Special Libraries Association. Texas Chapter

Since 1949, the Special Libraries Association Texas Chapter (SLA-CTX) provides professional development to members and promotes the role of Special Librarians through community outreach, special events, workshops, lectures, and publications. $b Comprised of an executive board, advisory council, special committees, and local planning groups throughout the state, the SLA-CTX publishes the chapter bulletin, newsletter, special library directories, and booklets, as well as sponsors special projects and surveys.

The Special Libraries Association, Texas Chapter (SLA-CTX) began in 1949, with Louise T. Jackson as first president. The first chapter officers consisted of a president, Vice president, treasurer, and secretary, but this later expanded to include the First vice president/bulletin editor and second vice president/program chairman as well as became known as the executive board. The SLA-CTX also has several committees and an advisory council of committee chairpersons, which handle archives, memberships, nominations, public relations, student and minority liaisons, consultation services, constitution and bylaws, and many other topics. Also, local planning groups (LPGs) are located in Austin, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and San Antonio to facilitate organizing meetings and events throughout the state.

Since its inception, the chapter has been publishing the Texas Chapter SLA Bulletin, following in the steps of other chapters, which prints reports from the executive board and advisory council members as well as meeting minutes and information on upcoming meetings or conferences. Beginning in 1977, a quarterly newsletter, the Texas Chapter SLA News, with informal reports, news, and papers began publication; the newsletter changed names in the 1989-1990 year to Lone Star Librarian .

SLA-CTX also sponsors workshops and special projects, such as lectures, memorial funds, and salary surveys. One of the first successful projects was compiling the Directory of Special Library Resources in Texas in 1953, followed by the first Procedures Manual the next year. The latter project has been continued and expanded upon throughout the years.

Sources:

Boris, Mary H. 1959. The Texas Chapter: Its Early History. Texas Chapter SLA Bulletin 11(2): 10-20.

Spangler, Helen E. 1959. Texas. In Special Libraries Association – Its First Fifty Years, 1909-1959, edited by Alma Clarvoe Mitchill. New York: Special Libraries Association.

SLA-CTX’s website: http://units.sla.org/chapter/ctx/