2022 GODORT ALA Annual Round Up

GODORT again hosted our committee and general membership meetings virtually. The ability to host these meetings virtually has been a boon to our round table. The virtual meetings provide an opportunity for participation by members and non-members who may not be able to attend ALA Annual and provides an opportunity to use GODORT’s time at the in-person conference to host events and programs that will hopefully attract new members and highlight the importance of government information.

The week of virtual meetings evidenced the efforts of our committees over the past year. This year, many of our committees focused on refining and updating the GODORT LibGuides. From guides on Best Practices to the Federal Budgeting Process, GODORT is utilizing LibGuides to better inform our practices and share resources that are helpful to librarians and the general public.

GODORT marked the return to in-person conference with a handful successful events. We sponsored three successful sessions—Economic Data with the Census Bureau and OECD, Beyond the Vote: lessons in advocacy and civic engagement, and Social Justice & The Kerner Report: The Consequences of Inaction. These sessions were well attended and received positive feedback. Our Getting to Know GODORT (GODORT 101) session brought in 45 participants, including several first-time ALA conference attendees. Our social events were also a success. The OECD, World Bank, and IMF- sponsored happy hour allowed for meeting new colleagues and reconnecting with folks in person. Thank you to Iain Williamson with OECD for coordinating and hosting the happy hour. The 50th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Reception was a lovely event in a beautiful and historic space. Thank you to Susanne Caro and the 50th Anniversary committee for planning and hosting an event that brought together founding, long-time, and new members of GODORT. We even had a surprise visit from GPO Director Hugh Halpern.

I cannot thank the GODORT membership enough for electing me to serve as chair, especially during our anniversary year. It has been an honor to serve, and I am grateful for being part of such a vibrant, active group.

Robbie Sittel (roberta.sittel@unt.edu), Department Head, Government Information Connection, University of North Texas