Dear DCLA Members,

As 2016 comes to a close, DCLA will be off and running at the start of the new year. We are offering members three different program options in January, each with its own very different appeal. First up is our “Copyright Workshop” on Wednesday, January 11, presented by John H. Ashley, the Visual Arts Chief at the U.S. Copyright Office. With a law degree from Harvard University Law School, Mr. Ashley is an expert on intellectual and tangible property laws. He is an exceptional speaker that will keep you on your toes during this engaging interactive session you won’t want to miss – register today!

Next on the schedule is our 3^rd annual MLK Day of Service, Monday, January 16. This service project was originally initiated by our Past President, Christina Bailey, in response to ALA President Courtney Young’s advocacy challenge. The project aims to serve as a tribute to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to community service.DCLA will be calling on all member librarians, information professionals, and library supporters to volunteer between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at a specific D.C. Public School library.  Two school libraries have been identified and the final determination will be made after January 4, 2017.  Be sure and look for updates on our website or social media outlets and register when available.

On January 24, our newly established “Librarians & Friends Book Club” will discuss their third book, Swing Time by Sadie Smith. If you are interested in attending, meet the group in the upstairs meeting space at the Starbucks on Capitol Hill located at 237 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (Washington, DC 20003) at 6:30 p.m. Capitol South is the closest Metro station. Also remember that this is a public group which is open to everyone – so, feel free to invite others to attend. If you have any questions about this club, contact DCLA Vice President, Candice Townsend via email at ctow@loc.gov or by phone at (202) 230-8204.

In addition to the programs mentioned above, our Systems Director, Qaddafi Sabree, and our Career and Leadership Development Director, Kimberly Knight, are hard at work implementing a new public Jobs Forum. This new service will offer free access to job seekers, whether they are members or not, and a free trial posting period for employer institutions.  Look for more details down the road.

There are great things in store for DCLA in 2017 – make sure you are a part of it!!!

Best regards,

Yvonne Dooley
DCLA President