"Nevada
Libraries -- Launching into the New Millennium"
Conference 2000
Report -- Millie Syring
The
NLA Conference 2000 was held October 5, 6, and 7, 2000 at the Reno-Sparks
Convention Center. Conference
attendees were treated to gorgeous early fall weather in Reno and they could
be seen walking between the convention center and the conference hotel, the
Atlantis Casino Resort, in the warm sunshine.
Registration statistics indicate that 299 people registered for the
conference and total attendance, including the exhibitors and those who
attended meal functions only, was close to 370. Forty-seven speakers presented 38 programs covering the gamut
of library and information topics.
The exhibit area was host
to 47 vendor booths with 56 exhibitors present and 10 booths for
non-profit/library organizations. The
"Grand Opening" of the exhibits featured representatives from the
library community in Northern Nevada and Reno City Councilman Dave Aiazzi. Councilman Aiazzi read a proclamation
from the City of Reno proclaiming the week of October 1-7, 2000 as
"Nevada Library Association Week."
Appearing in the photo from left to right are: Lorin Lindsay, Director of the Elizabeth Sturm Library,
Truckee Meadows Community College; Carol Parkhurst, Director of Computing and
Telecommunications and Library Systems, University of Nevada, Reno; Ellen
Fockler, Library/Media Technology Coordinator, Washoe County School District;
Nancy Cummings, Director of the Washoe County Library System; Monteria
Hightower, Nevada State Librarian; Dave Aiazzi; and Sara Jones, Nevada Library
Association President and Director of the Elko-Lander-Eureka Counties Library
System.
The opening conference
session featured a report from Martha Gould, Chair of the United States
National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. The keynote speaker,
Dr. Zonnya, engaged the audience with her life story and how she coped with
the challenges and tragedies. Her
message can be summarized thusly: How
you react to bad things that happen in your life (for example, the death of a
parent, loss of a job, etc.) will determine how you will live. A positive attitude will help you to
cope and reconstruct your life. Dr.
Zonnya presented two subsequent motivation sessions, one on Thursday afternoon
and one on Friday morning. Both
sessions were well attended and feedback received from attendees was
enthusiastic for this energetic, outspoken, and inspirational speaker.
One
of the traditional highlights of NLA conferences is the President's Award
Dinner. This year's event was
held at the Atlantis Casino Resort. The
Atlantis presented a really upscale dinner in beautiful surroundings for more
than 110 attendees. Monteria
Hightower graciously stepped in as Mistress of Ceremonies when Richard Lee
could not attend due to flight delays.