Christina Stoll, Library Services Consultant at the Metropolitan Library System, reports on the recent SLA Leadership Summit in the March 19, 2008 MLS E-nnounce.

Lorene Kennard has opened her own research and consulting company, Walnut Avenue Research in Downers Grove after many years as solo librarian at Morningstar Inc. The upstart company, launched Jan. 21, offers research and services from competitive intelligence to long range planning.

SLA Illinois Past President Jan Chindlund is the new Library Director at Columbia College in Chicago. She assumed the position in September. Previously Jan was Manager/Head Librarian of the information center at McDonald's Corporation. Before that she was Assistant Vice President and Head Librarian at Duff & Phelps. (Thanks to Laura Barnes.)

SLA Chapter member Suzanne Arist's feature article on Success in Diversity: How Three Illinois Libraries Embrace Multiculturalism appears in the current ILA Reporter, published by the Illinois Library Association. "Northwestern University Library, Illinois State Library, and Schaumburg Township District Library will remain vital to their communities because they continue to engage diverse populations," writes Arist. "There are a number of factors, which will ensure that these libraries will remain relevant.

By Christina Gorniak, Knowledge Services Center, Packer Engineering

Illinois Chapter member Mary L. Crompton is the 2007 recipient of the George Mandel Memorial Award. This award is given to a member of SLA's Aerospace Section of the Engineering Division. Ms. Crompton is a librarian at Northrop Grumman Corp. in Rolling Meadows.

By Ramona Howerton, President, SLA Illinois

Ken Des Jardins, who has served on the SLA Illinois Board as a Director for the past year, is moving on to the greener pastures of Vermont with his partner who has accepted a management position at Fletcher Allen Health Care, an academic medical center in Burlington. Ken is sad to be leaving Chicago and will miss his friends in the Illinois Chapter. We wish Ken the best, and appreciate his contributions to the chapter. 

Jane Candela will be filling the vacant Director’s position. Jane, the Director of Packer Engineering’s Knowledge Services Center, has been an Illinois Chapter member since April 2002. We would like to welcome Jane to the Board, and look forward to working with her.

By Cynthia Lesky, President, Threshold Information Inc.

Jan Chindlund of the Illinois Chapter has been named an SLA Association Fellow and was honored along with other award winners at the annual conference in Baltimore in June.

By Christina Gorniak, Knowledge Services Center, Packer Engineering

The Chicago Association of Law Libraries (CALL) honored SLA Illinois chapter member Lenore Glanz with its 2005-2006 Outstanding Lifetime Achievement award.

By Christina Gorniak, Knowledge Services Center, Packer Engineering

In case you missed the April issue of the Illinois Library Association Reporter, three members of SLA’s Illinois chapter were profiled: Susan Chenoweth, Roberto Sarmiento and Laura Barnes.

By Christina Gorniak, Knowledge Services Center, Packer Engineering

Karen Tschanz has accepted a position as Assistant Professor and Chair of Content Management with the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.