The Beaten Path

It's time to say so long. Most years, and this is no exception, a little progress is made toward better informing, better organizing, better involving our members. I hope this year we have also taken a step or two toward better understanding and responding to them. In the wake of the Association's efforts to plan its future, rather than have the future wholly thrust upon it, the OBS Board is attempting to learn some fundamental things about the Section's membership. We hope this will enable us to ensure that our educational and organizational efforts will be aimed where they are needed, to serve those who, in turn, support them.

This is a good opportunity to express admiration for the thoughts, explorations, and toil of our colleagues who turn out periodic columns and articles. Unlike Chairs, they speak of substantial stuff, ranging from policy to practice, through all the areas in which this rather broadly focused membership work, and they feed us with the ideas and information that help us do our jobs well. They make the going a little easier through some of the thick stuff we encounter now and then. The Technical Services Law Librarian and its professional sisters are probably the most valuable benefits of membership. OBS and TS together happen to support one of the finer examples.

Also very high in my esteem are the chairs of OBS committees (listed, like the columnists, on page 2). They and their fellows accomplish most of the Section's work, answering their charges to study and report, and to represent our concerns to the appropriate bodies. How else could we keep up?

Finally, AALL and OBS depend upon the involvement of their members, to learn as we participate, to grow and develop our skills, not only as professionals but also in the organizational work that supports educational programming and development of the profession. These skills can be picked up simply by offering a little time on some project, committee or working group. If you are not in the habit of volunteering within AALL, I urge you to take on one task this year - do some of the legwork, learn in depth about a problem by working on it as a group member, and then next year perhaps, take a little more responsibility. You will find opportunities to learn, contacts for future assistance, satisfaction in serving a grateful lot; and a little exposure couldn't hurt your career, let's face it. No special talents? Like the grain in a nice piece of wood when you rub it, your abilities will expose themselves. Take a small job, a little challenge, and do it as well as you can. The world (and AALL) will beat a path to your door. Thanks for the opportunity to learn and broaden myself, by serving OBS. See you in D.C.

Jack