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I am the incoming co-chair for the LITA Distance Learning Interest Group. I know, I know… you’re asking, “why would you be involved with Distance Learning when we don’t do it at WFU?” Really, the DLIG focuses on using technology to reach students on and off campus and how to use technology in education, so it’s a perfect fit.

Since I’m coming into this role, I attended the Joint Committee and Interest Groups Chairs Meeting for the first time. It’s a little intimidating to be surrounded by so many LITA leaders! It’s neat, though, to see the faces behind the names of the people you see writing or mentioned in blogs and articles.

Facts that may be of interest to folks at ZSR:

• LITA’s grown by about 5% in the last year, primarily in students. This makes me wonder: what does this mean about our pool of potential employees in the future? What percentage of students are joining LITA?
• There was a discussion of a web based conference program proposal. Interesting discussion on how other divisions are doing technology programming too, sometimes at conflicting times with LITA. We see this blurring of lines in many of areas of the field, and LITA is struggling with this issue, too.
• LITA is moving to a new CMS; the entire ALA site will be converted, too. Followed by typical discussion of the flaws with the ALA website.
• LITA blogs the LITA sessions, a lot like how we blog our professional development opportunities in-house. They’ve added video and audio, too!