President’s Column, January 2024
A new year may offer hope and inspiration, an opportunity to start afresh. We may revisit our goals and perhaps set new goals. Some of these goals will encounter various fates over time - accomplished, reconsidered, or forgotten. Others may accompany us throughout the year, helping us to chart our progress in a given endeavour.
There are lots of notable quotes about a new year, suggesting potential nuggets of wisdom for considering the next twelve months…
And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.
-Rainer Maria Rilke
Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
-Helen Keller
I know. I'm lazy. But I made myself a New Years resolution that I would write myself something really special. Which means I have 'til December, right?
-Catherine O'Hara
While it might be tempting to put off making that perfect resolution, it is also important to move forward.
In ASIS&T, 2024 already promises to be a busy year, with many of our usual activities - but also with new work and new plans to progress the Association. There are many ways that you can become involved in your Association…
Looking ahead, our Annual Meeting will be held in Calgary, Alberta at the end of October. The AM is our signature Association event and provides an essential opportunity for us to meet and network with new and continuing members, to hear about new research, and to plan ahead with our SIGs and Chapters. We know that some of you may be unable to attend both ALISE (scheduled two weeks prior to ASIS&T this year) and ASIS&T, but we hope to see you at the AM. Part of our plans for the coming year include deepening our commitment to professionals, education, and educational research, and the role they play in our professional and scholarly work. We might say it is important that we have a home in ASIS&T - perhaps we should take pride in finding *many* homes in ASIS&T through the many facets the Association encompasses.
This year, we will also host a hybrid IDEA Institute event focussing on artificial intelligence (AI). This is an exciting addition to the Association’s calendar - be sure to hold May/June in your diaries for this event!
If you are new to ASIS&T, please take a new year’s plunge into Association events. We hope to meet you at Welcome Wednesdays, valuable Zoom-based gatherings for members to learn about the Association. Upcoming meetings have been announced on the ASIS&T website for February 7th at 6 pm EST and March 6th, at 8am EST.
The new year also signals a time for gratitude for the things we continue to have. Very importantly, we are thankful for the expertise, experience, and enthusiasm our many volunteers, our Board, and our membership bring to our Association. We would be lost without the support and care that our Director, Lydia Middleton, and her team provide, nearly invisibly enabling the activities we value as core to our Association.
We invite you to make ASIS&T part of your new year planning and to help us make a difference through the Association.
I wish you all a happy, productive, and healthy New Year!
All the best,
Crystal