Three successful library events occurred at the end of April to highlight support for the libraries. One was the Kornhauser Library Friends Dinner on April 24, another was the Library Associates Awards Luncheon on April 26, and the third event was the Bingham Poetry Tea, also on April 26.

On April 27 I presented the Karen Cobb Memorial Lecture to about 70 guests at the University of Kentucky Library and Information Science Awards Banquet. The title of my talk was “The Changing Role of Librarians in the 21st Century.”

The Libraries new publication, For Love of Learning, has been a wonderful success. We have shared this catalog of special collections with many people on campus, donors, friends, community leaders, national library leaders and others, and have received many compliments. Thanks and gratitude for this excellent work go to Delinda Buie, other librarians, archivists and staff.

The Metroversity Library Council is having two retreats to update their mission and goals. By early fall we should be able to see a revised mission and goal statement.

Kentucky Virtual Library
Anna Marie Johnson has been doing an excellent job as chair of the KYVL Information Literacy Work Group, and David Horvath is doing phenomenal work on the KYVL Collections Work Group. As of July I will be chairing the KYVL Steering Committee. Let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas for that group.

Several of us are working with the Library Associates and others to rethink the purpose and constituencies of a library support group in terms of the 21st century needs of our libraries. We hope to have ideas about a revised mission, purpose and agenda by fall, 2001.

Meanwhile the Council of Deans has been working on student recruitment and retention, the status of information technology in the future, a new strategic plan for development and alumni, the honors program, and the Redbook revision, among many other issues.

--Hannelore Rader, University Librarian