. My commitment to LITA is strong, and I appreciate this opportunity to be considered as Vice-President/President-Elect.

Technology is fundamentally uninteresting. I am a Board candidate because I want to work with LITA leadership on the more substantive, interesting issues of integrating new technological capabilities with long-held library values. Our successes so far in technologically extending some services beyond our physical walls have convinced our users that all of our services should be similarly available. Over the coming years, LITA will have the opportunity, if not the need, to articulate the goals and frameworks for such a "feature-complete" virtual library presence. The challenge I want to help meet as a Board member is to help make sure this articulation is steered less by what's convenient with current technology and more by what best reflects good library service.

STATEMENT: During my time in LITA technology has emerged as a tool for everyday in libraries. Even though all divisions of ALA are now concerned with the impact of technology, I believe that LITA still has a strong role to play as the "technology" division. Using any tool is an acquired skill. LITA assists librarians acquiring needed technological skills through teaching, example and writings with its strong educational and outreach components of regional institutes, the LITA Forum, programs, IG focused discussions and LITA publications. LITA serves the community by participation in the design of more efficient tools through standards and open forums with vendors. I believe my experience as a systems librarian in a small library that is using much of the new technology and as an educator teaching the new technology to local academic, public and school librarians will be as asset in the position of Director-at-Large on LITA's board.

STATEMENT: Most of us realize that new technologies are pervasive in our work, if not altogether overwhelming. I would like to see LITA focus on two important aspects of this area. One area is cutting-edge technologies. LITA should continue to offer programs from sites experimenting and implementing new technologies. The LITA forum is an excellent beginning. LITA now needs to explore strategies that will allow such quality programs to be offered on a wider basis. The information from the Top Technology Trends discussions and the postings on that website are other excellent sources of information. LITA needs to develop mechanisms for helping to promote this resource to librarians and for assisting librarian utilizing this information in creative ways.

The second area, one which I feel is often overlooked, is that of practical approaches to the management and installation of automated process, equipment, services, networks, etc. Too often, librarians do not have the information they need to make effective decisions or implement the desired service. How does one select a customer-centered design? There are so many alternatives to approaching information-services offerings that selecting the best one for a given library can, at times, be an overwhelming decision. LITA has a large pool of members who can offer information, advice, and strategies to librarians and libraries. But many of these people remain untapped. By focusing on these two areas, LITA can continue to be a dynamic, vital organization.

STATEMENT: LITA is a vital and dynamic organization that provides rewarding experiences and professional growth to the library information technology community. My contributions to LITA include serving as chair of the Emerging Technologies Interest Group; Interest Group Coordinator; and member and current Chair of the Program Planning Committee. Through these experiences, I have developed a clear understanding of LITA as an organization and a vision for communicating LITA's dynamic potential.

LITA is an organization that can be proud of its ability to engage an energetic membership and to make creative organizational changes to meet the membership's professional needs. The development of our new strategic initiatives, "LITA Educates, Serves, and Reaches out," clearly states to our LITA colleagues, and to ALA, our mutual goals and LITA's drive and ability to strengthen our profession's information technology efforts.

As a member of the LITA Board, I will continue to be an advocate for strong, cutting-edge programming, timely publications, and widespread LITA membership involvement. In addition, I will actively pursue collaborative opportunities with other ALA divisions, as well as with other computing professional groups and organizations.

STATEMENT: After working "in the trenches" of Interest Groups and Committees, after listening to the concerns and successes of Interest Groups for three years at IG Coordinator, and after promoting the association to current and prospective members via the Leadership Development Committee's events (e.g. Meet LITA), I have gained a depth and breadth of perspective regarding LITA, and regarding the interest, concerns, and needs of LITA members. I'd like to be able to represent and convey the news of LITA members in a public, policy-setting forum, as an elected member of the LITA Board. How can we make more information about standard operating procedures available to LITA officers, and to members in general? How can we facilitate the exchange of information across groups? How can LITA facilitate the applications of technology in libraries? These are some of the questions I would like to address on behalf of the membership.

Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for the scholarships with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference, and a personal statement of the applicant's view of what he or she can bring to the profession, with particular emphasis on experiences that indicate potential for leadership and commitment to library automation. Economic need is considered when all other criteria are equal. Winners must have been accepted to an ALA accredited MLS program.

Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for this scholarship with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference, and a personal statement of the applicant's view of what he or she can bring to the profession, with particular emphasis on experiences that indicate potential for leadership and commitment to library automation. Economic need is considered when all other criteria are equal. Winners must have been accepted to an ALA accredited MLS program.

Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for this scholarship with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference, and a personal statement of the applicant's view of what he or she can bring to the profession, with particular emphasis on experiences that indicate potential for leadership and commitment to library automation. Economic need is considered when all other criteria are equal. Winners must have been accepted to an ALA accredited MLS program.

This event was held for the second time (last year it was call the LITA Recruiting Fair) and was intended to provide current LITA members with an opportunity to learn more about what each of the LITA Committees and Interest Groups do so that members are better informed as they select which committee or interest group they might like to serve on. Attendance this year was up from last year:

• Total 2000 attendance: 68
• LITA Members: 54
• LITA Board, IG or Committee members: 36

Last year's attendance:

• 20 LITA representatives from committees and Igs
• 23 interested in LITA involvement
• 43 total

The Leadership Development actively seeks your input on the success of this program and how we can make it better. Please take a few minutes to email me with your comments which we will incorporate into the planning of next year's program.

Bonnie Postlethwaite
Tufts University

Certification of Librarians
President-elect Nancy Kranich presented information on the potential for ALA sponsored certification for librarians. The only ALA certification program proposed thus far is a post-MLS program for public library directors in several areas of managerial expertise. This initiative is the joint effort of several divisions including PLA and LAMA. Unfortunately, ALA can not offer certification programs under its current IRS status. ALA would have to create a separate, but related, organization to accomplish this. If a mechanism is created, then any unit in ALA could begin to offer certification as a formal continuing education opportunity. It is clear, however, that there are some objections to ALA entering this arena. There is some uncertainty about how certification relates to the MLS/MIS and the role of library schools. LITA members may want to consider if certification in technical areas is something the division might wish to offer in the future.

Uniform Computer Information Transaction Acts (UCITA)
Council passed a resolution to encourage members and state chapters to oppose passage of Uniform Computer Information Transaction Acts (UCITA) at the state level. The LITA Board unanimously endorsed this resolution. Among other things, the UCITA makes shrink-wrap and click-on licenses legally binding. This requires consumers, including libraries, to accept contract provisions and payment obligations without first having an opportunity to read the license agreement. Such licenses are problematic since legal contracts generally require an informed agreement between the buyer and the seller.

Requiring the MLS
Council debated a resolution requiring the MLS for the ALA executive director and all director level management positions in ALA. This includes divisional executive directors, as well as the directors of ALA's offices. This resolution followed the appointment of Emily Sheketoff to direct the ALA Washington Office. I brought this issue to the LITA Board for discussion. Although the MLS is highly valued and stands on its own merit, the board did not feel it was the singular qualification for every management position in ALA. This is particularly true for LITA, with its diverse membership across several professional groups. The resolution was amended on the floor of Council to apply only to the ALA executive director and was passed

Who Speaks for ALA?
The ALA Executive Board has issued an interpretation of existing policy on external representation of ALA. This policy is intended to have ALA "speak with one voice". It does allow ALA divisions to speak for the association in their area of expertise. The ALA round tables, and particularly the Social Responsibility Round Table, made it clear to Council that they wish to have the same ability to speak outside ALA as the divisions. This was not an action item and no change in the current policy was made. However, we can expect this issue to surface again.

Unsung Heroes
The Intellectual Freedom Committee asked Council to honor (somewhat belatedly) Emily Wheelock Reed for combating an attempt in 1959 by the Alabama legislature to censor a children's book. The Rabbit's Wedding was attacked as a dangerous example of pro-integrationist literature -- one bunny was white and one was not. Ms. Reed, the Alabama State Librarian, received little support from the library community in 1959 as she fought to keep the book on library shelves. Council unanimously commended Emily Reed, an ALA member for 61 years, for her courageous stance.

Technology Marches On ...
Council changed its rules to allow resolutions to be submitted electronically. This formalizes a practice that has developed over the last year on the Council listserv.

If you have questions, comments, or would like further information about ALA Council actions or documents, please contact me.

Tamara Miller
LITA Councilor

Presented by the Association of Research Libraries and EDUCAUSE, sponsoring organizations of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), the award honors the memory and accomplishments of Paul Evan Peters (1947-1996), founding executive director of CNI. CNI, with some 200 institutional members, promotes the creation and use of networked information resources and services that advance scholarship and intellectual productivity.

Berners-Lee is widely recognized as the creator of the World Wide Web, which opened the Internet to the world. He is a uniquely appropriate choice as the first recipient of the award: in the course of more than a decade he developed a vision and a design for the Web and brought it to life, creating a capability that would revolutionize communication.

He designed the first version of the protocol for transmitting information on the Web (Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP), the first version of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), devised the method for addressing documents on the Web (later known as Universal Resource Locators, or URLs), and developed the first Web server and the first Web browser, which was also an editor. His creation has changed the way people communicate and work together worldwide.

In his current role as director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Berners-Lee continues to encourage the development of open specifications to enhance the functionality of the Web as a mode of free expression and global communication. W3C, a non-profit, member-sponsored organization, is headquartered at MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS), at the National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) in France, and Keio University in Japan. Berners-Lee serves as principal research scientist at MIT/LCS, which he joined in 1994.

Berners-Lee received the Kilby Foundation's Young Innovator of the Year award for 1995. In 1998 he was named one of 29 MacArthur Fellows, receiving $270,000 in this unrestricted "genius grant" program. He is the author of "Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by its Inventor."

Berners-Lee will accept the Paul Evan Peters Award and give the award address as the closing plenary presentation at the CNI Spring Task Force meeting in Washington, D.C., on March 28. The award will be presented by Clifford A. Lynch, executive director of CNI, and Brian L. Hawkins, president of EDUCAUSE.

"It's rare that we have an opportunity to honor someone who has had such a powerful and multifaceted impact, not just within the academic world but on our society as a whole," commented Hawkins. "Tim's creativity and his commitment to developing the Web as a vehicle for open communication are remarkable."

Speaking from the perspective of the library community, ARL Executive Director Duane E. Webster noted that "Tim Berners-Lee, like Paul Peters, recognized the potential of the Internet for access to content at a time when the Net was primarily a communications channel. His vision of establishing a web of links between and among discrete pieces of information, allowing researchers to create and share new knowledge, has had a profound and long-lasting impact on scholarship."

Paul Evan Peters was a visionary and a coalition builder in higher education and scholarly communication, providing new insights and direction to the world of networked information for librarians, technologists, and publishers. He was named one of the 100 most important leaders in 20th century librarianship in the December 1999 issue of American Libraries magazine, published by the American Library Association.

"My friend Paul would have been absolutely delighted to know that Tim had been selected as the first recipient of this award," observed Lynch. "The Web has had a transforming effect on scholarship and on our society as a whole; it has created entire new industries. Tim's long-standing commitment not only to furthering the standards and technologies underlying the Web, but to understanding and shaping the broader social implications make him an extraordinary figure in the networked information age."

The award program established in the memory of Peters is supported by an endowment from ARL, EDUCAUSE, Microsoft Corporation, and Xerox Corporation.

The mission of the Association of Research Libraries is to shape and influence forces affecting the future of research libraries in the process of scholarly communication.

EDUCAUSE is an international, nonprofit association whose mission is to help shape and enable transformational change in higher education through the introduction, use, and management of information resources and technologies in teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and institutional management.