By Bonnie Sebby, SLA Illinois Chapter Secretary and Knowledge Manager at Exelon Corporation
With a nod to St. Paddy’s Day, nine librarians met to trade tales and business cards at Emmet’s Ale House in Downer’s Grove for a DineAround. The DineAround is a regular event of the Chapter, where members and friends converge on a restaurant to talk shop and exhaust any other topic they may fancy. On this night, March 4, other Chapter DineArounds took place in Chicago, Homewood, and Skokie.
Conversation and good food and drink flowed as seven seasoned veterans, a Dominican University graduate-to-be student and a prospective Chapter member gathered in the cozy Irish pub. It was a lively bunch! Host Lorene Kennard, owner of Walnut Avenue Research [1], greeted us and kept the conversation going as we gathered. We introduced ourselves and our neighbors and quickly created a spirit of camaraderie.
The DineAround was a great introduction to the Chapter for Dominican Student Teresa Lepine and prospective member Kathy Muldowney of the American College of Dermatology.  And for current members, it was a great opportunity to hear new perspectives.  Also included in the party were Jane Candela, Crystal Megaridis, Joyce Kedeczko, Lori Volp, Susan Bogner, and Bonnie Tilton Sebby.
It was interesting to reflect on the diversity around the table at Emmet’s and what career paths librarianship can take.  An enthusiastic student ready to launch a career exchanges ideas with a corporate vice-president. An independent consultant swaps business insights with a new information broker.  Solos and members of larger library staffs trade expertise , vendor info and stories.  And how varied  was the subject matter we deal with daily –from dairies to dermatology , energy to engineering, fast food to financial, and so much in between.
The DineAround is a great way to get together and chat, greet colleagues and forge new friendships. And that’s precisely what nine diverse librarians did at Emmet’s Ale House, to celebrate our profession and a bit of Ireland as well.
Contact Bonnie Sebby at Bonnie.Sebby@exeloncorp.com [2].