As my year in the OBS Chair begins, let me first say thank you for allowing me this opportunity to serve OBS and AALL. There are many friends among you, and many to whom debts and thanks are owed; I am happy to be able to return something. I also take great pleasure in expressing my gratitude to several old friends who are wonderful sources of help and encouragement: Jacqui Paul, now Past-Chair of OBS, a friend throughout my years of AALL membership, and a sure hand at the OBS helm, in spite of the siren call of early retirement; Sally Wambold, last year’s Past-Chair, source of inspired suggestions and thoughtful advice; Brian Striman, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, as full of great ideas as he is of fun. We’ll have a brief male interlude, then continue with more great women as OBS chairs.

The meeting schedule in Anaheim played havoc with SIS meetings. There were only about thirteen members present on Wednesday afternoon for the OBS business meeting. We had some important things to share and discuss, and since Secretary/Treasurer Ismael Gullon will give you a more thorough rundown on the business, I’ll mention only a few high spots.

First on everyone’s minds this year was a replacement for the Editor of TSLL. Happily, as you can see, we were fortunate to persuade Linda Tesar and Anna Belle Leiserson to take over. Almost in the same breath, Cindy May was shanghaied for the role of Business Manager. We hope to squeeze at least several good years out of the three of them, and still have their good will at the end. Much rejoicing, and much gratitude, to Mary Dzurinko and Lorraine Lorne for four dedicated years of editorship and management.

The SIS Council spent considerable time working toward a meeting schedule for Washington that will work for Special Interest Sections as well as for educational programming. We already have a tentative schedule, with guidelines for meeting planning. Joe Thomas, Chair of Technical Services SIS, and I will be able to work together so TS and OBS will have minimal meeting conflicts.

The Joint Research Grant Committee, founded by Brian Striman, and now chaired by Corinne Jacox, has awarded its first two grants, to LeGrande Fletcher, Brigham Young University, and Christina Tarr, University of California Law Library. Congratulations to both of them, and now let’s hear from some more of you! OBS and TS are prepared to grant together up to a total of $1000 annually to aid research in the areas surveyed by our two Sections. For information, please contact Corinne, at the University of Orlando. She and her committee would very much like to put some money to work.

The OBS listserv was begun last year, along with many other SIS lists, and all members were automatically subscribed. No one is obligated to remain, but those who are subscribed all speak the same language. It offers occasional news and a forum for discussion of online bibliographic topics. We would like to make it as useful as possible. If you are looking for a forum to instigate discussion of an online topic, consider using the OBS listserv. A topic can be introduced here, with links to online data elsewhere, and discussion can be carried on back at the listserv.

There may be some listserv teething problems, i.e., those of you who have unsubscribed once may be resubscribed at the beginning of the new membership year. Head Quarters is working out the details of keeping the non-subscribers permanently off the list.

Finally, it had to happen eventually. Many of the SIS’s have developed or are working on strategic plans. To paraphrase the old saying, "Yesterday I couldn’t spell strategic plan, and today I got one." Given the perpetual confusion about OBS and its place in AALL, particularly in relation to TS, it seems worthwhile to give some deep thought to our identity, our mission, and how to carry it out. The Board will go to work on this and you will be kept informed, but your opinions will also be sought. Watch the list.

Jack